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Warsaw EaglesDetails
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May 2025 | 15:00 | Championship 1/4 | 2025 |
Results
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns | 0 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 16 | Loss |
| Warsaw Eagles | 0 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 22 | Win |
Schwäbisch Hall was the scene of the last quarterfinal matchup. The Unicorns greeted Warsaw Eagles in a game that turned more than a few heads. Stout defenses by both teams took the spotlight in the first half, and the offenses found their footing in the extension.
The German team broke the silence in the second period, taking charge before the intermission. Their defense was perfect during that time, keeping the visitors at bay. The Eagles bounced back in the second half, taking a two score lead in the final quarter. The home team closed in with a field goal but couldn’t recover an onside kick.
Both teams started the game carefully, testing their rivals’ strengths. It looked like a long pass by the Unicorns’ QB Josh Taylor to Austin Brock that ended on the opposing 7 yard line could materialize. However, the Eagles’ defense has gelled and the Germans tried a FG, which got blocked by Wojciech Simka.
Visiting team’s punt pinned the Unicorns’ backs to their end zone. Their attempts were thwarted by the Polish imposing defensive line, which manhandled their signal caller.
A tipped Eagles pass was intercepted by Matthias Vogel. That gave the ball back to the home team’s offense on the short field. Taylor was rushed out of the pocket, threw an errant pass into the end zone, and Simka ended up with a pick.
Still, the visitors’ couldn’t find their offensive rhythm and the punt ended up on their own side of the field. Their defense did a great job sacking Taylor a couple of times, even forcing a fumble he himself recovered. That didn’t throw him off for long though, as he scrambled his way across the goal line for first points, 7-0.
Reduced to punts in the first half, the Eagles’ attack unit was more effective in the third quarter. Quarterback Jacob Schimenz located Kornel Witkowski in the red zone and then did the rest with his legs, 7-7.
Taylor responded through the air to Pius Prosinecki ahead of the chains, and then with a long spiral to Brock who took it to the house, but their team’s PAT attempt was blocked, 13-7.
The final period opened with the Unicorns’ 50 yard field goal try, which got blocked once again. Schimenz took advantage of that by rushing and then lobbing the ball deep to Krzysztof Nosow. Darius Lewis punched in for his team’s first lead of the game, 13-14.
A big trick play that ultimately solidified Unicorns’ fate came on the home team’s 4th and 8, on their own 25 yard line. They rushed from the punt formation, and the Eagles quickly snuffed out that experiment. Nosow was left alone by the right sideline and Schimenz hit him in stride. Lewis waltzed his way in for a 2 point conversion, extending the lead to two scores, 13-22.
With 5:19 left to play the home team had a tough job ahead of them. Taylor orchestrated a drive to get to the red zone before getting hurt. On the fourth down they went for the 3 and Toni Trefzer’s kick went through the uprights this time, 16-22.
Ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Eagles who milked the remaining 2 minutes off the clock.
Suffice it to say, the Polish team has shocked the European football world knocking out a two-time CEFL Bowl winner. This will make other teams more than a little anxious when they have to face them in the last two rounds.