Trojans clinches the Women’s Maple Leaque Championship with last-second TD

Turku Trojans defeated Helsinki Wolverines in an intensely thrilling final of the Women’s Mapple Leaque with a score of 8-7 (0-0). The crucial points for the Turku team were scored as the game clock reached zero. Trojans’ championship is the third consecutive one for the Turku club.

The decisive moments of the Women’s Mapple Leaque were saved for the last minute of the final played in Myyrmäki, Vantaa. Helsinki Wolverines took the lead in the game just 53 seconds before the end of the match. Tytti Kuusinen, who had earlier won the WFA series championship in the United States, ran the Helsinki team into a 0-6 lead, and with an extra point, Wolverines led 0-7.

However, the Turku team did not give up, and Trojans’ furious final push produced results as quarterback Lea Kaszas carried the ball with her throws to the Wolverines’ goal area. With two seconds left on the game clock, the Turku team was on the opponent’s one-yard line, facing the last play of the match. Trojans narrowed the score to 6-7, with quarterback Kaszas finding wide receiver Tiia Jansen open in the goal area.

In American football, the extra point attempt after a touchdown can be played even after the game clock has run out. The Trojans coaching staff made a calculated decision and opted to go for a two-point play, seeking a direct win instead of an easier one-point kick for a tie. This time, the risk paid off. Lea Kaszas completed her throw, making the final score of the final 8-7, and Trojans secured their third consecutive championship. The crucial catch in the opponent’s goal area was made by wide receiver Suvi Partanen, who was awarded the best player of the match.

Partanen, who made the crucial catch, describes the climax of the game:

We fought to the end. We didn’t give up even though the clock looked bad. We just pushed through as a team – together.

Trojans coach Jonna Hakkarainen said the game was decided by mental strength:

-We had plenty of it right until the end. We played, didn’t give up. We never lost hope at any point.

Trojans advanced mainly by passing in the game. Of the team’s 202 air yards, a whopping 135 came from veteran player Kirsti Nirhamo’s 15 catches. Quarterback Kaszas threw three interceptions in the game, but 23 of her 45 passes found a black-shirted Trojans player. Nirhamo, who grabbed the balls, described the climax as ”pretty insane” in a post-game interview on Ruutu.