Grafing's volleyball players with the best prospects for the promotion race

Created: 01/15/2023, 12:00 p.m

By: Olaf Heid

Grafing's volleyball players (here: Korbinian Hess) will start the promotion round next week with head and passion.

© S.rossmann

The third division volleyball players in Grafingen achieved part one of their goal for the season in December when they won their preliminary group and reached the championship round.

Preparations for part two are in full swing.

BY OLAF HEID

Grafing – The TSV men around head coach Heiko Roth are aiming to return to the 2nd Bundesliga.

This weekend the joint round of the three best teams from East Groups 1 and 2 started.

However, the men from the bear city are still free of play because their competitor Leipzig asked for a transfer.

"That was better for our game rhythm, then we don't have too long breaks between the individual games," explains Grafing's team manager Johannes Oswald the approval given.

The time gained in preparation came in handy for the team to warm up even better for the home game opener in a week (January 21) in the Jahnhalle against VGF Marktredwitz.

The short training break for the Grafingers ended after Christmas.

“The boys have been busy between the years and have been working on their fitness in the gym.

Ball training has been reduced,” explains Oswald.

In the meantime, however, things are happening again in the hall.

Coach Roth can build on an enlarged squad.

Adrian Nachtwey is available again after an injury break and Luis Wieser is back from Copenhagen (study).

However, the latter will receive match practice this weekend from the TSV runners-up in the regional league, who are struggling to stay up in the league.

"The team could use any help," says the manager.

In the first league, on the other hand, they want to seize the opportunity and leave the 3rd league immediately after only a year's stay.

"We're in good spirits," emphasizes Oswald.

On the one hand, the newly assembled and rejuvenated team developed very positively and took a pleasing nine points by winning their preliminary round group.

On the other hand, the conditions have improved.

The reason for this is the increased space available for the 2023/24 season in the 1st Bundesliga, which currently has nine teams, and which is now attracting teams from the 2nd Bundesliga South to the upper house.

“Karlsruhe and Freiburg have announced that they will go up.

This frees up two places in the second division and also fills them up,” Oswald describes the situation.

According to the league statutes, the Grafingers could benefit from this: "Additional promoted players from the 3rd league go before the actual relegators."

That means: Even second place could be enough for direct promotion.

"We assume that this position has a good chance of being promoted," says manager Oswald.

The champions from the 3rd league south and east move up to the 2nd federal league south (if they want to move up).

The runners-up now also have the opportunity to do so – and if both runners-up want to go up, there could perhaps be a decider.

“We take it as it comes.

And it doesn't mean that we'll be second," explains the Grafinger team manager with a laugh.

But he also knows: "Eltmann will be a tough game, but he has to beat us first." The main rival from Northern Bavaria, VC 2010 Eltmann, completed his group East 1 without losing a point, so he took an impressive twelve points into the championship round and really want to get up.

The results from the duels against the other two teams from their own preliminary round group are taken with them.

Grafing has nine of them, only conceded a defeat against SG Donau Volleys Regensburg.

Now all teams only have a return match against the opponents from the other group and thus six matches.

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What appears to be a plus for the Roth men: TSV ends the round on Saturday, March 18, in the Jahnhalle against the top favorites from Eltmann.

"It's nice that we have a final home game," says Oswald happily.

That was his wish, his first goal for the promotion round.

The team should now aim for the second until the last day of the game - at least stay within striking distance of the promotion ranks.

"At this point everything should still be open."

And if TSV Grafing has actually reached the "final", Johannes Oswald emphasizes: "Then anything can happen."