Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns end Düsseldorf’s Cinderella run, advance to GFL semifinals

The Düsseldorf Panther’s Cinderella run finally came to an end in Baden-Württemberg, but not before they made the unbeaten Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns work considerably harder than the regular-season records suggested.

The Unicorns, 12-0 and champions of the GFL South, escaped with a 23-20 quarterfinal win in front of 2,452 at the Optima Sportpark. Düsseldorf, the 6-6 fourth seed from the North, had already shown this was not quite the mismatch the standings suggested by beating Hall 30-27 in a preseason game in April. Five months later the margin was three points again, only this time the result ended the Panther season and sent Hall into a semifinal against defending champion Potsdam.

The final statistics underline how uncomfortable Düsseldorf made it. Hall finished with 436 yards, 309 of them on the ground. The Panther produced 364, including 272 through the air, held a 24-17 edge in first downs and converted seven of 13 third downs. Dawson Herl finished 23 of 39 for 272 yards and a touchdown without an interception, and also ran for two scores.

And yet the game may have been decided before the Schwäbisch Hall offense ever took the field.

Special teams delivers the first blow

Düsseldorf opened by moving efficiently through Hall’s defense. Offensive coordinator Eric Kempkes and pass-game coordinator Albrecht Bialas attacked the Unicorns’ zones with crossers, mesh concepts, screens and quick throws. The broadcast repeatedly noted how well the Panther offensive line protected Herl in the first half. James Okike and Daniel Pedro found space and the visitors marched deep into Hall territory.

Then came the kind of mistake a playoff underdog simply cannot afford.

David Immel’s field-goal attempt was blocked/deflected and stayed live. Jonell Pelie alertly picked up the ball and lateraled it to Jordan Toles, who raced 95 yards for the touchdown. The broadcast crew noted that several Düsseldorf players appeared to switch off as if the play were dead. Special teams coordinator Frederic Beck could hardly have scripted a worse ending to an otherwise excellent opening possession. Instead of taking the lead, Düsseldorf trailed 7-0 without Hall’s offense having snapped the ball.

It became the central theme of the afternoon. Düsseldorf could move the ball. Schwäbisch Hall made the plays that changed the game.

Hall adjusts to Panther attack

Hall sports director Andy Weiss had said before kickoff that in the playoffs “you cannot correct mistakes anymore; you have to be on point today.” His team was not flawless, but it was better in the moments when somebody had to make a play.

Defensive coordinator Cody Pastorino deserves a large share of the credit. Düsseldorf’s passing concepts caused genuine problems early, while Herl repeatedly escaped pressure and extended plays. At halftime, Hall changed the picture. The Unicorns became cleaner passing off the Panther crossing routes, stayed more disciplined in their rush lanes and began getting hands into throwing lanes. Düsseldorf was shut out in the third quarter.

That mattered because Felix Brenner’s offense was hardly perfect. Hall drove into scoring position on its first possession but missed a field goal. Later, with the ball at the Düsseldorf goal line, two consecutive botched center-quarterback exchanges wasted another golden opportunity. Brenner, who doubles as head coach and offensive coordinator, will have plenty to clean up before Potsdam arrives.

What he will not have to fix is the running game.

Joiner takes over on the ground

Kelley Joiner was again the engine. The broadcast had him at 177 yards on 16 carries with more than nine minutes still remaining, and Hall finished with a staggering 309 rushing yards and 9.7 yards per carry as a team. Joiner broke the game open after halftime with a 42-yard run and later scored from 32 yards after another defensive takeaway. Düsseldorf linebacker Jurriente Davis made a string of stops and defensive back Dy’vonne Inyang produced a superb touchdown-saving shoestring tackle, but there were simply too many open-field problems.

Julius Klenk did not need to dominate through the air. Hall threw for only 127 yards, but Klenk made the important touchdown throw, finding Rayjuon Pringle from four yards for a 13-0 lead. Timo Bronn’s 41-yard field goal made it 16-7 in the third.

Then Pastorino’s defense created the game’s other huge swing. Monteze Latimore attacked Herl from the side on a quarterback run and punched the ball loose. Julian-Ludwig Mayorga recovered deep in Panther territory. Two plays later Joiner was gone for 32 yards and Hall led 23-7.

Latimore was arguably Hall’s defensive player of the game. Beyond the forced fumble, the broadcast showed him repeatedly matching Okike, breaking up throws and making open-field tackles. Hall generated three sacks as a team, with the pressure coming from a rotating front that included Noah Lorieri, Daniel Bartmann and Simon Baumgartner. Toles’ long return, of course, was the biggest defensive/special-teams play of all.

Düsseldorf refuses to fold

Düsseldorf still refused to go away, and that reflects well on head coach and defensive coordinator Jaycee Krieg. His defense kept the Panther alive despite Hall’s explosive rushing total, while the offense continued attacking at 23-7. Herl scored from one yard with 5:05 left. The two-point conversion failed, but Düsseldorf recovered the ensuing onside kick and suddenly the unbeaten Unicorns were being asked some uncomfortable questions.

Hall eventually missed a 50-yard field goal, and Herl got the ball back with 3:26 remaining. He then produced the drive Bialas had predicted he was capable of before the game. Daniel Pedro had six catches for 75 yards late in the fourth quarter, including tough work under contact. Herl kept the hurry-up offense moving and finally hit Okike for a nine-yard touchdown with 1:56 to play.

23-20.

One more onside kick and Cinderella might have acquired another chapter. This time Hall recovered, Joiner protected the football and the Unicorns escaped.

Krieg summed it up afterward: “We made more mistakes today. The Unicorns were more consistent in their actions.” He added that, in the end, “we ran out of time.”

That is fair, but Düsseldorf deserves credit. The fourth seed went into the home of a 12-0 team, out-passed it by 145 yards, produced 24 first downs and was one successful onside kick away from having a chance to tie or win.

Unicorns survive and advance

For Hall, 13-0 looks impressive. The way number 13 was earned may be more useful. The Unicorns were challenged, forced to adjust and made to survive mistakes of their own. Pastorino’s halftime response, the defense’s red-zone stand and turnover, and Joiner’s running carried them through.

Cinderella is going home to Düsseldorf.

The Unicorns are still dancing.

Scoring summary

1Q – Schwäbisch Hall: Jordan Toles 95-yard return after blocked field goal/lateral from Jonell Pelie (Timo Bronn kick), 7-0

2Q – Schwäbisch Hall: Rayjuon Pringle 4-yard TD reception from Julius Klenk (kick blocked), 13-0

2Q – Düsseldorf: Dawson Herl 12-yard TD run (David Immel kick), 13-7

3Q – Schwäbisch Hall: Bronn 41-yard field goal, 16-7

3Q – Schwäbisch Hall: Kelley Joiner 32-yard TD run (Bronn kick), 23-7

4Q – Düsseldorf: Herl 1-yard TD run (2-point conversion failed), 23-13

4Q – Düsseldorf: James Okike 9-yard TD reception from Herl (Immel kick), 23-20

Final: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 23, Düsseldorf Panther 20