Football Friday (7/16/21)

Tracy Brooks runs for 77 yards and 2 TDs in
Salina Liberty's semifinal win

Happy Friday everyone!  Need some football news?  I have some for you.  Here's the latest from around the world:

Tracy Brooks, who ranks second in the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) league in rushing and first in rushing touchdowns, ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns last Saturday in Salina Liberty's 55-31 semifinal playoff victory over the Dodge City Law. This Saturday they will play the Omaha Beef in the Champions Bowl.  Omaha edged Sioux City 40-39 in their semifinal playoff game. 

Week 7 scores from the National Arena League (NAL):  Jacksonville Sharks 54, Carolina Cobras 52.  Orlando Predators 32, Jersey Flight 12. 

Last week in the Indoor Football League (IFL), the Duke City Gladiators are now 3-5 on the year after they dropped a tough loss in Tucson, 41-40. The Gladiators took a 40-33 lead late in the fourth, but they allowed the Sugar Skulls to get back in and they would finish it with a touchdown and a two-point conversion.     

The Cleveland Rams (4-0) shut out the Ohio Elite Outlaws 22-0 in the Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL) game of the week.  The Rams are now alone in first place in the Eastern Xtreme North Division. Cleveland controls their future and potential playoff berth. The Rams play the Cleveland Cobras at home at Roye Kidd Stadium while the Ohio Elite Outlaws host the Steel Valley Truth to try to bounce back. 

The Peach State Cats and Georgia-lina Lions face off in the United Arena League (UAL) Championship on Saturday at the Hephzibah Agricultural Center in Hephzibah, Georgia.

The Sumter Sharks defeated the Chattanooga Eagles 30-16 to win their second consecutive championship in the Independent American Football League (IAFL).

In the Mid-States Football League (MSFL), the Racine Raiders and Midway Marauders are the only unbeaten teams remaining.  Last weekend, Racine beat the Illini Panthers 2-0 while Midway also won 2-0 over the Will County Chiefs.  There are no reports on these games which could mean they both won by forfeit.  This week Racine will play the Chicago Cardinals while Midway is playing the Marion County Crusaders.

These are the division leaders in the East Coast Football League (ECFL) after last weekend's games:

• East Coast Conference-Northern Division:  Boston Bandits (3-0)
• East Coast Conference-Central Division:  Southern New England Admirals (2-0)
• East Coast Conference-Southern Division: New Milford Fire (3-0)
• New England Conference-Eastern Division:  Harford Rebels (3-0)
• New England Conference-Coast Division:  Connecticut Brawlers (2-1)

The Italian Federation of American Football (FIDAF) has announced that the semifinal game between the Milano Seamen and Lazio Ducks that had been postponed 10 days to due COVID-19, has now been cancelled.  Following a mandatory 10 day quarantine period, more cases of the virus have now been discovered on the Ducks team prior to their departure to Milan for the game.  As a result, Lazio has been forced to forfeit the game and the Milano Seamen will now advance to the Italian championship game this weekend where they will face the Parma Panthers. Parma won their semifinal game against Firenze Guelfi 55-20.

Budapest Wolves stun Fehérvár Enthroners to capture 8th Hungarian title.  The Wolves won Hungarian Bowl XV 18-7.  

Vukovi Belgrade captured their 8th Serbian title in defeating the Banat Bulls 24-14 in the Serbian Bowl this past weekend.

The Örebro Black Knights made history in defeating the Stockholm Mean Machines 28-14 in Sweden’s championship game. It was the first title for the club in the 31 years they have played in the Swedish Superserien.

The Bern Grizzlies supplied the biggest surprise of the weekend in Switzerland in defeating the Calanda Broncos 26-21. It was Bern’s first win over the Broncos since the 2016 Swiss Bowl and it was only Calanda’s third loss since 2017.