LIVESTREAM: Mexico – Puebla Artilleros @Mexicas, Sunday Feb. 24, 4p (11p CEST)

AFI | American Football | 02/24/2019

Mexico’s Liga de Futbol Americano Professional (LFA) winds up its first weekend of play with the defending LFA champions taking on the newest team in the league as Mexicas plays host to Puebla Artilleros.

Mexicas

The defending LFA champions will start a new season with a new head coach, and a new management. Well renowned coach, Enrique Zárate takes charge of a team that finished last season with a 4-3 regular season record, and went on to win the Central Division. The team made it all the way to their first Mexico Bowl,which they won by defeating the Raptors by a 17 to nothing final score to claim their first ever LFA title.

After a sensational 2018 season that saw him pass for 1,275 yards with 9 touchdowns by completing 57.7% of his passes, and run for 6 more scores, Ricardo “Lefty” Quintana is back behind the controls. Quintana is a veteran QB who has also played in Spain with the Valencia Giants. His most effective weapon is WR Guillermo “Billy” Villalobos who caught 27 passes for 396 yards and 5 TDs in 2018, but possesses the abilities to eclipse last year’s numbers this campaign.

Artilleros

Starting with the first Draft pick in the history of the Artilleros, WR Sebastián Olvera, it’s clear that they will look to stretch the field vertically. Olvera played for the UDLAP Aztecas during his college career and presented problems to every opposition he faced. He will team up with other proven speedsters at the WR position, Sergio León and Rodrigo Arias are both capable of having a 500 yards season.

With Gustavo Torres as the team’s head coach, we can expect a tough football team both on defense and on offense. On the defensive side selected two veteran stars thru the LFA’s Expansion Draft, DB Genaro Alfonsín owner of 3 INTs, one of those a Pick 6, in 2018 and LB Germán Villarreal. Alfonsín played for the Dinos in 2018, while Villarreal was a starter for the Condors last season.