World Lacrosse Championships 34 - Everything Thread

by **Kohnhead** » Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:09 am

Kohnhead do surprisingly quite well to finish second in group B

Despite the college all stars from Kohnhead never playing together before, and Kohnhead being first timers at the World Lacrosse Championships, Kohnhead has done very well finishing second in group B by a large margin. Kohnhead would garner 4 wins and 2 losses, losing their first game 13-7 to the United States of Devonta. Coach Harris questioned the team's effort in the loss, as Kohnhead slumped to last and many pundits expected a last placed finish.

Fortunately for The Brains, the next game was against a familiar face in Maccian. Maccian was the team we beat in penalties in the BOF round of 32, and this game went to overtime just like that match did. Theresa Kaur would score twice in overtime as Kohnhead would turn a 5-5 tie into their first win at 7-5. At this point Baker Park looked unstoppable, and sat at first in the group having defeated Devonta by 4.

The Brains would then travel to 45,000 seat Miurhill Road to face the leaders Baker Park, a team our football squad knows from the Wonder Cup, and a very famed nation in the sporting world in all aspects. They were the 6th ranked team in the lacrosse world heading into this tournament so everyone expected Kohnhead to drop to 1-2. Despite the predictions and rank difference, Lara Jeffery, and Theresa Kaur would lead us to an 11-6 victory which was massive and drew us even on points with the leaders. As was noted by Sandra Gerrard from Baker Park, we punished our opponents whenever they made a mistake, as we capitalized on said mistakes almost every time.

The bottom two in the group both sat at 1-2, three points, as Maccian dominated Devonta 16-4. In the next game we would take on the only team that had beaten us, Devonta, and using the momentum from the Baker Park victory we came away with a 15-11 win. Baker Park kept first place on point differential with a win over Maccian, and a win against Maccian would clinch our spot in the round of 16.

Back at Miurhill Road, the two newcomers clashed, and we would again emerge victorious with a 10-4 victory showing how much we had progressed in the tournament. The defense was coming together, and the offense was clicking but unfortunately Baker Park would also pick up the win (a close 11-9 win over Devonta). That would mean the rematch would determine who wins the group, and this time we would play at the much smaller Tantley Lacrosse Stadium.

We couldn't get lucky twice, and this time Baker Park did not underestimate us, and showed how good they were in an 11-4 thumping of us. Despite this loss we still sat at 12 points, second in the group having defeated everyone in the group at least once, and now we were advancing to the next round of the tournament.

In the round of 16 we will face 39th ranked, and surprise winners of group D, HUElavia. They finished with 15 points to win group D over Banjia. Now technically we on goal differential were supposed to face Baker Park which would have been cool, but a decision was made to switch us with the hosts Jeckland so we play HUElavia instead. Now while Baker Park are the lower seed, I would rather play HUElavia, but they have been very good as well.

We will travel to Handurai where the 64,195 stadium will be mainly populated by HUElavian fans, as again Lacrosse is not that big of a sport in Kohnhead. Can the team forget the loss against Baker Park, and get back in the groove that won them four in a row? Here we go Brains.

by **Jeckland** » Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:13 am

It's the first cutoff of the knockout rounds!

Results, Round of 16

Abanhfleft 12–10 United Civil Republic

Havynwilde 7–12 Lochario

St Saratoga 5–9 Lovisa

HUElavia 9–9 Kohnhead (11–10 OT)

Sarzonia 15–9 Tikariot

West Phoenicia 10–17 Banija

Vangaziland 9–15 Terre Septentrionale

Commonwealth of Baker Park 11–7 Jeckland (scorinated by Royal Kingdom of Quebec)

Quarterfinals (Scorinated 12th July)

QF1: Abanhfleft vs. Lochario (Hillside)
QF2: Lovisa vs. HUElavia (Handurai)
QF3: Sarzonia vs. Banija (Miurhill Road)
QF4: Terre Septentrionale vs. Commonwealth of Baker Park (Baker Street)

Semifinals
SF1: QF1 vs. QF2 (Lingham Arena)
SF2: QF3 vs. QF4 (Peswick Park)

3PPO and final
3PPO: SF1 loser vs. SF2 loser (Beachside)
Final: SF1 winner vs. SF2 winner (Jecken Stadium)

by **Banija** » Fri Jul 10, 2020 1:28 pm

Banija's Major Lacrosse Rivalries

BYTON, JECKLAND- Banijan lacrosse continues their forward momentum at WLC 34 by winning their third game in a row at the tournament, by a comfortable margin of 17-10 over the West Phoenicia Daredevils. This means that, for the fourth time in the last five tournaments, we have reached at least the quarterfinals of the World Lacrosse Championships. As it was a 7 v. #10 matchup, the betting line was basically evenly split, with the Banijans entering the match as the slightest of favorites. But we were the better squad for a very large portion of the match. It was close for a while, but we pulled away in the second half, and earned a much deserved victory.

And now, comes the big one- Sarzonia. Our two rivals in this sport, of course, have combined for 9 WLC titles. And Sarzonia is one of them. A storied nation, with five championships, who have come back into the sport and are furiously chasing the sixth. Banija, who have 'almost' been good enough more times than we can count, and yet haven't reached a FInal since WLC 21. We've faced each other a number of times across this and the prior WLC cycle. And with our second straight WLC Quarterfinal matchup, you can call it what it is- a big-time rivalry.

