Sweden: Carlstad Crusaders beat Örebro Black Knights, finish regular season undefeated
The Carlstad Crusaders downed the second place Örebro Black Knights 49-21 to complete a perfect 10-0 regular season in Sweden’s Superserien. This is the second straight year Carlstad has marched to perfect record in the regular season as they finished 9-0 in 2016.
In fact, the last time the Crusaders lost a game to a Swedish opponent was August 9, 2015 when the Tyreso Royal Crowns beat them 34-30.
This was the second win for Carlstad over the Black Knights this season. Quarterback Philip Juhlin threw for 249 yards and five touchdowns. Jacob Dahre paced the team catching four of those touchdown passes while Alpha Jollah hauled in one. Marcus Johnson caught seven passes for 100 yards. Jollah also added a touchdown on the ground and running back Christian Forsman rushed for 81 yards and touchdown # 7.
Carlstad RB Christian Forsman bulls his way in for a TD Photo: Tommy Andersson
Örebro’s Corbin Lawler threw three touchdown passes, all to Joey Cafferkey Jr.
The Crusaders took a 26-14 halftime lead and simply muscled their way to the win in the second half in keeping the second best offense in Sweden in check.
The convincing way the Crusaders won this game does not bode well for an Örebro team that will no doubt face them again in the Swedish final July 8.
Carlstad finished the 2017 as the leading offensive team racking up 3,965 yards in total offense, and the top defensive team, giving up 151 yards per game. They led the league in both passing and rushing yards and also allowed the fewest passing and rushing yards. In fact, the Crusaders did not allow a single rushing touchdown all season.
Carlstad WR/EB Alpha Jollah en route to scoring 1 of 2 TDs Photo: Tommy Andersson
Juhlin’s 36 touchdown passes almost doubled that of any other quarterback while his top two receivers, Jacob Dahre and Marcus Johnson were also the league’s two leading receivers. Forsman was among the top five rushers and linebacker Christian Kuylenstjerna one of the top two leading tacklers.
The Crusaders will now face the fourth place Uppsala 86ers in the semifinals July 1 while the Black Knights take on the Stockholm Mean Machines on the same day.
