The Amsterdam Crusaders celebrating after winning the 2016 Tulip Bowl championship in the Netherlands (Photo courtesy of Bob de Calonne).
The Amsterdam Crusaders defeated the 010 Trojans in the Dutch national championship game on Saturday, 40-6. The win was the Crusaders’ 18th national championship, the most in Dutch history. The Crusaders have now appeared in 26 of 32 Tulip Bowls since it first began in 1985.
The team was led by quarterback Allan Bridgford and offensive coordinator Alex Cabasso, whom are both represented by The Growth of a Game. Bridgford completed 20 of 35 passes for 325 yards and 5 TDs, winning the Tulip Bowl MVP. He finished the season with 2,038 yards for 40 TDs and 7 INTs in 8 games, truly astounding numbers. Cabasso led the Crusaders’ prolific offense to a dominant performance this season, leading the Dutch league in points scored.
The Crusaders made headlines earlier this season for upsetting the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes and Hamburg Huskies, 31-24 and 65-19, respectively. The Crusaders’ only loss of the season came in a 35-21 defeat on the road to the Frankfurt Universe in the European Football League (EFL) Championship. The Crusaders are currently ranked #9 in Europe.
