GIRONE A
1st Place: Parma Panthers
The Parma Panthers took up where they left off in 2024! We saw a little bit of the reigning MVP Robbie Patterson together with their new offensive import Dominick Fiscelli at the start of their week 1 game vs the Bergamo Lions, but after the Panthers were pulling away early in the second quarter they decided to start some Italian backups. This is where QB Tommaso Monardi stepped into the game, he had an amazing performance throwing multiple passing TDs, a couple of them to the young WR Carlo Tassan.
What was particularly interesting was the usage of their star receiver Simone Alinovi, who played DB the whole game, also getting involved in many other roles as far as playing kicker for one PAT, but almost never as a wide receiver which is where we’re used to seeing him. After this convincing 35-10 win against the Bergamo Lions, the Panthers move onto another road game, this time against the Milano Rhinos, where they’ll try to assert their dominance in the Girone A.
2nd Place: Milano Rhinos
The Milano Rhinos dominated in their home-opener with a 38-0 win over the Bologna Warriors! The focal point in the Rhinos’ success in this first week was the italian star WR Jordan Bouah, who had 3 receiving TDs, such a huge impact working with the import QB Marquez McCray. We have to mention that Bouah has already signed with the Rhein Fire in the European League of Football so he will leave the Rhinos at some point close to the end of the IFL season, in the meantime we’re happy to see him getting back to form with a truly outstanding performance in week 1. Not saying Bouah is the only weapon at all for Milano, this offense is stacked at all positions and every team in Italy needs to look out for them. The Rhinos’ defense wasn’t much tested in this first game, but we have to highlight DL Destiny Giuliani who had a couple of sacks and even a deflected pass. The Milano Rhinos will host the reigning champions Parma Panthers in week 2 to try and get an early upset in the season and put themselves in the contenders talk.
3rd Place: Legnano Frogs
Impressive start of the year for the Legnano Frogs after edging in their favour a very close game against the Ancona Dolphins! It was amazing to see The Zahr, Luke Zahradka, coming back home to the IFL after his adventures in these two years of ELF and balling out for the Frogs. Luke used two main weapons to bring home this game:
his import WR Danny Kittner, who played at a high level the whole game covering different roles in the offense and breaking an abnormal amount of tackles, and his newly acquired WR Niccolò Pulsinelli, who had a crucial role as a reliable deep threat to help his team convert the long third downs they were being forced into by a tough Dolphins defense. A quick shout out to the Frogs defense too though, as we saw young italian players like Tommaso Calegari and Lorenzo Gioco have a huge impact in the game together with the import LB Kevin Khay. The Legnano Frogs will look to keep their win streak going against the newly promoted Bergamo Lions in week 2, following this close 20-14 win in their home-opener.
4th Place: Ancona Dolphins
Tough start to the season for the Ancona Dolphins after a close 20-14 loss to the Legnano Frogs. There were positive signs in this first game, especially on defense where the core players, like for example the Rotelli brothers, were key factors in keeping this game as close as it was, but ultimately it just wasn’t enough to bring home the win. The Dolphins will be trying to bounce back in their home-opener in week 2 where we’ll see them host the Bologna Warriors.
5th Place: Bergamo Lions
Not an extremely pleasant welcome back into the IFL for the Bergamo Lions who lost 35-10 in their home-opener against the reigning back-to-back champions Parma Panthers. We saw promising signs from their imports: QB Jay Butterfield and DB DJ Steward; and also from some Italian players like WR/RB Luca Aldrighetti, WR Tommaso Moro and LB Cosimo Puccinelli from the Firenze Guelfi, but all together it looked like the Lions still have some work to do to compete in this league. We’ll see what they’ll be able to do in week 2 against a slightly easier opponent in the Legnano Frogs.
6th Place: Warriors Bologna
Not an amazing start to the IFL season for the Bologna Warriors after a 38-0 loss to the Milano Rhinos. Bologna showed they have some strengths nevertheless, they got to the red-zone twice, but an interception and a turnover on downs stopped them short from scoring their first points of the year. We know their import QB Viktor Wessberg from Sweden was only recently available for the team and it was blatant that he still needs to work himself into this offense. As far as Italian weapons, the top two options for Wessberg look to be Cera and Utano. The Warriors will try to get their first win of the season in week 2 against the Ancona Dolphins.
GIRONE B
1st Place: Guelfi Firenze
The score 49-0, sums up pretty well the game between the Firenze Guelfi and the Albisola Pirates. Just a strong, dominant show from the Guelfi who continue using their hard rushing offense with different threats like RB Cosimo Casati, and the two dual threats QBs Andrea Fimiani and the import Eystin Salum.
