Polish American football Topliga semi-final match-ups set
All four playoff-bound Topliga teams were victorious in their final regular-season match-ups, setting the slate for the upcoming semifinals on June 27/28.
The Wrocław Panthers, who wrapped up an undefeated regular season with a win over last-place Kozły Poznań, will host the Warsaw Eagles, while the defending champion Gdynia Seahawks will welcome the upstart Primacol Białystok Lowlanders in the other pairing.
One regular-season game remains at the bottom of the league, between the Zagłębie Steelers Interpromex and the Warsaw Sharks. That game will have no significant bearing beyond the battle for sixth place, as Kozły will finish in the cellar regardless of the outcome. That placing means that Kozły will have to fight for their place in the top division next season in the ‘barrage’ game on August 1 against the PLFA I champions.
PLFA TopLiga Semi-Finals
Saturday, June 27, Time TBA: Wrocław Panthers (10-0) vs. Warsaw Eagles (6-4)
Sunday, June 28, Time TBA: Gdynia Seahawks (8-2) vs. Primacol Białystok Lowlanders (7-3)
PLFA Week 10 Summary
Primacol Białystok Lowlanders 47, Warsaw Sharks 8
The Białystok Lowlanders completed a very successful Topliga return season with a 47-8 victory over the Warsaw Sharks on Friday evening in Białystok. The Lowlanders, who got three touchdowns out of Alexander Allen, dominated in all respects of the game. They will now turn their attention towards the Gdynia Seahawks, their opponent in the upcoming Topliga semifinals.
Allen opened the scoring with a 23-yard touchdown reception from Jabari Harris, who followed that up with a 13-yarder to Jvontez Blackmon. Damian Kołpak then made it 21-0 at the end of a quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run. Allen and Harris each had a touchdown run in the second quarter to extend the Białystok lead to 34-0 at the break. The Lowlanders would make it 40-0 on another Allen touchdown reception before the Sharks would finally crack the scoreboard on a 9-yard touchdown run by Mikołaj Pawlaczyk. The Sharks fell to 1-8 in defeat.
Wrocław Panthers 55, Kozły Poznań 6
With the air of the inevitable, the Wrocław Panthers completed their march towards a perfect 2015 regular season on Saturday at home, upending Kozły Poznań by a score of 55-6. The Panthers averaged more than 47 points a game in their ten wins this season, winning each of those contests by at least 23 points.
Kyle Israel threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter before being relieved by Bartosz Dziedzic, who came in to throw four. Starting deep in his own end, Israel hit Bartosz’s brother, Tomasz, who ran 94 yards for a spectacular touchdown to open the scoring. The Panthers, who have now won all five games they have played against Kozły, will be playing for the right to advance to SuperFinal X on July 11 when they host the Warsaw Eagles in the first Topliga semifinal on June 27.
Warsaw Eagles 38, Zagłębie Steelers Interpromex 6
The Warsaw Eagles prepared for their upcoming Topliga semifinal with a 38-6 home victory over the Zagłębie Steelers Interpromex on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles, who have now won all six games they have played against the Steelers, got five touchdown passes from Herbert Lee Bynes in the win.
Michał Śpiczko had a big game for the Eagles, and he opened the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. Śpiczko then dominated on Warsaw’s first drive of the second quarter, keeping the offense on the field with a big one-handed catch before finding the end zone again at the end of a 19-yard pass from Bynes. Andre Whyte scored on a 55-yard run up the left sideline the next time Warsaw got the ball, and Charles McCrea finished the half with a 26-yard scoring catch. Zagłębie played the second half without injured starting quarterback Michał Krzelowski.
Gdynia Seahawks 27, Husaria Szczecin 8
The Gdynia Seahawks finished the season with a perfect record against Topliga teams not named the Wrocław Panthers, prepping for the playoffs with a comprehensive 27-8 home victory over Husaria Szczecin on Sunday. Angelo Pease scored a touchdown in his return from injury for the Seahawks, who held Husaria scoreless for the first three quarters.
Micah Brown hit Jakub Mazan for a 14-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, and Pease extended the lead to 13-0 with a 4-yard run early in the second. With that score, which marked his 18th rushing touchdown of the season, Pease tied Marcus Sims of the Panthers for the league lead in that category. Mazan added another 14-yard scoring catch before halftime to make it 20-0. Szczecin finally got on the board early in the fourth quarter, when Dylan Rauch hit Mario Brown for an 8-yard touchdown pass, but Sebastian Krzysztofek scored for the Seahawks shortly thereafter to seal Husaria’s fate.
Final regular season game (make-up). No bearing on standings.
Saturday, June 20, 2:00 PM: Warsaw Sharks (1-8) vs. Zagłębie Steelers Interpromex (2-7)
Current Standings:
1. Wrocław Panthers (10-0)
2. Gdynia Seahawks (8-2)
3. Primacol Białystok Lowlanders (7-3)
4. Warsaw Eagles (6-4)
5. Husaria Szczecin (5-5)
6. Zagłębie Steelers Interpromex (2-7)
7. Warsaw Sharks (1-8)
8. Kozły Poznań (1-9)
(Note: Head-to-head games is the first tiebreaker, followed by point differential in head-to-head games, followed by points allowed in all games.)