The Cosumar Football League (CFL) is Cosumar's highest level of gridiron football. The CFL was formed in 994, uniting two rival leagues that divided Cosumar for decades: the Cosumar Association of Football (CAF) and Fiefdom Football Alliance (FFA). The CAF became the "Silver Conference", while the FFA became the "Blue Conference". A fierce enmity still lingers between the two groups of teams, which makes the postseason meeting of the two conference champions ("the Dragon Bowl") even more intense. With 17 teams in each conference, the CFL has 34 total teams. Teams play each of their conference opponents once, for a 16-game season. The top eight in each conference advance to a 16-team single elimination playoff, culminating with the Dragon Bowl. The CFL is the second-most popular sporting league in Cosumar behind only the Harlighet Ligan ("Glory League"), the top flight of our soccer pyramid.
Dragon Bowl Champions:
I: Jadde Bruins
II: Kaldukosic Blazers
III: Kaldukosic Kataklysm
IV: Sarmon Spirit
V: Morponte Marauders
VI: Sarmon Spirit (2)
VII: Kaldukosic Blazers (2)
VIII: Morponte Marauders (2)
IX: Zakhoro Wolfpack
X: Versiaville Vikings
XI: Pelethas Thuner
XII: _____ _____???
It was a season of parity in the Silver Conference, with no franchise acruing more than 11 wins OR losses. The Marauders, bastions of consistency, came out on the top of the pile, led as usual by the big arm of Jeston Boulware, the explosive legs of Jacques Valdivia and the soft hands of Sid Vinceant. The Jadde Bruins had a resurgent campaign, riding a staunch defense and gritty run-first offense to an 11-5 record, reversing the downward trend that had set in over recent seasons. But the big surprise of the season was the play of the Keenan Robins. The perennial punching bags from the CFL's smallest market reversed their 6-10 record from last season to go 10-6 and qualify for their first EVER playoff berth. And with a first-round home game, at that! Boosted by the instant impact of rookie runner Tash Walraven from Stoneshore College, young franchise QB Tobias Engel's development finally took a big step forward in his third pro season. The young dynamic duo were on-point all season, covering for a suspect defense. Now, everyone is waiting to see if the Robins can turn their fairytale season into a true Cinderella run in the CFL Playoffs.
Oh wait, did I say the Keenan Robins were the biggest surprise of the season? Yeah, nevermind. Perhaps more shocking were the struggles of the Kaldukosic Kataklysm. The CFL's most valuable franchise recorded their first EVER losing record as surefire Hall of Fame quarterback Jakkrik Levinsson finally looked almost like a 37-year-old and battled nagging injuries. Could this be the end of the Kataklysm dynasty that has hovered over the CFL since its inception? With the exception of their talented secondary, their entire cast of familiar stars is getting to be on the wrong side of 30. With traditional powers like the Kataklysm and Marsh Monsters seemingly fading and bright new challengers starting to rise up in the Eagles, Robins and Wildcats...perhaps the well-worn lines of power in the Silver Conference are starting to shift. Other key storylines this year included Mallox being left on the doorstep of the playoffs on the final week for, what is this, the third consecutive season? Cassandra Wildcats rookie pass-rusher Melvin MacDiarmid also set the rookie record for sacks in a season with eleven. He was a big part of the Wildcats finally being relevant again for the first time since the CAF-FFA merger. Youth movement FTW!
Silver Conference Pld W L PF PA PD
1 Morponte Marauders 16 11 5 401 278 +123
2 Jadde Bruins 16 11 5 330 231 +99
3 Hagenheim Vagabonds 16 10 6 302 235 +67
4 Keenan Robins 16 10 6 335 303 +32
5 Dawchire Eagles 16 9 7 369 266 +103
6 Bayford Blue Dragons 16 9 7 306 229 +77
7 Olask Dolphins 16 9 7 336 320 +16
8 Versiaville Vikings 16 9 7 305 299 +6
------------------------^^^PLAYOFFS^^^------------------------
9 Mallox Tigers 16 8 8 351 274 +77
10 Cassandra Wildcats 16 8 8 278 370 −92
11 Kaldukosic Kataklysm 16 7 9 373 323 +50
12 Altamirano Devils 16 7 9 290 291 −1
13 Surpronuk Marsh Monsters 16 7 9 261 312 −51
14 Dusk Bearcats 16 6 10 276 348 −72
15 Centus Owls 16 5 11 291 385 −94
16 Flen Jaguars 16 5 11 254 393 −139
17 Crawford Comrades 16 5 11 247 448 −201
In the Blue Conference, this season was all about the Pelethas Thunder. Like, wow. It's as if no timed passed at all between their epic run to the CFL XI championship and the beginning of this season. Binro Aeoleai and the Thunder are clearly on a mission to become the league's first back-to-back Dragon Bowl winners. Just how good were they? The Thunder led the entire CFL (both conferences) in both offense AND defense. If that's not a sign of a damn complete football team, I don't know what is. Just about everyone on that roster stepped their game up this season, from Aeoleai to young tailback Sawyer Granlund and even to veteran receiver Ulises Willoughby and Quebecois rookie linebacker Louis Fraser - who made a surprise impact in his first pro season. The result? 15-1, with the only loss coming to #2 seed Emerald Cove by a single point. The first perfect regular season remains elusive, but it was a historic season nonetheless. Are they destined to be upset in the postseason?
