Stockholm Mean Machines opens the Super Series with a victory over Örebro
Stockholm Mean Machines QB Mark Pappas threw for 297 yards and 3 TDs in initial match win Photo: Stefan Akander
The Stockholm Mean Machines surrendered a late fourth quarter touchdown off Örebro Black Knights in the initial match of Swedish Super Series last weekend who saw the defending champion Black knights reduce the gap to within three points, but then retained masterful ball possession during the last three minutes of the match to defeat Örebro 26-23.
With the victory, Stockholm received some measure of revenge for the narrow loss against Black knights in the 2021 championship game.
The debut game for Superserien however, began slowly. Örebro quarterback Trevor Vasey could not get in touch with his favorite receiver, Johannes Lindeus on two different occasions, and Knight handed the ball to Stockholm. Mean Machines The signalman, Mark Pappas, also faced a strong defense and could not drive persistently. In fact, even though two drives over this quarter went over 50 yards, both teams went through the first game period without points.
Stockholm lit the scoreboard first. Dad and his leading receiver Matthew Retzlaff teamed up for a nice 18-yard first try and defender Oliwer Stedt ended the departure with a point to give Mean Machines a lead of 7-0. In the most powerful quarter of the game Black knights had no problem answering. Vasey found Lindeus for a touchdown to reduce the lead to 7-6, and then the Black Knights took a break and restored a Stedt fumble on the Örebro 37-yard line. It took Vasey just one game when he teamed up with Filip Wetterberg for a 63-yard touchdown to give the Black Knights a 12-7 lead. Vasey found Wetteberg again for the two-point change and Örebro held a lead of 14-7 late in the first half.
Dad answered, however, and marched Stockholm on a five-game, 53-yard drive that captured it with a four-yard touchdown pass to Retzlaff to tie the score at 14-14 going into the break.
After forcing Mean Machines to bet on opening the third quarter, Vasey guided his team on a 15-game, 70-yard drive, reaching Stockholm 12-yard line. The Mean Machines the defense solidified and Örebro had to settle for a field goal from the foot of Jonathan Armendariz to give Black knights a lead of 3 points.
Stockholm responded with a comprehensive air strike.
Dad logged nine throws in as many games on a 60-yard drive. After moving down the field with two first downs, he teamed up with Johan Hallgren for a 14-yard touchdown to restore the lead for the guests, 20-17. The two-point conversion attempt failed, however, to hold Örebro within a field goal.
Even though I went to 11 games in response, Örebro could not move the ball more than 40 yards while eating up six minutes on the clock. Stockholm took over on his own 33-yard line and then Daddy constructed a brilliant eight play drive and mixed up his play call. With Stedt pounding the ball (he got 30 of the 67 yards) and Pappas relying on Retzlaff, Stockholm reached the 13-yard line. Dad beat Retzlaff for a touchdown with almost four minutes left to extend the lead to 26-17.
In the next series, backed up on his own 20-yard line, Vasey dropped an 80-yard bomb to an inexplicably wide-open Lindeus who led Black knights enticing within three. But they did not come any closer than that Stockholm then held the ball the rest of the way.
Although Vasey had a solid performance, spread the ball among all his options, throwing for 274 yards and three touchdowns, Black knights had no answer for the Pappas-Retzlaff couple. Dad threw 297 yards, and 149 of them went to Retzlaff. He also threw for three touchdowns passes, two of which went to Retzlaff. During any critical point in the game, Mean Machines’ the message was clear: take advantage of the Pappas-Retzlaff connection.
This was a great start too Stockholm. In one game, they have proven that defense will need to pay attention to Pappas and Retzlaff. Their next test comes on April 13th Tyresö Royal Crowns home. Next up for Örebro are the same opponents they go to Stockholm on April 9 to mess with Royal crowns.