Though policies for attendance are uncertain because of the coronavirus restrictions, Brno sports will attempt to soldier on. HC Kometa, Žabiny Brno and Basket Brno all seek to start/restart their seasons this week after quarantines. FC Zbrojovka will also try to restart its season when it hosts Karviná on Saturday. Photo Credit: FC Zbrojovka
Brno, Sept. 30 (BD) — Sígrs establish themselves as tops in Eastern Division, Alligators come from behind to win again, and the Amazons dominate another game; FC Zbrojovka Brno seeks to climb up from cellar against Karviná on Saturday; Lokomotiva looking for third straight win; KP Brno loses its opener; HC Kometa, Basket Brno and Žabiny Brno begin preparations for post-quarantine resumption; and the Brno sports schedule.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Sígrs Take Eastern Division Lead
Low scoring games are not common in the Paddock League. Yet, when you put two decent well-coached teams on the field at the same time, it can be hard to get an advantage. On Sunday, in the what was easily the lowest scoring game of the season, the visiting Brno Sígrs got their first-ever win against the Ostrava Steelers, 0-7, and took the top spot of the Eastern Division with two games left before the postseason.
Douglas Webster, who played in Ostrava last year, got the only points of the game when he found Igor Mašlanka for a 38-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Late in the game, Webster and Mašlanka got an important first down to ice the game.
The defenses were prepared to exploit the opposition’s offense: Brno knew to concentrate on the running game because the starting Ostrava quarterback was injured; and Ostrava knew that Webster would throw often.
The Sígrs (5-1) host the Pilsen Patriots (1-4) in Rajhradice on Saturday at 3 p.m. and then host the Ostrava Steelers (4-2) on Oct. 10. The Sígrs hope to stay atop the division standings so that they would draw the No. 2 seed from the Western Division, the second-place Ústí nad Labem Blades (4-2), in order to avoid the undefeated Vysočina Gladiators (6-0) as long as possible.
The only Sígrs loss this year was to the Gladiators.
Running game rallies Alligators
Down early, the Brno Alligators offense kicked into gear in the second quarter when fleet-footed David Kilian broke a 56-yard run for a touchdown. Two minutes later, Ondřej Šimonek added a 19-yard touchdown to the Brno lead. Then, with the Alligators defense clamping down, the team got its second victory of the season, 20-7, over the visiting Přerov Mammoths.
The Alligators (2-4) had lost 13 straight games until they beat the Prague Mustangs on Sept 9. A respectable performance against the crosstown-rival Sígrs maintained enough momentum to power this victory.
The Alligators host the Ústí nad Labem Blades at Ragby Bystrc on Sunday at 3 p.m. Then they travel to face the Přerov Mammoths again on Oct. 11.
WOMEN’S AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Amazons Dominate Third Game in a Row
After a scoreless first quarter, the Brno Amazons brought the hammer down when Tereza Kubicová scored second-quarter touchdowns with runs of 36, 35 and 27 yards and pulled away for a dominating 6-54 victory over the home-team Prague Black Cats on Monday.
Alžběta Heroschová caught two touchdown passes from Alžběta Nečasová, who ran for two touchdowns. Ivana Schmiedová also scored a TD.
The defending-champion Brno Amazons (3-0) are atop the women’s league standings. They return to Brno to host the Jičín Windstorms (0-3) in Brněnské Ivanovice on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Then, in what could be a battle of undefeated teams, the Amazons will host the Prague Harpies at Ragby Bystrc on Oct. 17.
MEN’S FOOTBALL
Last-place Zbrojovka Loses Again
Zbrojovka dug a deeper hole for itself with it struggled at third-place Viktoria Plzeň with a 1-4 loss on Sunday.
Zbrojovka (0-1-4, 1 point) earned its only point in the standings with a scoreless tie against Bohemians 1905 and they have allowed a league-high 15 goals, four more than any other team.
Brno, which is in its first season back in the top league after two second-league seasons, returns home on Saturday to host middle-of-the-standings MFK Karviná (1-3-1, 6) at 4:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Horni Herspice Wins Again at Liberec
In the second minute of their Saturday game in Liberec, Lokomotiva Brno-Horni Herspice were down by a goal. Not a great way to start a road game. However, with grit and determination, the team held together until, midway through the second half, two quick goals led to a 1-2 victory.
Anna Pušková (60th minute) and Katka Kukučová (63rd minute) scored in quick succession.
Lokomotiva (2-0-3, 6 points) has now won two games in a row after opening the season against the dominant teams of the league. FC Slovan Liberec (2-0-3, 6) is now basically tied with Brno in the middle of the standings, although Brno has given up one more goal so far this season.
Brno hosts FK Dukla Praha (1-1-3, 4) on Saturday at Hrušovany u Brna at 11 a.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
KP Brno Loses Opener Late
KP Brno was able to start its women’s basketball season on Sunday, but the third-place team from last year was unable to come out on top after a suspenseful fourth quarter. Host BK Loko Trutnov won, 94-92.
“Our defeat was decided by our one-on-one defense,” said KP Brno head coach Dušan Medvecký. “When you get 94 points, you can’t win.”
Canadian post player Emily Potter is back for another season in North Brno and she led the game with 21 points and nine rebounds.
Kateřina Zohnová, who moved across town from Žabiny Brno and played her first game for KP Brno, had 17 points. So did Veronika Remenárová.
