Football is back in Tychy, Poland this Saturday as the Tychy Falcons host the undefeated Bialystok Lowlanders in an exciting LFA matchup. Both teams have gained a lot of confidence over their last few games and are looking to continue their win streaks.
Looking at the visiting Lowlanders they have been able to fight through a lot of adversity to stay undefeated so far this season. The departure of quarterback John Mullin has led to head coach John Booker bringing in Brandon Gwinner. Gwinner and Booker have worked together in Finland and Australia. Gwinner just finished his season in Finland, where he showed his abilities as a dual threat quarterback leading his team, the Wasa Royals, to the semifinals where they came up just short. Gwinner on the chemistry he is building with his new team:
“Its feel great being back with coach Booker…. Offensively we have a ton of talent which made it easy for me to build chemistry with them in a small amount of time.”
Gwinner along with British running back Glen Toonga have meshed well in the Lowlanders backfield. The two have created a explosive duo for defenses to handle. Toonga has been the main offensive weapon for the Lowlanders by breaking huge runs, combining his strength and speed to run through or past would be tacklers. Toonga’s tough running accounted for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Lowlanders 25-0 win against the Warsaw Mets last weekend.
Defensively, the Lowlanders have been playing great team football. German linebacker David Muller and Finnish safety Tommy Kaczocha have been a force as the defensive imports for Bialystok. Last week the defense was able to shut out the Warsaw Mets in a mud-filled rainy game.
Bialystok Lowlanders @ Tychy Falcons, Oct. 3, 14:00 CET (08:00 ET)
The Falcons are coming into this game on a hot two game winning streak. Defensively they also shut out the Warsaw Mets, and won by a similar score (16-0). Their defense is lead by British linebacker David Izinyon. Izinyon played the last two seasons for the Rostock Griffins where he was one of the best defenders in Germany’s Div. 2. This offseason he was invited to the CFL Draft Combine in Toronto following a the CFL Combine held in England. He has been the leader for the Falcons and has brought many Falcons fans to their feet with some huge hits this season. Izinyon faces a great running back and fellow Brit this week in Toonga. Izinyon on the matchup:
“I feel good, I always like a challenge and have been watching Glen play since he was on the (London) Blitz, so for him going off like this I wasn’t really surprised.”
Offensively the Falcons racked up 42 points last week against the Silesia Rebels. It was an efficient day for their offense, they were able to break long runs, complete short passes, and score a ton of points. Wide receiver Rashad Still has been able to use his height as a weapon and being a jump ball catching machine. Still was able to jump up and grab the ball off of his defenders head for a impressive touchdown in the first quarter. Running back Jan Szwej also showed off his speed and was able to get to the second level of the Rebels defense early and often.
Look for this to be a competitive game between two teams that have been improving mightily week to week. The Falcons have found a groove offensively and that makes than a dangerous team to play. On the other hand, the Lowlanders are undefeated for a reason and have some of the best talent in the country. Look for this game to be filled with big plays, the team with the ball last will likely have the best chance to win it.
Watch the game live here. Bialystok Lowlanders @ Tychy Falcons, Oct. 3, 14:00 CET (08:00 ET)
Tychy Falcons Roster (Click to enlarge)
Bialystok Lowlanders Roster
