The Paris municipality of La Courneuve will be the site of the second CEFL semifinal as the reigning French champions, the La Courneuve Flash will play host to Italy’s E-R Parma Panthers.
Both teams were seeded this season, playing their first games in the second round and each got by their opponents but it wasn’t easy. The Flash fell behind 14-13 to Spain’s top team, the Las Rozas Black Demons but scored 12 unanswered fourth quarter points to win 27-14 and advance to the semifinals. Meanwhile, Parma scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to pull away from Vukovi Belgrade from Serbia for a 28-10 win.
French quarterback Léo Cremades is the Flash’s offensive leader. He threw two touchdown passes in the first round, one each to François Bremond and Canadian receiver Ben Von Jagow, while running back Baptiste Aubert added a touchdown on the ground. A pair of import defensive linemen, Brandon Penerton and Zachery Curry, help the team on the other side of the ball.
Offensively, the E-R Panthers rely on signal-caller, Anthony Paoletti (University of Delaware), who threw three touchdown passes against SBB Vukovi, while scoring one himself. Wide receiver Adewale Omotosho Jr (East Carolina University), along with receivers Matteo Bonzanni and Dario Zatti give Parma a potent passing attack.
This game will be close but as in the other semifinal, the hometown crowd could well be the difference maker.