On the heels of the first U.S. event of the year in West Point, and on the eve of the European Championships in Vienna, American handballers are back on the court all across Europe.  Here's the latest:

KEITH FINE / TSV Bayer Dormagen / Regionaliga West (3^rd Division)

Bayer Dormagen II continues to struggle, losing their 2010 debut 36-32 to HSG Handball Lemgo II.  Keith Fine is awaiting paperwork from WCAP to return to his squad in Germany and did not play.  Dormagen has one win in the season and is in last place in the Regionaliga.

JORDAN FITHIAN / ESV Weil / Sudbadenliga (5^th Division)

Eight goals by Jordan Fithian weren’t enough as the southern German squad fell, 29-27, to undefeated league leaders, Willstatt on January 15. The tense affair saw Weil come back from a 5-goal deficit in the second half to pull within one goal with under two minutes remaining, but Weil lost a narrow one to Willstatt for the second time this season.  Back on January 11, Weil delivered their best performance of the season, a 38-27 victory over TuS Steisslingen., with Fithian scoring three goals.  Weil sits in fifth place in the 14-team Sudbadeliga.

GARY HINES / DJK Waldbuttelbrunn / Oberliga Bayern (4^th Division)

Despite 13 goals from Gary Hines, DJK lost a thriller, 29-27 to TSV Rothenburg.  A week earlier, Hines scored six but DJK lost 29-24 to TSV Winkelhaid.  Hines’ club is battling for their lives in the season’s second half, sitting in the relegation zone and three points from safety. Hines leads the league in scoring with 149 goals, an average of 11 per game – nearly 40 more goals than any other player in the league.

HANS SELF / SG Bruchkobel / Oberliga Hessen (4^th division)

SG Bruchkobel finished fifth in their holiday tournament, losing to Landesliga and 2^nd Bundesliga teams before beating Oberliga squad TSV Pfungstadt in the fifth place game.  As Oberliga play started up agin, Bruchkobel fell to the top club in the league, HSG Nieder Roden, 40-34. Bruchkobel is 11^th in the 14-team league. Self has 12 goals on the season.

MARK ORTEGA / Pulheimer SC / Oberliga Mittelrhein (4th division)

Mark Ortega did not score in two January games as Pulheimer started 2010 with back-to-back wins.  Pulheimer defeated Ubach-Palenberg, 33-28, and Stolberger SV, 27-24. Pulheimer sits ninth in the 14-team league.

JENNIFER HAUBRICH / TV Grenzach / Regionaliga Sud (3^rd division)

Teammate Antje Bauer missed a 7-meter penalty in the game’s waning moments and Grenzach tied ESV Regensburg 24-24.   Jen Haubrich, who is injured, did not play.  Grenzach sits eighth in the 13-team RL Sud.

 

 

 

Download standings for Americans in Europe here.