ELF Recap: Week 7

By Peter Mann

There were definitely some standout performances, both franchise, and player-wise, this past weekend in the ELF, with the likes of the Paris Musketeers, Prague Lions, and Munich Ravens, shining through, and then there’s that star duo in Madrid, in Reid Sinnett and Aron Cruickshank.

SINNETT AND CRUICKSHANK STAR IN BRAVOS ROUT We mentioned this pairing a couple of weeks ago, and are deserving of a follow-up after the MADRID BRAVOS tore apart hosts Hamburg Sea Devils, in a 57-0 shut-out success.

Posting eight TDs, and quarterly scores of 13-0, 20-0, 14-0, 10-0, it’s perhaps surprising that the Bravos still sit third in ELF South Division, currently on a 4-2 regular season record which is the same as four other franchises – Paris Musketeers, Prague Lions, Rhein Fire, and Stuttgart Surge, all five of whom won on the road.

In dismissing the Sea Devils, a fourth quarter, 27yd FG from Kicker, Alvaro Penas, topped off what, for all intents and purposes was another Sinnett-Cruickshank show, although it wasn’t that combination which opened, or even closed the rout.

The first TD belonged to WR Juan Flores-Calderon, catching a 9yd pass from Sinnett in the first quarter, whilst the last TD belonged to TE Emilio Ibanez, who caught a 37yd toss from QB Ivan Lopez. 

Sinnett also hit WR Sixten Dragan from 9yds, and RB Eduard Molina rushed for a close-range TD score, before the dynamic duo combined for their hat-trick of scores, their first half scorers coming from 22yds and 13yds respectively, whilst in the third quarter they linked up over 46yds in another, impressive display.

In the game against the Sea Devils, Sinnett posted statistics of 348yds, 6TDs (passing), and Cruickshank 203yds, 3 TDs (receiving), as both sit top of their respective leadership charts after week seven; Sinnett, with 2033yds, and 26 passing TDs, is both the Passing Yards Leaders, and Passing TDs leaders, whilst Cruickshank has 1030yds and 11receiving TDs, to head up both Passing Yards Leader, and Receiving TDs Leader, respectively.

Arron Cruickshank’s speedily passing of a thousand yards has seen him achieve that marker in just six games, the fastest to do so.

ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE (sorry, we had to) In visiting the Cologne Centurions the PARIS MUSKETEERS moved 4-2 with an impressive, 62-0 rout, running in nine TDs, for the weekend’s biggest score.

Mind you, after the defeat, the Centurions took a somewhat light-hearted approach, and ‘trolled’ the Musketeers on socials, saying it was disappointing of them for not passing seventy points, and then if anyone knew what the tie-breaker rules were for the play-offs – the Centurions are 0-6….

In posting quarterly scores of 14-0, 14-0, 13-0, 21-0, the Musketeers were dominant throughout the contest, QB Jaylon Henderson and WR Hugo Tekedam at the forefront of that dominance; Henderson posted 156yds, 4TDs (passing), 53yds, 1TD (receiving)

Highlights of the contest would see a second quarter, 23yds pass from Henderson to RB Nicolas Khandar, a third quarter 49yd rushing score from Khandar, and two, fourth quarter scores with RB Jean-Charles Moukouri on a 28yd rushing TD, and Tekedam hitting WR Cheikhou Sow from 30yds; Tekedam finishing the game with stats of 100yds, 2TDs.

RAVENS EDGE SURGE IN GERMAN THRILLER The MUNICH RAVENS and Stuttgart Surge played out a classic at the Sportpark Unterhaching in the final game of the weekend, the two effectively sharing sixty-nine points with the hosts, who moved 5-1, edging the contest 36-33, at the death.

Trading TD’s throughout, both registered five apiece, it was to be the hosts that just about kept their noses in-front with quarterly scores being 7-7, 6-7, 6-7, 14-15 (it’s like a looooong tennis match, yes)…

In the first quarter Russell Tabor (Ravens) threw for 19yds to Malik Stanley, and Reilly Hennessey (Surge) did similar, but from 17yds, for Michael Harley Jnr; the second quarter then saw Stanley (Ravens) release Philip Okonkwo from 6yds, and Hennessey (Surge) to Louis Geyer, this time from 20yds – Timo Bronn’s extra point though was blocked.

As in the first half the second went pretty much the same, Tabor (Ravens) with a rushing TD, then Tomiwa Oyewo (Surge) notched a close-range, rushing TD score, the Ravens heading into the final quarter with a narrow, 21-19 lead.