This run-heavy offense opens up the passing game also, as we saw with both Salum and Fimiani throwing TDs and Salum even playing as a WR and receiving a TD in the first quarter which is something we’ve never seen him doing before. There were some questions about Guelfi’s defense before the season, but in this first matchup they looked flawless, dominating the line of scrimmage and leaving pretty much no open options to the Pirates. The Firenze Guelfi will look to keep growing their reputation as contenders for the title by trying to get a win against the Lazio Marines in week 2.
2nd Place: Torino Giaguari
What a strong performance by the Torino Giaguari in their home-opener! Their new import QB Evan Lewandowski looked just amazing, completing deep throws to his many weapons like Andrea Serra and Tavion McCarthy, and at the same time being able to scramble and turn on the jets to gain crucial first downs when needed. On defense it was the Tavion McCarthy show, as the import alternated as a DB and WR for the Giaguari, making crucial tackles on one side of the ball and catching TDs on the other. After a bye week we’ll see the Giaguari Torino step back on the field in week 3 when they’ll host the Ferrara Aquile at home.
3rd Place: Skorpions Varese
The Varese Skorpions were just able to edge a win over the Ferrara Aquile 15-12 in their home-opener. A lot of questions for the Skorpions coming into week 1 after they lost some important components in the offseason like their RB Davide Silvestri, but they were still able to keep their regular season win streak alive, now at 10 consecutive games. To get this crucial win the Skorpions relied on their key components: from the Italian talents Davide Vuolo on the DLine and Roberto Zanovello at WR to their new imports Hamish McClure at QB and Zach Marcheselli who played both MLB and RB. After their week 2 bye week the Varese Skorpions will face their toughest in division opponents in the Firenze Guelfi against whom they’ll try to prolong their win streak again.
4th Place: Ferrara Aquile
It’s never easy to face a top team like the Skorpions Varese away from home in your first game back in the IFL, but the Ferrara Aquile were almost able to pull off an amazing upset, falling just short in the 15-12 loss. We were all waiting to see how this Ferrara team looked, after a very impressive offseason where they were able to steal some great players from the Firenze Guelfi and also secure some of the top talents coming from the Milano Seamen after their experience in the ELF, like their key defensive player Andrea Fantin.
The Aquile showcased a very strong and disciplined defense that, despite missing their defensive imports, was able to keep the Skorpions within reach through the whole game. Unfortunately for them the offense led by Aaron Allen wasn’t able to bring home the win in the end, although the link-up Allen-Williams was amazing to see with two deep TD throws. Interesting fact: One Williams counts as an Italian player because he was drafted in the preseason from the Rome City Institute draft, this could turn out to be a huge upper hand for the Aquile through the season. In week 2 the Aquile will have a bye week, we’ll see them back on the field in week 3 against the Torino Giaguari in another tough matchup.
5th Place: Lazio Marines
The Marines struggled in their first game losing 48-14 to the Torino Giaguari. It looked like the Marines were not ready on defense, conceding costing flags and big plays to their opponents all through the game. They’ll definitely need to tighten up there to start competing for wins and key players like Giacomo Insom will have a pivotal role in turning this defense around. The capital’s team do have some bright lights on offense though, their import QB Josiah Norwood looked electric alternating the passing game, with a passing TD to Jacopo Impallomeni, with his amazing rushing skills which he showcased in the first quarter with a long and shifty scramble for a TD. The Marines should rally around this talented import QB coming from the Panthers Wroclaw in the ELF. In week 2 we’ll see the Lazio Marines host the Guelfi Firenze in another tough matchup.
6th Place: Albisola Pirates
We couldn’t have seen a worse start from the Albisola Pirates, 49-0 to the Guelfi Firenze in their first game ever in the top division of italian football. The offense just could not get going against a great Guelfi defense and even when they were able to do something they’d then kill their own momentum with an interception or with costing flags. The Pirates defense had no answer at all for Guelfi’s very versatile offense, overall just a game to forget for the Pirates who had a tough wakeup call after a great campaign in the IFL 2 last year. The Albisola Pirates now get two consecutive weeks of bye and we hope to see a more prepared team in their home-opener in week4 when they’ll host the Lazio Marines.
CLOSING OUT WITH A FULL LEAGUE 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 too, so 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!
FULL LEAGUE POWER RANKING:
Firenze Guelfi
Parma Panthers
Milano Rhinos
Torino Giaguari
Legnano Frogs
Varese Skorpions
Ferrara Aquile
Ancona Dolphins
Lazio Marines
Bergamo Lions
Bologna Warriors
Albisola Pirates
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