World Bowl 45 Everything Thread

[Banija]

"Fly Eagles Fly"- High Flying Banijan offense picks up from where it left off in World Bowl title defense, as Coach Thomas Hall demands more from the Banijan defense


Offensive Linemen spikes ball after game-winning touchdown against Sarzonia

LWANGA, BUGANDA- This always had the shapings of a fun and spectacular World Bowl campaign, and fortunately, the expectations held for this Banijan team so far. Coming off of our long-awaited first title, the banner raising ceremony at the Stadium of the Restoration, against an unranked and overmatched Sword Island, was an absolute hoot. The national team set a Banijan record by scoring 12 touchdowns in a single game, winning their home opener by a stunning score of eighty-freaking-four to just 20. "I mean, offensively, you simply couldn't ask for much more than what we did against the Sword Island." Coach Thomas Hall told reporters. "People though we were slowing down- key guys retiring, contributors going away, incorporating new guys into the offense, etc... But over here, it's simply next man up."

And by golly, has the Banijan offense come to play. Just like how they took World Bowl 44 by storm by being essentially unstoppable on that side of the football, the Serpent Eagles have continued that tradition here at this tournament. After that blowout, there have been close games- after losing by a field goal in double overtime to Kohnhead, the Serpent Eagles earned close, last minute victories in the fourth quarter over South Americanstan and Sarzonia, respectively, to improve to 3-1 at this tournament.

But the story isn't Banija's dramatic wins, or even the storm fielding moment when Brains fans took the field after beating Banija. "Look- we're going to need more from our defense if we want to have any chance from repeating, and we don't want a dancing John Garrett or Taurus Wright or Sarai Gwenderyn at the end of this tournament, partying it up in Chromia." Said the Ranorian Head Coach. "We've got talent back there." The head coach, of course, was more incensed than usual about this. Defense is his unit. He's the all-time RFL interception leader as a player, he's got a defensive pedigree in coaching, and initially came here to bring that style to the team- although adjusted to the personnel, and now runs the most high flying team at the tournament.

"Ultimately, we aren't doing enough at the line of scrimmage to control the game." He told reporters. "We've allowed over 20 points in all 4 contests- Kohnhead put up 32, South Americanastan 23, while Sarzonia and Kohnhead both broke 30. That gives us fun games, sure- but it doesn't bode well for our title chances. Fortunately, we've got plenty of time to fix things. We are going to sit down, us defensive coaches, and ensure that we can get our defense up to speed. While the offense stole the show at 44, the reason we won a title is because we brought both elite defense and elite offense, and brought it all together. To win at this level, you need seamless elite play everywhere- offense, defense, special teams. And damnit, by the time the knockouts come, we'll be right back where we belong."

He is right, of course. After winning a shootout against Kohnhead in the Round of 16, the Banijan defense clamped down. Allowing 10 to South Newlandia, just 7 to Taurus Wright's Delaclava team, and 10 to Ko-oren in the final. But how do they fix their problems now, especially up front? "We're simply going to have to get tougher and meaner up front, there's no way around that." Coach Hall told reporters. "It'll be an attitude thing. Who's willing to play for their job in practice? Who's willing to go the extra mile, studying the film, in the weight room, unifying with each other, etc... We're going to bring those points allowed numbers way down. And when we do so? Well, this team will continue to be as dangerous as we've ever been, especially with a guy like Ice Chineze slinging the ball around."

And despite all that criticism, the team actually sits at a decent place at this juncture. 3-1 after four games. A seriously important road win against 10th ranked Sarzonia. And, of course, serious favorites in their next two games- at home against 1 win Allamunnic States, and then a road game against a Sword Island team that they hung 84 on a few weeks ago. If the Banijans can improve to 5-1, well... They'll be clearly on their way to Chromatika. With the top 3 teams in each group getting to the knockouts, 7 wins will be more than enough to get there- and starting 5-1 can get to that magic number of 7. And once you're in Chromatika, anything can happen, right?

[Chromatika]

As we round the halfway mark, who will be among the first to clinch a spot in Chromatika? Cutoff for Matchdays 5-6.

---

Group A - games including Chromatika scored by Sylestone, other games scored by Chromatika, tabulated using table generator.

Matchday 5
Juvencus 23-36 Chromatika (scored by Sylestone)
South Newlandia 32-37 Gyatso-kai
New Gesem 30-9 Sairona

Group A                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Chromatika              5    5   0   131   92  +39
2 Gyatso-kai              5    3   2   147   85  +62
3 South Newlandia         5    3   2   150   95  +55
4 New Gesem               5    2   3    99   98   +1
5 Juvencus                5    1   4    88  164  −76
6 Sairona                 5    1   4    67  148  −81

Matchday 6
Chromatika 40-13 Sairona (Scored by Sylestone)
New Gesem 34-36 Gyatso-kai
South Newlandia 41-16 Juvencus

Standings after Six Games:

Group A                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Chromatika              6    6   0   171  105  +66
2 Gyatso-kai              6    4   2   183  119  +64
3 South Newlandia         6    4   2   191  111  +80
4 New Gesem               6    2   4   133  134   −1
5 Juvencus                6    1   5   104  205 −101
6 Sairona                 6    1   5    80  188 −108

Group B

Matchday 5
Banija 60–33 Allamunnic States
Sword Island 10–6 Sarzonia
Kohnhead 23–9 South Americanastan

Group B                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Kohnhead                   5    5   0   237  125 +112
2 Banija                     5    4   1   233  138  +95
3 Sword Island               5    2   3    61  181 −120
4 Sarzonia                   5    2   3   125  115  +10
5 South Americanastan        5    1   4    73   90  −17
6 Allamunnic States          5    1   4   110  190  −80

Matchday 6
Allamunnic States 23–35 South Americanastan
Kohnhead 9–41 Sarzonia
Sword Island 23–26 Banija

Standings after Six Games:

Group B                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Kohnhead                   6    5   1   246  166  +80
2 Banija                     6    5   1   259  161  +98
3 Sarzonia                   6    3   3   166  124  +42
4 Sword Island               6    2   4    84  207 −123
5 South Americanastan        6    2   4   108  113   −5
6 Allamunnic States          6    1   5   133  225  −92

Group C

Matchday 5
Saint Kanye 32–19 Squidroidia
HUElavia 24–23 TJUN-ia
Tlacocullco 26–32 Kriegiersien

Group C                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Saint Kanye                5    4   1   168   84  +84
2 Kriegiersien               5    4   1   142  122  +20
3 HUElavia                   5    3   2   151  157   −6
4 TJUN-ia                    5    2   3   120   83  +37
5 Squidroidia                5    1   4   107  137  −30
6 Tlacocullco                5    1   4    71  176 −105

Matchday 6
Squidroidia 17–13 Kriegiersien
Tlacocullco 13–16 TJUN-ia
HUElavia 40–26 Saint Kanye

Standings after Six Games:

Group C                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Saint Kanye                6    4   2   194  124  +70
2 Kriegiersien               6    4   2   155  139  +16
3 HUElavia                   6    4   2   191  183   +8
4 TJUN-ia                    6    3   3   136   96  +40
5 Squidroidia                6    2   4   124  150  −26
6 Tlacocullco                6    1   5    84  192 −108

Group D

Matchday 5
Ko-oren 24–6 Anthor
StrayaRoos 28–19 Cassadaigua
Ranoria 48–24 New Ontario Dominion

