The Calanda Broncos took another big step to winning the Central European Football League, CEFL, Eastern Conference title with a resounding 55-17 victory over the visiting Koc Rams from Turkey.
The Broncos has already beaten the Wroclaw Panthers from Poland 27-3 a month ago and can wrap up the group with a win over Serbia’s Kragujevac Wild Boars in two weeks time.
This game was over within the first 12 minutes when Calanda scored four straight touchdowns to take a commanding 28-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
Broncos QB Connor Manning tossed four touchdown passes, three to Lukas Lütscher and one to Adrian Sünderhauf while Tino Muggwyler, Erik Rageth and Steffen Haenelt each scored rushing touchdowns. The final touchdown came from Alex Raich who snagged an interception in the final minute of play and returned it to seal the 55-17 win.
Rams quarterback David Whipple threw two touchdown passes, both to Kris Wedderburn. Mehmet Furkan Sarıkatipoğlu kicked a field goal.
Calanda WR Lukas Lütscher Photo: Sergio Brunetti
The Rams did not help themselves committing six turnovers (three interceptions and three lost fumbles) four of those early in the game.
The game started horribly for the Rams as they coughed up the opening kickoff on their own 25 yard line. Calanda took over and three plays later Manning hit Lütscher for the game’s opening score. On the very next series, Gisler picked off a Whipple pass at midfield and then Manning marched his team down to the 12 yard line. Muggwyler outraced the Rams defenders to the end zone on the very next play to increase the lead to 14-0.
Whipple moved his team into field goal range on the next Rams possession and Mehmet Furkan Sarıkatipoğlu kicked a 37 yard field goal to put the Rams on the scoreboard.
Another interception, this time by Dea Baumann gave the Broncos the ball back at midfield again. Three plays later, Haenelt punched the ball in from three yards out after a double reverse option play had put them there with Severin Murk tossing a 30 yard pass to Rageth who was downed on the three.
The Turks committed another costly fumble on the kickoff return and Calanda took over at the 15 yard line. Rageth weaved his way into the end zone two plays later and the Broncos led 28-3, still in the first quarter.
Calanda opened up the playbook as Rageth ran a running back option, tossing the ball to a wide open Lütscher in the end zone to up the score to 35-3 midway through the second quarter.
Calanda RB Tino Muggwyler scores Photo: Sergio Brunetti
The Rams finally found the end zone late in the second quarter as Whipple tossed a 35 five yard touchdown pass to a streaking Wedderburn to close the gap to 35-9 at the half.
Manning opened the third quarter by driving the Broncos down to the Turkish 23 yard line and then tossed a touchdown pass to Sünderhauf on an inside slant to boost the lead to 42-9.
Wedderburn scored his second touchdown of the game after outleaping Broncos defenders to pull in a 30 yard pass from Whipple. But Lütscher then responded with his third major score and the score was 49-17 with little time left.
Backup Rams quarterback Cem Inan fared no better than Whipple as he was picked off by Raich with less than a minute to go. Raich returned the ball 30 yard to close out the scoring.
Watch the game highlights here.
