HAUTE-SAVOIE, France – The Thonon Black Panthers of the Ligue Elite de Football Americain (American Football Elite League) of France, recently announced the addition of Maritime defensive line coach Jonathan Rijo to their squad for the upcoming 2018 season.
 
The Ligue Elite de Football Americain is the top-level American football league in the country of France, which features eight teams in two divisions.
 
Rijo signed with the Panthers as an offensive lineman, picking up where he left off after playing internationally in both Spain and Australia before he joined Maritime for his first season in 2017 as a defensive coach. His stints overseas followed a collegiate career that included stops at Hudson Valley Community College in New York; Bethany College in Kansas; and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.
 
The Queens, New York native led Maritime's defensive line in 2017 to a very successful season as the team finished the regular season with a 9-1 overall record. On the year Maritime had 29 sacks which featured three of the top-four individuals coming from Rijo's defensive line; junior Payton Campbell (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) had six, senior Wesley Joseph (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) added five, and junior Steven Fehr (Patterson, N.Y./Carmel) had three sacks on the year.
 
Rijo and the Panthers begin their season on February 3, when the team takes on the La Courneueve Flash just outside of Paris. The 10-week regular season schedule concludes on June 6, when the Panthers host the Falcons of Bron/Villeurbanne.