Aztecs Aiming to Conquer Britball And Beyond

By Peter Mann

It’s certainly been an impressive start to the new season for Britbowl National Championship holders, Bristol Aztecs, winning their first three games with an aggregate score of 115-0, beginning the season 1-0, progressing to the next round of the CEFL, and easing through a cross-divisional contest.

Flashbacks to 2025 must surely be taking place already at Shaftesbury Park where the CEFL (Central European Football League) is concerned, they having started last time around with a 46-7 success of Dutch side, Amsterdam Crusaders.

Fast-forward twelve months, and the reigning Irish National champions, Belfast Trojans, were put to the sword in as equally emphatic fashion, the Aztecs romping to a 31-0 home success; quarterback Ethan Gretzinger pulled the strings, with wide receivers AJ Carr (2) and Ollie Luck, recipients of his three, TD passes.

Running back Josh Breece chipped in with a lovely, rushing TD in the third quarter, whilst the boot of Reiss Ormonde-Cunningham wrapped proceedings, kicking through a fourth quarter field goal attempt.

Although the visiting Trojans never gave up the ghost, the hosting Aztecs defense had too much in the tank, and delighted in the shut-out, a second in quick succession to start the season.

Gretzinger seems to picking up where he left off in the 2025 season, one which finished with him being the Britbowl MVP, posting 200+ yards passing, 50yds rushing, and three touchdowns.

Looking back at last seasons efforts in the CEFL however, Aztecs HC, Pete Jones, who’s has enjoyed a lengthy relationship with the Bristol faithful, said of last seasons European sojourn that; “The CEFL was really good, enjoyable.

“We’re always looking at progressing, taking extra opportunities and, playing Amsterdam proved that we can mix things up.

“Carlstad (Crusaders), was perhaps a step ahead (at the time), but our aim this season, alongside a successful Britbowl defence, is to win the CEFL.

“If we can make the final, great, but we can only control what we can ourselves.”

It’s the Warsaw Eagles next up in the CEFL, in mid-May, the Polish side, five-times winners of the Polish Bowl in the past twenty years, set to put up perhaps a sterner challenge.

“They reached the semi-finals last year, beating some strong sides away from home (Stockholm Mean Machines and Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns).

“They’re not only a good team, but an ELF-level team at that.”

Alongside the Aztecs HC, Pete Jones, is the American-based, former defensive lineman for Boise State Broncos, Elliot Hoyte.

A surname perhaps familiar to those with knowledge of the British/European game, Elliot’s father, Nigel Hoyte, was part of the famed London Monarchs side of the 1990s; Elliot, he’s carved a successful life for himself stateside, whilst also being a Managing Director for the Aztecs, here in the UK.

Expected to be back on British soil for both the Trojans CEFL, and the visit of Nottingham Caesars, Hoyte spoke of his early years in the British game, saying; “Bristol was the only place that a youth system existed.

“I had the background in the game through my father, but I was only 2-3-years old when he stopped playing, in the mid-90s.

“He started coaching and his first years was 2007/08 with the Cornish Sharks, and, a few years later, in 2009/10, I wanted to play myself, although there wasn’t a clear path for me.

“Going to Boise State, I played an contributed a lot during five-and-a-half years.

“If you’re a good athlete, then you have a chance.”

Speaking of chances, that’s just what the Aztecs have done in recent years, taken their chance, and succeeded.

Progressing both on-and-off the Shaftesbury Park football field would see the Aztecs bounce between Division One and Division Two of the British leagues during the late-90s, early-00s, picking up some winners’ medals along the way.

One of those was some twenty-three years ago, in 2003, when the Aztecs faced off with their most recent opponents, the Caesars, in the Division Two championship game, the Aztecs claiming a 32-15 success.

A realignment from the governing body, BAFA (British American Football Association), in 2007, the Aztecs became part of the Premiership South division, watching on as London dominance reigned, until now.

In 2024 the Aztecs made the Championship game, coming up short against the dominant, London Warriors (seven Britbowls in eleven years), but avenged it last time around with a stunning, 27-24 success at Butts Park Arena, Coventry.

For the Aztecs HC, it’s been a rollercoaster of a journey in Bristol Blue, Orange and White, adding; “I first came here as a player, which I did for twelve years, whilst also helping out behind the scenes in admin and coaching roles.

