[ad_1]
Title no. 15 fr the Vikings
With a 46:29 victory over the Graz Giants in Vienna and thus three consecutive Best-Of-5 series wins, the Vienna Vikings won their 15th Austrian championship title. After the 31:19 victory at Graz Eggenberg and a brilliant 45:13 at home, the Graz team were presented with a new playmaker and offered more stamina than last time at the exhausted Ravelin football center. Neo-Vikings and running backs Anton and Flo Wegan, also known as the “Wegan brothers”, won Trophe’s offensive MVP, Leon Balogh was crowned Final Series Defense MVP with his outstanding defensive plays. Rookie MVP Trophe is the young star of the only 17-year-old giant Raphael Komeyli.
2020 everything is different. Also the road to the national football championship. With three wins in a row, the Vikings were crowned Austrian champions with a 46:29 victory in Vienna after the third game. Because the Vikings fought for the 15th title due to Covid19-related cancellations of the other six AFL teams in a best-of-5 series that took place between all-time rivals Projekt Spielberg Graz Giants and the champions. Dacia Vienna Vikings record. . But the Corona Trophy of the Year is worth no less than the other 14 and after all the difficulties and adversities it shines a little brighter than many others. All the better that the title was first won at the newly renovated house and training facility in Vienna, affectionately known as “The Ravelin”.
When the wind was initially strong, mainly affecting punts and kicks, the Vikings welcomed guests from Graz to a sold-out Ravelin football center. The first half was characterized by strong defensive performances and a varied combination of passing and running play on the Vikings offense. After a quick start by the hosts with two touchdowns in the first two units, the spectators were offered strong play on both sides. The Grazer Giants with neo-imported quarterback Anthony Gardener, who was brought over from Slovenia especially for the last game, perform significantly better than the first games. Meanwhile, the game in the third quarter even turned into a scoring game and created tension in the stands. Overall this endgame was more balanced for a long time after a dominant start from the Vikings, the Giants put up stiff resistance, so the Dacia Vikings had to fight hard with headlines for the win and the trophy until the very end. In the fourth quarter, the Huasherren rose again and showed that they rightly emerged as the strongest team in this series. Also outstanding and unprecedented was the performance of Vikings import quarterback Jadrian Clark, who scored 464 passing yards and 5 passing touchdowns in his professionally calm manner.
For the third time in this best-of-5 series, the Giants won the coin toss, but for the first time they decided to have possession of the ball early in the game. This first series of attacks was nipped in the bud by the Viking Defense. In return, the hosts made a lightning start, as in the last game. Again it was WR # 14 Yannick Mayr, probably the fastest player in the AFL, who scored the first 6 points for the Vikings with a run after catch on the first play of the Vikings Offense. Dennis Tasic’s PAT was good. The Vikings Defense held on and already in the second offensive series, running back Flo Wegan brought in the second touchdown for the hosts after continually moving the ball into the Giants’ end zone in teamwork with his brother. The dominant advantage after two offensive units: 14: 0. But all the good seems to come in three for the Giants. Because in the third drive, the connection was finally successful. After a long pass to Bierbaumer, Wenzel Rock scored the first six points for Graz. This score, which is important to the Giants, gave the game a new flavor and you could see how the guests picked up speed and found more and more in the game. The extra point was foiled by the Vikings. New score: 14: 6. This was the result of the first break.
The second quarter was dominated for a long time by strong defensive performances from both sides. Anton Wegan finally got the ball back into the Giants end zone with a strong run. Dennis Tasic also safely recovered the third PAT. QB Clark had plenty of time thanks to an excellent offensive line finally 2 minutes 20 before the break. Yannick Mayr found his pass under pressure in the end zone, making his second touchdown in this game. The Giants’ spectacular response came in the form of a return touchdown from import giant Blake Nelson’s kickoff. With the score 27:13 he entered the break of an open game.
The Vikings’ first push after the break was not as expected. A “cut meadow” could not be used in the form of 1st situation and goal. The beginning of the second part was much more successful for the guests. After a pass to Florian Bierbaumer on the fourth down, he ran into the Vikings end zone after a long pass. The PAT was also successful and this was the first time a 1 score game situation occurred in this game. Two perfect catches from AFL newcomer Daniel Schwam and a third pass to Maurice Wappl finally followed with a fourth pass in this series to Yannick Mayr, the important extension of the lead. For the third time that day, speed star Mayr scored 6 points on the scoreboard. However, for the second time, Dennis Tasic awarded the additional point with the new score “only” 33:20.
There was a big play by the Graz Defense shortly before the end of the third quarter: the two imported Grazer defenders broke up the big play in the form of a Viking quarterback tackle into the end zone, giving the Giants a safety and 2 more points. as well as the right of attack, which ended without points.
The last quarter started as spectacularly as the first: Flo Wegan lost his helmet due to masking the defense when he pushed into the end zone. Thus, the play was counted as prematurely finished and the touchdown did not count. But this foul brought four new attempts just before the Giants’ end zone. Another alleged touchdown from QB Clarke was not counted due to holdings, finally Clark’s pass with Bernhard Seikovits found a successful receiver 3 minutes 22 before time ran out, an important touchdown that could already be counted as a preliminary decision. However, the response from the Grazers, who fought to the end, came quickly in the form of two successive passes that found their way into the Vikings end zone. Good PAT: New score 40:29
The last good deed of the day: Another pass from QB Jadrian Clark to Bernhard Seikovits with a powerful run after catching in which he was able to break three tackles and showed his dominant physique. Even the fact that Tasic bungled the PAT couldn’t change the fact that the Vikings emerged as the strongest team in this Best-of-5 series and are therefore 15th-time national football champions.
“I am grateful for the opportunity that we were able to play in this special, outstanding moment and show our work. Thanks and respect above all to the Giants, because without them we would not have been able to play this series. In some moments we played a little careless, unfortunately we got too many flags but we showed our strengths both in attack and defense in the crucial phases of this championship game, “said head coach Chris Calaycay, pleased with the performance of his players.
Project Spielberg Graz Giants head coach Martin Kocian was also positive in the final series: “We fought today and fought to the end. It was not enough for a championship with this young team, but we will learn and grow from it. Team has Potential and that will become evident in the years to come. I am very proud of my team, we did our best. ”
Wittig – 27.09.2020
The Vienna Vikings were able to celebrate the Austrian title in 2020 despite all adversities. (© Images by GEPA / AFB)
Reader rating of this post:
