The Munich Cowboys (1-2) earned their maiden win of the German Football League season with a dominant 24-0 road victory over the Straubing Spiders (1-3), fueled by a stifling defensive performance and quarterback Zach Whitehead’s three first-half touchdown passes.
Cowboys’ defense dominates in shutout
Defensive coordinator Max Macek’s unit suffocated the Spiders, neutralizing their ground game and eliminating deep passing threats. Straubing managed just 12 first downs and failed to breach the red zone. The Cowboys forced two turnovers, including a critical third-quarter fumble recovery, while holding the Spiders to 4.1 yards per play.
Whitehead fuels offensive outburst
Muncih quarterback Zach Whitehead (28/38, 312 yards, 3 TDs) carved up Straubing’s secondary, connecting with Gabe Boccella for scores of 25 and 51 yards and hitting Lukas Anzeneder on a 29-yard strike. Receivers Nikita Chereminskiy, Luis Heiss, and tight end Florian Hutter combined for 147 yards, while running backs Tom Stecher and Mustafa Othmann bolstered the ground attack with 98 rushing yards. Kicker Max Mittasch added three extra points and a 43-yard fourth-quarter field goal.
Special teams, miscues round out performance
Whitehead’s two red-zone interceptions prevented a wider margin, though the Cowboys controlled possession for over 37 minutes. A 30-minute delay late in the game occurred after a Straubing defensive player suffered an injury.
Road ahead
The Cowboys enter a bye week before hosting the Allgäu Comets on June 14 at Dante Stadium. Head coach Christos Lambropoulos praised his team’s discipline, stating, “We executed our plan and minimized errors—exactly what we needed.” Straubing, held scoreless for the first time since 2023, faces the Saarland Hurricanes in Week 4.
Munich’s comprehensive performance—featuring Whitehead’s league-leading 835 passing yards through three games—signals a potential turnaround after an 0-2 start, while Straubing must regroup to salvage playoff hopes.