“I wasn’t chasing, or aspiring to become Head Coach, but I took it on in 2022 and now have a staff over twenty individuals across differing levels.

“My relationship with football though, it’s been an unhealthy one (due to his longevity and in-depth involvement), but I realised during covid that I can walk away from it.

“Although that’s not any time soon, I do have a much better idea, and confidence, of being able to do so.”

For Hoyte meanwhile, he attributes his ‘return’ to the Aztecs to his father, Nigel, both of whom hold connections to the south-west franchise.

With an increasing proportion of the British clubs now being run like businesses, Hoyte added both of his connections, and aspirations, that; “We’re making organisational stability. Structure first before we go on to make the next step.

“The amount in which we’ve achieved here in the past six months is insane and, this season, we feel winning the Britbowl again is achievable, whilst also competing for, and winning the CEFL.

“When I came back, and after speaking with Pete (Jones), it was initially to just help out behind the scenes.

“That quickly evolved into what I’m doing now, but it’s frustrating at times (in the British game).

“We feel there needs to be risks taken, have some vision, a positive attitude tp move forward with.”

One of the key aspects to the future of the Aztecs, both here in Britain, and on the continent, is footfall.

They had over a thousand in attendance at the Trojans CEFL encounter, and its numbers like that, and more, that can help the game progress.

“If we can get as many supporters at games now as we did back in the eighties, then that would be great,” insisted Jones.

“There’s lots of franchises in really good places now, pushing towards having elite level football here in the UK.

“The past two seasons, it’s been different though.

“In 2024 we didn’t even know how to win a semi-final, let alone a Britbowl.

“The team was mentally and physically expended, ad we did struggle with it.

“Last year though, everything was geared towards overcoming that; to rejuvenate ourselves and make ourselves better positioned.”

Now though, with Britbowl and CEFL success lined up, the aim is to join the Manchester Titans as being the only franchise outside of the capital to win the title over successive seasons.

London Blitz achieved the feat 2010-12, whilst the London Warriors have done it twice, between 2013-16, and again in 2018-19, with the Titans winning it in 2022-23.

“Our vision, come 2028, is to have an American Head Coach,” continued the current HC.

“That may or may not happen though as there’s lots of differing traits needed between say a coordinator, and an HC.”

Both Nottingham, and Bristol, have a come a long way since their meeting in the D2 Championship game some twenty-three years ago, the Aztecs riding highs in the BAFA Premier South, whilst the Caesars are adjusting to life in the Premier North following promotion in 2024.

The Shaftesbury Park cross-divisional contest though was pretty much as one-sided as they come, with the Aztecs easing to a 56-0 victory over the visiting Caesars; leading by four scores at the half, the free-scoring hosts would power home thanks to a TDs from their ‘other’ quarterback Louis Benzey, the load easily being shared about.

Now, over the coming weeks, its eyes on a pair of league outings, at Wembley Stallions (0-1) and Rushmoor Knights (1-0), whilst also, they hope, to take in both a quarter-final and semi-final tie in the CEFL.

Should they go all the way in both competitions, then the CEFL Bowl XX takes place in late June, whilst Britbowl XXXVIII is early September; not many will bet against them on their early season form.

Having already played London Blitz (W28-0), Belfast Trojans (W31-0), Nottingham Caesars (W56-0), the Aztecs now have the following (potential) fixtures ahead of them – Wembley Stallions (a, 10/5), Warsaw Eagles (CEFL, 16/5), Rushmoor Knights (a, 31/5), CEFL semis (6/6), Rushmoor Knights (h, 13/6), London Blitz (h, 20/6), CEFL BOWL XX (27/6), Cambridgeshire Cats (a, 5/7), Wembley Stallions (h, 18/7), Cambridgeshire Cats (h, 2/8), BAFA Playoffs (22/23/8), BAFA BRITBOWL XXXVIII (6/9).

The continent is, right now, very much theirs for the taking…..

PETER MANN

NFL ANALYST

PETER IS A LIFELONG SPORTS FAN, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR BASED IN COUNTY DURHAM. HE HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL AND THE RAIDERS SINCE THE 1980s, AND LOVES BOTH SPORTS AND FAMILY HISTORY. PETER HAS A DEGREE IN SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY, AND CAN BE FOUND ON TWITTER @petermannwriter

 
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