In Banija, the saying always goes, 'rivalry is the lifeblood of sport.' This is something to be true. If you didn't have particular rivals, sports would be so boring. It is more true in some sports than others. College football wouldn't exist without big time rivalries, for example, while it's less fundamental to a sport such as this one. Anyways, we're going to dig through Banija's two major sporting rivalries in this sport- Sarzonia who have 5 total titles, and Abanhfleft, who have four total titles.

Without further ado!

Banija v. Sarzonia lacrosse. Banijan record: 4-2

This is a growing rivalry, a blossoming rivalry. But it is a true rivalry. These are two nations with a proud history in this sport, both of whom have legitimate championship expectations. It hasn't been going on for that long- it simply started last tournament. But since its start, it's clear that these are legitimate rivals. Both Carter Whitlock and Bala Ogunsola have been quoted talking about how they consider the other nation an important rival.

The story goes like this. Last time around, the two squads met in the Moravica Lacrosse Invitational, the AO invitational in Herzegovina City. Banija triumphed. Then, they were drawn together into the same group. Banija won a pair of close games against Sarzonia, one in Herzegovina City, and the return leg in Woodstock. And they matched up again, in the quarterfinals. Now intimately familiar with each other. And not for the first time, it would be Sarzonia eliminating Banija from the WLC knockout stages.

We're 2-0 against Sarzonia in AO competition. 2-0 against Sarzonia in group stage competition. But 0-2 in the WLC knockouts, the biggest games of all. When the lights get brightest, Sarzonia comes to play. Can we reverse that pattern and make it a thing of history, or will Sarzonia beat us again and make it a true curse?

Banija v. Abanhfleft Lacrosse

The original Banijan lacrosse rivalry. Let's take a road trip down memory lane. All the way back to the 22nd World Lacrosse Championships. We were coming off an appearance in the 21st WLC FInal, which was our first ever major international tournament(non-Commonwealth, of course). An insane run. And in we step into WLC 22, thinking that now that we actually have a team with experience, even if we are no longer sneaking up on anybody, we're good enough to take home the trophy.

And then, reality hit. We played Abanhfleft three times in the group stages. We actually won once in Abanhfleft! But we got crushed twice in Banija by the Fleftic side. And then in the semifinals of that tournament, to complete the domination, Abanhfleft smoked us on the way to silverware. In the 25th WLCs, we didn't share a group, but we finally made it back to the semifinals, and once again, were eliminated by none other than Abanhfeft.

What can be done? It's been a long while since we've played each other. But know this- while the younger generation considers Sarzonia the bigger rival, the older generation, who can remember WLC 21 and 22 and 25, would consider Abanhfleft our greater rival.

We can go toe to toe with our rivals. But there's a big gap in the trophy cabinets- Sarzonia have 5, Abanhfleft 4, Banija 0. Can we finally get turn that 0 into a 1 and bring the sports' most coveted trophy to Herzegovina City?

by **Sarzonia** » Fri Jul 10, 2020 3:31 pm

The Round of Sixteen in the current World Lacrosse Championships included several upsets and a surprisingly close battle for the top overall seed, but No. 2 seeds Sarzonia had little trouble holding serve in their first knockout round match, defeating Tikariot 15-9.

No. 10 seeds Banija were among the teams pulling upsets in the Round of Sixteen, and their victory will set up a quarterfinal matchup between two teams who are quickly becoming among the fiercest rivals in this sport.

Sarzonia may have an 0-4 lifetime record in the Atlantian Oceania Lacrosse Classic and its predecessor tournament the Moravica Lacrosse Invitational and in the group stage of the World Lacrosse Championships, but Sarzonia won both knockout round matches, with both being the result of furious comebacks in the late stages of games.

"When you play someone on the biggest stage with the brightest lights on you, that's how you build rivalries," Stars manager Carter Whitlock said. "They don't like us, we don't like them, and we've got a tough opponent coming up."

Colin Grassley scored three goals, all in the second half to break open a drawn match in the fourth quarter and Matt Henning made six of his nine saves in the second half as Sarzonia held off a Tikariot rally after the Stars (6-1) took a 14-5 lead midway through the fourth.

Top seeded and undefeated Abanhfleft played a closer than expected match against United Civil Republic, beating the Group C runners up 12-10. Third seeded Vangaziland were the highest seeds to fall in the Round of Sixteen, losing 15-9 to Terre Septentrionale. Meanwhile, Group F runners up Lovisa sent fourth seeded defending champions St. Saratoga packing with a 9-5 victory.

No. 5 seeds HUElavia needed overtime to beat Kohnhead 11-10 and Baker Park bumped off host nation Jeckland 11-7. Also, ninth seed Lochario defeated No. 8 seed Hayvnwilde 12-7.

Whitlock said he wasn't interested in looking toward possible semifinals for one big reason.

"Banija are too good to take for granted," he said. "Let's not lose sight of the fact that they outrank us in the world rankings and that they have a winning record against us overall." About that 2-0 record against Banija in the knockout rounds? Whitlock said to ignore it.

"There's a first time for everything," he warned the media. "We're going to have to work hard to make sure that first time doesn't happen two days from now."

by **HUElavia** » Sat Jul 11, 2020 3:31 pm

HUElavia makes Historical Advance en route to the Quarters!

