The Copenhagen Towers (4-1) will host the Søllerød Gold Diggers (4-1) under the light tonight in Copenhagen at Gentofte stadium. This is a crucial game in the Danish National Ligen as the winner will take sole possession of first place before the playoffs begin later this month. The Gold Diggers hosted the Towers earlier this season winning a dramatic back and forth thriller 36-30. Fans of Danish football and ecstatic for this highly anticipated rematch.
The Copenhagen Towers go into this week after a dominant performance on the road last week. Quarterback Randall Schroeder put on a show orchestrating the Towers offense to the tune of 46 points behind 303 passing yards and three touchdowns. The 2018 Mermaid Bowl champion quarterback is eager to get the Towers back in the title game. On the ground, Copenhagen uses Anton Witmeur and Michel Konte Jr to run behind a physical offensive line. Today the Towers blockers will need to play well against a well-coached Gold Diggers defensive front.
Towers quarterback Randall Schroeder commented on playing against a stacked Søllerød defense:
““Søllerød has a great team. From watching the film and from first hand experience, we know they’re a tough opponent. Their defense is great across the board and they’re well coached. We definitely have a tough task in front of us. They’re defensive line rushes the passer well and flies to the ball. Their linebackers are smart football players who are in on every play. Thier secondary takes advantage of mistakes and doesn’t give up easy completions. I think it’ll come down to who can control the line of scrimmage and if we can consistently execute. Last time we played, they executed better than us and they never stopped fighting. We have to put together four quarters of solid football. Our coaches do a great job of game planning and we have a good plan for the game. We just simply have to execute.”
Søllerød Gold Diggers @ Copenhagen Towers, September 4, 19:00 CET (7 pm, 1 pm ET)
In the passing game, Danish wideout Jacob Green has been an excellent possession receiver for the Towers for the past few seasons. Another familiar face to Danish fans is also back for the Towers in receiver MJ Williams. Williams was Copenhagen’s leading receiver in 2020 and has recently rejoined the team playing in the last two games. One week ago in Aalborg, the 6’1 185 lb receiver stole the show putting up a monster 10 catch, 241 yard, and one touchdown performance. Williams commented on his return to Copenhagen and the potential of the Towers offense:
“It feels good being back from Copenhagen! It’s my favorite place in the world. And we aren’t where we want to be. We haven’t reached our peak yet!”
Defensively, the Towers will need to win in the trenches to stop a ground-based Søllerød offense. Magnus Larsen aims to defeat blocks and maintain the line of scrimmage against a physical Gold Diggers line. Expect defenders Marcus Boesen and Eivind Rolles to play well as the two were standouts in last week’s game, helping cause turnovers through interceptions and forcing fumbles. If they can contain a physical Gold Diggers offense, Copenhagen could be celebrating tonight as the top seed.
The Gold Diggers enter Denmark’s capital feeling confident. After a blowout loss in early August to the 89ers, the Gold Diggers roared back last week defeating the Triangle Razorbacks by 30 points. Since the departure of American quarterback, Aaron Ellis in June, questions have swirled around the Gold Diggers offense and in particular the quarterback position. Søllerød has played a variety of athletes at quarterback but found limited success through the air without Ellis. The inconsistent quarterback play led Søllerød to rely heavily on the run game – until last week when 20-year-old quarterback Andreas Sølling caught fire. The young Danish gunslinger exploded for a four-touchdown performance. Running backs Edu Molina and Christian Vahl of course aided in his success running freely through the defense, opening up the field for play-action passes. This week against an athletic Towers defense, fans can expect Sølling to use play-action again and look for receivers Simon Fons and Jens Ole Kaaes deep. If the Gold Diggers can control the ball and avoid turnovers they’re likely to enter the postseason with the league’s top seed. Offensive lineman Luis De Las Heras spoke on the team’s mentality heading into tonight’s game:
“This game means a lot for us, besides it being a huge rivalry in the country, it is our chance to prove ourselves as being number one in the league. That means that we cannot make mistakes and that we play every snap with intensity. The team who wants it more is the one will take the victory.”
Defensively, former Sioux Falls University (NCAA D2) defensive end Logan Dykstra is a force for Søllerød. The 2020 Danish All-Star is back to his old ways this season wreaking havoc in the opponent’s backfield. Dykstra commented on the importance of this matchup:
“The team is feeling confident about heading into this week’s matchup against the Towers. We are coming together as a team and we are excited for the challenge ahead of us.”
Behind Dykstra, linebacker Sam Taylor brings speed and physicality to the second level of the defense. The Søllerød secondary must step up to the challenge today as defensive back Emil Tofte and Pol Cunillera have the tough task of slowing down an explosive Copenhagen passing game.
Linebacker Sam Taylor also commented on the heated rivalry aspect of tonight’s game:
“This game means a lot for us, besides it being a huge rivalry in the country, it is our chance to prove ourselves as being number one in the league. That means that we cannot make mistakes and that we play every snap with intensity. The team who wants it more is the one will take the victory.”
The Gold Diggers have endured a wild up and down season that has seen them on both sides of lopsided games. However, Søllerød appears to have found its rhythm again after last week’s fantastic performance. Across the field, Copenhagen has also improved and is eager to take back to league top seed en-route to returning to the Mermaid Bowl.
Copenhagen Towers roster
Søllerød Gold Diggers roster