Group D                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Ranoria                    5    4   1   162  114  +48
2 Ko-oren                    5    3   2   103   68  +35
3 Anthor                     5    3   2   143   93  +50
4 StrayaRoos                 5    2   3   107  136  −29
5 Cassadaigua                5    2   3    96  105   −9
6 New Ontario Dominion       5    1   4    87  182  −95

Matchday 6
Anthor 29–3 New Ontario Dominion
Ranoria 19–30 Cassadaigua
StrayaRoos 21–16 Ko-oren

Standings after Six Games:

Group D                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Anthor                     6    4   2   172   96  +76
2 Ranoria                    6    4   2   181  144  +37
3 StrayaRoos                 6    3   3   128  152  −24
4 Cassadaigua                6    3   3   126  124   +2
5 Ko-oren                    6    3   3   119   89  +30
6 New Ontario Dominion       6    1   5    90  211 −121

Group E

Matchday 5
Delaclava 33–23 Quebec & Shingoryeo
Abanhfleft 31–10 Arjunnagar
The Jovannic 34–40 Drawkland

Group E                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Drawkland                  5    5   0   169   71  +98
2 Delaclava                  5    4   1   151  111  +40
3 Abanhfleft                 5    3   2   116  113   +3
4 Quebec & Shingoryeo        5    2   3   143  139   +4
5 Arjunnagar                 5    1   4   102  177  −75
6 The Jovannic               5    0   5   100  170  −70

Matchday 6
Quebec & Shingoryeo 26–46 Drawkland
The Jovannic 48–12 Arjunnagar
Abanhfleft 13–17 Delaclava

Standings after Six Games:

Group E                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Drawkland                  6    6   0   215   97 +118
2 Delaclava                  6    5   1   168  124  +44
3 Abanhfleft                 6    3   3   129  130   −1
4 Quebec & Shingoryeo        6    2   4   169  185  −16
5 The Jovannic               6    1   5   148  182  −34
6 Arjunnagar                 6    1   5   114  225 −111

---

The next cutoff window starts in 45 hours and 57 minutes. I do think it'll be near the end of the window, like tonight.

[Drawkland]

Dustin Beck had been pulled after halftime in the MD5 contest against The Jovannic, as the Corps held on to a 30-7 lead as the second quarter concluded. Caspian Casson, the #2 QB, performed well for two drives, throwing a TD pass to Donovan Hugo to increase the Drawkian lead. However, he would go down on an awkward sack midway through the third quarter, which tweaked his throwing shoulder. Not wanting to aggravate an injury, he was pulled from the game, and third string QB Lane Proudfoot would enter the field for his World Bowl debut.

This debut went pretty bad. Proudfoot's first drive as mostly a game manager went fine, but it would stall out around midfield and lead to a punt. All the awhile, The Jovannic's offense was starting to click and put some field goals on the board. Proudfoot would follow this drive with a fumble lost on a strip sack, giving the Jovannic team short field, which they turned into another touchdown. All of a sudden, the Grid Corps only had a 10-point lead with too much time left in the fourth quarter. They had to put together a good drive. Glenn Romano's scheming was subpar, however, and the Corps was quickly facing third and long, hoping to convert to keep churning clock and prevent the game getting within one score. Lane Proudfoot, seeing this predicament, did what any professional quarterback would do: throw a disgusting interception on a curl route that Jovannic DB Vackenn Wisteros read from the snap and turned into six on the runback.

The score was now 34-37, and Drawkland desperately needed a score to keep the game out of reach, if not burn the clock to zero without giving the ball back at all. Lane Proudfoot had pretty much caused this situation for the Corps, but Romano figured it was better to keep Proudfoot in and trust in the rest of the offense and the defense, rather than throwing in the now-cold Beck. At the behest of Proudfoot himself, fellow Cavsar alumni Mike Banks was rotated in to serve as the main halfback for the fateful drive. In a sight that was probably beautiful to all twelve Cavsar fans in existence, the NSCF 26 hero trio led the Corps down the field with efficiency. Mike Banks had a different enough running style to Jack Hoy and Matt Adams, which was enough to find gaps against the Jovannic front. Jonathan Kimbrough and Lane Proudfoot reactivated their old chemistry with a couple passes throughout the drive.

It came down to another third and long situation, this one on the edge of comfortable field goal range for David Merit. Needing 11 yards to get the first down, Proudfoot dug deep and connected with Kimbrough on a beautiful post route. The pass was threaded through a needle, and Kimbrough got a few extra yards before being brought down. It was a first down, and though the offense couldn't move the chains any further, it was much closer for Merit, and was able to take another minute off the clock. Merit booted the field goal successfully, making it a 7-point game with only two minutes to go. The Jovannic offense couldn't make it to the end zone in time, and Drawkland escaped with a win.

The next game came against Quebec & Shingoryeo, and it was somehow a bigger win than the one against The Jovannic. Dustin Beck once again exited the game early, but this time it was at the conclusion of the third quarter, and Drawkland held a 16-40 lead. Caspian Casson was still being held from play. The Grid Corps coaching staff (as well as his domestic team's coaches) didn't want to risk further injury by playing him in garbage time of a World Bowl group stage game, so instead Lane Proudfoot came onto the field once again. This time, he had no turnovers, and led the Corps to two field goal drives to fully ice the game.

---

Now it was the first day of the football work week. The Grid Corps returned from Quebec & Shingoryeo triumphant, Victory Monday and the break had come and gone. Of course, the World Bowl schedule was not as stressful as the domestic season in most cases, but for the Corps, it was expected that everybody take the campaign seriously.

Each position group got together and began their warmup drills. For the QBs, it was just Dustin Beck and Lane Proudfoot getting ready to run their passing routine. Casson was not present, still nursing his shoulder. Thus, it was just Dustin and Lane present at practice. As Lane went through the drill, Dustin regarded him carefully, making some mental notes. When Lane finished it, Dustin approached him with a friendly smile.

"Hey, man. I just want to say that you've really impressed me so far. You've got good poise for a young player, and a ton of confidence." Dustin made intentional eye contact, to ensure his point was getting across. This was really the first time the two had engaged in anything more than small talk.

"Thanks, but why wouldn't I be confident?" Lane looked away, collecting stray balls to run the drill again.

"Well, you had a pretty rocky start to your World Bowl tenure." Dustin chuckled a little bit, hoping his joking tone would get across. "I've seen the talk from pundits and across social media. It takes a really mature guy to tune all of that out and focus on your game."

"No offense, but duh." Lane turned to look back at Dustin, shrugging. "I couldn't care less anybody has to say. I got to play some snaps, and we won the games, there's nothing else for me to worry about."

"Surely you have to care about your performance a little bit." Dustin raised an eyebrow. "Listen, I'm impressed by your resilience under pressure, but don't get me wrong. You still have a long way to go in the mechanics and strategy departments."

"Do I, though?" Lane launched into the first phase of the drill, doing dropbacks from an under center position and sending the ball whizzing away in every direction. When he finished, he turned back to Dustin. "The scoreboard results speak for themselves. I've gotten the job done so far, so I'd say I'm in a pretty good spot."

"What?" Dustin had to stop himself from scoffing. "Don't you have a drive to improve? I watched you in the NSCF 26 season, you turned a corner to lead your team to the playoffs. You've clearly improved between then and now, given how well your RFL tenure has gone so far. You can't tell me you've been riding on only talent so far, you've clearly made strides in development before."

"That's the thing though, I'm not busting my balls every night and day, and I'm still getting everything I'm shooting for. Why would I put in more effort if it's not going to make a difference?"

"Dude, you haven't even won a ring. You didn't actually win a championship at Cavsar, either. Are those not your goals?"