HUElavia 11-10 OT Kohnhead (9-9 ART)

HUElavia has made sporting history for their country as they have made a historical advance into the Quarter-Finals after a dramatic victory against Kohnhead, at Handurai. The match saw both teams using their best X for the match, where it was a see-saw match with the goals flying in left and right. The first half ended at 5-5, which saw Hernandes and Torres slot 2 goals each, while Cunha got one herself. For Kohnhead, Kaur and Zamora also slotted two each while Woodward got one in. The second half saw both teams go at each other once again, with Hernandes and Torres getting a goal each to each score their own hat-trick, while Ling and Moreno got the remaining two goals. Kohnhead also saw Kaur and Zamora get one goal each to complete a hat-trick, and Melia and Sullivan each got a goal to force overtime at 9-9. In overtime, HUElavia took the lead with a goal from Sato, and moments later Reader got the tying goal. When all seemed like a shootout was coming, a counterattack left Hernandes all alone and allowed him to shoot and slot it past Washington to make it the definitive 11-10, with the HUElavian crowd going crazy with passion while Hernandes was mobbed by his teammates and the bench with seconds left in the match. Shortly after, the referee ended the match and the stadium roared from the historic victory.

HUElavia will stay in Handurai as they will play against Unranked Lovisa from Pot 3. Both teams do not have points headed into the tournament, meaning a 0-point and Pot 3 team will participate in the Semi-Finals. The winner will take on the winner of the Abanhfleft vs. Lochario match for the first Semi-Final, which will be played at Lingham Arena. HUElavians will flock to the stadium to support this team that has had a stellar performance, where they will play with the same X, hoping to continue this cinderella run into the Semi-Finals. The team feels confident and want to continue playing well in order to build interest to the sport back home and make a good name for themselves. Regardless of what happens, the nation is proud of them.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

World Cup 81/82/83/84

BP survives upset minded hosts, on to quarters
by Sandra Gerrard
The Weekend Post Staff Correspondent

The National Lacrosse Team held off an upstart Jeckland side, spurred on by an enthusiastic crowd, with an 11-7 victory in the first round of the World Lacrosse Championships playoff stage.

Now on to the last eight, they will square off against Terre Septentrionale, who knocked off 3rd seeded Vangaziland, while Sarzonia & Banija will battle in the other part of the lower bracket.

BP utilized the the man advantage to defeat the hosts, as they scored three times with the extra player, although they were occasionally caught flat footed on defense by the quickness of the Jeckish attack. Head Coach Brittany Franklin had a warning for her squad ahead of the second match at Baker Street ground. "They (Terre Septentrionale) have a quick attack, due to their background playing indoors. We'll need to take advantage of our speed in transitions and make sure we have all our assignments down. The only real advantage we have against them is the experience of having been at this point before, you don't know how they'll respond to the heightened pressure and all of the outside noise that comes with being on a big stage."

Asked about her impressions of the championship after having been away for the previous three cycles, Franklin spoke of the differences that the average fan or spectator doesn't see.

"There's a subtle demeanor shift you encounter when you are in the position we are in today, as opposed to the first time we participated, and even the second time. The referees treat you differently, the WLC people treat you differently, other coaches view you in a different light. I'm not saying any of this to imply that I've ever been disrespected or encountered problems in either of the host nations that we played in while I was the coach before. It's broader, more of an organizational level change. We were plucky amateurs having fun in Razenthuria, and even the next time, we still were a bit of a rag-tag bunch. We've gotten more professional, we've gotten better as a lacrosse nation and that results in being accorded more respect. And everyone else has gotten better as well."

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:53 am

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independent sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Lacrosse Lamentations
with Aisling Keane

Well, that was a heartstopper and a half. Now that was an unexpected result. Christ above. I can't believe our lasses (and lads) actually managed to pull this off. If you are a long suffering fan of Abanhfleft's national teams you just know, you just know, that after going on that tidy little unbeaten run through the group stage we were just going to trip up against a team like United Civil Republic. You just know it. You love to see it.

But what do you know? This team aren't interested in sticking to the tried and tested script that our NTs have been following for the last few years. This team are actually interested in proving that all that good work that they did in the groups will not be for nothing. This lot are determined to mean business. And they did it.

I mean, you know the story, right? Unbeaten Abanhfleft, top of the group and top of the seeds, drawn against 16th seed United Civil Republic. Not sure where I've seen these guys before, but I do feel like I have seen them before. The question is where? Anyway, I'm digressing. The story goes that undefeated Abanhfleft gets drawn against 16th seed United Civil Republic, and everyone thinks that there's just no way Abanhfleft will lose to UCR. And then gameday comes and UCR absolutely embarrasses us, wipes the floor with our team, and they make their merry way to the quarterfinals while Abanhfleft becomes the team that can only do the job in the group stage and no further.

But no, said the national lacrosse team. We're not interested in becoming a laughingstock in the eyes of the sporting world once again. No, this time we're going to win this game, and we're going to advance to the quarterfinals, they told everyone. And the strange thing was that they actually put their money where their mouth was and won the game. They played the game they wanted to play and they made the UCR play catch-up across the four quarters. Our Amazons stormed to an early lead, 5-1 just in the first quarter, and they never looked back after that. UCR did mount a little comeback of sorts in the fourth, turning a 10-4 score into 10-8, but Tomiko Legaspi knocked in two goals to put an end to that little rally.

