AFI Recap features playoff and championship games
It was a weekend of playoff matchups and championship games as the football season in Europe approaches its end.
Titles were decided in both Finland and the Czech Republic while the European League of Football held its first-ever playoff weekend. The Danish Nationalligaen held its final regular-season game of the year while Norway saw its second game of the year. Switzerland’s National League is down to one final regular-season game after the final full weekend of play. The weekend also featured a key IFAF national team matchup between Hungary and Israel.
Czech Republic
The Vysocina Gladiators captured their first-ever Czech title by blanking the defending champion Prague Lions 23-0. Gladiators QB Clark Hazlett rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns to lead his team.
Denmark
The previously winless Triangle Razorbacks (1-5) surprised the AaB 89ers(2-4) and atoned for a previous loss to AaB by downing the visitors 38-17 in the final regular-season game of the Danish Nationalligaen.
Finland
In a championship game duel between the top two offensive teams in Finland’s Maple League, defenses ruled the day as the defending champion Kuopio Steelers edged the Helsinki Roosters 14-0 in Maple Bowl XLII.
ELF
The Hamburg Sea Devils scored the winning touchdown late in the game and then held on to squeak by the Wroclaw Panthers 30-27 to advance to the first-ever European League of Football title game.
The Frankfurt Galaxy took charge of their semifinal game against the Cologne Centurions from the opening whistle scoring all their points in the first half to defeat the Centurions 36-6 and earn a berth in the historic ELF title game.
International Federation of American Football
Team Hungary secured a spot among the top American football nations in Europe by dominating Israel 44-14 Saturday in an IFAF European Championship Group B qualification game this past weekend in Hungary.
Norway
The Eidsvoll 1814s (1-0) opened their Norwegian League of American Football season with a decisive 35-20 win over the Kristiansand Gladiators (0-1).
Switzerland
The Geneva Seahawks (4-3) overwhelmed the hapless Zurich Renegades (0-7) beating them 57-6 in the second last game of the regular season in Switzerland’s National League. The two teams will wind up the season facing each other again before the playoffs start.
The Bern Grizzlies (7-1) wound up the regular season with a convincing 41-3 win over the Winterthur Warriors (3-5) to finish in second place in the Swiss standings.
The defending Swiss champion Calanda Broncos finished the regular season by pounding the Basel Gladiators (2-6) 52-14. The Broncos finished first in the league and will now face the Winterthur Warriors in the Swiss semifinals.
Graphics: Igor Lazarevic