"Just so we're clear on the score, you and I have the same number of NSCF titles." Lane shrugged again.

"That's not what I meant!" Dustin huffed. "You haven't won an RFL title either, surely that's on your to-do list. If you put in more work, with your talent, you could even win MVP!"

At those words, Lane burst into loud laughter. "MVP! My man, I am not a running back. I'm also not a quarterback whose last name starts with a G. My chances of winning MVP in the RFL are basically zero. Again, I'm not gonna risk my quality of life for a futile pipe dream."

"Do you have a problem with me or something?" Dustin stepped a bit closer to Lane and craned his head. "It feels like you're deliberately trying to piss me off. Being able to play quarterback at this level, for this amount of money and fame, it's a gift. It feels like you're spitting on it by just skirting by doing the bare minimum."

"On the contrary!" Lane turned to face him and pointed with his left hand. "I thank the heavens every night for giving me this gift. And then I pray that I'll remember how to get back home the morning after."

"Alright, but what about this team? The Corps?" Dustin vaguely gestured around the practice facility. "I'm gonna be retiring soon. There's not exactly a generational talent waiting in the wings, no offense. It's entirely likely that you could be leading the national team for a few cycles before the next superstar comes around. In that period of time, the Corps will still be expected to perform at a high level and threaten for World Bowl championships. I'm trying to help you improve as a player so that those potential cycles can be years of greatness rather than a stain on your legacy, and ours."

"Listen, Dusty, I think I'll be able to handle myself." Lane was holding a ball in his right hand, and used it to motion at Jack Hoy, who was walking across the turf towards the QB duo. "Based on my time at Cavsar and the RFL, it appears I work best when I've got a great running game behind me. Oh, and it seems like the greatest running back of all time just announced he'll be taking snaps for the rest of time. That, and my favorite receiving target has established himself as the best tight end in the league for what looks to be many years to come. I'm covered!"

"You are one piece of work ..." Dustin could only gape in disbelief.

"Don't hate the player, hate the game." Lane turned to Jack, who was now about 20 yards away, and fired a dart pass right into his chest.

"Hey fellas!" Jack caught the pass without flinching or even breaking his stride. "Coach wants to have the opening meeting 20 minutes early. Think you could wrap up your warmup in the next couple minutes?"

"Definitely," Lane responded immediately, walking forward to give Jack a fist bump. "We just got done here."

"Oh, we are not done here," Dustin muttered under his breath. Outwardly, he nodded and smiled, joining the other two on the walk to the conference room.

[TJUN-ia]

After another great win was paired with another tight loss, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia were 2-2 and feeling...iffy? Sure, they were winning games, but the two games they lost were both by very tight margins and were certainly tough to swallow in a group as tough as this one. This group has certainly shown its teeth across this first half and Gus McKerrin knows that getting out of it might be a bit of a challenge considering everything they have been through so far. Still, they had hope that Jake Griffin still had magic in that throwing arm of his and that's all that mattered...right?

A two-game road trip got underway, starting with the only opponent they were yet to play: #11 HUElavia. Our history with Raphael Schneiderman and the nation they hail from is certainly expansive, one with so many paged that a novel can be written. This game was, without question, tight as all hell and in the end, all it took was one point to change fates. Both teams managed 3 TDs in this contest, with Hubert Valois the target man for Griffin and Dylan de la Cruz doing the same for Maurício Pinto Machado. The main difference here was in the kickers, Chi On-Ma and Lutz Schulz. Chi made 2/3 PATs and a FG while Schulz went 3/3 and a FG. That missed PAT, from early in the game, cost us here...but no one is blaming Chi for this 24-23 loss at all. We end the first half 2-3 and seriously looking in trouble.

Then came MD6 and everything just happened. Both of the Top 2 ended up losing while we ended up in Tlacocuilco for our first rematch. This game was also a bit tight but this time, we actually managed to get away with the win and not have any worries about a late dagger. They did manage to score 2 TDs, with 1/2 PATs converted, but Griffin managed 2 TDs of his own, both via the brothers of Jack and Chris Davidson. Chi made 1/2 PATs, but did make a key FG that would give us that all-important 16-13.

Despite being 3-3, the Jaguars are only 1 game off the lead - a sign of just how cutthroat and brutal this group has become. We will host Kriegiersien next, looking for revenge for that OT loss in Week 2, before we make the trip to the newly-anarchical Squidroidia for should be a fun game. Things ain't over just yet, so don't turn that dial. We shall fight until there are no more games to fight over. GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group C)
MD1: vs Tlacocuilco (UR) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 31-6 (2nd/1-0)
MD2: @Kriegiersien (16) - Hall of Stone, Aturim Deephides Stonecutter School L 13-13 (19-22OT) (2nd/1-1)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD3: vs Squidroidia (29) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 41-17 (3rd/2-1)
MD4: vs Saint Kanye (8) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington L 6-14 (3rd/2-2)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD5: @HUElavia (11) L 23-24 (4th/2-3)
MD6: @Tlacocuilco (UR) W 16-13 (4th/3-3)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD7: vs Kriegiersien (16) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington
MD8: @Squidroidia (29)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD9: @Saint Kanye (8) - Surge Field at Pencurve Electronics Stadium, Kardashia
MD10: vs HUElavia (11) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington

[Gyatso-kai]

.:: From the ASPN Blog After Thoughts in a Blip ::.
0059 hours, 16 September 2022.3

Now, I'll be the first to tell you that I know almost next-to-nothing about gridiron.

I know, I know... Based on the Mandalorian sport gaan'shuk, you would think that I -- having grown up in the stronghold of Mandalorian culture -- would have found myself at least playing gaan'shuk in school, or getting dragged to games with friends, or even sharing the practice field in the fall months with the local secondary school teams when I played football...

But no. Rarely even caught a game.

I mean, sure, I know the basics. A touchdown is six points, you get an additional point attempt after scoring which can either be a one-point field goal -- which are worth three if you make one when you have possession of the ball -- or a two-point attempt. There's a quarterback who throws or passes the ball, a center who chucks the ball between his legs at the quarterback, some really big guys stop the opponents from getting to the quarterback.

But frankly... that's all I got.

Now, Me'ren Shovak, the guy who's in the cubicle across from mine on the pressfloor... That man loves the sport. All he has been talking about this week are the Boarqupines and how they've been doing in the World Bowl. Apparently, they keep splitting the matchdays -- winning one, losing one, winning one, and so on -- though the ceremony for opening on Matchday 04 which was held at the Bison Bowl was quite impressive for Me'ren. Not to mention the impressive victory for Gyatso-kai in a group of 'holy nations', as my coworker likes to point out. Though, for Matchday 05 and 06, the Boarqupines managed to win both their games, including the first double victory over a team in the group stage; New Gesem, a team ranked slightly higher than Gyatso-kai, put up quite the fight in the sixth matchday, though it would be the Boarqupines who would carry away victory by two points.

Small victory, But victory nonetheless.

Of course, as I type this, Me'ren is trying to get us tickets for the final matchday to be hosted in Imiam -- Matchday 07 against Sairona. It is a bit away in Hajak'ai, though I have been curious about one of the first purpose-built gridiron stadiums in Gyatso-kai...

Not to mention, I have some family I can stay with in Imaim City. Well, the live just outside of Imaim, in a suburb named Fort Dalr'laud... but still. Me'ren and I Can fly into to Imaim the night before, sleep in a bit, take the twenty minute drive into the main city, enjoy the game, maybe take the following day off and take him to see the province since Me'ren grew up in Llanfair in Olankur, which of course is on the exact opposite end of the Avatarian Republics...

