Kiel Baltic Hurricanes


The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.
The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in five consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2012, losing the first two, winning the third, and losing the fourth and fifth.
The club is part of the American Sports Club Kiel e.V.

History

Founded in 1988, the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes first took part in competitive football in 1989, when they entered the tier-four Landesliga Nord. The club had some quick success, reaching the tier-two 2nd Bundesliga Nord by 1993. After back-to-back championships in this league, the Hussicanes played in the 1st Bundesliga Nord from 1996. This league would eventually become the German Football League. The Hurricanes reached the play-offs from 1997 to 2000, making it to the semi finals once, in 1999, but were relegated in 2002.
Restarting in the tier-three Regionalliga Nordost, the club quickly recovered, playing in the GFL once more from 2007 onwards, now with much greater success.
The club came third in its division in 2007 and was knocked-out in the play-off quarter finals, but managed to win its division the following year. The Hurricanes managed to reach their first German Bowl that season, but lost to the Braunschweig Lions, who made their last of twelve consecutive German Bowl appearances, ending the golden era of the later club.
Kiel came second in 2009, on equal points with the Berlin Adler. The two teams met in the German Bowl, but unlike 2008, when Kiel had defeated Berlin in the semi finals, this time the club from the German capital triumphed. In 2010, Kiel once more topped its division and advanced to the German Bowl, once more against the Berlin Adler. This time, the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes proved the stronger and managed to win their first national German title.
Kiel won its division again in 2011, defeated the Munich Cowboys in the quarter finals and the Düsseldorf Panther in the semi finals of the play-offs and advanced to the German Bowl again where they met the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns. The 33rd edition was the highest scoring German Bowl so far, ending with a 48–44 victory for the Unicorns, who thereby ended an 18 year title drought for the south. It was also the highest score achieved by any team losing a German Bowl at the time.
In 2012, the club once more won its division, only losing one game during the regular season away at Düsseldorf Panther, and reaching the German Bowl again against Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, losing 53–56 in the championship game and topping the previous year's score. In 2013, the team came in on third place and was knocked out in the semi-finals of the playoffs by Braunschweig.
The club participated in the 2014 European Football League and won the inaugural EFL Bowl when it defeated the Badalona Dracs 40–0 in the final. In the GFL the club came fourth in the northern division in 2014 but lost 24–50 to the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
In 2015, the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes competed in the EFL tournament and defended their title in the final against the Allgäu Comets. The team finished third in the northern division of the GFL and lost to the Allgäu Comets in the quarter finals of the playoffs.
Despite missing the EFL Bowl in 2016, the Hurricanes GFL season was more successful than the previous years'. The team again finished third in the northern division of the GFL, thus securing a playoff spot for the tenth year in a row. With a huge defensive effort the Canes won the first round against Frankfurt Universe 10:3 and advanced to the semifinal for the first time since 2013. Here, they lost 21–38 to the New Yorker Lions.

Honours

The club's appearances in the German Bowl:
BowlDateChampionsRunners-UpScoreLocationAttendance
XXXSeptember 29, 2008Braunschweig LionsKiel Baltic Hurricanes20–14Frankfurt16,177
XXXIOctober 3, 2009Berlin AdlerKiel Baltic Hurricanes28–21Frankfurt14,234
XXXIIOctober 9, 2010Kiel Baltic HurricanesBerlin Adler17–10Frankfurt11,121
XXXIIIOctober 8, 2011Schwäbisch Hall UnicornsKiel Baltic Hurricanes48–44Magdeburg11,711
XXXIV13 October 2012Schwäbisch Hall UnicornsKiel Baltic Hurricanes56–53Berlin11,242

Recent seasons

Recent seasons of the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes:
YearDivisionFinishPointsPct.GamesWDLPFPAPostseason
2005GFL 2 1st24–40.857141202372162Lost RR: Düsseldorf Panther
2006GFL 2 1st20–20.90911100138699Won RR: Düsseldorf Panther
2007GFL 3rd15–90.62512714256159Lost QF: Marburg Mercenaries
2008GFL 1st17–70.70812813294160Won QF: Weinheim Longhorns Won SF: Berlin Adler Lost GB: Braunschweig Lions
2009GFL 2nd18–20.90010901231178Won QF: Stuttgart Scorpions Won SF: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Lost GB: Berlin Adler
2010GFL 1st22–20.917121101289158Won QF: Stuttgart Scorpions Won SF: Dresden Monarchs Won GB: Berlin Adler
2011GFL 1st24–40.857141202444224Won QF: Munich Cowboys Won SF: Düsseldorf Panther Lost GB: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
2012GFL 1st26-20.929141301593272Won QF: Stuttgart Scorpions Won SF: Dresden Monarchs Lost GB: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
2013GFL 3rd20–80.714141004485249Won QF: Marburg Mercenaries Lost SF: New Yorker Lions
2014GFL 4th14–100.58312705330280Lost QF: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
2015GFL 3rd18–60.75012903469251Lost QF: Allgäu Comets
2016GFL 3rd21–70.750141013483297Won QF: Frankfurt Universe Lost SF: New Yorker Lions
2017GFL 2nd20–80.714141004531323Won QF: Marburg Mercenaries Lost SF: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
2018GFL 6th9–190.32114419297394—
2019GFL 7th5–230.179142111210425—