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080720: Germany Wins Closely Contested European Junior Championship With 9-6 Victory Over Sweden

Wins for France, Austria and Finland in Playoff Games as Tournament Concludes

Sevilla, Spain – Having lost the three previous European Junior Championship finals, Germany triumphed at the 2008 event in Spain after a closely fought 9-6 battle with Sweden.

Germany, Sweden and third place winner France now have the opportunity to compete at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio, next summer. The European Federation of American Football (EFAF) will confirm which teams will represent the continent in the United States before September 15.

The championship game’s points did not materialize until the fourth quarter, following a first half in which each team was forced to punt away possession on every drive. Sweden had threatened to get the upper hand when Philip Widerstroem produced an interception, but the deadlock could not be broken.

Ironically a botched Germany punt kept a drive alive as having seen the ball snapped over his head, punter Paco Varel scrambled for the 11 yards Germany needed to make a first down on the most impressive drive of the game. With 6.36 remaining and Germany gaining confidence, a field goal game them a slight three-point edge.

Swedish quarterback Anders Hermodsson was sacked on a crucial fourth down scramble and championship game MVP Randall Pane burst through several tackles up the middle to race to the and zone and a earn Germany a 9-0 lead.

“I didn’t think I would make it,” admitted Pane. “But the fullback made the perfect block and the linebacker maybe underestimated me a little because of my size.”

Sweden was far from finished and having almost broken free for a touchdown on the kickoff return, a perfect pass from Hermodsson to Arnat Jobe gave them hope with 1.32 remaining. Sweden recovered the onside kick, but Germany produced an interception on a last gasp fourth down pass to secure the championship.

“This was a defensive battle, and our defense won the game for us, as the offense struggled,” said German National Team Program Director Peter Springwald. “We did have luck with the broken play on the punt, but I think we were a stronger and a deeper team.”

Swedish head coach Jan Jenmert, whose team recorded Sweden’s highest ever EJC finish, added: “Our players had great respect regarding the final, and with respect comes nervousness. The Germans had been to the final before. Our defense played a heck of a game, but the offense made some mistakes. This was devastating for the players, and was an emotionally and physically tough game.”

France won the bronze medal and third place with a 28-14 win over Denmark, while Austria claimed fifth place overall with a 20-13 victory against Russia, and Finland took seventh spot by beating host Spain 39-21.

“I think this tournament is more competitive than before, said France head coach Olivier Moret. “The gap between the best teams and the others is smaller now.

“We were close to beating Sweden (in group play) for a place in the final, so it was difficult to focus on this. But we took this as our final, and played a good game.”

France fumbled away its opening possession, but after Denmark instantly turned the ball over on an interception at the French 10-yard mark, mistakes were eliminated. France scored on three of the next four drives.

The French rushing game gained 244 yards and averaged 6.9 yards per carry, including running back Maxime Sprauel’s one-yard dash for the first touchdown. Steven Joacin added to the lead from 29 yards out and team MVP Thomas Ruiz made the score 21-0 with a 47-yard touchdown at the start of the second quarter.

US-bound Danish receiver Shujaa Benson, who will play at Lake Forest Academy in Illinois this fall, scored on a spectacular 36-yard catch from Jesper Johnsen, but the French responded with a three-yard Joacin scoring run. Denmark’s comeback attempts were hampered by four interceptions, though Benson pulled in his second touchdown of the game with 1.06 remaining on a 16-yard pass from Jonsson.

“It is disappointing to lose, but we also have to be pleased with Denmark’s highest ever finish in fourth place,” said wide receiver and team MVP Kevin Gangelhoff.

In the fifth place playoff game, Austria held off a late comeback attempt to defeat Russia 20-13. With two minutes remaining the Russians marched to within 20 yards of the end zone, but could not convert on fourth down and 11. Then with 26 seconds left on the clock, Austria produced an interception to seal victory.

Austria raced to a 12-0 lead with touchdowns by quarterback and MVP Stefan Holzinger and running back Florian Hoerhan. Russia replied with a rushing touchdown from Alwksey Medvedev, but that was followed by another Holzinger touchdown with 15 seconds left in the second quarter.

Austria fumbled away possession at the start of the second half and Vladislav Grigoriev threw a touchdown pass to Denis Batzkalovich after a lateral, but the Russian comeback failed to materialize.

A strong running game helped Finland to a 39-21 win over Spain to claim seventh place overall. The Finns gained 303 yards on the ground, with 6.3 yards per rush and leading the way was running back Timi Karjalainen, who rushed for 165 yards.

Despite Spain opening with two encouraging drives, Finland scored on two big plays. A Ville Lindsten run and Miro Kadmiry’s 84-yard breakout from a short pass inspired them to a 20-0 halftime lead.

Sergi Gonzalo entered the game as Spanish quarterback in the third quarter and he orchestrated the Spaniards’ first scoring drive with his accurate passes. Roger Navas was the first to benefit with a 30-yard touchdown reception, but Lauri Pehu Lehtonen caught two touchdowns from Janne Lehtinen for Finland to lead 34-7. Spain scored two consolation fourth quarter touchdowns as Daniel Belso and Oriol Serrano caught end zone passes from Mats Jonsson.