Not sure how to feel about all this now. I can't remember if it was me or Cousin Graham who said it but the quarterfinals are the real pointy end of the playoffs, any playoffs. This is where everything gets real sticky and tough. This is where everyone really takes the gloves off and gives it their all to get that spot in the semifinals. Well, some teams do that. Other teams are too taken by the shining lights of making it to this stage that they forget all about the ultimate objective of winning this shit. Christ above. Let's hope our team doesn't fall for that particular trap, huh?

by **Cassadaigua** » Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:37 am

Why did we flame out?
By Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

The 34th World Lacrosse Championships came and went for the Cassadagan national team, with the team not playing anywhere near to the level that they did in the last one. A 3-3 record in the group saw them fail to make the playoffs in about as big as flop as could be imagined. Why did this happen? It’s actually very hard to say, as their +17 goal differential was the best in the group, and ranked seventh overall in the whole tournament. The big reason was clearly the injury to Jessica Crockett after the third game of qualifying. After tearing her right quadricep, the attacker was unable to return to play, and was missed in the second half. To make matters worse, Lexi Looper and Sierra Morgenstern dealt with a terrible case of food poisoning after going to a Jeckish Chicken franchise while on the road in that country. Looper did not directly criticize the chicken, but did say that, “It was not a coincidence, was it?” Other sources blame the teams flame out on failed rankcoasting, whatever that means.

by **Jeckland** » Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:13 am

It's quarter-final cutoff time! Whose fans will be screaming with joy as they reach the last four?

Results, Quarter Finals

Abanhfleft 19–5 Lochario

Lovisa 7–11 HUElavia

Sarzonia 12–13 Banija

Terre Septentrionale 3–18 Commonwealth of Baker Park

Semi Finals (scorinated 14th July)

SF1: Abanhfleft vs. HUElavia (Lingham Arena)
SF2: Banija vs. Commonwealth of Baker Park (Peswick Park)

3PPO and Final
3PPO: SF1 loser vs. SF2 loser (Beachside)
Final: SF1 winner vs. SF2 winner (Jecken Stadium)

by **HUElavia** » Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:05 am

HUElavia Shoots Past Lovisa En Route to Historic Semi-Finals!

Lovisa 7-11 HUElavia

HUElavia was in an uncharted territory in Lacrosse: Participating in the Quarter-Finals of the WLC, being among the "Elite Eight" of Lacrosse, taking on another team that had 0 points, Lovisa (HUElavia was ranked on the merit of participating in the last 2 tournaments). The match was played in Handrai, where a sea of yellow, green and blue was filled in at least 50% of the stadium, as HUElavians flocked to Jeckland to witness HUElavian sporting history. The match saw the first half be dominated by Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos, as Azumamaro opened up the scoreline within 90 seconds, having the crowd go crazy jumping and screaming to make the stadium rumble. Azumamaro got two more goals in the 1st Half to complete his hat-trick while Mata and Castilho got goals. For Lovisa, the first half saw Rozanowicz and Iwanriski get goals for Lovisa in a 2-5 half. The 2nd half was much closer, having the match go into a see-saw battle, as Sato, Ling, and Hernandes each got two goals, while Rozanowicz got two more goals to get a hat-trick, while Latala, Biskupski, and Eeson got goals for Lovisa. In the end, the referee ended the match reading 7-11, and HUElavians roared and celebrated at the end of the match, as the team went onto the field to celebrate the historic victory that put them in the Semi-Finals.

HUElavia is now part of the "Final Four" of the World Lacrosse Championship, which prior to the tournament, this was one of the least likely things to have happened in the tournament. Now, HUElavia will play against the #3 team of the multiverse, Abanhfleft, in what may be the biggest Lacrosse game to date in HUElavian history. This team that was originally of high school and university students is now on the verge of making history in sending HUElavia to their first ever Final in Lacrosse, as well as the 6th ever Final in HUElavian sports. The match will be played at Lingham Arena, which has a capacity of 70,000 spectators. It is expected that at least 50% of the stadium will be filled with HUElavian supporters, as this deep run has inspired fans to take interest in the sport and there are calls for a domestic Lacrosse league to be formed in HUElavia after the tournament. The winner will advance to the Final at Jecken Stadium, which has a capacity of 100,000 spectators, to face off against the winners of the 2nd Semi-Final between Banija and Baker Park. Regardless of what happens, HUElavians are proud of this young team that has gone way over their expectations. All HUElavians can hope and do is that they can do another miraculous victory to make the Final.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **The Authoritarian Republic of Lochario** » Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:17 am

EPIC JOURNEY, AS GINGER TIGERS REACH THE QUARTERFINALS

Yesterday the Gingers suffered a heavy 19:5 defeat in the QF. As a result, the Tigers finished in the top 8 for the first time in nation's history. Some refer to it as a massive success, some say, that must've done better and even reached the final. Nevertheless, the pundits claim that this is the best presidential election gift Harry Weissenger could've ever received for his victory in the first ever democratic election in Locharian history. This journey definetly helped to increase the interest in the sport of Lacrosse all over the Commonwealth, as well as, increase the funding of Lacrosse facilities, as most of them are in a tragic condition. Let's hope that the WLC 35 is going to be even more amazing.

by **Banija** » Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:59 am

Third Time's the Charm- Banija finally overcome Sarzonia in the WLC knockout stages to make the WLC 34 Semifinals in Jeckland

Banijans celebrating the game's final goal in their rarely worn black alternate jerseys against Sarzonia

BYTON, JECKLAND- Banijan lacrosse fans are known for feeling notoriously sorry for themselves. It's a group that firmly believes it gets a lack of respect, both inside and outside the country. Earning the respect of your opponents, of course, is fundamental in all sports. Banijans, outside of the Olympics, have generally reached at least some level of success in most of the sports that we've played, And we know the story of Banijan lacrosse. A stunning cinderella trip to the WLC Final our first time around, in WLC 21. Obsessively and, increasingly, desperately trying to get back to that point, and tripping up at some point every step of the way.

