Italian Football League - Power Ranking Week 4

1st Place: Firenze Guelfi

4-0, 180 points scored, 45 points on average per game. What is there more to say about this Firenze Guelfi team that is just simply dominating the Girone B of the IFL, after winning 47-30 over the Ferrara Aquile. Once again we can’t talk about the Guelfi without talking about the italian gunslinger Adrea Fimiani, back to back games with 5 passing TDs and another rushing one too. Fimiani is settling as a strong early contender for MVP after being involved with 19 TDs in the first 4 games, 14 passing and 5 rushing. On offense we need to mention the import WR Frankie Stola who had three TDs in the first half to help the Guelfi set the game tone, 2 receiving and 1 on a punt return.

On defense we saw the usual solid performance through the first three quarters, only allowing 8 points also thanks to their 3 interceptions. In the fourth quarter the defense slowed down a little and allowed 22 more points, but the import LB Colin Schooler decided to put an end to the game by getting an interception of his own to cap what was a masterclass defensive performance by him in week 4. The Firenze Guelfi now get to enjoy a bye week after an amazing start of the season. We’ll see them back on the field against the Skorpions Varese in week 6.

2nd Place: Legnano Frogs

The Legnano Frogs did not play in week 4, they remain the runner-ups in the power ranking. In week 4 the Frogs will face a struggling Rhinos Milano team which they’ll need to beat to keep setting the bar higher in the Girone A.

3rd Place: Parma Panthers

The Parma Panthers did not play too in week 4, and they too will keep their place right behind the Frogs. In week 4 we’ll see them face the Warriors Bologna, one of the lesser teams in the Girone A, which the Panthers will have to beat to stay on the Frog's neck in this race to the top.

4th Place: Torino Giaguari

The Giaguari Torino won 31-7 in week 4 and now can keep aiming upwards! At this point they have solidified themselves as the second best team in the Girone B and are only waiting to have their shot at the top spot. The Giaguari Torino are growing as a team in all parts of the game. On defense we saw another amazing performance, particularly by the DBs. Iin the first quarter we saw a perfect tipping drill performed by Paolo Lazzaretto to get Jacopo Pochettino an interception. On special teams we saw Jacopo Salsa have a great kicking game, even scoring a Field Goal to make it 24-7 in the third quarter, and of course Tavio McCarthy who hit a spin and scored 6 in a punt return at the start of the game.

On offense Evan Lewandowski struggled a little, only 1 passing TD to Tavion McCarthy and 2 interceptions this time, but this is when great teams find other solutions and the Giaguari did in the rushing game. Giovanni La Rocca and Tommaso Tenconi took it upon themselves to close out the game, both having a great rushing performance and a rushing TD each. In week 5 the Giaguari Torino will face the Albisola Pirates and will try to move to 4-0 to match the Guelfi in record at the top of the Girone B.

5th Place: Ancona Dolphins

What a team performance by the Ancona Dolphins who win 28-9 at the Velodromo Vigorelli against the Rhinos Milano. The offense led by the import QB Blake Eaton was executing perfectly on Saturday night, Blake was able to spread the ball around throwing four TDs in week 4, two of them to Matteo Dazzani who put an end to the comeback the Rhinos were mounting up in the third quarter.

The strong part of this Dolphins team resides in their defense though, we saw them playing a game that was similar to the Philadelphia Eagles in the superbowl: little to no blitzing, incredible amounts of pressure just with the four rushers on the defensive line, and everyone else was back in coverage and ready to step up into the holes to block the run, not allowing a single inch to Milano’s offense. Next week the Ancona Dolphins have a bye, we’ll see them in week 6 hosting the bottom ranked Bergamo Lions in a game they’ll need to win to keep up with the two teams ahead of them in the Girone A.

6th Place: Milano Rhinos

What is happening with the Rhinos Milano? A home game that saw them maybe even as favorites, or at least as close competitors, in reality turned out to be a game where they got blown away by the Ancona Dolphins 28-9. There are strong positive signs from the defense, who kept them in the game and gave them a chance up until the fourth quarter, even scoring their only TD with a powerful pix-six by import LB Marco Olivas. The real problem is in the offense though. The offensive line had no answer for the Dolphins’ 4 man rush up front and the import QB Marquez McCray was pressured into bad decisions the whole game. The rushing game was pretty much non-existent and it is now officially less than a month until Milano loses both Jordan Bouah and Tamsir Seck to their respective ELF teams. It’s truly just a game to forget for the Rhinos’ offense who now has to face the top ranked Girone A team in week 5, the Legnano Frogs.

