This weekend the Orebro Black Knights in their first year of the top division in Sweden, the Super Series, have the largest task in the history of their organization. Travel to Karlstad and take on the defending national champions and top 10 ranked team in all of Europe, the Carlstad Crusaders. Sounds daunting, but the Black Knights have something going for them. Three weeks ago they sat on the brink of extermination, needing to win two games against the two teams that were directly ahead of them in the standings. All they did is rattle off 2 victories, the first against the Stockholm Mean Machine in a thriller 37-26, then in a playoff to get into the playoffs they beat the STU Northside Bulls this past weekend 28-6. Being a first year team to the top division has it's perks. They have had less expectations than any other team in the league. The way they have finished the season has definitely put them into the zone of having a successful season. Now they have the chance to reach the finals in their first season. Standing in their way, is a team that has beaten them two times this season 30-8 in Orebro and more recently 35-6 in early August at Tingvalla Stadium in downtown Karlstad. The Crusaders scored 399 points in the regular season (39.9 per game) and allowed just 103 (10.3 per game). They boast the leading passer (Eli Cranor), the top two leading rushers (Eli Cranor, Christian Forsman), and the leading receiver (Fredrik Eklund) in the Super Series. The game this weekend will display the top ranked Crusader squad as well as import QB Cody Ladutko spinning the ball to the Black Knight star Johan Stal who played for this very Crusader team just last season during their homerun season winning their first ever league championship. Newly acquired defensive end Kwame Jordan hailing from Louisiana Tech has been a spark for this Black Knight squad, helping bring them to this high point in their organization.The game this weekend, kicking off at 2pm CET should provide the folks of Karlstad another huge game in the history of football in Sweden. The Crusaders have reloaded their attack after coming off of their first loss in a Super Series game since 2009, due in part to the various injuries suffered just prior to that game. Tune in to the twitter account linked at the right edge of this blog, titled Crusaders live updates, to keep pace with the contest.
A preview of the Swedish Playoffs has been created by www.thecatch.se which is an online magazine devoted to covering Swedish football. A portion of this article have been translated here into English:
Carlstad favorites of another finals
The semifinal between the Crusaders and Carlstad Örebro Black Knights on Tingvalla IP in Karlstad. Crusaders have been the dominant figure in this year's series. But last weekend went Crusaders their first loss in Swedish soil since 2009 when perhaps somewhat surprisingly defeated by Tyresö.A contributing factor to the loss was no doubt that it lacked two of its best players on offense. Running back # 3 Christian Forsman has rested in recent matches because of a knee injury, while wide receiver # 9 Fredrik Eklund resisted because of a concussion. Forsman's and Eklund's absence meant that Carlstad missing two of the Super Series definitely talented skill players. Forsman has closed its way for 639 yards in this year's basic series and Eklund's Super Series-leading receiver with 777 yards on 43 receptions. Together, the pair Forsman and Eklund made the whole 23 touchdowns. Having them in the game to Saturday is of course a huge addition for Crusaders.
Apart from the matches against Tyresö, both of which were regular stories, has Carlstad been uncompromising in years and have had nothing but secure victories. It has been Sweden's best lines on both offense and defense, quarterback imports # 11 Eli Cranor has played phenomenal all season and the defense looks including # 19 Olof Flemström and # 50 John Bear that no one is let through in the middle just like that. At the back it has experienced foxes # 30 Anders Hjerpseth, # 20 Olof Eriksson and understood multiathlete # 12 Joey Stein. Stein has been with injury problems during parts of the season but showed good form against Tyresö, not least by taking a punt return all the way to touchdown. Nor should we forget about # 23 Calle Morin has done a very nice rookie season in the Crusaders secondary.
Statistically Carlstad has been in a class by itself. Offensive has produced nearly 1,000 yards more than any other team and the defense gives you only up 3.5 yards per play, also a figure no other team can match. They have poured in points during the season despite sporting enough aired all players and playing more conservatively once they decided the matches.
Örebro on a roll
Orebro Black Knights set an ambitious target for the season. The team would go to the finals and although it looked bad for just a few weeks ago the team managed to reach the goal. A very convincing victory against the Stockholm Mean Machines and a clear benefit to the STU in the last round means that Black Knights go into the playoffs with a lot of confidence.Although Örebro are newcomers in the Super Series, there are plenty of routine in the team. And it was also the team's most experienced players who showed the way to the playoffs. Running back # 46 Anton Källvik was strong in the match against the STU and # 86 John Steel, one of the best receivers in modern times, showed much leadership in Stockholm where he had a great match with several crucial games. Steel played initially in the season a lot on defense but has in recent matches has taken an increasing role in passningsspelet. Other receivers, among them # 5 Gustav Andersson and # 3 Tobias Wahlström has also played well during the year which means that the quarterback # 6 Cody Ladutko has several targets to choose from.
Just Ladutko is another player who is playing better at the end. Ladutko came to Sweden with the high expectations that are always put at quarterback imports but received some criticism for initially not up to expectations. In the last four games have Ladutko however, played much better. For example, he had a completion rate of 59% after a strong summer, compared with more moderate 45% in six games this spring. Ladutko has just thrown one interception after the summer break, a significant improvement compared to the eight he had in the spring.
Defensively, Örebro played well all year and you actually have the series' third-best defense after Carlstad and Tyresö. Defensive line is strong with names that talented # 93 Claes Uneståhl, deserving imports # 7 Kwame Jordan, and especially young forever # 99 Abdel Seidou at 39 yearsold, despite continuing to be a super athlete. Behind the line is # 44 Niklas Persson Gyhlfe had a huge season with 50 tackles.
The problem for the Black Knights is that you must succeed in stopping Carlstad both on land and in the air. In the first meeting dealt Örebro passing plays well and held Carlstad to a season low 145 yards in the air. Crusaders switched on when the running game where they took all of 257 yards. In the second game, the meeting focused on the Black Knights to stop Carlstad running game. They managed and Carlstad took just 77 yards on the ground, but in return the Crusaders found gaps in Örebro pass defense and could be fit for 349 yards. It remains to see how head coach Peter Ericson and other coaching staff intend to solve the task on Saturday.
Bogey in Carlstad?
Given that Carlstad won the previous two games by a total of 65-14 and given the Carlstad fantastic games during the season gets Crusaders understood mega favorites on Saturday. What still makes it, after all, can be match is the mental part. For this Carlstad team it is an unfamiliar feeling to lose and it has happened more than once in the Super Series history to win habit teams end up out of sorts after an unexpected loss.
Orebro, on the other hand, goes to Tingvalla with a confidence that is called to do. They got going, and succeeded against all odds to get to the playoffs. A team of prosperity is always dangerous and the Black Knights would get a good start with early points while successfully stopping Carlstad's powerful offensive, there may be gaps, even in the most experienced and skilled team of Crusaders.
Those who get to Tingvalla IP in Karlstad at 17:00 on Saturday night will see if Orebro can cause a real playoff bang.
