The Swedish Super Series has been chalked full of great matchups throughout the summer season. Each team played a home and away schedule and the top two teams had set themselves apart from the competition by 2 weeks prior to the regular season finishing. The semi-final was no different as each of the top teams scored over half a hundred and held their opponents to much less. Now we are set with the top ranked Carlstad Crusaders and the second ranked Tyreso Royal Crowns meeting up for the title in Uppsala, Sweden on Saturday for the second time in as many seasons. The neutral site at Studenternas IP will be electric with plenty of media attention closely following this matchup including a live national broadcast that can be viewed in Sweden.
Neither team is new to this game being the 9th final for the Crusaders and the 4th for the Crowns, but both clubs have had a history of disappointment on championship Saturday. The Carlstad Crusaders won the game against the Crowns last season by a score of 37-15 which was the first championship in the history of the club. They had lost 7 finals in 8 seasons prior to that "monkey off the back" win in Karlstad. Repeating as champions has been a goal of this club since the beginning of the season and since being beaten out of the EFL tournament in early May it has been the sole focus. For the Royal Crown, they also boast a solo championship victory in this league having won on the last play of the game in 2001 beating the Stockholm Mean Machine 30-25. They have lost in this game 2 times including last season.As for the teams playing in this year's final there is not much parity to speak of. The teams split the regular season matchups each winning at home. The Crusaders by 6 in the season opener, and the Crown by 9 in the season finale. As mentioned previously both teams stormed into the final by blowing away the competition in the semi-final. Both teams offer exciting offenses with many big time players at all the skill positions. The Crusaders are led by 2011 Import of the year Eli Cranor at QB and he is surrounded by league leaders in receiving and scoring in WR Fredrik Eklund and RB Christian Forsman. WR Fredrik Isaksson has developed tremendously over the summer to become a true threat in this Super Series proved by his 178 yards and 3 TDs in the semi-final. The Crusaders also have the most physical and skilled offensive line in the league only helping this bunch of athletes display their power. The Crowns, in the same vein, have Canadian Terry Smith at the helm who took over in the second half of the season and his team hasn't lost a game since. His precision and presence as a passer makes him very difficult to defend. WR Carl Kamm has been a terror on the outside all season and recently returned from injury WR Johan Ingerman helps the Crown offense, possibly the most quick strike offense in the league, to have a double deep threat. The most dynamic running back in the series Hampus Hellermark will attempt to get loose on the Crusaders defense, if he can reach the second level his speed is as good if not better than anybody in the Carlstad secondary.
The defense of the Crusaders relies heavily on the massive attack brought by the front 6 players who have been disaster for offenses both in Sweden and the two clubs that faced them in Germany and Austria. The secondary has been diminished by injury, but having two defensive coaches has kept this unit afloat as each have played in the secondary and taught others to fill in roles surrounding the missing players. The Crown defense has a very dynamic and athletic group of players in the backfield. They have had the ability to bring pressure in many instances and play matchup coverage that keeps opposing offenses at bay. They will need to find ways to make plays from tight coverage, or provide pressure with minimal pass rush in order to slow the juggernaut that is the Crusader offense. This game will be highly contested and will provide for a very entertaining afternoon with kickoff set for high noon on Saturday. All those in Sweden should make their way to Uppsala or tune in to the live broadcast on TV10 this weekend.
