CEFL Championship quarterfinals continued with the second matchup in Florence, where the Guelfi welcomed Belgrade Blue Dragons. Whereas the first quarter felt competitive, the rest of the game was one-sided. A single score by the visitors in the opening quarter belied what came next.

The turning point came in the second quarter, when the home offense discovered its tempo. The run game began to work between the tackles, receivers were breaking open all over the field, and the defense flipped from cautious to suffocating, routinely sacking the rival’s quarterback. Guelfi team thoroughly demoralized its opponent, erupting for 3 TDs in the second period and then pouring on 4 more in the third, to turn a one-score game into a rout by the end.

The visitors opened the game with tenacious running by their quarterback Michael Cornwell and tailback Varsey Bright. When they got stopped, the kicking unit went in but the ball sailed wide right. Their defensive teammates did better when Miloš Injac recovered Guelfi’s muffed ball.

Cornwell rushed again down after down, then connected with Alexei Shestopalov and finally with Elijah Smoot on a crossing route in the end zone, 0-7.

Florentines’ signal caller Andrea Fimiani linked up with Eystin Salum for a long gain and then bolted himself for double-digit yards. Running back Cosimo Casati reached the goal line, when Bogdan Stupar forced a fumble on him and the visitors’ Nikola Lekić recovered.

As the teams changed sides at the start of the second quarter, Lady Fortune seemed to have done the same. The Belgraders didn’t do much with the turnover they labored and had to punt.

On a following shot play Fimiani rocketed to Salum, who sprinted untouched near the right sideline and into the scoring area to balance the scales, 7-7.

Things quickly turned sour for the Blue Dragons as they failed to convert a 4th down on their 36 yard line. A single lob from Fimiani to Giacomo Mibelli was enough for the Guelfi to bridge that gap, 13-7.

The next drive ended in a turnover when the home team’s Andrea Costanzi picked one of Cornwell’s passes. Fimiani linked-up with Casati and Mibelli to put the ball on the 1-yard line, before punching in himself and then hitting Cosimo Camilli on a 2-point conversion, 21-7.

After the HT break the fans were treated to a spectacular touchdown. Fimiani tossed to Salum, who broke tackles, waited for his crewman’s block, then fought off more defenders as he fell on the goal line, amassing 53 yards after catch in heavy traffic, 28-7.

A high ensuing kick bounced off the ground right into the Guelfi’s Christian Sottura’s hands. Fimiani closed the distance looking at Salum again, before his pass to Frank Stola sealed the deal, 35-7.

The Blue Dragons’ push was full of promise when Cornwell and Bright brought the team within the striking distance. Their hope perished after Matias Zampieri recorded a pick in the end zone.

A breakdown in the secondary left Karim Diop all alone in the backfield, making it easy for Fimiani to deliver the ball and activate the running clock, 42-7.

There was just enough time left in the third quarter for Salum, by then playing as a backup quarterback, and Camilli to connect for a long-distance TD, 48-7.

A failed punt attempt later and Italians got the ball back inside the Blue Dragons 10 yards. Casati scampered across the goal line for the final score, 55-7.

The semifinals are leading the Guelfi to Thonon-les-Bains, at the foothills of the Alps. The Black Panthers will eagerly await them on 6 June to decide the CEFL Bowl XX participant.