Warsaw Eagles blank Kraków Kings to book Polish Football League semifinal berth

The top-seeded Warsaw Eagles punched their ticket to the Polish Football League semifinals this past weekend, shutting out the eighth-seeded Kraków Kings 41-0 behind another dominant defensive performance and an efficient outing from quarterback Vidal Woodruff.

The unbeaten regular-season champions controlled the game from start to finish, while their defense posted another scoreless performance to send Warsaw into a semifinal matchup with the Białystok Lowlanders.

Eagles break through

The opening quarter was more physical than flashy as both teams leaned on the running game while searching for an early edge.

The Kings managed to move the ball in stretches behind running back Dawson Elliott, but the Warsaw defense stiffened whenever the visitors threatened. The breakthrough finally came when Woodruff found Krzysztof Nosow behind the secondary for a 35-yard touchdown, with Filip Twardowski adding the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

That score gave the Eagles the momentum they would never surrender.

Lead keeps growing

Warsaw steadily took control before halftime.

A strong punt return by Nosow set up excellent field position, and Mateusz Ozimek powered into the end zone from 11 yards out to double the lead. Later in the quarter, Jan Szwej capped another efficient drive with a 15-yard touchdown scamper, sending the Eagles into halftime comfortably ahead, 21-0.

Photo: Eryk Tumaszyk

Although Kraków continued to battle behind Elliott and ball carriers Bartosz Nowak, Michał Marchański, and Maksymilian Krześniak, the visitors couldn’t finish drives against the Warsaw defense.

Defense finishes the job

The second half removed any remaining doubt.

Woodruff threw his second touchdown pass of the afternoon, connecting with Bruno Waszkiewicz from 15 yards out before Ozimek broke the game open with a spectacular 75-yard touchdown run.

The Kings briefly moved into Warsaw territory in the fourth quarter, but Sebastian Charzyński intercepted a pass to halt the drive. On the very next snap, Woodruff found Waszkiewicz again, this time on a 40-yard touchdown that sealed the 41-0 victory.

Woodruff finished with three touchdown passes, while Ozimek scored twice, including the game’s longest run. Waszkiewicz caught two touchdown passes, and Nosow added a touchdown reception while helping flip field position with a key return.

For Kraków, reaching the postseason after battling into the eighth seed marked a successful season despite the one-sided finish. Warsaw, meanwhile, heads into the semifinals looking every bit like a championship favorite.