LIVESTREAM: Denmark – Copenhagen Towers @Søllerød Gold Diggers, Sunday, May 19, 2p CEDT (8a EDT)

AFI | American Football | 05/19/2019

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The 3-0 Søllerød Gold Diggers face their first true test Sunday, May 19 when they host the unbeaten, defending Danish champions, the Copenhagen Towers (2-0) in Denmark’s National League at Rundforbi Stadion Naerum.

This is the first of two games between these two teams this year. The Towers defeated Søllerød in both their games in 2018, 70-46 and 41-20.

The Gold Diggers have rebounded from a dismal season last year and have won as many games already as they did the entire season in 2018.

The team is aiming much higher for 2019 and with quarterback Nick Rooney (Adams State University) and Griffin Norberg (Valparaiso University) at wide receiver they have vastly improved the offense. Veteran defensive back Desmond Cooper who played for the Wroclaw Panthers in Poland in 2018, has been another valuable addition. The Gold Diggers are the highest scoring team in Denmark by a wide margin having racked up 179 points in three games. However, they have surrendered an average of 30 points a game.

Copenhagen has opened the season by beating the Frederikssund Oaks 42-7 and the Aarhus Tigers 40-6. They have also played a pair of international games, losing to Finland’s Helsinki Roosters 22-18 and downing the Stockholm Mean Machines from Sweden 28-25.

New quarterback, Danny Higgins from Bridgewater State University has given the Towers a solid offense and running back Ashton Heard from North Greenville University provides an exciting running game. In the win over Stockholm, Heard rushed for 142 yards and caught a 75 yards pass, scoring three of the Towers touchdowns.

The last time Søllerød defeated the Towers was the opening game of the 2017 season. With both teams looking impressive in the early going in Denmark, this game could be critical.