Eagles provide fireworks on and off the field in 68-6 win over Owls

The Warsaw Eagles look to be the main threat to the recent dominance of the two Wroclaw teams as the 2011 season heads for its playoff phase. The Eagles sent a message to those squads in their final game of the regular season on Saturday evening, handing the Bielawa Owls their worst loss of the year, a 68-6 shelling. Bielawa had not given up more than 42 points in a game this season.

The big crowd who showed up in Warsaw were treated to a display of offensive firepower in the first half, which saw the Eagles go up 61-0 at the break. They took their foot off the gas pedal in the second half, but those who stuck around were treated to fireworks after the game, which was played under artificial lighting.

The Eagles ran out to a 35-0 lead after one quarter, which included two touchdown runs by Matt Wichlinski and two long touchdown passes from Tyrone Landrum to Jeremy Dixon. The visitors got their only score in the third quarter, that coming on a 50-yard fumble return by Kamil Nowak. Warsaw's third quarterback, Richard Mbewe, threw for his first career score, a 12-yarder to Jakub Zdun, in the fourth quarter.

The Owls finished their first PLFA I season with a respectable record of 3-6, in a tie for 6th place with Kozly Poznan. The Eagles, meanwhile, were 7-2 in 2011, losing only to the two teams from Wroclaw. As a result, they will face the Devils to open the playoffs, in a rematch of one of last year's semifinal games. The Devils won that one 54-13, and also beat the Eagles 36-13 earlier this year in Wroclaw. Kickoff is set for 3 PM in the postseason edition, to be played on Sunday, July 3 in Wroclaw.