Bahamian professional American football player, Mavin Saunders and his team LG OLED Las Rozas Black Demons are set to play in the championship game of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano (LNFA), better known as the Spanish Bowl, tomorrow in Badalona, Spain.
They will play the four-time defending champions, the Badalona Dracs at 7 p.m. local time in Badalona – 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) here in The Bahamas. The two teams met in the 2019 version of the Spanish Bowl, where the Dracs won 47-6. This game has taken on more of a rivalry matchup and rightfully so.
“It’s a very big game, especially for me and the rest of the team. We are playing against the team that has won the league for four consecutive years. You can tell that the guys want this one. We are preparing more this week by watching more film and practicing on the field. Preparation has picked up this week because these guys want to beat this team, because they have been their bullies for the last couple of years. The Spanish guys really want this one,” Saunders said.
Both teams finished this past season with a 7-1 win/loss record. They defeated each other in the regular season. The last time these two teams faced each other was on April 18. The Dracs won that game 27-6. The Black Demons won the first season matchup on February 13 with a scoreline of 29-7.
This game will livestream on the LG OLED Las Rozas Black Demons YouTube page.
Saunders have been with the team since February of this year and has played an integral part in the success of his team. For this game, he just wants to come away with the win.
“Whatever the teams – whether special teams or just being a coach on the sidelines – whatever they need. It is whatever helps these guys win the game. I’ll be ready to help if it means make plays. I am not here just trying to get stats or anything like that, I am just trying to get that ‘W’ for them. They deserve it, especially against this team,” Saunders stated.
The Bimini native said he has had to be double and triple teamed by opposing defenses. As a result, it opens up the offensive games for the other playmakers on the team.
“The production might not come in the stats because I am being double and triple teamed,” Saunders said. “The quarterback is looking other places as well, which will probably be the right play to make. If I am getting most of the attention, other guys are open so my production might not be seen on the stats sheet in terms of yards and touchdowns, but if you ask the players on the team, me being out there has helped them a lot because other guys are open, because I am getting the attention. It happens here a lot in Spain.”
The former Florida State University and Kansas University tight end is humbled at where the sport that he loves has taken him, coming from Bimini.
“It has been a big blessing. I am from a small island and the bucket list thing was to come to Europe and to be able to come on someone else’s dime. To be able to make a living and play football has been pluses. I met great people over here. I live close to Madrid, the architecture and everything has me amazed. Every time I go outside I am just amazed by everything. My teammates made fun of me that I am a tourist here taking pictures. I dreamt of coming to Europe and most people dream of coming to Europe and it never happens. God blessed me to come here and play football. I am soaking it all in,” he stated.
Earlier this week, the Bahamian signed a contract to continue his football career with the Finnish club Helsinki Wolverines. He is set to play for the Wolverines from June to September as he looks to help them lift the title in the Vaahteraliiga (Maple League), which is the highest level of American football played in Finland.
The post Saunders, Las Rozas ready for Spanish Bowl appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/saunders-las-rozas-ready-for-spanish-bowl/
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