The 6-1 Swarco Raiders, Europe #4, head to Stadion Ivancna Gorica in Ljubljana, Slovenia to face the Ljubljana Silverhawks (4-4) in late-season Austrian Football League action.
The last time these two teams played each other was in the Austrian semifinals in 2017 when Swarco defeated the Silverhawks 45-27.
Ljubljana is coming off a thrilling 24-21 win over the Dacia Vienna Vikings while the Raiders are on a roll and have won four straight games including an impressive 31-26 win over Central College (Iowa).
Swarco is scoring at a rate of 51 points a game, by far best in Austria, and also has the top defense giving up 21 points a game.
The Silverhawks enter the game as the top passing team in the AFL averaging 308 yards a game, but they will be facing the toughest defense against the pass as Swarco only allows 182 yards a game.
Zach Cavanaugh, quarterback for the Silverhawks, is the league’s leading passer having thrown for 2,464 yards and 26 touchdowns. Swarco Raiders QB Sean Shelton is 3rd with 2,006 and a league-leading 27 TDs. Matic Tomse of the Ljubljana Silverhawks is 2nd in receiving yardage with his 893 yards and league-best 13 TD receptions. Raiders Patrick Donahue leads his team with 20 catches for 512 yards. Raiders running back Sandro Patzgummer is the fifth leading rusher in Austria so far with 532 yards rushing. Cavanaugh is his team’s top rusher with his 469 yards on the ground.
With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Silverhawks are already set for the wild card playoffs but have a chance to gain home field advantage in the first round. A win today would certainly help. Swarco has three games left, two of those against the Danube Dragons. They should finish first, provided they stay healthy.
