“Weinviertel Spartans Play-off Chances Rise with Third Season Win”

Year after year, the Weinviertel Spartans set themselves the goal of making the play-offs. Unlike previous seasons, a distant dream could become an actual scenario this time. After two defeats in a row, the third win of the season finally came against the Pannonia Eagles on Saturday. The Burgenlanders took a 10:0 lead in Mistelbach, but the Spartans turned the score to 13:10 in the third quarter and also had the right answer to the Eagles’ field goal to make it 13:13 in the final section. Wide receiver Marcus Stummerer reached the end zone and secured the home win with his touchdown.

He now makes for a very exciting situation in the table. There, the Blue Hawks lead ahead of the Ebenfurth Mustangs and the Spartans, all three teams holding three wins, with the front runner having played a game less. The Carnuntum Legionaries, who triumphed 7-0 against the Mustangs on Sunday, are also up for grabs with two wins. “It’s more realistic this year, but let’s see,” Sparants coach Georg Gangl remains reserved when asked about the play-off chances. But one positive for him is: “It’s in our hands.”

The first of three “finals” will take the Weinviertel team to the Mustangs Ranch in Ebenfurth on May 27th. “We lost 27-0 at home”, Gangl remembers the first leg in mid-April, “let’s see if we’ve gotten better”. At the beginning of June it’s still at home against the Legionaries and in Asperhofen to the Blue Hawks. For the play-offs, you need a place in the top two in Conference B. Gangl is preparing for intensive weeks: “It will still be a tough job, but we will try everything.”