One of the most recent roadblocks in our quest for glory has been none other than the Sarzonia Stars. They've now become a major rival in lacrosse. There's no need to go through the recent history- just look at the last edition of this magazine to find the story and the executive summary of Banija v. Sarzonia. But there is both familiarity and fierce history between the two nations. It was, heading into the Quarterfinals, the most anticipated matchup of the round. A matchup that was, frankly, worthy of being a Final, and the match that followed had the intensity of one. You even saw it in the jersey choice- for the first time this tournament, the Banijans breaking out the black and green, a change of pace from the orange we usually wear.

The two teams were essentially level pegging with each other the entire way. After the end of the 1st quarter, it was just 2 goals to two, with many thinking that we'd see a low scoring, hard-hitting, defenisvely intense game. But it exploded in the second quarter. Five goals for the Stars in the second, and four for the Banijans, gave Sarzonia an extremely slim 7-6 lead going into the halftime period. It was clear that this was going to be anybody's ball game. The fact that the Banijans had played themselves into the #10 seed was irrelevant- they were playing at a level that was worthy of their Top 5 ranking.

But playing against a team that had fully earned their #2 overall seeding for the knockout stages was always going to be tough. Both teams were playing at an extremely high level. It was proven in the third period, when Banija was able to finally level the score back up. A goal in the final moment of the 3rd quarter was able to bring the Banijans level, at 10 goals a piece, and make for a highly tense fourth quarter. It would be the Banijans who would start the fourth quarter strong. With six minutes left, Israel Bayissa scored a great, spinning, no look behind the back shot to put the Banijans up, 11-10. And with 4:30 left, many Banijan fans thought they had one foot in the semifinal when Mariama Jallow scored to make it 12-10.

But Carter Whitlock isn't a Sarzonian legend for nothing. Sarzonia hasn't been a thorn in the side of the Banijans at this stage for a long time for nothing. And they certainly didn't have this ranking for nothing. They kept up a sustained attack after that 12th Banijan goal, to try and break down Banija's doors. With 2:45 left in the game, Carrie Quinlan, the midfielder, would score for the Stars to make it 12-11. A whole host of Banijan fingernails were sacrificed after that. Sarzonia kept on the pressure, searching for that equalizer, searching for that equalizer. And then, with 1:10 left, the Stars got it, when Martin Page equalized from close range to make it 12-12.

Where have we seen this before? WLC knockout stages, late Banijan lead, furious Sarzonian comeback. Another Sarzonia goal seemed destined. We'd been this down this road before. We knew how it ends- or so we thought. Gio Guardio, with about 25 seconds left, tried an ill-fated, crossfield pace to a sprinting Harry Simon. A Banijan knocked it down, and then the lacrosse counter-attack was on. A pass to Bayissa, who found Arsa Bobbicevic III. The grandson of a Banijan lacrosse legend, trying to build his own legacy. And with 19 seconds left, he has scored one of the most iconic goals in Banijan lacrosse history.

Five holing the goaltender, the fans in orange jumped into ecstasy. And the Banijans were able to hold on for the final moments. For the first time, the Banijans had beaten Sarzonia in the knockout stages of the World Lacrosse Championships. And now, after our poor 2-2 start that saw us left for dead, we have won our fourth in a row and are now roaring into the semifinals, for the first time since WLC XXXI in Baker Park. Ironically, our opponent will be the Commonwealth of Baker Park, a nation that we've racked up a few competitive lacrosse matches against- although none on a stage quite as large as this.

It's Banija. It's Baker Park. At Peswick Park. A chance to appear in the Final is on the line. Does it get any better than this?

World Cup 81/82/83/84

BP through to final four at WLC
by Sandra Gerrard
The Post Staff Correspondent

On the fifth attempt, the National Lacrosse Team have broken through to reach the Semi Final of the World Lacrosse Championships here in Jeckland, after a dominating 18-3 victory over a Terre Septentrionale side that made their debut in WLC 31 in Baker Park and were making their first appearance in the knockout stage.

The opponent in the next round will be Banija, upset winners over Sarzonia in the other quarterfinal; the victor will meet the winner of Abahnfleft & Huelavia for the WLC title at the Jecken Stadium, while the defeated teams will square off for 3rd place.

Head Coach Brittany Franklin was pleased with the performance and the fact that the Commonwealth will have a chance for a medal for the first time in six attempts.
"I'm proud of this bunch, because they've shown me that they learned the lessons from the last couple of tournaments, which I think is a credit to the coaches who've been here since my last stint. The rise in the level of competition back home is result of our experiences coming to this event; which has done more to lift the sport in all the years I've been involved with it."

In many similar ways that have linked the two nations in other sports, the meeting at Peswick Park will have enough symbolism and significance to provide any additional drama that one might need to appreciate the stakes; it was in Banija that Baker Park played for the first time in an elimination round match, and it was in Baker Park that Banija last advanced to the semis, in addition to their loss in the final of the AOCL in Oceana to Northwest Kalactin.

