The Carlstad Crusaders advanced to their 20th Swedish Superserien final since 2002 with a commanding 41–0 shutout of the Kristianstad Predators in a rain-drenched semifinal clash at Karlstad’s Sola Arena.
Weather woes set tone for lopsided affair
A persistent drizzle turned the semifinal into a defensive grind, with Kristianstad—reliant on quarterback Miles Richardson’s mobility—struggling to adapt. The Predators managed just 71 rushing yards and failed to score despite Richardson’s efforts. Meanwhile, Carlstad’s ground-and-pound approach thrived, with Slade Jarman (2 rushing TDs) and Tim Schulz (1 TD) exploiting gaps in the soggy turf.
Photo: Håkan Bylund
First-half dominance seals Crusaders’ control
Carlstad struck first on their opening drive, with Jarman capping a four-minute march with a 5-yard touchdown run. The Crusaders doubled their lead late in the first quarter when Jarman connected with Jacob Bergwall on a short-range score (14–0). Kristianstad’s offense sputtered, going three-and-out on four first-half possessions and surrendering a fumble that Schulz converted into a 21–0 lead with 1:53 left before halftime.
Second-half surge extinguishes Predators’ hopes
The Crusaders continued their onslaught after halftime, with Simon Turzik adding a third-quarter rushing TD. A botched Kristianstad punt led to Lucas Hedberg’s fumble recovery touchdown (34–0), and Jarman sealed the rout with a fourth-quarter TD pass to Robin Juhlin. Carlstad’s defense held the Predators to under 150 total yards, intercepting Richardson once and forcing two turnovers on downs.
Photo: Håkan Bylund
MVPs and scorers
- Carlstad: Linebacker Sebastian Franzen anchored a defense that recorded three sacks and seven tackles for loss.
- Kristianstad: Miles Richardson accounted for 65% of his team’s total yards.
- Scoring summary: Jarman (12 points), Bergwall (6), Schulz (6), Turzik (6), Hedberg (6), Juhlin (6), and kicker Christopher Helgar (5 extra points).
Road to the final
The Crusaders will face Tyresö Royal Crowns in the July 13 final at Sola Arena after Tyresö rallied from a 20-point deficit to edge Örebro Black Knights 27–23.