And what about the other 16 teams in the Blue Conference, you ask? No real surprises like in the Silver Conference. Brandon Reigner had arguably the best season of his career for Emerald Cove (12-4), evidenced by his ability to score 29 points against that stellar Thunder defense. The Ramusok Stars also had their best season in recent memory with 12 wins, and other usual powers like the Blazers (there has to be one Kaldukosic team in the playoffs, right?), Mighty Men and Venom filled in behind. Those old men down in Sarmon also managed to hang on for another year and cling to that 8-seed berth. The Wolfpack were the biggest disappointments, dropping from 11-5 to 6-10 this season. Last year's 1-15 laughingstock, the Hvalsey Lions, took a step forward in their agonizingly-long rebuilding "process", working their way up to 6-10 this time around and looking competitive against the likes of Samaj and Ramusok. Their #1 overall pick, 21-year-old running back Morum Øygard out of U Parougan, was the Blue Conference Offensive Rookie of the Year with 1215 yards.
Blue Conference Pld W L PF PA PD
1 Pelethas Thunder 16 15 1 440 189 +251
2 Emerald Cove Conquistadores 16 12 4 395 248 +147
3 Ramusok Stars 16 12 4 410 300 +110
4 Kaldukosic Blazers 16 11 5 356 258 +98
5 Samaj Spartans 16 11 5 375 324 +51
6 Helfin Mighty Men 16 10 6 413 257 +156
7 Na'Malsille Venom 16 9 7 387 286 +101
8 Sarmon Spirit 16 9 7 401 308 +93
------------------------^^^PLAYOFFS^^^------------------------
9 Zakhoro Wolfpack 16 6 10 315 337 −22
10 Azuris Anthrax 16 6 10 289 347 −58
11 Samotath Scourge 16 6 10 302 394 −92
12 Opjenheim Bulldogs 16 6 10 271 389 −118
13 Hvalsey Lions 16 6 10 250 475 −225
14 Klyde Cyclones 16 5 11 332 397 −65
15 OAS Kingsmen 16 5 11 288 405 −117
16 Stoneshore Predators 16 4 12 238 401 −163
17 Pirankoper Cowboys 16 3 13 215 362 −147
Silver Conference
1Morponte Marauders (11-5) vs. 8Versiaville Vikings (9-7)
2Jadde Bruins (11-5) vs. 7Olask Dolphins (9-7)
3Hagenheim Vagabonds (10-6) vs. 6Bayford Blue Dragons (9-7)
4Keenan Robins (10-6) vs. 5Dawchire Eagles (9-7)
Blue Conference
1Pelethas Thunder (15-1) vs. 8Sarmon Spirit (9-7)
2Emerald Cove Conquistadores (12-4) vs. 7Na'Malsille Venom (9-7)
3Ramusok Stars (12-4) vs. 6Helfin Mighty Men (10-6)
4Kaldukosic Blazers (11-5) vs. 5Samaj Spartans (11-5)
The most controversial aspect of the regular CFL season is the lack of inter-conference games. Aside from the Dragon Bowl, there is no way for teams from opposite conferences to meet in meaningful games. Purists who preferred the CAF and FFA separate like it that way, but the more casual fans wanted to see the, say, Kataklysm and Blazers clash more often. The league heartily agreed, seeing the profit potential of more such games. To appease both sides, The Finnegan Trophy was introduced. It is a soccer-style cup tournament that runs concurrently to the CFL season. Named after the former coach of of our National Gridirion Team, Gary Finnegan, it features 32 teams (all but the last-place finishers from the prior season) going at it single-elimination style. Silver and Blue Conference teams are randomly pitted against each other in the first round draw, and from there, the chips fall where they may. It's madness, but it's quality entertainment. What's at stake? In addition to prize money, the winning team automatically receives one of Cosumar's allotted spots in international competition (along with the Dragon Bowl victor and the best regular season record from each conference) and an additional draft pick.
Past Winners
I: Kaldukosic Kataklysm
II: Stoneshore Predators
III: Kaldukosic Kataklysm (2)
IV: Bayford Blue Dragons
V: Kaldukosic Blazers
VI: Morponte Marauders
VII: Kaldukosic Blazers (2)
VIII: Na'Malsille Venom
IX: _____ _____ ???
