Winning is difficult, repeating is even more difficult but not for the Panthers Parma who accomplish the feat for the second time in a row (the seventh in their history) and become Italian champions of American football, beating Guelfi Firenze for 38-26 in the final of the Italian Bowl. The venue of the final was the multifunctional Benelli stadium in Ravenna in the presence of the president of Fidaf, Leoluca Orlando, the vice president of the regional Coni, Andrea Vaccari, the president of the Provincial Coni, Marco Tosi Brandi, and many American guests.
The final
In the final the Guelphs start on attack, but the Panthers score first with Finadri receiving from Patterson and, after Bitondi’s transformation, the score is 7-0. In the second quarter on the field the Panthers continue to dominate, with the result going first to 20-0 and even closing on the 31-0. The third quarter begins with another touchdown by the Panthers who appear insurmountable. Parnell takes care of marking and Bitondi’s foot brings the score to a round 38-0.
It ends 38-20
The reaction of the Guelphs comes with the first decline of the blacksilver. Fimiani finds il touchdown but the following attempt at transformation is incomplete: the score becomes 38-6 for the dukes. Fimiani himself repeats (always without transformation) and the third quarter ends 38-12. The partial of the fourth is 12-7 in favor of Florence who seems to have found the right path. However, the Guelphs’ hopes hit the Panthers’ defense which conceded very little in the last quarter. With 37 seconds left the Guelphs find the touchdown with Mibelli who brings the result to 38-20 after the 2-point conversion. Then again with Fimiani a few seconds from the end.
Incandescent final, but the scudetto remains in Parma
