CEFL Championship semifinals started off in Chur, where Calanda Broncos hosted Warsaw Eagles. The outcome mirrored their meeting in the penultimate round of last season.

The first quarter whispered of an upset with only a single touchdown by the visitors. They raised the ladder in the second, kicking a field goal that carved out a palpable lead. For a brief stretch it felt like the CEFL Bowl XX could be played in Warsaw.

Then the narrative shifted. Broncos’ 16-point burst turned momentum to their side. The Eagles showed promise after the intermission too but a costly fumble left them scoreless and allowed the home team to put it away with another touchdown. 

It’s tough for any team to start the game surrendering a turnover. The Eagles gave up two, after their opening drives ended in interceptions by Sebastian Katz and Ola Gaarden. The Poles’ defense was holding up though, forcing the host off the field early. When the Broncos went for the 4th down conversion, Dexter Fitzpatrick Jr. blitzed through the middle and earned a sack in the opposing side of the field.

The visitors’ quarterback, Vidal Woodruff then redeemed himself by converting a long third down. His target was Krzysztof Nosow, who got tackled by the shoelaces in front of the goal line. They were also the protagonists of the next play, which went for a touchdown, 0-7.

After their defense silenced another Swiss offensive series, Woodruff moved the chains passing to Bruno Waszkiewicz and Kornel Witkowski, and Meril Zéro did the same over the ground. Filip Twardowski upped the score with a field goal, 0-10.

The Broncos’ offense was more tenacious when they took over. Short rushes ground out tough yards, with Amel Adjovi standing out. A sense of relief swept over the audience after Laurin Züst ended up ahead of the chains on another 4th down. Robin Sennrich connected with Thomas Smith who got to the 3 yard line, before taking a direct snap and pushing through the middle for a score, then catching a pass for a 2 point conversion on a broken up PAT, 8-10.

A newly discovered offensive rhythm by the Broncos was matched by their defensive tempo. The front seven badgered the rival’s signal caller, prompting a punt. When their teammates got the ball back, the clock showed 1:17 before the half time whistle. Sennrich was surgical with the ball, spreading it out to Smith, and twice to Niccolò Formosa. Finally, he zipped it to Selome Adzayi for a 36 yard score and Ismael Schmid for 2 points, 16-10.

Following the break the visitors’ drive showed hope after Woodruff lobbed it long to Jakub Sema, and Zéro took a direct snap to the red zone. It ended by a botched field goal attempt that sailed wide left.

They gave up a third turnover when Zéro ran into a swarm of defenders, was stripped of the ball and lost it. That time it cost them.

Sennrich first ripped it deep to Smith and then sprinted to the front door on a scripted run from the punt formation. The points came on another Sennrich — Smith combo, 22-10.

Trailing by two scores, the Eagles’ offense was concentrated on passes. Faced with a long uphill climb seemed to make them unnerved and their one-dimensional offense was easier to defend. The home team milked the clock leaving the score unchanged until the end.

This win takes the Broncos to their fourth CEFL Bowl. Its celebratory 20th edition could be their time to lift the first trophy in this competition.