It was an atypical weekend for the Celestial half of the Zephyr conference, as the division that is noted across the NSCF landscape as being one of the most highest scoring divisions in the game spat out only a combined forty points between the two games, highly unusual. This is unusual because at the very least both of the Vanorian universities are typically among the most high scoring schools in the NSCF in any given season, with the Rockets having topped the scoring list more than once on several occasions. There have been at times where the two mighty Vanorian schools have been pushed by the divisional foes, most notably of Bowerstone from Anthor, yet those games typically ended in high scoring affairs rather than defensive slugfests that came down to whose defense was the first one to blink. Somehow despite everything working against that sort of outcome, that was exactly what played out at both Tophat University as well as in Mar Sara for the Rockets and Raiders respectively, giving both teams quite a few bit of nerves before the final whistle was blown.
It did not start out that way at Tophat for the Rockets, as Sidney Jones engineered a solid first drive for the team after they received the ball to open up the game. Going eight of nine passing for sixty-two yards and a touchdown pass to Storm Dybvik on a fade route just over three minutes into the game suggested that the Rockets were set for an offensive showcase. It was an offensive showcase that has been plentiful for nearly every team that has come up against Tophat during the conference slate, as the hosts have given up more points individually than any combination of the other three schools in the division combined. Yet after that opening drive, they managed to hold the Rockets offense in check, keeping a promising second quarter drive to stall out and end in just a field goal before running a perfect two minute drill to score a touchdown with three seconds left to go in the half. This was a school that the Rockets were supposed to be blowing out of the water, it was supposed to be more akin to a tune up game before the big rivalry game with Mar Sara in Week 10 than a real game and yet they were definitely bogged down in a game.
Thankfully for the Rockets, their much maligned defense decided to show up for the game and was doing the same to Tophat as the hosts defense was doing to the Rockets offense and making sure drives stalled out or the home side was only going three and out. In the second drive of the third quarter the Rockets had a first and goal on the Tophat three and despite three rushing attempts by star back Tobias Svendsen, they failed to cross the plane and were kept out of the endzone. Much to his dismay, Andy Magnusson decided to take the sure three points and not risk coming away with nothing in a game that was proving quite tight. With seven minutes left to go, the hosts got the ball back on a punt and started the drive at the sixteen yard line. They started driving and within five plays they were at the Rockets twenty-seven. It was there the key play happened as the home side tried to hit a slant route to their top wide out and sophmore corner Damba Kawumbi from Banija jumped the route and had open field to run it all the way back for a pick six. The next drive the defense forced a turnover on downs at midfield and the Rockets ran the rest of the clock out, taking a knee at the nine yard line of the hosts to simply walk out the victors and prepare themselves for a massive game against Tech in the capital the following week.
In Mar Sara, the Raiders knew they had a difficult game ahead of them as Raukieff had proven to be a far more capable team than either they or the Rockets had anticipated out of the debut school from New Tamarind. In the past new schools typically went the way of Tophat or even Bowerstone, would maybe show up for the first few games of the seasons but would fade into obscurity by the time the second half of the season had begun. Raukieff was within a win of causing a bit of drama in the Celestial Division, if they could take the second Vanorian scalp in the Empire. Yet the game would be an absolute grind fest, neither team could find their footing for long against the other and special teams was the biggest factor, as three huge punt returns by the Raiders set them up for three of their four field goals. The last came on a methodical fourth quarter drive that left the visitors down six with just over a minute and a half to go. Senior edge rusher Jabari Devito would seal the game on the fourth and five play from the Raukieff thirty-eight as his outstretched hand deflected the ball and off target, the pass falling thankfully to the grass. Three kneel downs later and the Raiders escaped with the victory.
Now the two proud Vanorian schools are set to meet in the capital city where the Raiders are looking to get revenge for the Rockets coming into Mar Sara in Week 3 and escaping with a humiliating victory over the Raiders in their home ground. It is the sole blemish on Tech's record and the only reason they have not sealed up the divisional crown before now and are having to play in a winner take all game. They have the best defense in the division and the conference, it has been what has allowed them to win even when the offense has sputtered as it did in their last game. What they face though is the best offense in the NSCF, one point better than Loyola-Istria of Banija. It was a win in Raynor City last season that allowed the Raiders to advance to the title game and come away with their crown that they were now trying to defend, it was a defeat that felt like a gut punch to so many on the Rockets team and their faithful. The Rockets have had to battle through some adversity to have this chance, they have done what they normally don't do and made a quarterback change in the middle of the season, and now they are one home win away from retaking the division and having a shot at another revenge game against the Mancodas, believing they are vastly the better team and worthy of a title challenge both in the conference and in the entirety of the NSCF.
