Maastricht Wildcats
Encyclopedia
The Maastricht Wildcats of the AFBN (American Football Bond Nederland
) is an American Football
League team from Maastricht
. They play in the Dutch
1st division and are rivals with the Amsterdam Crusaders
. They won the 2007 Dutch National Championship by defeating the Amsterdam Crusaders 25-16 in the Tulip Bowl
. In 2004, the Wildcats, coached by Mel Crandall, won the 3rd Division Championship and advanced to the 2nd division. Then, in the 2005 season, they won the 2nd division championship and advanced to the 1st division.
In 2007, their player/Head Coach was Jon Horton, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers
.
Many of the current and past players of the Maastricht Wildcats are U.S. Military members, former American high school and collegiate players, now stationed in the neighboring areas, and former GFL players. The Maastricht Wildcats won the Dutch National Championships on 28 October 2007 by defeating the Amsterdam Crusaders, which had won the national title 5 times in a row, with a score of 25-16. However, on July 13 2008 the Amsterdam Crusaders
exacted revenge and regained the Tulip Bowl
with a score of 20-8.
Despite posting a 9-1 regular season record losing only to Amsterdam Crusaders
, Maastricht's 2009 season fell flat as they were shocked 10-7 in the semi-final game by Lightning Leiden.
Another strong regular season in 2010 saw the Wildcats post an 8-2 record, losing only to Amsterdam Crusaders
and Alphen Eagles. This time Maastricht took care of business in the playoff game, dismissing Amsterdam Panthers 44-20. Despite coming back strongly in the Tulip Bowl
, the Wildcats were not quite able to overturn a 22 point first-half deficit, eventually losing the championship game 28-22 to rivals Amsterdam Crusaders
.
American Football Bond Nederland
The AFBN is the governing body for American Football in the Netherlands. The AFBN was founded in 2001 after the merger of the rival leagues Nederlandse American Football Federatie and American Football League Nederland .-Nederlandse American Football Federatie :The Nederlandse American Football...
) is an American Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
League team from Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
. They play in the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
1st division and are rivals with the Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
. They won the 2007 Dutch National Championship by defeating the Amsterdam Crusaders 25-16 in the Tulip Bowl
Tulip Bowl
The Tulip Bowl, like the Super Bowl, is the final match of the season for the top division of the American Football Bond Nederland . The AFBN is the organisation responsible for American football in the Netherlands...
. In 2004, the Wildcats, coached by Mel Crandall, won the 3rd Division Championship and advanced to the 2nd division. Then, in the 2005 season, they won the 2nd division championship and advanced to the 1st division.
In 2007, their player/Head Coach was Jon Horton, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
Many of the current and past players of the Maastricht Wildcats are U.S. Military members, former American high school and collegiate players, now stationed in the neighboring areas, and former GFL players. The Maastricht Wildcats won the Dutch National Championships on 28 October 2007 by defeating the Amsterdam Crusaders, which had won the national title 5 times in a row, with a score of 25-16. However, on July 13 2008 the Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
exacted revenge and regained the Tulip Bowl
Tulip Bowl
The Tulip Bowl, like the Super Bowl, is the final match of the season for the top division of the American Football Bond Nederland . The AFBN is the organisation responsible for American football in the Netherlands...
with a score of 20-8.
Despite posting a 9-1 regular season record losing only to Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
, Maastricht's 2009 season fell flat as they were shocked 10-7 in the semi-final game by Lightning Leiden.
Another strong regular season in 2010 saw the Wildcats post an 8-2 record, losing only to Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
and Alphen Eagles. This time Maastricht took care of business in the playoff game, dismissing Amsterdam Panthers 44-20. Despite coming back strongly in the Tulip Bowl
Tulip Bowl
The Tulip Bowl, like the Super Bowl, is the final match of the season for the top division of the American Football Bond Nederland . The AFBN is the organisation responsible for American football in the Netherlands...
, the Wildcats were not quite able to overturn a 22 point first-half deficit, eventually losing the championship game 28-22 to rivals Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
.