Always nice to corrupt a Northern Mando with our dirty Southern ways.

That's all for tonight. I've got to wake early for a meeting tomorrow, regarding the World Cup of Hockey assignment. After winning two cups back-to-back, I'm really hoping I can pull the lead assignment, and get to go for a fourth consecutive tournament, and maybe get to see history made again up close.

One can only hope...

---

[Cassadaigua]

The good and the ugly,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

I am still sitting here trying to understand what happened in StrayaRoos. Why did this country, with the annoy capital “R” in the middle of it without proper spacing have little difficulty moving the ball against our defense. Things did not go smoothly in the first four games, but you would not have expected the Taipans, as they are called, to have this level of success. The Fillies would win the opening coin toss, and deferred, hoping to have a nice defensive stand and enjoy the benefit of receiving the ball to begin the second half. Instead, they could not contain the players who I must admit I had a hard time following. They are simply listed as a group of names, but we knew the quarterback was a man named Brady. He would have our secondary looking like a group of goats wandering around with their heads cut off. He would lead the team down the field 80 yards on the opening possession, taking an efficient seven minutes off the lock to make it 7-0. Then, after the Fillies went three and out, he pretty much did the same thing again, making it 14-0 in favor of the home side. But things were not done there for the first half, as although the Fillies got on the board with a 46-yard field goal from Jenna Lewis, Brady shot down the defense again as if on a pirate ship, making it 21-3, leaving the patriotic StrayaRoos fans in the stands thrilled over the events.

The Fillies did receive to begin the second half, but again could only kick the ball through the uprights, with the distance on this one being 37 yards. Down 21-6, things were not going well, but we started to see the tide of things change. The defense was finally able to contain the home side, and the offense began moving the ball a little better. Eventually, with just 44 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Cassadaigua found the end zone on a Brittany Carrington 19-yard pass to Jessica Rowan to make it 21-13. A little surprisingly, that is the first touchdown reception for Rowan during the World Bowl. Following the score, Cassadaigua continued to hold up well on defense, and eventually the offense found the end zone again, with Carrington finding Ava Becker in the end zone from 14 yards. The Fillies went for two to try and tie up the game, but Morgan Phillips was unable to punch it in, leaving it at 21-19 with 6:34 remaining. There would still be time if the defense could hold up but Brady did Brady things and led the Taipans down the field again, with a crushing touchdown to make it 28-19 with 2:28 left. Perhaps still enough time, but the pink and black could do nothing with it.

Following this crushing defeat, there is no one that could be happy and with Ranoria next on the schedule, things had the potential to go from bad to ugly. At the massive 121,000-plus seat Karmin-Falce Superdome in Ranoria City, home fans were eager to root on their team against an opponent they’ve really only played on neutral sites. Older fans can remember what has happened in World Bowls past when the teams met, but everyone knew that the Krauts took care of business in the opener even if 35-year old John Garrett was well contained. Surely, the veteran quarterback would look to make amends for that, and the home crowd was ready to show their support for him. You could speak to some of their fans, as I did before the game, and you will hear that many want to see what Vallienté Wagner-Young can do in the World Bowl, but for now this is Garrett’s team. I guess the mindset is the same with Cassadaigua and Brittany Carrington. She’s been okay, but not great, and in our first World Bowl back, should we be so committed to her now or should we play Chrissy Berkman or Tori Grasso just to see what they have?

Ranoria won the coin toss, and opted to defer, leaving the Fillies to get the opening kick and for a while Brittany Carrington did a good job leading the team inside the Ranoria 30, but could get no further than that. No big worries, take the Jenna Lewis 43-yard field goal and the 3-0 lead when you are on the road in a game like this. On their first possession, Garrett would pretty much put together a similar drive for the Krauts, looking good before stalling, and this early in the game, you kick the 38 yard field goal and move on. This would prove to be the right decision for the home side as two holding penalties on the Fillies our next possession backed us up to our own five, and on 1st and 25, Carrington would be sacked in the end zone by Gideon Kearse, making it 5-3. The Krauts continued that momentum as finally John Garrett drove his team into the end zone against us, though a one yard run by Apollo Esther was the scoring play to make it 12-3.

Then, something happened. Then, the good Fillies suddenly appeared in Ranoria City and took it to the Krauts. It started simply, and not many would have been worried when Jenna Lewis made it 12-6 with a 50-yard field goal, but after a three and out, Brittany Carrington looked like the quarterback she is in Cassadaigua, not the one she has been in the World Bowl, calmly and efficiently leading the team down the field for 84 yards, culminating in a 6-yard run by Morgan Phillips to make it 13-12. There would be one more drive, just before the end of the half that was moving along well enough to have ended up in the end zone, but there was not enough time on the clock to do so. With Ranoria receiving to begin the second half, you take Jenna Lewis’ third field goal of the half, this from 42, to make it 16-12.

If the home fans were hoping that halftime would fire up their heroes on the field, they would be disappointed that it only seemed to do so for the opponents with the pink helmets. Garrett moved the ball past the 50, but would be intercepted by Hannah Chapman to end the drive. You have to credit Chapman here, because it was a well thrown ball intended for Khalil Hauptmann that Chapman simply had an excellent read on to make the pick. With the ball, Carrington again was on the money leading the Fillies, completing all six passes she attempted, including the 15-yard strike to Allie Raymond to make it 23-12. Following that, again the Fillies would hold the Krauts, and again they would march down the field, with Carrington throwing a second touchdown pass to Raymond, this from 25 yards, and shockingly, Cassadaigua was up 30-12 with 3:08 remaining in the third quarter.

Several World Bowls ago, this would still have been a surprise, give the 18-point margin and now 27 unanswered points, but in this World Bowl, it was a complete shock. Each team would have one more possession where they did nothing, leaving 12:30 on the clock in the fourth when the Krauts entered Vallienté Wagner-Young. Those remaining in the stands gave him a loud cheer, and Wagner-Young was able to drive the Krauts down the field and into the red zone on the first possession before the team went for 4th and 2 from the Cassadaigua 11. At this point, a field goal is not going to do anything for you, although some would argue, “well, it would be 15 points and a two score game”, and maybe going for it will be questioned, but I believe it was the right call. The play that was called, maybe not as much, as Eric Acosta snuffed it out perfectly and stopped it at the line of scrimmage. The Fillies ran some more clock off, and when Ranoria got the ball again, they only had 5:57 to work with. Wagner-Young got the team in the end zone to make it 30-19 with still 4:11 to go, but he would not be able to touch the ball again. The late game ball control and running off the clock by the Fillies worked with perfect precision, and the team made some amends with a win.

These two games, like we have seen before, are probably what we should have expected in our return. Flashes of greatness, flashes of frustration but no matter what happens in the remaining games, this game against Ranoria will be watched over and over to build confidence and the believe that it’s not a matter of if we get back to the high level, it’s a matter of when.

[Delaclava]

Meeting between Coach Frank Newman and team psychologist Graham Bee, in the days following Delaclava's 17-13 road win over Abanhfleft.

