Swarco Raiders Tirol — Thonon Black Panthers

Recap

Raiders have played this game in near-by Wattens, at the Gernot Langes Stadium, where Thonon Black Panthers had a rough night.

They had the first possession. Quarterback Sean Shelton is under center and WR Adrian Platzgummer turns the first catch to big yardage. Shelton gets sacked twice on the drive and they go for the field goal but miss.

Black Panthers part with the ball soon after they get it and Raiders march it down the field in short strides. Teams test each other out playing between the red zones in the first period.

In the second, Shelton finally finds open Marco Schneider who takes it across the line for the first points in the game 7-0.

The visiting team is unproductive on offense again and punts. Patrick Donahue returns the ball deep into their territory and Shelton locates him in the end zone for another score, 14-0.

The French go offensive as WR Damien Di Cursi snatches the ball out of the air in traffic. They try to pry open opponent’s door going for short passes into the end zone. A crucial muff prevents them from entering and Raiders’ Maximilian Wild recovers.

Shelton and Donahue connect again to put another one on the board, 21-0.

Black Panthers’ offense sputters and the Austrians get the ball back at midfield. Screen passes to running back Tobias Bonatti set up Donahue’s third touchdown catch of the day, 27-0.

Visitors can’t move the chains very far in the second half either. Raiders have little trouble marching down the field and Tobias Bonatti rushes it through the middle for 34-0.

The French team gets close to the end zone but misses the FG on the fourth attempt.

Fabian Abfalter widens the scoring difference on a fade route catch from Shelton, 41-0.

Black Panthers QB Clark Evans runs for 70 yards on the longest play of the day by his team. Next, he connects with Di Cursi and they get their team on the board 41-7.

Raiders look as powerful as they did last season, starting the game slowly while getting a feel of the opponent. Once they do, they are relentless like an anaconda and the prey can’t escape their clutch.

Game MVP Sean Shelton is now the proud owner of the Xenith helmet with 5 touchdowns in the books.