KP Brno is scheduled to play at SBŠ Ostrava tonight (Wednesday) at 7:15 p.m.
The Žabiny Brno women’s basketball, which had 13 members of its club infected with the coronavirus, may be able to come out of its quarantine and start the season at home against Loko Trutnov on Oct. 7.
MEN’S HOCKEY
HC Kometa Resumes Training
HC Kometa were forced to postpone their first six games of the Tipsport exgtraliga season because 22 members of the organization tested positive for the coronavirus. On Tuesday, the team was cleared from quarantine and returned to the ice.
The next game on the schedule is next Tuesday at PSG Berani Zlín at 5:30 p.m.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Basket Brno to Restart Season Saturday
The Basket Brno men’s basketball team cancelled four games because they were forced into a mandatory quarantine when 13 people, including players and support staff, tested positive for the coronavirus.
The team had opened the season with a 78-61 victory over GEOSAN Kolín. Then, coronavirus symptoms appeared, followed by confirmation tests. Kolín also has had to cancel games due to the coronavirus.
The next game on the Brno schedule is at BK Opava on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The next home game is Oct. 7 against BK JIP Pardubice at 6:30 p.m.
BRNO SPORTS RESULTS
Quick results for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the past week. Home team listed first (where applicable).
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020
— Men’s Basketball: Královští sokoli X Basket Brno, postponed
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020
— Women’s Volleyball: Přerov 0, Kralovo Pole 3
— Women’s Volleyball: VK Brno 1, Olomouc 3
Friday, Sept. 25, 2020
— Hockey: HC Kometa Brno X HC České Budějovice, postponed
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020
— Men’s Basketball: ERA Basketball Nymburk X Basket Brno, postponed
— Women’s Basketball: Sokol H. Králové X Žabiny Brno, postponed
— Women’s Football: FC Slovan Liberec 1, Lokomotiva Brno H.H. 2
— American Football: Brno Alligators 20, Přerov Mammoths, Ragby Bystrc 7
— Men’s Volleyball: Kladno 3, Brno 1
— Women’s Volleyball: Kr. Pole 1, Liberec 3
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020
— Hockey: BK Mladá Boleslav X HC Kometa Brno, postponed
— American Football: Ostrava Steelers 0, Brno Sígrs 7
— Men’s Football:Viktoria Plzeň 1, Zbrojovka Brno 4
— Women’s Basketball: Loko Trutnov 94, KP Brno 92
Monday, Sept. 28, 2020
— Women’s Volleyball: Ostrava 1, VK Brno 3
— Women’s American Football: Prague Black Cats 6, Brno Amazons 54
BRNO SPORTS SCHEDULE
The schedule for various Brno professional and recreational sports for the next two weeks. All dates and times subject to change. Home team listed first (when applicable).
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020
— Women’s Basketball: Žabiny Brno X BLK Slavia Praha, postponed
— Women’s Basketball: SBŠ Ostrava X KP Brno, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020
— Women’s Basketball: ZVVZ USK Praha X Žabiny Brno, postponed
— Women’s Football: Lokomotiva Brno H.H. X FK Dukla Praha, in Hrušovany u Brna, 11 a.m.
— American Football: Brno Sígrs X Pilsen Patriots, Rajhradice, 3 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: KP Brno X BK ST – U19 Chance, 3:30 p.m.
— Men’s Football: Zbrojovka Brno X Karviná, 4:30 p.m.
— Women’s Volleyball: Prostějov X Kr. Pole, 5 p.m.
— Men’s Basketball: BK Opava X Basket Brno, 6:30 p.m.
— Women’s Volleyball: VK Brno X Frýdek-Místek, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020
— American Football: Brno Alligators X Ústí nad Labem Blades, Ragby Bystrc, 3 p.m.
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Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020
— Women’s Basketball: Slovanka MB X KP Brno, 6 p.m.
— Women’s Basketball: Žabiny Brno X Loko Trutnov, 6 p.m.
— Men’s Football (MOL Cup): Zbrojovka Brno X Jihlava, 6 p.m.
— Women’s Volleyball: Nusle X VK Brno, 6 p.m.
— Men’s Basketball: Basket Brno X BK JIP Pardubice, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020
— Men’s Volleyball: Brno X Beskydy, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020
— Women’s Basketball: KP Brno X Žabiny Brno, TBD
— Women’s Football: FC Viktoria Plzeň X Lokomotiva Brno H.H., 11 a.m.
— American Football: Brno Sígrs X Ostrava Steelers, Rajhradice, 3 p.m.
— Women’s Volleyball: Olymp X VK Brno, 5 p.m.
— Women’s Volleyball: Olomouc X Kr. Pole, 5 p.m.
— Men’s Basketball: NH Ostrava X Basket Brno, 5:30 p.m.
— Men’s Volleyball: Liberec X Brno, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020
— American Football: Přerov Mammoths X Brno Alligators, 2 p.m.
The Brno Sports Report is published every Wednesday. All dates and times are subject to change. Most of the stories are about the traditional “English-speaking” team sports — football, hockey, baseball, basketball, American football, cricket, rugby, etc. — but it is also about the interesting local spectator and participation sports — tennis, badminton, running, horse racing, swimming, rock climbing, biking, etc. If you have any suggestions for what should be included, please comment below or send an email to bruno@brnodaily.cz.