"Dr. Bee, thank you for meeting with me, and thank you for the time you've spent with them over the past few weeks."
"My pleasure, they're a fine group of men. Also, because of my hourly rate."
"Yes, you're a class act as always. Now, I just want to be sure, you're allowed to be talking about these things with me? I don't want a lawsuit on their hands."
"The DGA's lawyers drew it all up, all the players understood and agreed that my services were being rendered in connection with their capacity on the team and that I would share my limited findings."
"They were really all fine with that?"
"Well, some more than others, but what are they gonna do, not be on the Phoenixes? They can go be two-dollar strippers in backwater Xenia for all I care."
"I, uh, think... are you sure you're giving me objective clinical observations here."
"Yes, it's a joke! A common expression."
"Right... So, what can you tell me about Michael Willis' progress?"

"It's a funny thing, when we first spoke, he was dealing with a lot of pressure, a lot of frustration. He struggled mightily with anxiety, especially in interpersonal situations, spanning both in unpredictable settings like press conferences, but even social anxiety with his friends and teammates. Remarkably, he's made great strides in accepting his new role and has shown a really positive outlook."
"That is interesting. I feel that his play has regressed a bit. It's not as focused as it was."
"You see, Coach, this is a phenomenon I've seen with some athletes in my line of work, it hasn't caught on in many psychology circles, but I call it 'running on pure hate'. We see athletes actually perform quite well when they have a lot of anger and resentment, whether that's in their personal or professional lives. It's very similar to the 'tortured genius' concept you see among many of the great musicians and artists. I hate to say it, but I actually regret treating him. With your blessing, I'd like to consider some electro-excitation therapy to try to bring back some of that 'pure hate'."
"What are you talking about? Look, I love that kid, I want him to be happy. I'm not going to authorize some experimental treatment to win a game. He's still one of the best QB's in the world anyway."
"It's not experimental, it's been proven very effective among dogs and sadomasochists."
"Are you talking about... a shock collar?"
"The technical term is a cervical charge transmitter."
"Whatever. It's not happening. Give him some time. What about Taurus Wright?"

"Well, outwardly, he's seemed very at peace in his sobriety and with his career, but in truth, he's dealing with some real feelings of ennui."
"Ennui. Great word."
"Thank you. His discontent with his calmer life has really been apparent. I think he sees some of the successes he hasn't managed to have yet, his prime is closing, and he figures, he might as well have lived his life more like Deondre Rhine or Lane Proudfoot."
"Are you kidding? Those guys are bums."
"Well, I know they'd say the same about him."
"I'm sure they would. You know Proudfoot's a virgin?"
"You know what my hourly rate is, and you want to spend your time talking about all the sex Proudfoot hasn't had?"
"Right, good point."
"I know he retired and came back, but I fear he's doing something we call 'quiet retirement'. It's what we call it when he does only what's expected of him and doesn't push above and beyond."
"I... don't really know what to do with that information."
"I have suggested he go out and peg someone who's not his wife. That might help."
"Finally, a suggestion I can get on board with. That's what we did back when we were young men!"
"Right?! These zoomers are soft, talking about true love and feelings. Turn off the sitcoms and go talk to a girl!"
"Or a guy."
"Oh, of course. Preferably both."

"Anyone else I should be concerned about? What about the defensive guys? They've not been so sharp lately."
"Well, I think I've found out why they're tackling so softly."
"Oh?"
"Yes, their mothers starved them for affection so much that I think they're just trying to go for a hug instead of a hard hit."
"That is... pathetic, but believable. What's your solution?"
"I have suggested they go out and peg someone—"
"Is that your main suggestion?"
"Here's something you need to understand, Frank Newman. All life is sex. And all sex is competition. And there are no rules to that game. Now, once they can conquer that competition, a World Bowl title won't seem so overwhelming. Or even making a single tackle with the manifest intent of knocking the opponent down."
"That made... a surprising amount of sense."
"I earn my reputation. And my fee."

"Sure. What about Kieran Conley?"
"Kickers are house plants. You just have to feed them, water them, give them enough sunlight, put them front and center when company comes over, then put them back away when they wilt."
"Don't you think you lost the metaphor there a little bit?"
"No doubt. But Kieran's actually one of the most well-centered players on your team. A good amount of maturity. I know he's had some rough moments, some missed kicks, and he's really made peace with those failures and been very strong."
"Well, that's quite good to hear. So that's it."
"Yes."
"...that's not it, is it?"
"Look, my methods get results."
"Oh, come on!... Alright, I'd heard enough. Thank you for your time."
"Always a pleasure. I'll be back next week?"
"Yeah, I guess. You know the way out?"
"I do."

"Coach, if I might add one more thing..."
"Yes?"
"I spoke with Mr. Hahn, and it appears he is dealing with a number of addictions - weed, amphetamines, hallucinogens - as well as some pretty serious attachment issues—"
"Yeah, don't worry about that."

[Chromatika]

Gwenderyn, Offense Gets Hot as Iron Legion Sweeps Unranked Opponents

When the schedule for the World Bowl Group Stage was announced, all of Chromatika noticed one stretch - Game 5 away at Juvencus and Game 6 at home against Sairona. That would be two unranked sides in a row, and a great time for Chromatika to get its act together in order to get ready for the second round of matches against South Newlandia, Gyatso-kai, and New Gesem.

Up to this point, Gwenderyn had been harried; up to this point, the team had had to clutch out wins at the last moment. No longer, though, as Chromatika got wins of 13 and 27 points to lead themselves to two very comfortable wins as the Offense raced out to a lead, the Defense forced turnovers, and the game never got within two possessions.

The game against Juvencus was essentially over after the first half. Chromatika led 17-3, and as soon as they raced to a 24-3 lead, it didn't matter that Juvencus would get garbage-time touchdowns against Chromatika's second string players; what mattered was the massive lead and the thirteen point victory.

Then, at home against Unranked Sairona, the Chromatika raced out to a 24-0 lead at halftime and never looked back, with Gwenderyn posting 31 of 41 for 410 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. Sure, the Iron Legion had to settle for four Field Goals, but in a game where the opposition never got close, it was more than enough for the victory.

The wins put Chromatika atop the group with the potential of even more - of potentially even being the #1 seed in the entire competition when the playoff stage kicks in in Chromatika. The ultimate goal is to return to the Henza Center, and the team is fully aware of it.

"They were nice tune-ups for the matches ahead," stated Gwenderyn about the matches against unranked sides, "But harder matches lie ahead and we cannot be complacent."

[Chromatika]

Cutoff has been delayed to allow others to post as the change in cutoff schedule was sudden.

[Saint Kanye]

"The road to success isn't always a smooth one. Sometimes you encounter some bumps, some difficulties. Ours was a big one, but we won't let that stop us. All we need to do is deal with what we've been given, overcome, adapt. I think we have the right parts to do so."

Thus spoke St. Kanye Surge head coach Jeff Delphine at the end of their 26-40 loss against HUElavia, the sixth matchup in their World Bowl 45 group stage schedule. The HUElavians were able to get revenge on their Yeezie counterparts after the latter blew out the former 55-13 during the tournament opener at Surge Field, thanks to two bruising touchdown runs by Chidi Uche and a blocked field goal returned for a TD (a "kick six") by Hirofumi Oogami. Sure, St. Kanye don't always win at the World Bowl and they just put their losses aside and prepare for next week, but it would be tough for them this time around, as they lost star wideout Bruce Dobler to an injury, a broken left foot to be exact, early in the second quarter of the game.

A 32-19 win over Squidroidia the previous week and this tough result this week made for a three-team logjam at first place in Group C, with the Surge, HUElavia, and Kriegiersien all sporting 4-2 records. Three teams from each of the five groups will make the cut for the Round of Sixteen, with the best fourth place finisher claiming the final spot. "We can't rely on that," said Coach Delphine. "We have to stick to our winning ways and get as high of a seed as possible. We may have lost Bruce for the rest of the tournament, and while the team and I were indeed saddened, we can't just lose hope. We have more than capable replacements for him as he recovers. I personally believe this is young Deshawn [Fredericks] time to shine. Pat[rick Moore] will remain where he performs best, on the opposite side.

