Karelian BK-46 lost the first match of the men’s handball finals, but then rolled out as champion. Coach Andreas Rönnberg was involved as a player when BK last celebrated the championship 16 years ago.
Karelian BK-46 returned to the men’s handball championship after a 16-year hiatus. BK-46 won Helsinki’s Dicken 33–19 (15–11) and the championship 3–1. The championship was already the 21st in the history of the Karelians, the last time they were number one in 2006.
Coach Andreas Rönnberg was the last time to win a championship in the BK lineup. He admitted he was already so old that he no longer remembered what it felt like to win the championship as a player.
– Sometimes the coach feels helpless. It can only be helped by exchanges or tactically. It feels like we should be on the field taking responsibility, but luckily we have many experienced players who do it. I trust them, Rönnberg said.
– I’m h ***** proud of the guys that they can do that. It also feels relieved because there were so many expectations for the team and Karjaa is a handball venue.
Dicken started the match strongly, but BK-46 did not let the home team run away. After ten minutes of play, the Karelians took over the game and tore the goal difference to five goals in the first period.
In the second period, Dicken was able to reach the end of the goal in a situation of 17–18, but BK-46’s power strikers, among others Nico Rönnberg and Sebastian Säkkinen took care that the difference remained large enough. Säkkinen finished with 11 goals and Rönnberg with 8 goals. Keeper Mikael Heinonen while on the other hand, 15 kept Dicken’s goal account under control.
– I’m pretty speechless. Absolutely wordless. This has been hunted for a long time and hard, and now finally (the championship) is deservedly coming to our home in Karelia, “Mixu” Heinonen, who has been playing in the BK league team since autumn 2012, said.
Dicken won the first match of the final series, but since then BK has won the next three and kept the opponent under 20 in their winning games. According to Rönnberg, Dicken returned BK to the ground, Heinonen said the secret of the team’s victory was a close defense game.
– It has worked incredibly well all season. We stuck to the tactics developed by Gea (coach Andreas Rönnberg). We haven’t really had anything that hasn’t worked this season. Everything is nazed and here is the end result.
Nico Rönnberg, who was named the best handball player in Finland, was also confused after the victory. The championship was already the sixth in his career, the previous victories had come in the ranks of Riihimäki Cocks. According to Rönnberg, BK’s wide material was only one factor in the championship fight.
– Even today, it was seen that Dicken was really tired. It was flat for 40 minutes and then we put on a new gear. The same was a week ago. Although the match was relatively flat for 40 minutes, they got tired and we went all the way to the end, Rönnberg said and shared his praise loudly throughout the match for the encouraging Karelian corner.
– This was a away game, but it felt like it was a home game. I am really grateful that they have managed to tease us even in difficult times, Rönnberg thanked.
In recent years, Riihimäki’s Cocks have held the men’s handball team tightly, but this year Cocks had to settle for bronze medals. Dicken and BK-46 were the two toughest teams of the season. Dicken won the regular season draws with BK-46 and in the upper overtime, BK-46 won all nine of their matches.
Interviews with Felicia Räihä.