Groups Determined For Thursday Kickoff In Cologne

   

Schuldorf Bergstrasse Hillsiders (pictured above with Brown) will carry the hopes of host nation Germany and was joined in Group B by the two other European teams Da Vinci College Leonardo of the Netherlands and Pere Vives Viches from Spain. Completing the group are the DAC Panthers from Queens, NY, representing the United States and Korea’s Suri Middle School.

“I think it’s a favorable draw considering the size of some of the teams that ended up on the other side,” said USA coach Jimmy Gavalas, whose team begins its quest for a gold medal against Korea at 11.15am on Thursday. “We’re happy with things and we’re just looking forward to the boys having fun and playing hard.”

Thailand is the tournament’s reigning champion and will be represented this year by Chaopraya Wittayakom School, who find themselves up against two fellow Asian teams in Fujitsu Junior Frontiers from Japan and China’s Pei Zhen Middle School. Completing a competitive Group A is Las Aguilas from Mexico, hoping to improve on last year’s third place finish and runners-up spot in 2005, and traditional high finisher Canada, represented by Ecole River Heights Middle School.

“I think it’s the most difficult group and the games will be very hard,” said Mexico coach Ricardo Yanez. “I think China, Japan and Thailand are big teams and I’ve thought that since yesterday. They seem to be the top teams and we will play against them, but we can still win.”

Canada coach Shawn Gretchen agreed: “First of all we have the defending champs early in the morning and then China, who are big and Mexico, who are always good, so it looks like a tough draw.”

The Deputy Mayor of Cologne Angela Spizig welcomed the teams to the historic and picturesque city at the Wednesday night dinner. “Have a great time here in Cologne, which is a city that is thousands of years old, but is also very modern,” she told the visitors from ten nations and three continents. “I have enjoyed American football since I went to high school in America, so I can understand why you are all so enthusiastic about NFL Flag Football.” 

  
Team USA coach Jimmy Gavalas and Spain coach Enric Cordoba enjoy a friendly off the field rivalry. The Spanish coach is only 16 years old and played in the FFWC in 2002 in Mexico and in 2004 in Vancouver and coached the team in Beijing last year.

Group A       Group B                        
Canada         Germany
China            Korea
Japan            Netherlands
Mexico          Spain
Thailand        USA

Thursday, August 24

Games in order: Fields 1, 2 and 3

10.00am Thailand vs. Canada / Netherlands vs. Korea / Japan vs. Mexico

11.15am Germany vs. Spain / Canada vs. China / USA vs. Korea

12.30pm Thailand vs. Japan / Spain vs. Netherlands / China vs. Mexico

1.45pm Germany vs. USA / Japan vs. Canada / Thailand vs. Mexico

Friday, August 25

9.00am USA vs. Spain / Germany vs. Korea

10.15am Canada vs. Mexico / Germany vs. Netherlands / Japan vs. China

11.30am Spain vs. Korea / Thailand vs. China / USA vs. Netherlands

12.45pm 5th vs. 5th (best of 3 games) / Quarterfinal (1st B vs. 4th A) /

Quarterfinal 2 (1st A vs. 4th B)

2.00pm Quarterfinal 3 (2nd A vs. 3rdB) Quarterfinal 4 (2nd B vs. 3rd A)

Saturday, August 26

11.30am Loser QF2 vs. QF4 / Loser QF1 vs. QF3 / 5th vs. 5th (best of 3 games)

12.45pm Semi final 1 (winners QF1 vs. QF3) / Semi final 2 (winners QF2 vs. QF4) /

Game for 7th place

2.00pm Game for 3rd place / Game for 5th place / 5th vs. 5th (if necessary)

4.00pm Final (winners SF1 vs. SF2)