LIVESTREAM Spain: Osos Rivas @ Gijon Mariners, March 16, 16:00 CET (4 pm, 11 am EDT)

AFI | American Football | 03/16/2024

The Gijon Mariners (2-4) will be trying to climb back into playoff contention when they play host to Osos Rivas (4-1) Saturday, March 16 as the Spanish League of American Football heads into the home stretch.

The two teams faced each other earlier in the season with Osos coming out on top 41-21.

Gijon’s two wins have come against the cellar dwelling Alcobendas Cavaliers who they beat 27-21 and 35-22 last weekend. They lost to the Coslada Camioneros 34-20 and 31-20 and were pummeled 49-7 by the first place Las Rozas Black Demons.

Osos Rivas only defeat this season was a 10-6 loss to arch rivals the Black Demons. Otherwise the Madrid based squad rolled over the Alcobendas Cavaliers twice, 34-6 and 47-0 and handed the Coslada Camioneros a 48-0 beatdown.

Mariners quarterback William Alexander (Clarion University, NCAA Div. II) along with running back Javier Castañón are the key to the Mariners offense which is averaging 22 points a game, good for fourth in the league. Defensively however, Gijon have surrendered 33 points a contest, next to worst in Spain.

For Osos Rivas, quarterback Russell Tabor has been outstanding this season and leads the league in touchdown passes with 17 while he has added three more on the ground. His receiving corps of Ángel Marín, Daniel Salazar, Eduardo Pérez and José Pablo Olivares are all enjoying excellent seasons thanks to Tabor’s arm. Expect more of the same against Gijon.