Switzerland: Calanda Broncos clinch semifinal home advantage with rout of Winterthur Warriors

The Calanda Broncos (9-0) secured their third consecutive Swiss National League semifinal home berth, overwhelming the Winterthur Warriors (3-5) 39-14 at Stadion Ringstrasse despite resting 13 starters, including quarterback Robin Sennrich and linebacker Michel Derungs.

Adjovi shines in Broncos’ rotation strategy
Backup running back Amel Adjovi seized his opportunity, scoring two touchdowns—including an 11-yard opening drive rush—and tallying 94 yards on 14 carries. Quarterback Max Gray, filling in for Sennrich, connected with Adrian Sünderhauf for a 9-yard touchdown and Fabio Stukator on a 17-yard strike, while adding a 13-yard rushing score. Kicker David Weber contributed 7 points, including a late 27-yard field goal.

Warriors’ fleeting rally stifled
Winterthur briefly threatened in the second quarter after quarterback Loris Lenzlinger’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Timo Hager and Cedric Peter’s 1-yard plunge narrowed the deficit to 29-14. However, the Broncos’ defense, led by rookie linebacker Gabriel Hollenstein (8 tackles, 1 sack), snuffed out momentum by forcing three consecutive three-and-outs.

Defensive dominance in final frames
Calanda’s second-unit defense held the Warriors to 47 total yards in the second half, aided by torrential rain and relentless pressure. Stukator’s 68 receiving yards and Sünderhauf’s 2-point conversion highlighted an offense that capitalized on short fields, while Winterthur’s lone red-zone visit ended with a fumble.

Key contributors

• Calanda: Adjovi (2 TDs), Gray (2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD), Hollenstein (3 TFLs).
• Winterthur: Lenzlinger (1 TD), Peter (1 TD), DB Ivo Schläpfer (2 pass breakups).

Road ahead
The Broncos conclude their regular season against the St. Gallen Bears on June 15 before hosting the Central European Football League championship final against the Thonon Black Panthers on June 21. Winterthur, eliminated from playoff contention, have two games remaining against the Zurich Renegades and Basel Gladiators.

Historic context
Calanda extended their league unbeaten streak to 19 games, while Adjovi’s breakout performance solidified depth ahead of their continental campaign. The Warriors’ 14 points marked their highest output against the Broncos since 2021.