The Spanish National League of American Football championship final, Spanish Bowl XXVIII, kicks off today, Saturday, May 21 at the Cerro del Telégrafo Sports Center in Madrid and pits the undefeated Osos Rivas against rival Madrid team, Las Rozas Black Demons.
Osos defeated the defending champion Badalona Dracs 39-7 in the semifinals while the Black Demons disposed of the Barbera Rookies 37-14.
This is the first final since 2012 that will be played without the Badalona Dracs. Ironically, Osos Rivas was the team they defeated in that 2012 championship game and the Madrid team is actually making their first appearance in the title matchup since that game.
This is the second straight finals appearance for the Black Demons. They lost to Badalona in the 2021 Spanish Bowl, 31-21.
The Madrid based Osos Rivas breezed through the eight-game Spanish regular season racking up 276 points while giving up a league-low 76 points. Of the six, only two were within 10 points, a 16-13 win over the Black Demons and a 30-25 victory over the Murcia Cobras in the last game before the playoffs, a game in which Osos rested a number of starters
Osos head coach Ricardo Martin will have his team aiming for the Spanish double having already won the Spanish Cup tournament. Quarterback Sergio Barbero leads the offense and threw for 803 yards and 11 touchdowns during the regular season. The Osos ground game features running backs Alejandro Vaquero (388 yards/5 tds) and Denzel Duchenne (357 yds/5 tds).
Las Rozas, 2021 finalists, lost three games in 2022, two to Osos Rivas, and one inexplicably to the Murcia Cobras to open the season. Although they won their last two games easily, they will be in tough against an Osos Rivas squad that has looked almost invincible this year.
Las Rozas quarterback David De Diego was the second leading passer in Spain during the regular season throwing for 1,351 yards and 25 touchdowns. Alejandro García caught 21 of those passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns to lead the team. Jesus Gª Valcárcel was second with 13 receptions for 267 yards and four scores. Running back Daniel Romero was second in the league in rushing with 551 yards on 91 carries and in the semifinal, he scored three touchdowns against a shell-shocked Rookies team.
Spanish Bowl XXVIII: Osos Rivas vs Las Rozas Black Demons
May 21, 18:30 CET, (6:30 pm, 12:30 pm ET)