---

1Q SQU KR1 90 kick return (Kick failed) SQU 6-0
The underdogs (undersquids?) from Squidroidia struck first, returning the opening kick for six points, but they would not make it seven, the point after sailing wide left.

1Q STK Dobler 23 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 7-6
Surge star quarterback R.J. Linetti dodged a defender, and then another, finally throwing on the run to Dobler. It was an amazing catch as well as "BD12" grabbed the ball just inches from the sideline, taking care not to get pushed out of bounds as he took it to the house, but unfortunately, this could prove to be his final catch of the tournament.

1Q STK Safety, Carver tackled RB1 in end zone STK 9-6
Left end Simon Carver added a couple more points to the Yeezies' tally as he brought the opposing running back down in the end zone for a safety. He ended up being the man of the match for the defense, tackling opponents for a loss five times and sacking the quarterback twice and a half (the half was with nose tackle Robby Edison's help).

2Q SQU WR1 25 pass from QB1 (Kick failed) SQU 12-9
From being down by three, the visitors went up by three, their quarterback connecting with their primary wide receiver for a twenty five-yard gain. This time, the PAT missed wide right.

2Q STK Linetti 13 run (Rasputin kick) STK 16-12
Seeing no receivers open, Linetti made the play with his legs for a TD in the red zone and the lead back to the Surge.

2Q STK field goal Rasputin 27 STK 19-12
James Rasputin capped off the half with a rather short field goal as time expired.

3Q STK Sherman 43 run (Rasputin kick) STK 26-12
Midway through the third period, the Flyer defense were able to make Noah Sherman fumble, but he recovered it himself; on the next play, he would protect the ball better, and not only that, make it a two-possession game.

3Q STK field goal Rasputin 48 STK 29-12

4Q STK field goal Rasputin 51 STK 32-12
Rasputin added a pair of long field goals to increase the lead to twenty late in the game.

4Q SQU WR1 6 pass from QB1 (K kick) STK 32-19
Squidroidia scored one final time before the whistle sounded. Third time would prove to be the charm for their kicker, as the extra point attempt went straight through the uprights this time around.

---

1Q HUE Obasie 22 pass from Chaupin (Schulz kick) HUE 7-0
1Q STK Johns 88 kick return (Rasputin kick) Tie 7-7
The HUElavians got on the scoreboard first with an Obasie reception, but the Yeezies were able to tie things up at seven upon returning the ensuing kickoff.

2Q STK Jeffers 17 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 14-7
Linetti made the defense bite on a fake handoff to Sherman, instead lobbing a pass to his trusty tight end Hussein Jeffers for the score.

2Q HUE Uche 65 run (Schulz kick) Tie 14-14
2Q HUE field goal Schulz 32 HUE 17-14
2Q HUE Oogami 72 return of blocked field goal (Kick failed) HUE 23-14
The home team scored sixteen unanswered points, unfortunately, starting with the first of Uche's two runs, then a field goal by Lutz Schulz, and finally Oogami's kick six on Rasputin's attempt to tie the game before halftime.

3Q STK field goal Rasputin 53 HUE 23-17
3Q HUE Uche 35 run (Schulz kick) HUE 30-17
3Q STK field goal Rasputin 49 HUE 30-20
Rasputin made up for his kick being blocked earlier, sinking two long FGs in the second half like he did last week at Surge Field. Uche's other run made sure his team was still ahead though, by ten points at that.

4Q HUE De la Cruz 18 pass from Chaupin (Schulz kick) HUE 37-20
Another strike by Chaupin, this time to Dylan De La Cruz, complicated things for the Surge's comeback. Aidan O'Connor was called for defensive pass interference on this one, with many of the Yeezie fans not buying it and making their section of the stadium erupt in loud boos.

4Q STK M. Jackson 3 run (Two-point conversion failed) HUE 37-26
Fullback Marco Jackson burst through the HUElavian defense on first and goal, but it was not enough to prevent the upset. Linetti's pass to Jeffers was batted down, and they wouldn't get the two points.

4Q HUE field goal Schulz 30 HUE 40-26
Another kick by Schulz hammered the final nail in the coffin for St. Kanye, but they were gracious losers and exchanged hugs, handshakes and even jerseys with their tormentors in the end.

---

Up next for the boys in purple and lime is a chance to get back at newcomers Tlacocuilco (1-5) for narrowly taking them down in Matchday 2, and then a rematch with Kriegiersien, whom they beat convincingly the following week. "Each game here is crucial. We can't afford to take it easy just yet, especially not in this group where there's three of us at the top and the best ranked team (TJUN-ia) just below us," Coach Delphine declared. "We'll continue to work hard, study tape, think up strategies, even despite the absence of one of our anchors on offense. That said, get well soon, Bruce."

---

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| MD | Opponent      | Rank | Uniform        | Score   | Record | Place |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 1  | HUElavia      | 11   | Purple/Purple  | w 55-13 |  1-0   |       |
| 2  | @Tlacocuilco  | UR   | White/Purple   | L 30-33 |  1-1   |  4th  |
| 3  | Kriegiersien  | 16   | Purple/Black   | W 37-13 |  2-1   |  1st  |
| 4  | @TJUN-ia      | 4    | Purple/Purple* | W 14- 6 |  3-1   |  1st  |
| 5  | Squidroidia   | 29   | Purple/Purple  | W 32-19 |  4-1   |  1st  |
| 6  | @HUElavia     | 11   | White/Purple   | L 26-40 |  4-2   |  1st  |
| 7  | Tlacocuilco   | UR   | Purple/Black   |         |        |       |
| 8  | @Kriegiersien | 16   | Purple/Purple**|         |        |       |
| 9  | TJUN-ia       | 4    | White/White*   |         |        |       |
| 10 | @Squidroidia  | 29   | White/Purple   |         |        |       |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ranoria]

Krauts To Turn To Vallienté Wagner-Young Amidst Concerns Over Garrett's Shoulder - Young Passer Scores Touchdown Late Against Resurgent Fillies


Vallienté Wagner-Young tossed a touchdown to a fellow graduate of a Banijan NSCF school in his only drive against the Fillies - his first start will come against Ko-oren

It was another uninspiring showing from our beloved Farmboy against Cassadaigua in the Superdome - the Fillies were always going to be tough, and with a few games under their belt now to establish some chemistry, they were more than ready to come out and win their rubber match against the Krauts. In what was - by far - our highest scoring game against this team, the silenced a 120,000+ strong crowd by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. The backbreaker, for Garrett, came on his seventh interception in just six games, with Hannah Chapman jumping the route against Khalil Hauptmann, setting her offense with good field position to run this thing up to 30-12.

That would do it for John Garrett - the Ranorian legend - aside from that first showing against the Dragonflies - just hasn't been playing up to his standard. Amidst a ton of criticism, fans across the country were calling for Northern Moravica alumn Wagner-Young to come in even after our first loss, but they got their wish. The big-armed quarterback hit Khalil Hauptmann for a 17 yard touchdown in garbage time on a nonetheless impressive drive, but his first start is as tough a draw as you can ask for - he's getting thrown right into the fire against a Dragonflies team hungry for payback after a 30-7 dismantling in week 2.

