20.05.2010 - SWARCO Raiders shoot to end turbulent past with Salzburg

On Saturday, May 22nd the SWARCO Raiders will be playing the guest roll as they take on the Salzburg Bulls (Kick-off 15:00, Live-Stream on www.raidersTV.at). For the reigning Eurobowl Champions it is not just any road game. It is a trip into the past, which the Raiders would like to embark on the first positive chapter of this rivalry.

The biggest reason for this is quite simple. The SWARCO Raiders (4-1 total; 3-1 AFL) have never defeated the Bulls (0-4 AFL). For that first win against the western Austrian neighbors, there has never been a better time. Of the eight teams in the Austrian Football League, there are still six teams who have a shot at the playoffs. THE OPPONENT: Salzburg has always managed to come out on top 'It is an exceptionally important game. The league is so close this year that it?s not just about wins and losses, rather the total points will also play a roll in who reaches the playoffs and who stays home.' Mentions SWARCO Raiders head coach Santos Carrillo. 'On top of this, we?ve never defeated the Bulls. That means a lot to our players who have been around a while.' The SWARCO Raiders seemed to recover well after the single set back this season. One week following the 28-33 loss to the Danube Dragons, the Tyroleans smashed the Valencia Firebats in the Eurobowl quarterfinals by a score of 55-13 in Tivoli Stadium. The Bulls have had to pay the toll man in their return to the top league. Yet following three clear set back to the Dragons (13-49), the Vikings (0-50) and to the Panthers(22-66), the Bulls played the Carinthian Black Lions to the edge and only due to a failed two-point conversion did they drop the game by a final score 32-33. 'The Bulls really played well against the Black Lions. Salzburg can really be a difficult opponent and we can?t underestimate them', stated Carrillo. 'They have good imports and three of their players we know well due to their time spent with us in 2008 Eurobowl season.' THE BALANCE: Bulls show no mercy The contests against the SWARCO Raiders were never really close. In team history the Raiders have played the Bulls 7 times, but never have the Raiders come out on top. The last meeting between the two teams came almost 12 years ago on nearly the same day. May 23rd 1998 the Salzburg set back the Raiders 59-14. Es was one of the first two duals in the AFL. The first five meetings took place in Div. I. The very first meeting between the two teams was alas the worst loss in club history. The score on that day was 94-0. 'Existing between the two teams is a bitter sporting rivalry, but also a close friendship.' states SWARCO Raiders General Manager Daniel Dieplinger. However, despite all the work together, 'a nasty thorn in the side always flares up when you think about all the losses.' THE STARS: Three Eurobowl-Victors for Salzburg The SWARCO Raiders and their main men DL Mario Rinner, DT Marquay Love and LB Florian Hueter have already sacked opposing QBs 18 times this season (13 time in the AFL and five times in the EFL). In addition to this the defensive backfield of Manuel Eisenführer, Markus Krause and Martin Breitsching have accounted for 12 turnovers (eight in the AFL and four in the EFL). Now they get to tangle with the talented offense of the Salzburger. In their last game against the Black Lions, WR Daniel White had three TDs. RB Lukas Miribung found his way to the endzone twice and had a total of 144 yards on just 14 carries. Miribung is one of four Bulls who have played for the Raiders. Along with him LB Benedikt Brugnara and Marko Radovanovic were on the 2008 Eurobowl Championship team. All three players came temporarily from Salzburg. In addition to them, OL Josef Rieder learned his handwork with the Tyroleans before he switched to the Bulls. 'On a functional and management level, a true cooperation and active teamwork has grown between the SWARCO Raiders and the Salzburg Bulls', explains Daniel Dieplinger. Even without Miribung, the Raider run game works just fine. All three running backs scored TDs this past weekend. Tory Cooper, who?s leading the AFL with 606 yards, 6 TDs, and 67 rushes, had two TDs in the game. Florian Grein had a 37 yard TD run and the just 17 year old Andreas Hofbauer cashed in with a 68 yard TD run. Yet in the air the SWARCO Raiders are equally difficult to stop. QB Leon Jackson III currently sits atop the AFL statistics with 1,008 yards passing and 12 TDS. In addition to this he played convincingly against Valencia completing 12 of 13 passes for 209 yards and 3 TDs. His favorite target in the AFL is WR Jakob Dieplinger. At this point he?s caught 21 passes for 386 and 4 TDs. Last week WR Andreas Pröller was the top receiver where he caught 6 passes for 101 yards and a TD. WR Philipp Heider is a safe bank. The receiver with roots Northern Germany has caught 12 passes for 154 yards and 4 TDs. Photo: Schellhorn

<< back