Regardless of the outcome, it marks another step forward for the BPLA and the health of the sport in the Commonwealth, with plans being made by the UAC to bring the men's version into the collegiate fold soon.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:32 am

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independent sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Lacrosse Lamentations
with Aisling Keane

I have to admit that sometimes it feels odd to be in the same room with a family member whom I've always loved knowing that he's heartbroken over his team losing to another team, while I'm right here knowing that in another sport, my team just beat the team from the country that beat Cousin Graham's team. Confused? I'd be surprised if you weren't. Yes, of course I'm talking about Abanhfleft, Lochario, football, and lacrosse. In one sport, Abanhfleft got absolutely shat on by Lochario, judging by the expletives coming out of Cousin Graham's mouth as he watched the game. Christ above, that boy could swear! He could say things that would make a sailor feel shame right down to his salty bones and guts, as long as he's properly motivated. And by all appearances the under-18 team sure gave him the proper motivation Cousin Graham needed to let loose. Meanwhile I'm sat right here in front of my laptop watching this illegal stream that keeps buffering (remember, don't do this at home! Or anywhere else for that matter! Always watch your favorite teams on legal television, cable, and Internet providers!) happy that Abanhfleft are beating Lochario by a monumental margin but not really able to say or do anything because the sight of anyone else being happy when Cousin Graham is angry makes him fly off the handle even more.

I mean, by now I've already said everything I need to say. Not sure what else there's left. We're through to the semifinals. Well done team. Well done Amazons! You're one step closer to winning this whole thing once again. But for sure it's going to be a tough, tough ride. We're up against HUElavia, who are the Cinderella story of this tournament. Not sure how many semifinals in lacrosse they've ever made, but judging by how much they're celebrating this one, I say that it's not many. Then again we haven't been to a lot of semis ourselves. Bit of a good conversion rate of turning those semis into finals appearances and those finals appearances into actual titles we have. So let's both not get too far ahead of ourselves, but let's also go do this. Because, simply put, we've done this before. But by that I mean we've both won before and bottled it before. This can go only one of two ways, and while I of course prefer the one way, I wouldn't be that surprised if we went the complete other way. That's just the nature of sport. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

by **Jeckland** » Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:25 am

Semi final cutoff!

Results, Semi Finals

Abanhfleft 11–12 HUElavia

Banija 12–11 Commonwealth of Baker Park

Third Place Play-Off (scorinated 15th July)

Abanhfleft vs. Commonwealth of Baker Park (Beachside)

Final (scorinated 16th July)

HUElavia vs. Banija (Jecken Stadium)

World Cup 81/82/83/84

Banija edges out Laxxers in SF
by Sandra Gerrard
The Post Staff Correspondent

It was a game worthy of the occasion, and also of a Final. The paying spectators at Peswick Park got their moneys worth and then some; for the side in green, it was a second consecutive one goal advancement, and for the side in white, it was a cruel heartbreak after having finally reached this stage of the competition.

It sets the stage for the final act of the 34th WLC here in Jeckland, who have put on a magnificent tournament in their return to the international lacrosse scene; Banija will face off against arguably the team of the tournament--win or lose--in HUElavia, who upset top seeded Abanhfleft in the other semi-final by the same 12-11 scoreline.

BP and the Fleftics will square off for the bronze medal in what surely will not be a going through the motions consolation; the Flefts have a proud history and will be eager to prove that they deserved their top seeding here, simply being second best on the field on a given day, while the Commonwealth will be looking to finish on a high note with their best result in the sport to date.

Regardless of the result, it will add another layer of confidence for the national psyche in a period which has seen unprecedented heights reached across several sporting endeavors for our national teams. There's also the Summer Olympics on the horizon, with the OCC having made clear that there will a much larger involvement across various sports than was the case in the Free Republics.

by **HUElavia** » Wed Jul 15, 2020 6:34 am

HUElavia Upset Abanhfleft to Advance into The Final!

Abanhfleft 11-12 HUElavia

HUElavia continues to make history in another sport, as they had a historic last-gasp victory over Abanhfleft to make the Final of WLC 34. The match was held at the 70,000 capacity Lingham Arena, where over 35,000 supporters were HUElavians who made the trip to Jeckland to witness the historic match against Abanhfleft. Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos, who are ranked 39th, were seen as massive underdogs against Abanhfleft, who were ranked #3. The match got underway with both teams fielded their best X, and both went at each other's throats left and right. Goals were being scored in a see-saw manner, where one could not take their eyes off the match for the fear of missing out on a goal. Torres opened up the goal sheet in the match, also scoring two more to get a hat-trick in the first half, while, Hernandes got two, and Buonanotte got one. On the other side, Lipton opened up the goalscoring for his team, getting two in the half, while Cordes got two, and both Eure and Shoemaker got one goal each. The first half ended 6-6. The second half continued being the same, with Ling and Sato getting two goals, while Azumamaro got one. All while Espinal and Legaspi got two goals, and John got one. All seemed as if Overtime was going to come, when a fumble by Jackson allowed Hernandes to pick off the ball and go one-on-one with Heidenreich to slot it past her into the goal to score the definitive goal with 6.2 seconds left, making it 11-12. Hernandes was mobbed by his teammates while the HUElavian crowd went crazy, celebrating with passion and screaming to make the stadium rumble. After a few seconds, it was too little too late as HUElavia upsetted Abanhfleft and made their first ever Final in the World Lacrosse Championship.