"We're confident that Vallienté can get the job done," said HC Raul Nieler, "All three of the quarterbacks we have on this roster are more than ready to play, we're just sitting Garrett for the playoffs - our training staff is concerned that his shoulder injury has bled through into this World Bowl season, and that seems to be what's happening. John's normally extremely safe with the ball, and it's always been injuries that jack those numbers up."

Wagner-Young is a perennial all-star type player in the GFLB for the Sisonke Leopards and he's had a couple seasons now as the second string to be familiar with this system. "John's our starter," he insisted at a press conference, "I'm not trying to take Farmboy's job, just hold down the fort."

He wasn't however, Garrett's most vocal supporter - that would be his wife, Sarah, who took to social media for the first time in years after widespread criticism of her husband.

@SarahGarrett Enough bashing John - he was the face of the Richardson Governors when they were the first team to ever compete internationally for our country, and he was the one who brought us our first two international titles. He's dinged up, but he's always bounced back- please show some respect.

[Chromatika]

Who clinches their ticket to Chromatika? Cutoff for Matchdays 7-8.

---

Group A - games including Chromatika scored by Tumbra, other games scored by Chromatika, tabulated using table generator.

Matchday 7
South Newlandia 47–37 Chromatika
Juvencus 17–26 New Gesem
Gyatso-kai 30–23 Sairona

Group A                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika              7    6   1   208  152  +56
2 Gyatso-kai              7    5   2   213  142  +71
3 South Newlandia         7    5   2   238  148  +90
4 New Gesem               7    3   4   159  151   +8
5 Juvencus                7    1   6   121  231 −110
6 Sairona                 7    1   6   103  218 −115

Matchday 8
Chromatika 27–17 Gyatso-kai
Sairona 10–44 Juvencus
New Gesem 9–25 South Newlandia

Standings after Eight Games:

Group A                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika              8    7   1   235  169  +66 CLINCHED PLAYOFFS
2 South Newlandia         8    6   2   263  157 +106 CLINCHED PLAYOFFS
3 Gyatso-kai              8    5   3   230  169  +61
4 New Gesem               8    3   5   168  176   −8
5 Juvencus                8    2   6   165  241  −76 ELIMINATED
6 Sairona                 8    1   7   113  262 −149 ELIMINATED

Group B

Matchday 7
Sword Island 9–33 Allamunnic States
Banija 46–29 Kohnhead
Sarzonia 32–6 South Americanastan

Group B                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Banija                     7    6   1   305  190 +115
2 Kohnhead                   7    5   2   275  212  +63
3 Sarzonia                   7    4   3   198  130  +68
4 South Americanastan        7    2   5   114  145  −31
5 Allamunnic States          7    2   5   166  234  −68
6 Sword Island               7    2   5    93  240 −147

Matchday 8
Allamunnic States 33–40 Sarzonia
South Americanastan 44–26 Banija
Kohnhead 41–17 Sword Island

Standings after Eight Games:

Group B                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Banija                     8    6   2   331  234  +97 CLINCHED PLAYOFFS
2 Kohnhead                   8    6   2   316  229  +87 CLINCHED PLAYOFFS
3 Sarzonia                   8    5   3   238  163  +75
4 South Americanastan        8    3   5   158  171  −13
5 Allamunnic States          8    2   6   199  274  −75 ELIMINATED
6 Sword Island               8    2   6   110  281 −171 ELIMINATED

Group C

Matchday 7
HUElavia 41–7 Squidroidia
Saint Kanye 37–14 Tlacocullco
TJUN-ia 60–7 Kriegiersien

Group C                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Saint Kanye                7    5   2   231  138  +93
2 HUElavia                   7    5   2   232  190  +42
3 TJUN-ia                    7    4   3   196  103  +93
4 Kriegiersien               7    4   3   162  199  −37
5 Squidroidia                7    2   5   131  191  −60
6 Tlacocullco                7    1   6    98  229 −131

Matchday 8
Squidroidia 10–6 TJUN-ia
Kriegiersien 3–38 Saint Kanye
Tlacocullco 6–21 HUElavia

Standings after Eight Games:

Group C                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Saint Kanye                8    6   2   269  141 +128
2 HUElavia                   8    6   2   253  196  +57
3 TJUN-ia                    8    4   4   202  113  +89
4 Kriegiersien               8    4   4   165  237  −72
5 Squidroidia                8    3   5   141  197  −56
6 Tlacocullco                8    1   7   104  250 −146 ELIMINATED

Group D

Matchday 7
StrayaRoos 33–19 Anthor
Ko-oren 40–7 Ranoria
Cassadaigua 24–7 New Ontario Dominion

Group D                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Ranoria                    7    4   3   188  184   +4
2 StrayaRoos                 7    4   3   161  171  −10
3 Cassadaigua                7    4   3   150  131  +19
4 Ko-oren                    7    4   3   159   96  +63
5 Anthor                     7    4   3   191  129  +62
6 New Ontario Dominion       7    1   6    97  235 −138

Matchday 8
Anthor 48–52 Cassadaigua
New Ontario Dominion 9–12 Ko-oren
Ranoria 34–12 StrayaRoos

Standings after Eight Games:

Group D                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Cassadaigua                8    5   3   202  179  +23
2 Ranoria                    8    5   3   222  196  +26
3 Ko-oren                    8    5   3   171  105  +66
4 Anthor                     8    4   4   239  181  +58
5 StrayaRoos                 8    4   4   173  205  −32
6 New Ontario Dominion       8    1   7   106  247 −141 ELIMINATED

Group E

Matchday 7
Abanhfleft 10–19 Quebec & Shingoryeo
Delaclava 27–17 The Jovannic
Arjunnagar 31–23 Drawkland

Group E                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Drawkland                  7    6   1   238  128 +110
2 Delaclava                  7    6   1   195  141  +54
3 Quebec & Shingoryeo        7    3   4   188  195   −7
4 Abanhfleft                 7    3   4   139  149  −10
5 Arjunnagar                 7    2   5   145  248 −103
6 The Jovannic               7    1   6   165  209  −44

Matchday 8
Quebec & Shingoryeo 20–3 Arjunnagar
Drawkland 38–21 Delaclava
The Jovannic 17–31 Abanhfleft

Standings after Eight Games:

Group E                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Drawkland                  8    7   1   276  149 +127 CLINCHED PLAYOFFS
2 Delaclava                  8    6   2   216  179  +37
3 Quebec & Shingoryeo        8    4   4   208  198  +10
4 Abanhfleft                 8    4   4   170  166   +4
5 Arjunnagar                 8    2   6   148  268 −120
6 The Jovannic               8    1   7   182  240  −58 ELIMINATED

[TJUN-ia]

After ANOTHER tight loss was paired with a tight win, the Gridiron Jagaurs of TJUN-ia found themselves in the pecular situation of being 3-3 but still only 1 game back of the group lead as Group C has turned into a Gauntlet To End All Gauntlets. Anyone can seemingly beat anyone is this fucking group and while that is certainly a storm we are currently in, Gus McKerrin wasn't just going to let the chaos consume us all. We have to fight for our place in the Playoffs...and maybe, that will make the achievement of making it all the more sweeter?

Game 1, Kriegiersien in The Gardens. The Field of Dreams was certainly packed for this one, a chance to get revenge against these Agents of Chaos at home. Silly Deepdottar certainly brought it, but the only points they managed to score across the time allotted were because of two FGs from Tungdil Bigfoot. We just decided that they weren't going to have any fun today and we hung 60 on them. SIXTY! Jake Griffin managed 8 TDs today, with Hubert Valois, Jack and Chris Davidson and Vinny Mac getting 2 each. Chi On-Ma made 6/8 PATs, but did also get 2 FGs to add to this drubbing we produced. This performance felt like the pain from the past being lifted off our shoulders...and we felt like maybe, we can do something now?