The tables turned in the fourth, but the visitors couldn’t hold on after Hennessey crossed from close, before Tabor (Ravens) released Julian Malki to cross from three yards; Oyewo (Surge) then bagged a second rushing TD, this time from 48yds, before Tabor (Ravens) hit Okonkwo from 11yds, with the game-winning score, with just seventeen seconds remaining, Daniel Schweiger kicking the extra point for a dramatic victory.

Statistically, the Ravens’ Ryan Tabor posted 241yds, 3TDs (passing) and 112yds, 1TD (rushing), and Tomiwa Okonkwo had 80yds, 2TDs (receiving), in reply for the Surge Ryan Hennessey had 296yds, 2TDs (passing), Tomiwa Oyewo 100yds, 2TDs (rushing), Michael Harley Jnr 127yds, 1TD (rushing), and Louis Geyer 84yds, 1TD (rushing) – it was just one of those games.

LIONS ROAR IN SHOCK VICTORY FOR CZECHS IN FRANKFURT For the first time in their history the PRAGUE LIONS moved to a 4-2 record, having registered their fourth straight win (all on the road) with a shock, 37-16 success at Frankfurt Galaxy.

A surprisingly dominant second quarter from the visitors, posting twenty-one points without reply, had the Lions pretty much out sight by half-time, leading 29-3, after four TDs put them in the drivers seat.

Javarian Smith released David Luksan twice, from 14yds and 10yds, with one to William Patterson from 30yds sandwiched between, Galaxy’s sole reply being a 57yd FG from Ryan Rimmler, whilst Smith added a 14yd rushing TD late in the second.

To complete their first half dominance Rimmler missed a 49yd FG in the closing seconds of the half which, although wouldn’t have done much in the end, could have altered momentum, maybe.

The third and fourth quarters were not only tighter affairs, but both went in favour of the Galaxy, but the damage was already done – Smith added another score for the visitors, connecting again with Patterson, this time from 10yds, before Matthew McKay finally saw some action for Galaxy, late in the third, with a rushing score from close-range.

McKay then added a second, rushing score, this from 12yds, to reduce the deficit a little, before the scoring was completed when the Lions’ Marek Hrubon kicked home a 34yd FG with shy of six minutes remaining.

Statistically, Prague Lions’ Javarian Smith registered 153yds, 4TDs (passing), with William Patterson and David Luksan 94yds, 2TDs and 34yds, 2TDs (receiving) respectively; Frankfurt Galaxy’s Matthew McKay replied with 69yds, 2TDs (rushing).

VIKINGS AND FIRE AT THE READY AS LAST SEASON’S FINALISTS PICK UP MORE VICTORIES Last season’s two Championship Game finalists, RHEIN FIRE (4-2) and VIENNA VIKINGS (5-1) went about their usual business with routine victories at the weekend.

Both on the road, the Fire picked up a 44-7 success away to Berlin Thunder (2-5) whilst the Vikings won their home battle, 44-38 away to Raiders Tirol (4-3), with the pair eagerly pushing for a spot in the play-offs.

Chad Jeffries continued his form for the defending champions, who posted thirty-four points across the second and third quarters, the Fire QB posting 61yds, 2TDs (passing), whilst being ably assisted by Rohat Dagdelen’s 29yds, 1TD (passing), Jonathan Scott with 154yds, 2TDs (rushing), and Clemens Schuldt 41yds, 2 TDs.

As for the Vikings-Raiders clash, that was just as battling as the Ravens-Surge (above); both the second and fourth quarters were high-scoring with thirty-four and thirty points respectively, as the Raiders fell just short.

Vikings’ QB Ben Holmes led the way with 255yds, 5TDs, including a 28yds pass for Reece Horn in the fourth quarter, whilst N’Kosi Perry posted 396yds, 4TDs in reply, including 28yds to Markus Schaberl; Bierbaumer (Vikings) 80yds, 3TDs (receiving) and Schaberl (Raiders) 48yds, 2TDs (receiving) made for an impressive outing for both franchises.

WEEK EIGHT begins with a thunderous clash in Spain as the Madrid Bravos (4-2) look to make even more franchise history when they welcome this season’s German juggernaut, Munich Ravens (5-1), whilst there’s an interesting clash as Prague Lions head to Vienna Vikings.

The undefeated Nordic Storm (5-0) return to action when they travel to Hamburg Sea Devils (2-5), whilst the two winless franchises, Cologne Centurions and Fehervar Enthroners, both 0-6, are both on the road at Wroclaw Panthers (3-3) and Stuttgart Surge (4-2) respectively.

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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