Few surprises in the first round aside from the mediocre Altamirano Devils giving the at-the-time undefeated Pelethas Thunder a hell of a scare in the fourth quarter. Ok, we didn't really expect the Mighty Men to get blanked down in Morponte either, but the Marauders were probably always gonna win that one. Johannes Van Nifterick threw six touchdowns in Zakhoro's spanking of slumping Surpronuk, and the Comrades and Blazers played a hell of a game in Crawford that Orfeo Na'Toki sealed with a toss to Justus Bod in the back of the endzone with 12 seconds left.
Zakhoro Wolfpack continue to roll on in Finnegan Trophy play, knocking off another Silver Conference heavyweight despite looking putrid in the regular season. The Kataklysm won't salvage their lost season with a Finnegan Trophy - their offense looked discombobulated and hopeless against a savvy, veteran Sarmon defense tonight. Shocking to see the Kataklysm held to just 3 points. The red-hot Thunder, Stars and Vikings also advanced, as did defending trophyholders Na'Malsille Venom.
Silver Conference are reduced to one representative as Dat Zheng and the Vikings shut down the Zakhoro Wolfpack, only to watch as conference-mates Morponte and Bayford both lost handily to Na'Malsille and Ramusok, respectively (and handily so). More ammo for the old FFA guard. The Thunder, despite their dominance in the regular season, saw their comeback bid against the Spirit come up short after a sleepy start at home.
31 is the magic number. 31-16 for the Venom over the Vikings in a game that was close until the fourth quarter, when Vitali Levan came to life for two touchdowns against a tired Vikings defense. And 31-9 for the Ramusok Stars, who made the Spirit look flat-footed and amateur on both sides of the ball, racing out to a 31-0 lead before pulling their starters in the third quarter. It will be an all-Blue Conference final for the Finnegan Trophy between the Na'Malsille Venom from the west coast and the Ramusok Stars from the east coast.
The Ramusok Stars grabbed the game by the horns when they drove the length of the field and piledrove Kamaal Dottcorn into the endzone on their first drive. The momentum shifted, however, after Venom star linebacker Cygnus Cason intercepted Garron Holland's pass on a surprise two-point conversion attempt. The Venom sapped all the confidence out of the Stars on that single play, and ended up taking a 13-6 lead into half time. Two more field goals for the Venom in a slow third quarter that saw them control the ball and the clock meant a 19-6 lead going into the final frame for the defending trophyholders. But it wasn't over just yet! The Stars would pull three back near the beginning of the quarter, then dig deep with some big stops before putting together a methodical drive with five minutes left. Garron Holland's composure under pressure was impressive, as he consistently picked out the open receiver. Finally, that open receiver was speedster Duke Leonard at the 2. Leonard spun off of safety Wes Benton and into the endzone with a roar. 19-16! The Ramusok defense would come up with another big stop to get the ball back with just under two minutes left. Unfortunately for them, a second magical drive was not on the cards. The Venom stopped the Stars on 4th & 10 from midfield to seal the unnerving victory.
The NA'MALSILLE VENOM have won the ninth Finnegan Trophy! Being the defending trophyholders, the Venom are now the first CFL team to win the Finnegan Trophy in back-to-back years. Regardless of the result of the Final, the Blue Conference would've taken a 5-4 advantage over Silver Conference in the history of this tournament, since both the Venom and Stars are from the Blue Conference.
CAFL Season IX (1008) - Regular Season
Cosumar Arena Football League Pld W L PF PA PD
1 Sundsvall Penguins 22 17 5 489 275 +214
2 Yambridge Pioneers 22 15 7 439 334 +105
3 Ruminov Black Panthers 22 13 9 441 333 +108
4 Aldenskoett Jackhammers 22 12 10 491 372 +119
5 Jotungard Goblins 22 11 11 300 352 −52
6 Cavaleira Cucumbers 22 10 12 433 415 +18
----------------------^^^PLAYOFFS^^^------------------------
7 Rhupenhoven Raging Rhinos 22 10 12 361 404 −43
8 Cupe Dutch Killer Whales 22 10 12 394 440 −46
9 Östrad Giants 22 10 12 299 382 −83
10 Wealdheim Foxes 22 9 13 357 444 −87
11 Goldstaff Steelers 22 8 14 361 462 −101
12 Lombrica Fire 22 7 15 315 467 −152
Playoffs
1Sundsvall Penguins (Bye)
2Yambridge Pioneers (Bye)
4Aldenskoett Jackhammers vs. 5Jotungard Goblins
3Ruminov Black Panthers vs. 6Cavaleira Cucumbers