The Stockholm Mean Machines (2-1) showed that they are in the mix in the Swedish Superserien with a decisive 37-17 win over the Uppsala 86ers (1-1) at Zinkensdam stadium in Stockholm Friday night.
Stockholm rolled up 462 yards in total offense including 332 in the air, in dominating an 86ers team that had beaten the Orebro Black Knights the week before.
Quarterback Anders Hermodsson completed 18 of 24 passes and threw three touchdown passes with receiver Matthew Retzlaff having a massive night, catching 15 of those 18 passes for 246 yards and all three touchdown passes. Hermodsson scored the other two Stockholm touchdowns.
Photo: Stefan Akander
Uppsala quarterback John Rock threw for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns with Isac Vikman and Vidar Önundarson catching one each.
The Mean Machines jumped out to a 20-3 late second quarter lead on a pair of touchdowns by Hermodsson and one by Retzlaff before Uppsala finally found the end zone with just over a minute left in the first half to close the gap to 20-10. Stockholm responded though with a field goal for a 23-10 halftime lead.
Uppsala had no answer for Retzlaff who ran amock in the secondary. He extended the lead to 30-10 with a one yard touchdown with five minutes left in the third quarter, but Rock replied connecting with Onundarson to narrow the lead to 30-17.
Hermodsson came back with another touchdown pass to Retzlaff early in the fourth quarter and then with the defense playing well, Stockholm played ball control, holding onto the ball for the final seven minutes of the game.
This was the second win in three games for Stockholm. The Mean Machines now face Orebro in a key matchup this Friday.