The Hildesheim Invaders (6-1), Europe #4, will play host to the 2-4-1 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes as the German Football League resumes after a four week break.
Hildesheim, the surprise team in the GFL this year, came out of the gate fast with six straight wins before being tripped up by the New Yorker Lions 35-28. Meanwhile, Kiel is struggling through another sub par season with the toughest part of their schedule still to come.
The Invaders are coming off a disappointing 35-28 loss, their first, to the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions. They had entered that game after their sixth consecutive win,, a 31-27 come-from-behind victory over the Monarchs. They had preceded that with a 46-10 drubbing of the Dusseldorf Panther. In fact, Hildesheim is so far the most improved team in the league and won their four previous games by one-sided scores beating the Potsdam Royals 50-28, taking care of the Panther 49-17, downing the Cologne Crocodiles 31-14 and then defeating the Berlin Rebels 56-41.
Invaders quarterback Casey Therriault, in his first season back in the GFL in two years is in prime form throwing for 2,141 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for a team-best 335 yards and four touchdowns. Sean Richard is the team’s second-leading rusher with 330 yards. Wide receivers Nathaniel Morris (812 yds, 8 TDs) s Jaleel Awini (588 yds, 7 TDs),and Anthony Dablé-Wolf (591 yds, 11 TDs) may be the most explosive set of receivers in the GFL.
The Hurricanes have struggled this year although they got by the Dusseldorf Panther 20-10 just before the break. Before tying the Potsdam Royals 28-28 they were tripped up by the Cologne Crocodiles 13-12 despite holding the lead the entire game, giving up the tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter. They had dropped a 33-14 decision to the Berlin Rebels before losing 48-28 to the Crocodiles. Kiel lost their first game of the season to the Dresden Monarchs 42-14 and then downed the Dusseldorf Panther 37-17 in the other game.
Hurricanes QB Jake Purichia has thrown for 1,398 yards and 10 touchdowns but tossed six interceptions in seven games. Wide receiver Lukas Rehder has caught 27 passes for 443 yards while running back Julian Ampaw has 340 yards rushing and six touchdowns. The Hurricanes’ new WR Markell Castle continues to impress and now has 201 yards and four touchdowns in three games.
