LIVESTREAM CEFL: Kuopio Steelers @ Stockholm Mean Machines, April 22, 12:00 CET (12 noon, 6am EDT)
The Central European League of Football (CEFL) returns to action this weekend with a trio of exciting matchups in the tournament that features its strongest field of clubs in years.
One of the most highly anticipated matchups of the day features the three-time consecutive Finnish national champions in the Kuopio Steelers visiting the defending and 14-time Swedish Champions the Stockholm Mean Machines.
They are led into the season with longtime coach Pekka Utriainen, and a core of strong domestic players returning to the Scandinavian powerhouse. One new wrinkle for Kuopio this year is Ambro Urjansson who takes over as QB1. The Finnish national team passer steps into the starting role for the Steelers after the team replied on import quarterback play for the recent past.
LIVESTREAM CEFL PPV: Kuopio Steelers @ Stockholm Mean Machines, April 22, 12:00 CET (12 noon, 6am ET) (Price: $5)
Urjansson will look to get the ball to 6 ‘4 former RPI (NCAA D3) receiver Vinne Mcdonald Still as well as new Finnish receiver Matias Hyytiainen, and returner Isaak Marshall. The primary key to the Steelers offensive success the past two seasons has come from running back Leanthony Reasnover. Reasnover was the Maple League’s top ball carrier last season and hopes to carry that success into his third season in Kuopio.
On defense the Steelers add former FAU (NCAA DI) linebacker Akileis Leroy and Maple League standout Jonis Heikkinen to a strong unit.
Playing host to the Finnish champions the Stockholm Mean Machines, have started the year on the right note winning their season opener in Sweden convincingly, as they seem like favorites to win the Swedish championship again in 2023.
On top of their national championship in the Swedish Superserien in 2022, the Mean Machines also captured the first ever Scandinavian Cup defeating the Norwegian champion Oslo Vikings in the process.
Head coach Fredrik Pilbäck and quarterback Mark Pappas return to Sweden’s capital city as they look to make some noise in the CEFL. Pappas, a former Morehead State (NCAA DI FCS) quarterback leads a strong core of returning players that features veteran Omar Fall, DB Calle Henriksson, WR Robin Gavelin, LB Adam Westin, and swiss army knife Matt Retzlaff (Southern Oregon).
Expect new Mean Machine running back Gustav Skeppne to get the ball early and often as head coach Pilbäck will look to run the ball behind offensive lineman Oscar Backe Lindberg and Ryan Glasson against a talented Kuopio defense.
LIVESTREAM CEFL PPV: Kuopio Steelers @ Stockholm Mean Machines, April 22nd, 12:00 CET (12 noon, 6am ET) (Price: $5)
