Saarland Hurricanes
Encyclopedia
The Saarland Hurricanes are an American football
team from Saarbrücken
, Germany
. Saarbrücken is the capital of the federal German state of Saarland
, which the club is named after. The club was formed in 1996 in a merger of the two local sides Saarbrücken Wölfe and Dillingen Steelhawks.
As its greatest success, the team has won promotion to the German Football League
twice, in 2000 and 2010. In this league, it qualified for the play-offs once, in 2005.
, which was formed in 1982. This team played in the 2nd Bundesliga from 1983 onwards, but relocated to Dillingen
in 1984 and became the Dillingen Hurrikanes.
In between, in 1983, another American football club was formed, the Saarlouis Wölfe, but never reached above local league level and folded in 1989, with its players joining the Dillingen Hurrikanes. Meanwhile, the Dillingen Hurrikanes continued playing in the 2nd Bundesliga until 1986, when its division folded and the club had to step a level down. In 1989, after the Wölfe had folded, the club was renamed Dillingen Steelhawks.
Also in 1989, the Saarbrücken Ghostbusters were formed as another American football club in the Saarland.
The Dillingen Steelhawks continued competitive league football in the tier-three Verbandsliga, at times alongside the Ghostbusters. The team remained at local level until 1993, when it won promotion to the central division of the 2nd Bundesliga. At this level, it lasted for only one season, but bounced back in 1995 and returned to the second level for 1996.
The Saarbrücken Ghostbusters were renamed Saarbrücken Wölfe in 1991 but were unable to rise above the third tier of the league system. By the end of 1996, both the Saarbrücken and the Dillingen club had come to the conclusion that, as individual clubs, no further improvement was possible and agreed on a merger.
proved too strong, winning both promotion/relegation matches and barring the Hurricanes from the elite league. In its second attempt, in 2000, the side overcame the Landsberg Express in the first game of the promotion round 40-22. Landsberg did not field in the second game and the Hurricanes were qualified for the German Football League
for the 2001 season.
The Saarland Hurricanes were not a strong side in their following time in the GFL, only winning a game each in three of their first four seasons. However, they still managed to finish fifth and away from the relegation rank. The 2005 season was to be the clubs best, finishing with a balanced win-loss record and qualifying for the post season for the first time. It then lost to the Braunschweig Lions
17-32 in the quarter finals and was eliminated.
After this one-off success, the club quickly declined again and finished last in its division in 2007. Having to enter the relegation round, the team lost both games to the Munich Cowboys
and found itself back in the 2nd Bundesliga.
In this league, soon to be renamed German Football League 2
, the Saarland Hurricanes took two seasons to rebuilt before another division title in 2010 meant direct promotion back to the GFL, courtesy to a league expansion. The club was only able to win two of their regular season games in 2011 and finished second-last in the GFL South, avoiding relegation because of an even worse performance by the Plattling Black Hawks
.
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...
team from Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Saarbrücken is the capital of the federal German state of Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
, which the club is named after. The club was formed in 1996 in a merger of the two local sides Saarbrücken Wölfe and Dillingen Steelhawks.
As its greatest success, the team has won promotion to the German Football League
German Football League
The German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA....
twice, in 2000 and 2010. In this league, it qualified for the play-offs once, in 2005.
Predessesor clubs
The earliest club the current Hurricanes link their past to are the Saarlouis Hurrikans, a team from SaarlouisSaarlouis
Saarlouis is a city in the Saarland, Germany, capital of the district of Saarlouis. In 2006, the town had a population of 38,327. Saarlouis, as the name implies, is located at the river Saar....
, which was formed in 1982. This team played in the 2nd Bundesliga from 1983 onwards, but relocated to Dillingen
Dillingen, Saarland
Dillingen is a town in the district of Saarlouis, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Saar, approx. 5 km northwest of Saarlouis, and 25 km northwest of Saarbrücken. The Dillinger Hütte steelworks is located here....
in 1984 and became the Dillingen Hurrikanes.
In between, in 1983, another American football club was formed, the Saarlouis Wölfe, but never reached above local league level and folded in 1989, with its players joining the Dillingen Hurrikanes. Meanwhile, the Dillingen Hurrikanes continued playing in the 2nd Bundesliga until 1986, when its division folded and the club had to step a level down. In 1989, after the Wölfe had folded, the club was renamed Dillingen Steelhawks.