With the victory, HUElavia make their first ever WLC Final, coming in their 3rd ever participation in the tournament. Their opponents for the Final will be Banija, who Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos have face already in Group D, where the series was split at 1-1. The Final will be played at Jecken Stadium in Rack City, with a capacity of 100,000 spectators. It is expected that over 50% of the stadium will be filled by HUElavians, who will support the team with passion. Back home, fans are setting up watch parties in their homes and in public spaces, as they look forward to watch the Final, in what could be the 1st ever title in Lacrosse and 3rd ever Title in HUElavian sporting history. The fans will be singing "Believe," as a way to show their support to this team that has made them love the sport and feel proud of them. Regardless of what happens, HUElavia has made their mark in another sport, and look to make history moving forward, all with the fans supporting them through good and bad.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Banija** » Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:29 am

Banija v. Baker Park, 1:30 left in the fourth quarter

Bala Ogunsola was, undoubtedly, an old man. 79 years old- in his fifth and final cycle coaching the Banijan national lacrosse team. He was going up against these fierce and talented opponents, from the Commonwealth of Baker Park. Baker Park had been a team, like Banija, that almost reached their goals, but couldn't quite get there. Four straight eliminations in the quarterfinals of the World Lacrosse Championships would do that to the psyche of a team. Baker Park in the quarterfinals, like Banija in this tournament in the semifinals, simply couldn't figure out a way past that stage of the tournament.

They couldn't do it, however, until they did. Fifth time's the charm for Banija's great friends and allies in Baker Park. The pain and sorrow of four consecutive quarterfinal losses, the motivation that gives you for the next quarterfinal, and Baker Park put in a historically dominant performance against Terre Septentrionale. An 18-3 victory, and Baker Park's confidence was flying high. And the Banijans were in a similar spot. Not the quarterfinal struggles- no, they had done okay. But the insistence that they couldn't hang with the true elites of this sport, that all their efforts over their previous 12 appearances in this tournament have shown that to expect Banija to ever scale this mountaintop, when they've come so close and yet so far so many times, was utter foolishness.

That's what made this such an entertaining game. Besides the obvious tantalizing features of a match that featured both the Kingdom of Banija and the Commonwealth of Baker Park, both teams had felt that they had removed emotional or mental roadblocks to reach this point. Banija, who had finally vanquished Sarzonia in the knockouts of this tournament, and finally exacted revenge for WLC 33's elimination at the hands of the Stars. Baker Park, overcoming their quarterfinal demons to put on a clinical performance against a good Terre Septentrionale. Both teams approaching the match wide-eyed, full of confidence, both knowing what was at stake.

It would be Baker Park who would start the game strong. Two goals early on from Alex Brennan had given the Commonwealth an early 2-0 lead, and although the Banijans started scoring from there, it would be the Commonwealth who would maintain the advantage for the lion's share of the first half. Baker Park had taken a 7-4 lead into halftime, and they had looked on their way to the Final, while Banija was facing yet another third place game. But Ogunsola had lit a fire into his guys at halftime. They knew the gravity of the moment, they simply needed to relax. Stop being so anxious.

The third period was their best of the tournament. They outscored Baker Park 5-0 in what was a stellar display of lacrosse. For just one quarter, the penultimate quarter, the Banijans were simply unstoppable. Obviously not perfect, but it was the best quarter they've played since their dominating, group stage Matchday 6, 15-1 victory over The Sarian. The offense was everywhere. The runs were being made. Passes were flying all over the field. Quality checks were made on the defensive end. Banija's midfielders were dominating their opponents. And down 7-4 at halftime, they went into the fourth with a 9-7 lead.

Baker Park, after getting rocked in the third, was not going to go down swinging. They knew how rarely opportunities at a final could come- and they were going to make the most of this chance. The Banijans and Baker Parkers fought for every inch of space, for every goal. And it had let to this moment. The Banijans, barely holding onto a 12-11, hanging on for dear life. And with 90 seconds left, an personal foul, by the youngster, midfielder Sherif Mboob. They'd be a man down for the rest of regulation, trying to keep Baker Park out of the goal.

That was when Ogunsola had decided to expend his last timeout. "Hey men." He told his players. "You know what you're playing for. We haven't been in a final since Arsa's grandpa was playing for the national team. We've never won this tournament. And we've got to defend with everything we've got now. They're gonna have a power play. We know our penalty kill. Don't think too big- stay disciplined! Stay in your lanes. No easy shots. Keep them on the perimeter. We can do this! Everything is in front of us. This was never going to be easy, and it isn't now. But we believe we are the best. We want to show it to the world. This moment has been ordained- will this go down as a moment of glory, or are we the footnote in Baker Park's story?"

And Ogunsola's team went out, and got the job done. It was rough- the goaltender making save after save. Players flying around desperately, ensuring there was no pathway to goal for the Commonwealth. And after the longest 90 game seconds of Ogunsola's life, the whistle blew. Ogunsola put his arms into the air and hugged his assistant coach as his bench players sprinted onto the field. He shook hands with his counterpart, Head Coach Brittany Franklin, and congratulated her for her semifinal run.

They'd celebrate tonight, and get right back to work tomorrow. HUElavia awaited them- the darlings of the tournament, a team that Banija had already faced twice before. The Banijans were on the edge of glory- could they seize the day on Sunday night in the 34th WLC Final?