Finnish head coach Sakari Pusenius said: “We started the game well, but then Spain got us in some of our weak points. We need more speed and stamina to compete better at this level.”

Spanish coach Jesús Fernández, whose team was physically the smallest in the tournament and also the least experienced, said“ Our conditioning and play went down as the tournament went on. We played a good game against France, but after that it was hard for the players”.

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070816: Sweden Earns Place in European Junior Championship Final With Third Win; Russia Records First Victory Over Host Spain

Sweden Remains Unbeaten With Victory Over Defending Champion France

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008 – Sevilla, Spain – Sweden will meet the winner of Group B in the final of the 2008 European Junior Championship having beaten defending two-time champion France 20-13.

Despite being the only team to score points against the Swedes so far, France has to be content with a place in the Third Place Playoff game. The top three nations at the EJC will represent the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio next summer.

Austria, Finland and Germany are all in contention to meet Sweden on Sunday, July 20 at the Estadio C.A.R. Cartuja (6pm local time) and will play their final games on Thursday, July 17.

Russia recorded its first win at the hands of winless hosts Spain as Alexey Medvedev rushed for four touchdowns in a 49-14 win and will advance to the Fifth Place Playoff game, while Spain will play for seventh place.

Sweden led 12-7 at halftime in the crucial clash with France having gone ahead on a fourth down touchdown, but the French hit back to lead early in the fourth quarter, showing why they have won the past two European Junior Championship titles.

Swedish quarterback Anders Hermodsson replied immediately by hitting Fredrik Isaksson for a touchdown pass and took a lateral pass himself for the two-point conversion for what proved to be the decisive score with 6:49 remaining. France drove downfield in reply with running back Eric Kim their main offensive weapon, but came up short at the two-yard mark. Inside the two-minute warning, heavy rain worsened conditions and France was unable to turn its final possession into a game-tying score.

Earlier in the day, Russia had stormed to a 32-point third quarter lead on the back of Medvedev’s impressive performance on the ground before Spain scored a touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Mats Jonsson to Oriol Serrano. Russia was soon back on the offensive and scored 17 more points before Spain recorded a consolation touchdown as time expired.

Group B action concludes on Thursday when Denmark (0-2) and Finland (1-1) meet at 10.30am and Austria (1-1) takes on Germany (2-0), both at the San Pablo Sports Stadium in Sevilla.

Full details, recaps, standings and game statistics from the 2008 European Junior Championship are available at www.EFAF.de <http://www.EFAF.de> and www.EJC2008.com <http://www.EJC2008.com> .

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080716: Germany Wins To Set Up European Junior Championship Final Clash With Sweden; IFAF Congress Takes Place On Friday

Denmark Defeats Finland For The Right To Meet France In Third Place Playoff

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2008 – Sevilla, Spain – A solitary touchdown and extra point was enough to earn Germany a 7-0 victory over Austria and see them through to the final of the European Junior Championship where they will face Sweden at 5pm local time on Sunday, July 20 at the Estadio C.A.R. La Cartuja.

Defeat for Austria pushed them down into the fifth place playoff game and handed Denmark, earlier 46-6 victors over Finland, the opportunity to face France for third place (10.30am). The top three nations at the EJC will represent the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio next summer.

Denmark, Austria and Finland all finished tied in Group B with identical 1-2 records behind Germany (3-0) and the Danes’ superior points differential among the tied opponents won the tiebreaker. Austria will face Russia on Saturday, July 19 in the San Pablo Stadium at 6pm after Finland takes on Spain at the same venue at 10.30am.

Full details, recaps, standings and game statistics from the 2008 European Junior Championship are available at www.EFAF.de <http://www.EFAF.de> and www.EJC2008.com <http://www.EJC2008.com> .

Germany’s decisive touchdown came with 1.42 remaining in the first quarter when Gregor Lietzau, who plays at the Kent School in Connecticut as part of the USA Football International Student Program, caught a lofted 71-yard pass from quarterback Robert Demers. Three times Austria drove to within the red zone, but was twice denied on fourth down the German defense and also missed a field goal.

Denmark needed a victory over Finland and a Germany win to secure a place in the third place playoff game and stormed to a 21-point lead on a total of only ten offensive plays. Thomas Feer rushed for a 14-yard touchdown, Kevin Gangelhoff, another ISP student from Kimball Union Academy (NH) caught an 11-yard touchdown and Feer dashed 75 yards to score with the game still in the first quarter.

Despite Finland reducing the arrears, Feer added a third score on the ground, while quarterback Jesper Johnsen finished the game with 19 of 26 pass attempts completed for 309 yards and 3 touchdowns.

“We had a gameplan to win by 36, which we thought would be enough,” said Denmark head coach Lars Carlsen. “This was a fantastic game, the offence did a tremendous job, great game by the quarterback and the running back and also the coaching staff, who watched a lot of film.”

