Porvoo Butchers won the Maple League championship in 2023

Butchers is the Finnish champion of American football for the year 2023. The Porvoo-based team secured the championship with a convincing away victory in Seinäjoki. The regular-season winner, Crocodiles, succumbed to a defeat in the heated final with a score of 7-27 (0-7).

Porvoo Butchers clinched their seventh Finnish championship by defeating Seinäjoki Crocodiles at Seinäjoki’s OmaSp Stadium. The game was a battle between two strong defenses, decided by turnovers in the second half. Seinäjoki lost possession to Butchers four times during the match, while Porvoo managed to retain possession without any turnovers. Butchers capitalized on the favorable field positions they gained and scored the necessary points to secure the victory. The team’s first two touchdowns were a direct result of the opponent’s turnovers.

Mapple Bowl records were shattered on Saturday

Brandon Wellington of Butchers was named the MVP of the Vaahteramalja. The American running back scored the first touchdown of the game in the second quarter, securing the away team’s lead at halftime. Wellington, playing in the linebacker position, played a crucial role in stopping the Crocodiles’ offense, which had progressed like a train in the regular season. He made 14 tackles in the match, setting a new Mapple Bowl tackle record.

Another recent record-setter for Butchers is the just-turned 18-year-old Luukas Eerola, honored by Pohjola Insurance as the most impressive player of the game. The young wide receiver nailed the coffin shut for Crocodiles by scoring all three of his team’s second-half touchdowns. With his touchdowns, Eerola equals the Vaahteramalja TD record previously held by seven players.

Christian Powell scored the only touchdown for Crocodiles with a seven-yard rushing play.

On Saturday, Butchers achieved what hardly anyone outside of Porvoo believed before or during the season. The resilient team repeatedly rose from difficult positions to victory, culminating their season with a splendid realization of Mikko Seppänen’s predicted ”biggest heist of the season.”

Game stats: 9.9.2023 16:00 Crocodiles – Butchers, Vaahteraliiga – Jenkkifutis tulospalvelu

Photo:  Jari Turunen