(Foto: Alex Leifeld)
Aachen/Krefeld. The Krefeld Ravens also won the second game of the second half of the season with ease, even if the players and officials weren’t exactly satisfied with the 38:7 (17:0) at the Aachen Vampires. For long stretches there was a lack of energy in the team, the enthusiasm that had been there just a week ago. The fact that in the end a sovereign success against an opponent who should not be underestimated shows the quality of the Raben team.
The game started off as planned. Aachen won the coin toss and chose the ball directly. It was raining heavily during the warm-up, but the clouds broke up shortly before the game started. The Vampires hoped to take advantage of the now dry conditions, but the Ravens, almost as usual, immediately forced the three-and-out. After the following punt they got the ball on their own 39 and marched reliably across the field with several passes into the flats. In the end they were at the 25 of the hosts and Lucas Wevelsiep served Jonelle “JT” Tolbert on the left side of the end zone, who safely caught the ball for the first score. Again Aachen got the ball, again the defense didn’t allow anything and forced another three-and-out, among other things with a nice tackle for loss from Isiah Ward. The punt was carried back to the Vampires’ 34 and Akiva Wedge ran a nice run for the Ravens, who rotated from the first minute and largely rested their starters. A facemask and a subsequent penalty at half the distance to the Aachener 13 did nothing for the Ravens, because after three incomplete passes came the field goal, which Dennis Storm safely converted. Again the defense forced a three and out and after the next punt the guests started at their own 38. Two strong passes to Julien Minuth and Moussa Keita brought a good field position at the Aachen 29. Again Wevelsiep tried to serve Keita, but the sharp one Passing into a narrow window didn’t bring him under control immediately. The ball bounced up and before the young top receiver could finally get it under control, the Vampires’ safety was there and secured the interception. The Vampires start at their own 14, but had to punt again after three unsuccessful attempts. This was the first play of the second quarter and brought the first big play of the day. Devonta Gilmore picked up the ball, went to the right and got a superb block from Elias Jassey, who eliminated two opponents without risking a flag. So the US boy ran to the pylon and was pushed out a yard before the end zone. And as in the previous week, which brought an almost identical situation to the other side, it was a running back who completed it. This time, however, his name was Leon Hoffmann, who walked the few steps into the end zone untouched (PAT Storm: good!). The next drive then saw the Vampires march across the field for the first time. Supported by two quite debatable flags against the Ravens, but also with some 1st downs, they marched up to the 20 of the Ravens. The hosts tried on 3rd and 10th, but the defense held and so it was the turnover on downs. Now it became a broken game. The Ravens had to accept a 3-and-out, the Vampires first moved the chain a few times before Ward ended the drive with a tackle for loss. The Ravens now got the ball with 17 seconds on the clock and played well from the touchline. Passes to JT and Minuth, each going wide. In the end the time ran out and so it remained at half time at 17:0.
The second round then brought the first real big play in the first play when Keita returned the ball to the opposing 1. However, the referees whistled a block in the back far behind the returner, who had rushed long ago, and so it started on the 40 of the Vampires. The Ravens tried three unsuccessful passes and had to punt. Tinashe Gonese mocked this with an outstanding action on the Vampires’ 1-yard line, but they freed themselves from the acute safety threat with a nice pass to Laurenz Corbinan Esser for the 1st down. After another 1st down, the Ravens put a strong stop signal in the person of young top cornerer Jason Oshodin, who caught an interception on the center line. This time the Ravens went for the run and – as almost always on this day – with success: Hoffmann got some strong blocks and went over a nice gap right through the O-Line over the left side for a 50-yard touchdown. The defense stayed on the gas pedal, because after a touchback they immediately caused the next turnover. This time it was Jassey who caught the interception. The Ravens initially made 1st downs on three tries, but on fourth and three it was Hoffmann who secured the next first try with a strong 20-yard run. Wevelsiep used this for a nice pass to the left, which Keita caught for the next touchdown. Again Aachen had to punt after a 3-and-out and again the Ravens marched first. A strong catch from Minuth and a pass interference against Keita just before the end zone put the Ravens in a good field position. Again Wevelsiep went into the end zone for the pass, but Minuth was only able to catch it out of bounds. The quarterback tried again, but the Vampires caught the ball in the end zone. The Ravens almost managed to intercept themselves twice, but Nils Gärtner and Ramon Franco couldn’t control the ball after strong actions. After the following punt, the guests started on the center line, initially moved the chain well, but then afforded the next interception. But the defense got the ball back immediately: In the first play of the Vampires offense, Can Ari came through in a blitz and not only got the sack, but also hit the ball that his brother Kaan saved for the Ravens: An Ari Team big play The Ravens first let Hoffmann run, who got a 1st down, then Wedge came into play again after a long time, brought the ball to the opposing 3 in the first try and then into the end zone in the second. The Vampires didn’t manage a first down again and after a good punt the Ravens were able to try another drive with almost two minutes on the clock. Strong runs from Hoffmann and Wedge took them to the Aachener 45, but then the next interception followed, carrying Aachen’s Ben Thierry Kulossa Seibold all the way to the pick-6 in the end zone. Jan Juretschke’s PAT was also good and the score was 7:38. The Ravens got the ball again, but after good runs from Wedge and the flag and Hoffmann, the Vampires were at 17 when time ran out.
The Ravens celebrated a sovereign mandatory victory in the end, but without shining. Moussa Keita (1 TD, several strong returns) as hitman offense, Isiah Ward (several tackles for loss) as hitman defense and Elias Jassey (including an interception) as team MVP were selected as the top players. Now it’s off to the Mönchengladbach Wolfpack in the coming week before the big home game against the Minden Wolves is due in two weeks time on August 27 at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at. The demand remains high. At the box office, only a remaining contingent is expected.
Scores:
0:6 Tolbert
0:7 Storm
0:10 Storm
0:16 Hoffmann
0:17 Storm
0:23 Hoffmann
0:24 Storm
0:30 Keita
0:31 Storm
0:37 Wedge
0:38 Storm
6:38 Seibold
#Ravens #celebrate #sovereign #mandatory #victory #Aachen #LokalKlick.eu
