Ipswich Cardinals were named as BAFA Division 2 winners (Image: Ben Rogers, BR7)
Ipswich Cardinals were named as BAFA Division 2 winners (Image: Ben Rogers, BR7)
The Ipswich Cardinals have been crowned Division Two national champions after completing an unbeaten season and earning promotion to Division One football.
The Suffolk side sealed the British American Football Association Division Two title with a 32-14 victory over the Lancashire Buccaneers in the national championship game, ending the campaign with a perfect 11-0 record.
Chairman and general manager Lee Austin said the achievement ranked among the greatest in the club's history.
"We won Division Two, undefeated, 11 and 0," he said.
Ipswich Cardinals were named as BAFA Division 2 winners (Image: Ben Rogers, BR7)
"It's a huge accolade for us as a club. We've only ever won the national championship three times in our whole 42-year existence.
"To do it undefeated as well is a huge achievement."
The Cardinals dominated throughout the year, winning all eight regular-season matches before overcoming Swindon Storm in the quarter-finals and Plymouth Vanguard in the semi-finals.
They then capped the season in style by lifting the national title.
According to Austin, the team's defensive record was a major factor behind their success.
Ipswich Cardinals were named as BAFA Division 2 winners (Image: Ben Rogers, BR7)
"Across our 11 games, we conceded eight points a game, which is unheard of," he said.
The club's success has been built on a strong youth pathway, with players progressing from youth and junior teams into the senior squad.
"We're one of the only clubs in the country that have got a youth team, a junior team and a senior team," Austin said.
"Out of the 60 squad that we had there on Sunday, at least 20 of them were through our youth set-up."
Ipswich Cardinals were named as BAFA Division 2 winners
(Image: Ben Rogers, BR7)
Promotion means the Cardinals will compete in Division One next season, the level below the national Premiership.
"We've got a very young team and what we've got in our squad is more than achievable," Austin added. "This is arguably the best ever Ipswich Cardinals team to ever play."
Players, coaches and volunteers are now preparing to celebrate the triumph, with championship rings being designed to commemorate one of the finest seasons in the club's history.