n Spartans in action. Picture:Mike Cartwright of Ponderosa. (www.ponderosa.org).
ESSEX Spartans American Football team are one victory away from securing a place in their League's end-of-season playoffs.
The Billericay-based Spartans are currently enjoying a remarkable turnaround season, with the team positioned second in the British American Football Association Division 2 East with one game remaining.
The team travel to Bedford on Sunday knowing a win against the third-placed Blue Raiders would see the Spartans progress to the playoffs for the first time in four years, and end the regular season with a record of seven wins and three losses, their best since 1997.
The Spartans have benefitted from the depth of knowledge and experience provided by Head Coach Cyrill Weems, a former Wisconsin collegiate star and NFL player with the Detroit Lions. Following Weems return to the United States this month, Spartans General Manager Tony Palmer announced the appointment of defensive captain Marc Saunders to the position.
The vastly-experienced Saunders has played for the some of the top teams in the country spanning a 24-year playing career, and was part of the Great Britain Lions squad who won the European Championships in 2004.
“This game represents the biggest challenge of our year so far,” said Saunders. “I am confident the hard work our players and coaches have put in over the previous months will stand us in great shape to see the regular season out in the best possible way with a win”.
Saunders, along with his coaching staff of Sean Benton, Wes Bourke, Alistair Beaton, and Brendan Bride, will look to build on the teams recent successes and continue their transformation into one of the Leagues top contenders. Additionally captained on the field by Lee Millar, Kieron Goymer, Jon Tottman, and Seb Tindall,, the Spartans are once again a force to be reckoned with.
For more information on the Essex Spartans, visit the team’s website at www.essexspartans.co.uk.