PFL-J Championship game here we come!

PFL-J Championship game here we come!

We are one step away from another Junior Polish Championship title – after Saturday's victory against Rhinos Wyszków, the Panthers Juniors will face the Warsaw Mets on home turf.

Last Saturday, the field at the Olympic Stadium transformed into a battlefield, with a spot in the Junior Polish Championship 2024 at stake. Interestingly, the opponents were the Rhinos Wyszków, a team making their debut in junior competition this year. Despite having no history in the junior format, the Rhinos confidently advanced to this year's playoffs, fighting for every yard in the semi-final until the very end. The game started with a Rhinos offense, but that didn't last long, as in the first play, a Panthers defender intercepted the ball, giving the offense a chance to get on the field and open the score. Despite minor setbacks and Rhinos reaching the red zone a few times, the Panthers' defense managed to keep a clean sheet.

"As we anticipated, the Rhinos put up tough resistance on defense and gave us some trouble moving the ball on the ground. However, that didn’t stop us from effectively executing passing plays. All three touchdowns in the game were passing ones, confirming our offense's ability to adapt to the opponents conditions. We named two MVPs – on defense, Miłosz Ulatowski stood out with three interceptions. On offense, quarterback Maxim Mikita took the title, strengthening his position as the true leader of the attack for the second week in a row." said Miłosz Maćków, head coach of Panthers Juniors.

The Panthers will face the Warsaw Mets in the final game, scheduled for November 9 at the Olympic Stadium. Like the Panthers, the Mets went through the regular season undefeated, winning big against teams like the Rhinos and Kraków Kings.

We asked Przemysław Lewszyk, defensive coordinator for the Panthers juniors, about the Mets' performance.

"The Mets have many experienced and well-prepared players. Their main strengths are a well-organized offensive line with a mobile quarterback who can launch deep balls and a dynamic runner complementing the formation.

The key to winning will be controlling the line of scrimmage, executing tactical plans precisely, and confident tackling. The Mets' offense is the highest-scoring in the junior league – on the other side of the ball stands our defense, the unit that allowed the fewest points in Poland this season. We expect a tough, physical game that could conclude in the final seconds.

I'm a big fan of the saying that offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships, so I believe that the performance of both defenses will be crucial in determining who leaves the Olympic Stadium with the gold around their neck."