Seahawks maintain share of first place with 61-19 win over Rebels

The Gdynia Seahawks took care of business at home on Sunday afternoon, cruising by the AZS Silesia Rebels 61-19 to maintain their share of first place in the PLFA Topliga. The Seahawks put the game away with six touchdowns in the first half, including three by their outstanding wide receiver Josh Le Duc, whose hat is suddenly in the ring of MVP candidates.

The Seahawks moved to 6-1 with their fifth consecutive victory, good enough for a tie at the top with the Wroclaw Devils. Both teams have three games remaining in the regular season and, due to the fact that they will play each other on June 9, each controls its own destiny in the race for the all-important top seed in the postseason and an inside track to NAC SuperFinal VII.

Gdynia's three biggest offensive stars all made it onto the scoresheet in the first quarter. Quarterback Kyle McMahon, another player sure to get some MVP votes, started it with a 9-yard touchdown run, and he was followed in quickly by former MVP Sebastian Krzysztofek. The Rebels got back to within 14-7 on a long touchdown run by Lukasz Rebowski, coming just before the biggest play of the game. With the Seahawks starting from their own 10 on the ensuing drive, Le Duc took the snap in the shotgun, and handed it to McMahon, who had lined up as a slot back. Just as he was being tackled, McMahon then threw it back to Le Duc, who shedded tackles by just about every Rebels player on his way to a 90-yard scoring romp.

Le Duc scored twice more in the second quarter, and Marcin Bluma's 21-yard touchdown reception just before halftime gave the Seahawks an insurmountable 41-13 lead at the break. The second half was quieter, but it still featured some big plays. Jakub Muraszko intercepted a pass and went 95 yards for a score to snuff out any Silesia comeback hopes, and 17-year old backup quarterback Aleksander Kordys threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to his brother, Patryk.

The Rebels are now in the throes of a six-game losing streak, which they will try to break after a week off on June 2. They face a must-win game on that day against Kozly Poznan, who currently sit a game above them in the standings. The Seahawks will face the other team that is tied for last place with the Rebels on the next day, taking on the Dom-Bud Krakow Tigers at the National Rugby Stadium in Gdynia.