Lucerne Pikes

The  Luzern Pikes are a  flag football team of the Swiss National Flag Football League (NFFL) from Luzern, Switzerland. The team was founded in 2016 and is a member of the Swiss American Football Association (SAFV), which also organizes Flag Football in Switzerland (see also American Football in Switzerland ). The Luzern Pikes train on the Allmend.

Lucerne Pikes
Logo of the Luzern Pikes Flag Football
Basic data
Surname	Flag Football Luzern Pikes (Club)
Seat	Lucerne , Canton of Lucerne
founding	March 12, 2016
Colours	Yellow, dark green
president	Marcandrea Hunkeler
Website	[1]
First soccer team
Venue	CSIO / multipurpose hall Allmend Lucerne
Places	unknown
league	National Flag Football League
home Away

2016 season

In the first season, the Pikes narrowly missed the play-offs . On the first game day in St. Gallen, the Pikes surprisingly defeated the future Swiss champions, the Renegades from Zurich. Quarterback Jerome Balsiger threw the first touchdown on the wide receiver and brother, Devin Balsiger.

In the Swiss Cup in Neuchatel, the Pikes were able to convince and celebrated second place after a narrow defeat in the final.

2017 season

The Luzern Pikes reached the play-off final in the second season. There the Blackbirds from Zurich were the final destination. The goal of the flag football team from Lucerne was to make it into the top six. In 2016, the knockout round was only held with the first six teams. This time the play-offs were increased to eight teams, but the Luzern Pikes wanted to reach sixth place in the qualification this season. The goals were exceeded by far: In the qualification, in which 13 clubs started, the Pikes were third in the table, behind the Winterthur Red Lions and the Blackbirds. The team from central Switzerland impressed with the strongest defense in the league.

The play-offs were held in Winterthur on September 30, 2017, in which the Lucerne team wanted to survive the first round. In the quarter-finals, the Lucerne Pikes triumphed over the Midland Bouncers with 34: 7 points (and 5: 1 touchdowns). In the semi-finals they prevailed with 36:15 points (5: 2). The Central Switzerland Express was only stopped in the final: The Blackbirds got the upper hand with 39:20 (6: 3). The expectations for the coming season rose accordingly.

2018 season

As in the previous season, the Luzern Pikes reached the play-off final for the second time. On the way to the final, the Pikes from Lucerne defeated the St. Gallen Vipers and ASVZ Mockingbirds. As in the previous year, the undefeated Blackbirds from Zurich waited in the final. As in the previous year, the Luzern Pikes had to beat themselves and be satisfied with the runner-up title.

In the regular season, the Pikes took an outstanding 3rd place behind the teams ASVZ Mockingbirds and Blackbirds. As in the previous year, the defense was the decisive factor for the success of the 2018 season.

Season 2019

This year the Pikes struggled with bad luck with injuries. The Lucerne were often decimated on match days and could not build on the performance from the previous year. They finished the qualification in fourth place. The highlight was the final day on the Lucerne Allmend. The end of the line was in the semi-finals against the future Swiss champions, the ASVZ Blackbirds.

Current squad

2020 season

number	nationality	Surname	position
87		Jerome Balsiger	QB
1		Manolo Gariffo	QB
14th		Devin Balsiger	WR
3		Leon on the Maur	WR
18th		Noah Auf der Maur	WR
96		Ramon Klaus	WR
28		Reto Barmettler	WR
19th		Marcel Zandegiacomo	RB
25th		Jan Walker	RB
7th		Timon Balsiger	C.
52		Christian Lindegger	C.
13		Marcandrea Hunkeler	CB
93		Sandrino Brun	CB
22nd		Jan Weis	CB
21st		Nils Ulrich	CB

Individual evidence

1. ^ National Flag Football League - Flag Football Switzerland. Retrieved April 2, 2019 (American English). 
2. ^ ^{A b} Daniel Gerber, Daniel Gerber: FLAG-FOOTBALL: Lucerne Pikes fail only in the playoff final. Retrieved April 2, 2019 .