Patrick Hofacker (left) and Nick Hayes each scored touchdowns for the Saints in the home game against the Hassloch 8-Bulls. © Charlie Rolff
Five games, five clear victories: The Oberliga footballers of the Fulda Saints are ploughing through the season and have the title in sight. Today, the Fulda team can secure a championship match point.
“We have everything in our own hands and we don’t want to let anyone take that away from us,” says Frank Schreiner before the last home game of the season today (3 p.m.) against the Hadamar Black Goats in Johannesberg. Schreiner is not only an active part of the Saints defense, but also the head of the football department at the parent club SG Johannesberg.
The starting position is clear: If the Saints win their last two games of the season against Hadamar and the Wetterau Bulls (September 1st), Fulda’s tough guys will be promoted to the Regionalliga Mitte. “We are fully on course to make our dream come true,” says Schreiner. The Saints are making their third attempt at the Regionalliga.
Football: Fulda Saints fight for promotion to Regionalliga
This year it should finally work out – and the chances are probably better than ever before. Because: The team led by head coach Danijel Katusic has been ploughing through the season so far. The victories over the Hanau Hornets (55:7), the Wetzlarer Wölfe (40:10), the Mittelrhein Phoenix (66:14) and the Haßloch 8-Balls (58:6) were a clear affair.
“We are our own biggest opponent,” says Schreiner, who names three main reasons for the strong season so far. Firstly, the core of the team has grown together over the years and is a tight-knit unit. Secondly, the two Americans Nic Hayes and Malik White, who both moved to the baroque city from college teams, were the desired reinforcements right from the start. Schreiner’s third factor: the motivation of the players.
“They do extra shifts outside of regular training, go to the gym or do intensive runs on dirt roads,” Schreiner says, pleased with the players’ commitment. The reward is a flawless season so far, which can be crowned with two wins in the two remaining games of the season.
“It won’t be a walk in the park,” Schreiner says, anticipating fierce resistance. Especially since Fulda’s last opponents of the season, the Wetterau Bulls, are still unbeaten after three games and, alongside the Mittelrhein Phoenix, are one of the biggest contenders for promotion. And while the Saints will play their last game of the season on September 1st, the Bulls will have two more matches after that.
“We are fully on track to fulfill our dream”
First, the Saints will face the “black goats” from Hadamar, who are in fourth place in the eight-team league with two wins and three losses. “They won’t travel 180 kilometers on a bus just to give the game away. Especially since they sold themselves short in the first half of the season,” says Schreiner.
After the home game in the Fulda city stadium against the Mittelrhein Phoenix and the match against Haßloch in the familiar Johannesberg environment, today’s home game against Hadamar is the third and last appearance in front of a home crowd this season. “We are really looking forward to it,” says Schreiner, who is hoping for 500 spectators in the sports center on Agricolastrasse.
With this support, the championship match ball should come at the beginning of September in Wölfersheim. “It would be nice if we managed to get promoted and meet opponents like Kassel or Rüdesheim again,” says Schreiner. The Saints manager still has to use the subjunctive. But that should soon change. (By Tobias Herrling)
