IFAF Europe: Carlstad Crusaders Comeback; defeat Danes 34-24!
“We managed to turn off the negative energy and return strong”
via Värmlands Folkblad by Jonas Östlund
[su_dropcap style=”simple” size=”4″]T[/su_dropcap]he Carlstad Crusaders pulled themselves together against Copenhagen Towers and won 34-24. This is a big step toward the playoffs in France in July. “It is a huge goal to there”, says the Crusaders quarterback Anders Hermodsson.
Prior to this IFAF Europe Champions League encounter the Carlstad Crusaders had not completed a single pre-season match while the Danes have revved up two wins in the Danish DAFF domestic league. Apart from an early brilliant pass by Anders Hermodsson to Fredrik Isaksson, the early nerves were evident in the soon after kick-off. The Copenhagen Towers came to Tingvalla IP in good match tempo and the home team was slow. The Crusaders also gave the ball away to Copenhagen Towers came out really aggressive. They succeeded in ensuing onside kick and went for two points after their touchdowns.
Crusaders were jumpy and the mental mistakes began to pile up.
“It was a tentative start and in particular for the very mistakes on offense”, admits Anders Hermodsson.He himself was not careful with the ball.
However, the early game rust Hermodsson and Isaksson showed now seemed to dissolve away. Once the deficit reached 14-17 there was there a great change of momentum.
Now it was the Crusaders who controlled the game and forced Copenhagen to uncomfortable decisions.
“We managed to turn off the negative energy and return strong. For myself, it was a bit too much up and down, so I had to calm myself down a little. Then it would be better,” says Hermodsson.
The turning point was when the Crusaders then went into the lead. They after a great fake the ball went Brett Koepp who stood undisturbed in the end zone with no Copenhagen players within several yards.
This was also that the Crusaders had more tools in their box, and this proved to be decisive.
Copenhagen running game was strong in the first half, but that option died out completely in the second due to the Crusaders powerful and determined defensive.
“The big difference was that we eliminated mistakes. It was a bit of chaos for a while, but then it got better.”
With the victory live finals dream of a trip to Paris.
“We are incredibly happy with a victory. We have fought and trained long for this. You feel that it is awesome winning in the (IFAF Europe) Champions League, this is the first year with new tournament and we really want to compete. We have high expectations of ourselves”, says Fredrik Isaksson.
via IFAF Europe
Copenhagen Towers RB Casper Jensen was named Towers MVP.
Carlstad Crusaders MVP was WR Fredrik Isaksson.
Scoring Leaders:
Carlstad Crusaders: Fredrik Isaksson 12, Anders Hermodsson 6, Brett Koepp 6, Yusuph Nguzo 6, and Niklas Johansson 4.
Copenhagen Towers: Casper Jensen 12, Desi Barbour 6, Oliver Villumsen 6.
Attendance: 1370