Also in 1989, the Saarbrücken Ghostbusters were formed as another American football club in the Saarland.
The Dillingen Steelhawks continued competitive league football in the tier-three Verbandsliga, at times alongside the Ghostbusters. The team remained at local level until 1993, when it won promotion to the central division of the 2nd Bundesliga. At this level, it lasted for only one season, but bounced back in 1995 and returned to the second level for 1996.
The Saarbrücken Ghostbusters were renamed Saarbrücken Wölfe in 1991 but were unable to rise above the third tier of the league system. By the end of 1996, both the Saarbrücken and the Dillingen club had come to the conclusion that, as individual clubs, no further improvement was possible and agreed on a merger.
Saarland Hurricanes
The team, now as the Saarland Hurricanes and still playing in the 2nd Bundesliga, had some instant success, winning its division in 1997 and 2000. In 1997, the Stuttgart ScorpionsStuttgart Scorpions
The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982...
proved too strong, winning both promotion/relegation matches and barring the Hurricanes from the elite league. In its second attempt, in 2000, the side overcame the Landsberg Express in the first game of the promotion round 40-22. Landsberg did not field in the second game and the Hurricanes were qualified for the German Football League
German Football League
The German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA....
for the 2001 season.
The Saarland Hurricanes were not a strong side in their following time in the GFL, only winning a game each in three of their first four seasons. However, they still managed to finish fifth and away from the relegation rank. The 2005 season was to be the clubs best, finishing with a balanced win-loss record and qualifying for the post season for the first time. It then lost to the Braunschweig Lions
Braunschweig Lions
The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions....
17-32 in the quarter finals and was eliminated.
After this one-off success, the club quickly declined again and finished last in its division in 2007. Having to enter the relegation round, the team lost both games to the Munich Cowboys
Munich Cowboys
The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South....
and found itself back in the 2nd Bundesliga.
In this league, soon to be renamed German Football League 2
German Football League 2
The German Football League 2 is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2nd Bundesliga.-League structure:...
, the Saarland Hurricanes took two seasons to rebuilt before another division title in 2010 meant direct promotion back to the GFL, courtesy to a league expansion. The club was only able to win two of their regular season games in 2011 and finished second-last in the GFL South, avoiding relegation because of an even worse performance by the Plattling Black Hawks
Plattling Black Hawks
The Plattling Black Hawks are an American football team from Plattling, Germany. The club was, until 2004, known as the Deggendorf Black Hawks....
.
Honours
- GFLGerman Football LeagueThe German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA....
- Play-off qualification : 2005
- League membership : (8) 2001–2007, 2011
- GFL 2German Football League 2The German Football League 2 is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2nd Bundesliga.-League structure:...
- Southern Division champions: 1997, 2000, 2010
Recent seasons
Recent seasons of the club:| Year | Division | Finish | Points | Pct. | Games | W | D | L | PF | PA | Postseason |
| 2005 | GFL German Football League The German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA.... (South) |
4th | 10–10 | 0.500 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 294 | 298 | Lost QF: Braunschweig Lions Braunschweig Lions The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions.... (17–32) |
| 2006 | 5th | 6–18 | 0.250 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 154 | 333 | — | |
| 2007 | 6th | 2–22 | 0.083 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 88 | 378 | Lost RR: Munich Cowboys Munich Cowboys The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South.... (7–25 & 2–48) |
|
| 2008 | GFL 2 German Football League 2 The German Football League 2 is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2nd Bundesliga.-League structure:... (South) |
5th | 12–16 | 0.429 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 271 | 273 | — |
| 2009 | 4th | 16–12 | 0.571 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 355 | 286 | — | |
| 2010 | 1st | 24–4 | 0.857 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 381 | 197 | — | |
| 2011 | GFL German Football League The German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA.... (South) |
6th | 4–22 | 0.154 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 194 | 363 | — |
- RR = Relegation round
- PR = Promotion round
- QF = Quarter finals
- SF = Semi finals
- GB = German Bowl
- In the 2011 season, the game against Plattling Black HawksPlattling Black HawksThe Plattling Black Hawks are an American football team from Plattling, Germany. The club was, until 2004, known as the Deggendorf Black Hawks....
was not played.