The Seinäjoki Crocodiles ended a 25-year championship drought Saturday night, knocking off the defending champion Porvoon Butchers 27-21 in a wild Maple Bowl XLVII finish at Bolt Arena in Helsinki to capture their second Finnish Maple League title.
The Crocodiles, who had lost 11 Maple Bowls since winning their first championship in 2001, finally broke through after surviving a furious Porvoo comeback in the final two minutes.
Butchers strike first
After a scoreless opening quarter, Mikko Seppänen broke the game open for Porvoo, taking a pass 58 yards for a touchdown. Lassi Minkkinen’s extra point made it 7-0.
Seinäjoki answered by gambling on fourth-and-15. Christopher Fowler dropped back and found Alex Jämsén for a 26-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 7-6 after the extra point was blocked.
The Butchers carried that one-point advantage into halftime.
Crocodiles turn the game around
Micky Kyei gave Porvoo an early second-half opportunity when he picked off Fowler and returned the ball to the Seinäjoki 37, but the Butchers came away empty after being stopped on fourth down.
Fowler then drove the Crocodiles downfield and finished the march himself, powering in from six yards on fourth down to put Seinäjoki ahead 13-7.
The defense delivered the next blow. Charles Akanno intercepted Donovan Isom at the Porvoo eight and took it straight into the end zone, stretching the lead to 20-7.
Christian Powell answered by hammering his way across the goal line from close range, but Seinäjoki struck back again. Maurico Porcha broke loose for a 37-yard run before Fowler found Jämsén for his second touchdown, making it 27-14 with just over four minutes remaining.
Porvoo makes one final push
The Butchers weren’t finished.
Kyei hauled in a 24-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 27-21, then recovered the ensuing short kickoff himself, handing Porvoo one last chance with 1:51 left.
Isom pushed the Butchers from their own 44 to the Seinäjoki 27, with Kyei and Seppänen making catches along the way.
That’s where the Crocodiles slammed the door. Four straight passes fell incomplete, and Seinäjoki took over and ran out the clock.
Fowler earned Maple Bowl MVP honors after throwing two touchdown passes and running for another, while Jämsén finished with two touchdown catches.
After 11 championship-game losses and a quarter-century wait, the Crocodiles were champions again.