The Örebro Black Knights took their time this past weekend before flexing their muscles in their Scandinavian Cup return matchup against Norway’s Oslo Vikings but when they finally did, they powered over the visiting Vikings for a decisive 37-7 win.
It wasn’t until midway through the second quarter that Black Knights quarterback Trevor Vasey connected with his favorite target Johannes Lindeus for a 27 yard touchdown that opened the scoring floodgates. Vasey had capped a three play, 43 yard drive with the scoring pass. Up to that point, Örebro had probed but never advanced deeper than the Oslo 34 yard line. Still the defense was doing its job in bottling up the Vikings offense.
Black Knights QB Trevor Vasey gets free Photo: Jonas Domfors
The Black Knights followed that up on the next drive with a 35 yard field goal from the toe of Edvin Jönsson to stretch the lead to 10-0 going into the halftime break.
Örebro’s defense then made a statement on the very first possession of the second half hauling down Vikings quarterback William Sewell (in for head coach and now quarterback Derek Mann who had an equipment malfunction) at the 25 yard line forcing a fumble which Sebastian Nilsson scooped up and returned for a touchdown.
Örebro DL Sebastian Nilsson scoops up a fumble en route to the end zone. Photo: Jonas Domfors
The Black Knights defense continued to play well, keeping the Vikings pinned in their own end and the offense struck again. On Örebro’s first play from scrimmage of the second half, Vasey found Jesper Lindeus in behind the Oslo secondary connecting with him for a 64 yard touchdown.
With the score 24-0, Mann, who had returned to the game for Oslo, was finally able to kick start the offense, taking his team on a 15 play, 77 yard drive, reaching the Black Knights eight yard line before stalling on a fourth down.
Oslo’s defense puts the stops on Black Knights ball carrier Photo: Jonas Domfors
Vasey answered though on the very next possession, marching the Black Knights all the way to the Oslo 37 yard line before finding Johannes Lindeus in the end zone deep behind the Vikings defense to up the score to 30-0 with seven minutes left.
An unsportsmanlike penalty called on Örebro on the ensuing kickoff placed the ball at the 10 and the subsequent kickoff and an additional penalty gave the Vikings the ball in prime scoring positon on the Örebro 25 yard line. This time, Mann made no mistake. Two plays later he tossed a 30 yard touchdown pass to a streaking Frederik Fjeldseth to narrow the lead to 30-7.
Black Knights defense closing in. Photo: Jonas Domfors
Örebro came right back as Kasper Wedberg almost single handedly took his team down to the Oslo 20 yard line with a couple of carries and a pair of 20 yard pass receptions. Vasey then hit Jesper Lindeus for the touchdown upping the score to 37-7.
The Vikings did not give up at that point however as Mann orchestrated a 35 yard drive down to the Black Knights 25 yard line only to be picked off on the goal line by Örebro defensive back Justin Julien with just over a minute left.
Vasey threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns in the game with the brothers Lindeus, Johannes and Jesper, catching two each. Running back Kasper Wedberg carried the ball 16 times for 162 yards to lead all rushers.
For Oslo, Mann was 8 of 19 for 82 yards and a score and Jesber Cornelius Johnsen 5 of 13 for just 26 yards. Fjeldseth had six receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown.
With the win, the Black Knights advance to the Scandinavian Cup final on June 3, where they will face the Carlstad Crusaders who disposed of the Eidsvoll 1814s 13-0