Penza Phoenixes to compete in Russian American Football Championship for first time
Print
Penza, 28 May 2012. PenzaNews. An American football team called Penza Phoenixes will participate in the Russian American Football Championship for the first time. The games between the Volga Federal district teams will take place at the Pervomaysky Stadium in Penza on June 2 and 3.
© PenzaNewsBuy the photo
“The 2012 Russian American Football Championship opened on April 29 and celebrates its anniversary this year; it is the twentieth time it is held with the record high number of 13 participating teams as compared to only up to 10 in all the previous years,” head coach and captain of Penza Phoenixes Alexey Kazantsev told news agency PenzaNews.
He noted that almost a half of the championship’s participants were, like the Penza team, newcomers including Khischniki (Predators) from Saint-Petersburg, Stalnye Tigry (Steel Tigers) from Perm, Uralskie Molnii (Ural Lightning Bolts) from Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk Scouts and Zveroboi (Hunters) from Ozersk.
“In addition, Astrakhan Gladiators are back after a long break,” the head coach added.
He explained that all the teams had been divided into four groups according to federal districts.
“The games in North Western and Ural districts are already over, and the winners in those groups will compete this fall in the semi-final. Those are Saint-Petersburg Griffins and Chelyabinsk Scouts. Games at the group level are still underway in the Central federal district but Moscow Patriots, the winner of multiple Russian championships, will most likely emerge as the winner there,” Alexey Kazantsev said.
In his words, the Volga district group will include games between Penza Phoenixes, Astrakhan Gladiators and Nizhny Novgorod Riders52.
“The opening game will take place in Penza on June 2 where Astrakhan Gladiators and Penza Phoenixes will play, and the next day the guests from Astrakhan will compete with the Nizhny Novgorod team. In our group as in most others the games will proceed in two rounds and will continue until July 25. After the group stage the winner will compete in the semi-final,” the head coach noted.