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:58 am

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independent sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Lacrosse Lamentations
with Aisling Keane

What else can I say? GG HUElavia. Well played. Really well played, my friends. A great game of lacrosse was played, no denying that. But of course I do feel that little sense of anger and disappointment that my Amazons won't be able to gun for another title again, but oh well. Like I said before, this is sport. There has to be a winner and a loser, and unfortunately for us today, we Flefts were the losers.

Like I said though, HUElavia gave us as good as they got, and boy were they rewarded for it. And I can't say I blame the sports gods for giving them this one. Abanhfleft has been dominant in the field of lacrosse for quite a few years now; maybe it is time to let some of the others get some fun of their own. Banija, mostly. Everyone loves to talk about the rivalry between Abanhfleft and Banija, especially when it comes to lacrosse, but in terms of silverware gained in this sport we most definitely have the number of the... er, Banijans. Not sure what their team nickname is in lacrosse. I know that they're called the Timberwolves somewhere else. Or maybe that's another country entirely. I don't even know anymore.

So that's it then. We're back to fighting for the bronze. And we've got in front of us a very competent and tough Baker Park squad who also want the chance to get something out of this tournament. They wanna win something, and we also want to win something. But as always, only one team can actually win the bronze medal. And while I can understand if Baker Park manage to get the advantage over our Amazons, I can't help but feel a little sadness and disappointment. I mean, look at our record before the semifinal. Eight straight games undefeated. Sadly we now have to add one loss to that otherwise stellar record, but I really don't want to see our campaign, which started off so great, end on another downer note. That's the only thing that I really want now. Don't let this end on a sour note. Just one little thing. But once again, I fear that's a little bit too much to ask once again.

by **Jeckland** » Wed Jul 15, 2020 11:11 am

As both HUElavia and Banija have RPed and told me they won't RP further, this is your cutoff for both the 3PPO and the final! Who will be the WLC34 Champion?

A massive thank you to everyone who participated in this tournament, I've really enjoyed hosting it. See you all at WLC35!

by **HUElavia** » Thu Jul 16, 2020 6:39 am

HUElavia Are Champions of Lacrosse in a Perfect Ending!

HUElavia 14-9 Banija

HUElavia have done it: Winning a World Championship in a different sport once again. This time around, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos have won the 34th edition of the World Lacrosse Championship, their first ever title in Lacrosse. Coming into the Final in Jecken Stadium in Rack City against Banija in a crowd of 100,000 with HUElavians taking up 50% of the stadium, the Banijans were seen as the heavy favorites into the match. Ranked #5, not many pundits expected HUElavia to win against them once again, much like how they did back in the Group Stage, where the teams split their matches at 1-1. Despite not being favorites, the team came in with confidence, under the message of to have fun and enjoy the Final, for they overachieved to a level that was never thought about prior to the tournament. The Final started, and HUElavia played the match to their tempo from the start. Hernandes opened up the goalscoring within 3 minutes and managed to slot in 2 more goals to get another hat-trick in the first half, while Torres got two goals, and Mata and Nunes each got one goal. Banija meanwhile had Niang and Jagne each get 2 goals, while Jawo got one and the half ended 7-5. The second half continued to see HUElavia dominate, as Moreno, Buonnanote, and Gomez each got 2 goals, while Cunha got one goal. On the flip side, Mboob and Colley each got 2 goals, but the team looked exhausted from trying to follow up on HUElavia and it was not enough as the Final ended with the HUElavians winning 14-9.

The crowd roared and jumped with passion when the match ended, while the HUElavian bench went onto the pitch to celebrate with the players. The team and fans were shocked that they pulled off one of the most miraculous runs in WLC history. Coming into the tournament, it was a pipe dream to think the team would advance to the knockouts, only to witness the team going all the way. The HUElavians offered their consolations to the Banijans for their great performance throughout the tournament and giving HUElavia a run for their money. They gave them a guard of honor as they collected their silver medals, and then the HUElavian team came to get their gold medals, with the staff following through, leaving Herdandes to be the last to get his medal, and was given the trophy to lift it up on the Jecklander evening. In the end, HUElavia finished with an overall record of 9 wins and 1 loss, scoring 131 goals and conceding 97 goals, for a total of 27 points. All of these are an all time high records for the Lacrosse team, who have an 0-12 all-time record coming into WLC 34. Not to mention, by popular thought, HUElavia was viewed as "The Most Entertaining Team" of the Tournament, which the team and fans view it with an honor.

Back home, President Rodrigo Freitas Matos offered the team a trip to the Presidential Residence to give them the HUElavian Medal of Honor, the highest medal given in HUElavian Government, honoring them for their Cinderella Run to the title. Afterwards, the team went all around Curumba in a parade that millions went out to the streets to celebrate them. It all ended at Estadio Capital, where in front of a sold-out crowd of 90,000 fans, Hernandes and the team showed off the trophy and celebrated each other's successes. For now, HUElavians will celebrate to enjoy this title, while moving forward with a professional Lacrosse league throughout the country to help bring forward new talents for the sport and the National Lacrosse Team. The team and the fans feel that this team will now jump up heavily in the rankings once it is fully updated. Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos look forward to World Lacrosse Championship 35, when they will look to defend their title.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

World Lacrosse Championships 34 - Everything Thread

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