In conjunction with hosting the EJC, the southern Spanish city of Sevilla will be the venue for the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) annual Congress on Friday, July 18. Delegates representing the majority of the 50 IFAF member countries will attend the Congress.

Topics on the Congress agenda will include the election of the IFAF President and executive committee for a four-year term and the ratification of countries as full members of IFAF. Among those countries under seeking full membership are the Bahamas, Brazil, Bulgaria, India and Turkey. Congress delegates will also vote on a proposed change to IFAF statutes to allow Puerto Rico and American Samoa to become members and will recognize Oceania as a continental federation of IFAF, joining AFAF (Asia), EFAF (Europe) and PAFAF (Pan-America).

IFAF President Tommy Wiking, who is seeking re-election, said: “This is a very important meeting, particularly in terms of the growth of the worldwide American Football family.

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080710: Spain the proud host of EJC

The Spanish federation of American football AEFA is proudly looking forwardto hosting the European Junior Championships. The games kick off in SevillaSaturday 12th July, with Sweden facing Russia in the opener and the EuropeanChampion from 2006, France squaring off against the home team.

"For us it is the biggest event ever held in Spain in our sport and we knowthat a lot of people will have their eyes on us. For this reason theimportance of the challenge is big and we will try to face it in the bestpossible way", federation president Enrique de Castro says.

"This means also the start of a new way of full recognition of AEFA in front of Spanish authorities, EFAF and IFAF. To be able to organize a Junior Championship means that AEFA has enough people, enough knowledge and enough responsibility to organize everything in the required level."

De Castro also feels that working hard for the EJC will benefit AEFA in the long run.

"It requires a lot of work because it is the first time that we host more than 400 players during 10 days, and at the same time we host the IFAF Congress. But on the other hand this kind of challenge makes our Federation stronger and gives us the possibility to have a lot of people working during a long time on voluntary bases."

Hosting the EJC also provides the Spanish team a place in the tournament for a first time in years.

"Our national team has taken part only once, in Berlin a long time ago. With its Now we have the possibility to check where we are on sport level and in spite of we are the weakest team we will try to face the challenge with dignity."

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080709: France not feeling pressure from earlier success

Having won the last two European Junior Championships, France enters thisyear´s tournament, starting on Saturday, as the number 1 favourite. Headcoach Olivier Moret refuses to feel any pressure from the French team's
success in the past.

"It's a different team. There is no player from the 2006 team and we wereobliged to build a new team. All the teams know that the tournament is going to be really hard. Everybody wants to beat the champion", Moret acknowledges.

He sees his team´s depth as its major strength. Moret refuses to name the key players in his team.

"There is less difference between the first team and the backups than in the earlier tournaments."

Moret´s team is bringing almost all of the best talent in France to Sevilla.

"One of the best offensive linemen and a starting corner are seriously injured. We miss two other players who don't not their French identity cards. But we will do with the team we have. A team is more than an addition of individuals."

Moret sees lack of gametime experience as his team´s major weakness.

"We can't find a friendly game. I don't know what is the real level of the team in game conditions." The French team has prepared for the EJC by having four minicamps.

Playing in group A, France will face Sweden, Russia and Spain in the first phase of the tournament.

"Sweden, Germany, Austria are the biggest challengers. But we have to respect all the teams. Spain will want to show us how good they are", Moret says.

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080708: Germany bringing an experienced squad to Sevilla

The silver medalists in the past three European Junior Championships, the German team has once again set its sights to the top. With the top three teams of the 2008 EJC in Sevilla qualifying for next year´s World Cup in Canton, there is an extra initiative to succeed in Spain. The EJC kicks off on Saturday.

"Our goal is to play at our best possible level - we want to be in the top three so that we will be qualified to go to the World Cup", the Director of the National Team Program, Peter Springwald states. In his role, Springwald is the head of the team, but in the German system the coordinators call the plays.

"My role is pretty simple: do everything you can to have a successful campaign. We have a very good coaching team and I will have an eye on everything we do and will help and coordinate with my experience where ever I can. I´m the proud captain of a great crew", Springwald says.

Once again, the German junior national team has had a huge number of youth players competing for the honor to represent their country. In Germany there are 5 000 youth players.

"We had our big event the Junior State Tournament with over 600 Players in Berlin. Two try outs, a day camp. Before our trip we have a camp for a full week in Frankfurt."

In the training camp the Germans go the full distance in trying to get accustomed to the extremely hot weather in Sevilla.

"We don´t know if we are really capable to adjust to the heat in Sevilla, but we try to prepare as best we can. We will practice indoor in overheated sport arenas, and we´ll synchronize practice and game times."

According to Peter Springwald, Germany has an experienced and a wellbalanced team. He gives us a few names who will be worth watching in Sevilla:

"I´m pretty sure that our top receivers like Christian Bollmann and Phillip Stentzel, who are already having a lot of playing time in their GFL-teams, will be good targets for our quarterbacks."

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