The peak of the 2024 Sportklub CEFL Championship season came this Saturday when Calanda Broncos welcomed Danube Dragons Vienna in the CEFL Bowl XVIII. The start of the event was marred by bad weather in the Alps. Thundering clouds had threatened to push back the kickoff time but the danger dissipated at the initial whistle. Still, heavy rain lasted throughout the better part of the game having great implications on teams’ turnover count.

Both opponents were neck-and-neck in the first half but the visitors outpaced the Swiss in the extension, leaving them scoreless after the break. The Austrian team had racked up points from all three parts of the game. When all was said and done, it turned out that their defense was the team’s best scoring unit, a true oddity in CEFL terms and quite an achievement in the big game.

Danube Dragons had the ball on the opening drive. Madre London found a hole in the front 7 for a huge gain to put the ball on the 16 yard line. Hakeem Kinard received a pass from Alexander Thury for another 8 and London did the rest breaking a tackle for the first points, 0-7.

After the teams traded futile drives it took just one shot play for the Broncos to even up. Quarterback Robin Sennrich launched a deep spiral to Maxwell Gray who sprinted behind the defensive backs for a score, 7-7.

Following an ineffective offensive series by the visitors Sennrich took off for big yardage and then connected with Gray for another first down. On the very next play he tossed a wedding gift to Adrian Sünderhauf, who was getting hitched that weekend, to take the lead, 14-7.

Then it was time for some trickery as the home team surprised the Viennese with an onside kick and a recovery. When they got greedy trying for another end zone lob, DB Paul Schachner intercepted the ball and took it to the house for a 96 yard equalizer, 14-14.

Sennrich continued to play without fear but another one of his passes was picked off by Thiago Lessow near midfield. Swiss team’s defense answered by linebacker Marco Mahrer notching an interception of his own right before half time.

In the third period London kept grinding out the tough yards for the Austrian side. When their drive finally stalled it was a newcomer to the team, Mas Prevoo who pulled them ahead with an incredible 52 yard field goal 14-17.

When they got the ball back, the Broncos were faced with a conversion on 3rd and 1 that went awry for them. Doubling as a full back Mahrer jumped on a massive pile of players in front of him and fumbled the ball. Defensive back Fabian Raunig recovered the rock and returned it all the way for 14-24.

It looked like the Broncos were picking up pace when Sennrich went deep to Gray. Their hopes had dissipated after he threw to the wrong player for the third time, now to Raunig.

Last quarter unwound quickly as the visiting team worked the clock feeding the ball to London. Their defense was up to the task too dulling the Swiss edge.

Late in the game the Danube Dragons went through the air again. Thury hit Andrea Serra twice to move the chains and Prevoo booted another kick through the uprights for the final score, 14-27.

With 3 minutes left to play there wasn’t much the home team could do. Sennrich tried to force a pass down the middle but the ball was deflected for his fourth setback. Paul Schachner came up with another interception which ultimately earned him an MVP award.

The Danube Dragons were exultant with the triumphant culmination of the season. It was their second appearance in the CEFL Championship and this time they took the bowl home. First downing Guelfi Firenze in the second round 45-20, then narrowly defeating Thonon Black Panthers on the road 12-7, this was their third win for the big one in the CEFL Bowl XVIII.