In two games of CEFL Cup scheduled for this weekend teams from the opposite groups meet to decide the final placement. The championship game is played in Kranj, where the Alp Devils host Novi Sad GAT Dukes, while the third place will be decided in a game between Sarajevo Spartans and the visiting Belgrade Blue Dragons.
After group play in CEFL Cup, Western teams are led by Kranj Alp Devils with a 3-1 score. Their single setback came in the last group game in Sarajevo, from the Spartans who finished this phase with the same win-loss score. However, the Alp Devils are placed at the top due to their convincing win at home over the Spartans in the group opener. The aggregate differential from these two games is 6 points in Slovenian team’s favor, meaning that the Spartans were a touchdown away from playing for gold. Both teams have dealt blows to Zagreb Patriots who are positioned at the back of the Western group. The downfall from last season for this team is apparent, if one remembers that they’re still the reigning champions of 2016 Central Conference, the antecedent of CEFL Cup. Meanwhile, Alp Devils and Spartans climbed by one spot each, since they held second and third place respectively in the same Conference last year, which was the first CEFL appearance for all three teams.
Eastern group’s paramount position is occupied by Novi Sad GAT Dukes who outshined all with their perfect 3 wins. The last of those was carved out just last weekend, against the second-placed Belgrade Blue Dragons. Indjija Indians are positioned third in this group with a 1-2 score. They were victorious against their Vojvodinian rivals, Sirmium Legionaries, who lost this game at home in Sremska Mitrovica. The star-crossed Legionaries are the posterior team with all three loses.
This season was GAT Dukes’ eighth appearance in CEFL and their best season was 2015, when they came away with the trophy from CEFL Bowl X. After team reconstruction this season, they’re playing in CEFL Cup. Belgrade Dragons are no strangers to CEFL either, because of their almost forgotten one game in 2013 in what was, back then, supposed to become the CEFL Cup competition. Indjija Indians first season under CEFL umbrella was last season in Eastern Conference, where they had the same number of wins as this year. Lastly, CEFL hasn’t seen Legionaries in the last decade, as their first and last participation was in 2006, in the foundational season of CEFL.
Aptly, this was the inaugural season of CEFL Cup. The competition came to be a developmental league for teams in the region, offering them the platform to showcase their talent. If the appearance of Legionaries in the forming year is any indicator, the competition might enjoy similar success as CEFL Championship. Hopefully, this time Legionaries won’t go underground for another decade before playing another season.