The Rangers opened with an onside kick that was well executed but went out of bounds. This gave the Spartans a good starting position for the first series just before the halfway line. A short run, two incomplete passes and an interception later, it was already clear: It wasn’t going to be that easy today. The Neu-Ulm defense then stopped the Rangers’ attack and in the next drive running back (RB) Dirk Mainka (#34) carried the ball with four beautiful runs to just before the end zone, where quarterback (QB) Hunter Sturgeon (#7) finished with a 5-yard run. Tolga Kiremit (#57) kicked the extra point (PAT 9), making the score 7:0. The Rangers struck back very quickly with a 70-yard pass, making the score 7:7. The Munich team’s subsequent attempted onside kick again went out of bounds.
The Spartans offense started again at the halfway line, but now after the change to the 2nd quarter. A penalty prevented a new first down, so the Spartans decided to punt. The Munich returner dropped the punt, Patrick Schempf (#9) picked up the ball in a flash and carried it into the end zone. The extra point was blocked – score 13:7. The Rangers then showed good short passing and got across the field, but a quarterback sack by Michael Hirthammer (#44) forced them into a long fourth attempt with a field goal. This worked and the lead melted to 13:10. But the Spartans offense also picked up speed: QB Sturgeon found his favorite target, Patrick Schempf, first for 40 yards, then for another 15 for a touchdown. Topped off by a pass from Sturgeon to Jonathan Kuntz (#12) for a 2-point conversion. The Spartans went into the break with a score of 21:10 and a good cushion.
Both teams used this to make adjustments. Spartans head coach Daniel Koch changed a few things in defense to prevent passes to the visitors’ physically strong wide receiver (WR) Matt Laur, who was often targeted in the first half. The Rangers reacted immediately and the visiting QB found two of his other receivers and with a touchdown and 2-point conversion they were back in the game at 21:18. Unfortunately, safety Niclas Cates (#8) was also injured in this action, and the Spartans’ already depleted defense backfield lost another player. In the next series, the Neu-Ulm attack was able to work its way to the 5-yard line, but was then stopped there. With two long passes, the Rangers covered the 95 yards, hit the extra point and were suddenly in the lead – 21:25. Hunter Sturgeon can also make long passes – with just one play he served Janne Endl (#80) for 75 yards for a touchdown, Dirk Mainka caught the 2-point conversion and the Spartans led again 29:25. A lively game with a lot of good offense for the enthusiastic spectators.
Three unsuccessful passes from the Rangers, concluded with a punt – and the Spartans had possession of the ball again. After Hunter Sturgeon had thrown brilliantly to Daniel Nässler (#89) for about 30 yards, the 4th quarter began. The next pass went to running back Felix Klein (#30) for a touchdown with an extra point from Tolga Kiremit. And the cushion looked comfortable again at 36:25. If only the Spartans hadn’t gotten in their own way. First the defense was too confused and the Munich QB found a free receiver for a touchdown to make it 36:31 (the 2-point conversion was blocked). Then the Spartan Mihai Vrabie (#4) ran deep through the defense twice and the ball was already at the 20-yard line. Hunter Sturgeon threw again to Janne Endl in the end zone, but the touchdown was disallowed due to a foul. On the next play, another flag followed on a long run by Sturgeon. Instead of another six points through a touchdown, the Spartans now had a first down and 35 yards to go and could not successfully complete the series.
But the Rangers also showed nerves – instead of taking the lead, they dropped two balls, received a delay of game penalty and the Neu-Ulm defense was able to fend off the decisive 4th attempt. The Spartans offense ran two more times, and the game and the 2024 season were over.
Head coach Daniel Koch: “Although we didn’t get promoted, it was an astonishingly good season for us. In Nuremberg we were too far away from a win, the Rams will deservedly get promoted. But my team has developed tremendously this season. We are getting better every year. In 2025, the Franken Knights will certainly be a very strong opponent again, and I’m also expecting the Landsberg X-Press again. There will be no relegation from the GFL2, and the playoffs in the Bayernliga are still to come, where promotion to the Regionalliga will be played out. We now have to make a plan for ourselves to be the strongest team in the league in 2025 and to finally achieve promotion after two runner-up finishes in a row – which is quite remarkable. Initial discussions with new coaches are already underway.”