7th Place: Ferrara Aquile

Positives and negatives in week 4 for the Aquile Ferrara, who lost 47-30 to the Girone B top ranked Firenze Guelfi. First things first tho, let’s address why they’re 7th even though they are 0-3 right now. This decision came down more to the fact that the Skorpions Varese are playing poorly lately, but it is also influenced by the Aquile’s trajectory, who look better every week. They showed relentlessness in week 4 against the Guelfi, being able to force multiple turnovers on downs and even some three and outs with their defense and also putting up 30 points on offense against a team that had allowed only 19 combined in the first three matchups. Granted 22 of these points were scored when the game was pretty much over in the fourth quarter. The Aaron Allen - One Williams connection is finally back in Ferrara, we’re happy to see #4 back under center and connecting with his speedster.

Now there were also a bunch of negatives though: the rushing game was not great, although when the import LB King got in the backfield things looked better, and also Aaron Allen threw 4 more interceptions this weekend, the same amount as the touchdowns he threw. Counting also Ceesay’s interceptions from last week this puts the Aquile Ferrara first in the league for INTs thrown with 10, something clearly needs to change there. In week 5 the Aquile will be chasing their first win since being back in the IFL away from home against the Lazio Marines in what looks to be a more approachable matchup compared to the first three.

8th Place: Skorpions Varese

The Skorpions Varese lost 31-7 in week 4 away from home against the Giaguari Torino. Once again the Skorpions offense is not able to put up more than one touchdown. Although they faced the two top defenses in the Girone B in these two games, we just can’t ignore the fact that flags and dropped passes are killing the Skorpions’ offense. Import QB Hamish McClure had a pretty decent game, even scoring with his legs in the second quarter to tie the game up and try to keep his team in contention, but in the end it just wasn’t enough to gain momentum and keep the same pace as the Giaguari. On defense we saw some promising signs, with Kolonna and Principi recording an interception each. After a bye week in week 5, the Skorpions will face the Guelfi Firenze at home in week 6 in what anticipates to be another very tough matchup in a struggling period for the team.

9th Place: Albisola Pirates

The Albisola Superiore Pirates win their first ever game in the top level of Italian football! It was a very balanced game as we can see from the fact that all quarters ended with a tied score and the game was resolved in overtime. The first ever points in the IFL for the Pirates came in the 2nd quarter when Raffaelli scored a field goal to make it 3-3. In the second quarter the Import QB Lawrence Della Betta took the game in his hands scoring two rushing TDs. Unfortunately the Pirates defense couldn’t stop the Marines from catching up both times and this led to the game going to overtime as reported.

This was the first overtime of the season in the IFL, the rules see both teams having a drive each from the 25 yard line of the opposing team and at the end of that whoever has the most points wins. The Pirates defense showed up when it mattered, not allowing a single point in overtime. On offense we saw the Pirates score in the first drive with a TD pass from QB Jordy Baidal to WR Matteo Fusetti, and that was enough to win the game in overtime. It was amazing to see the happiness from the players in Albisola Superiore after they won their home opener to make history in the IFL. In week 5 the Pirates will host the Giaguari Torino in what promises to be a tougher matchup.

10th Place: Warriors Bologna

The Bologna Warriors did not play in week 4, the reason for them moving down a spot is more tied to the fact the Pirates deserved the 9th place after winning their first game of the season. In week 4 we’ll see the Warriors take the field again in Parma, facing a very tough Panthers team that’ll be looking for redemption after the week 3 loss vs the Frogs.

11th Place: Lazio Marines

The Lazio Marines fell in overtime to the Albisola Superiore Pirates for 24-17. The game started off really slow with Impallomeni missing a field goal, but then scoring one to open up the dances in the second quarter. In the second half we saw import QB #0 Josiah Norwood stepped up throwing two consecutive passing TDs to level up the score and then give Lazio the lead. On defense we saw an amazing big-man interception by #90 Manuel Pallini on the Pirates’ Jordy Baidal. Unfortunately the overtime drive finished quickly with Impallomeni missing the field goal, not that it mattered in the end since 3 points wouldn’t have been enough to keep the game scoring. In week 5 the Lazio Marines will be back at home playing against a rising Aquile Ferrara team, they’re both at 0-3 so whoever loses this one gets left alone at the bottom of the Girone B.

12th Place: Bergamo Lions

The Bergamo Lions did not play in week 4, they will remain in 12th place for now. The Lions have another needed bye week ahead that gives them some more recovery time to hopefully get some players back. In week 6 they’ll take the field again in Ancona, against a strong Dolphins team that proved this week they’re a great team willing to compete.

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CLOSING OUT WITH A DIVISIONS RANKING

Disclaimer: This ranking is aimed at the present. It’s heavily based on what was seen on the field this week and it will be like that for future weeks as well. Therefore if a team has a bye they might fall. Of course there is influence from previous accomplishments and future expectations, but as I said, it is based on the present!

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