And then came Round 2 of the Apple Cup, on the road in Squidroidia. We beat this team 41-17 on MD3, but this game certainly wasn't going to be a repeat of that one as the Inkings came to fight. We only managed to produce 6 points in this game, 2 Chi FGs, while those Kids and Squid did their magic with a TD, a FG and a PAT. They managed a field storm too, but that's understandable - this was their 3rd win of the year after all. We got bested by Kids and Squids...but are still 3rd, because this group is fucking chaos.

Two more games to go - Saint Kanye in Kardashia and HUElavia in New Washington, the top 2 in this group getting to decide the fate of these Gridiron Jags. We need to fight for our lives as everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, will depend on those 120 minutes of Gridiron Football. The Surge and HUElavia hold our fate in their hands...wish us luck. GO JAGS!

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SCHEDULE (Group C)
MD1: vs Tlacocuilco (UR) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 31-6 (2nd/1-0)
MD2: @Kriegiersien (16) - Hall of Stone, Aturim Deephides Stonecutter School L 13-13 (19-22OT) (2nd/1-1)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD3: vs Squidroidia (29) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 41-17 (3rd/2-1)
MD4: vs Saint Kanye (8) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington L 6-14 (3rd/2-2)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD5: @HUElavia (11) L 23-24 (4th/2-3)
MD6: @Tlacocuilco (UR) W 16-13 (4th/3-3)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD7: vs Kriegiersien (16) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 60-7 (3rd/4-3)
MD8: @Squidroidia (29) L 6-10 (3rd/4-4)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD9: @Saint Kanye (8) - Surge Field at Pencurve Electronics Stadium, Kardashia
MD10: vs HUElavia (11) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington

[Ko-oren]

Opinion, Elisabeth Visser: Back to Winning Ways

Batterink got some flak after the national team started worse than good in the World Bowl. Everyone knows that we don't get good until we have our backs against the wall, so facing elimination and then winning two games, including a huge win over arguably the best team in the World Bowl - well, that's peak Dragonflies football and if you don't like it, you can support Drawkland or Banija or Chromatika and enjoy your easy wins. We play our games as close as it gets, and Batterink has, in my opinion, reacted pretty well to what he's seen on the field and made the tweaks needed to improve the team. Instead of too little, too late, it's 'just enough, right on time', which is still not great, but it's alright. Still, in a tough group D that ensures you of nothing: two games left and five teams are 5-3 or 4-4 and whichever teams go at least 1-1 in their final two fixtures will go to the next round.

Ko-oren v Cassadaigua, @ Anthor - a doable schedule against a team that's getting used to the World Bowl again, and a team that looks like bowing out.
Ranoria v Anthor, @ New Ontario Dominion - an easy schedule against the eliminated team and an Anthor team that we expected more from.
Cassadaigua @ Ko-oren, v StrayaRoos - a tough enough schedule against a surging Dragonfly team and an unpredictable StrayaRoos team.
StrayaRoos v New Ontario Dominion, @ Cassadaigua - a very easy schedule on paper, with low ranked and unranked teams.
Anthor @ Ranoria, v Ko-oren - oh, oh no

If Anthor make it, coming from 4-4, versus those two opponents, it 1) means we're not making it but 2) I'd be fully ok with that at that point because 3) they're having like 4 of the last 6 or 7 World Bowls over for coffee. At the same time, winning one of those (and they're probably beating us, aren't they) could easily put them in fourth over StrayaRoos and maybe third if one of the 5-3 teams mess up. Ranoria are almost guaranteed a 6-4 or 7-3 finish. Cassadaigua will likely go 6-4, and so will we, and that's the top three pretty much in place.

Reverse Ranoria Rout; Narrow New Ontario Dominion

Two wildly different results versus Ranoria, with the Dragonflies winning this edition of a growing list of RAN-KOR games. Masman was near perfect on the day, thriving in the shorter pass situations with his average depth of target down from the losses versus Ranoria and Cassadaigua but his completion percentage way up. 34 from 44 for an immense 417 yards as Ko-oren's offence went through the air nearly 100% of the time - and even if the Krauts knew what was coming, they couldn't stop it. Plenty of yards after the catch for Costigan, and a lot of targets on wheel routes to Galway, Jurethen, and Wilson, and going deep every now and again when the safeties crept up too close to the line of scrimmage. The game started out a bit 50-50, but once Masman had them on edge, he could do whatever he wanted. The defence was nearly perfect as well: with the offence so successful, the defence wasn't on the field nearly as much, and while the front seven weren't much more successful than in the first Ranoria game, the execution was so much better across all lines of defence. Ramsbottom gave up nearly no room on intermediate routes, and Turaudhinthen and Aurisea had the time of their lives batting down passes.

The biggest factor, of course, was Wagner-Young's first start. He was out there every snap, and visibly learnt from his mistakes from the first snap all the way until the clock read '4th 0:00', but once the Krauts were down by 10 points they needed to take bigger and bigger risks to get back into it. Astrid was ready to go on the sidelines, but the staff kept Wagner-Young out there all day - again, it wasn't like he was a detriment to the team, he just didn't add to much out there against a Dragonfly defence out for blood. Sure, the Dragonflies put up four interceptions, but none of those were bad throws. A jumped fade, a tipped ball, and two arm punts. On the other hand, no plays blew up in the backfield and the defence only recorded three sacks, and yet, enough plays failed to put Wagner-Young in third and long situations that killed drives.

It was a similar story versus the Dominion, though they knew to take advantage of the poor run defence and gave themselves more field goal options. Masman missed some crucial throws near the endzone and visibly wasn't going to get intercepted for a touchback, but with the offence losing steam close to the goal line also meant that Bennett had to come out and save three points. He did so four times, with Galway fumbling a clear chance at a touchdown, and Masman actually giving up the interception in the third quarter - so not a terribly great game, but a win's a win. At least we know from the Ranoria game that the team can hang with the best of the multiverse - we still rather hadn't seen the team win by 3 over a 1-7 eliminated team, though.

Opinion, Elisabeth Visser: League: Stop messing with the rosters

Another year, and another announcement about rosters. First we get doom piece after doom piece that skill across the league is declining for any reason from 'rugby league is getting too popular' (with viewership numbers proving otherwise) to 'it's all about non-contact nowadays' to 'flag football is the future' and yet we're having larger rosters than at any point in history, with players divided into more groups than ever. No longer satisfied calling receivers 'WR' or 'SR' for Wide or Slot, we're also seeing XR, YR, ZR now, with XR and ZR referring to the outside receivers and YR being used in lieu of SR. Tight ends will, much like in the cricket tradition of 'bowling all-rounder' versus 'batting all-rounder', be divided into blocking and receiving tight ends. All this to allow themselves to divide defenders into equally nebulous groups, identifying will, mike, and sam linebackers, including extra categories for inside and outside linebackers for all your 3-4 needs - never mind that the mike is pretty much always the inside linebacker anyway. Either way, it will help the gathering of stats - hopefully ending the endless chase of the perfect stat that lets you compare two players and see which one is better in a single number: some things are left uncompared! Sure, Kagageera is going to pick up more yards than Lafaille, but then again the former is a better receiver, with better route running, better rapport with a more experienced quarterback, in a short passing offence, while the latter plays alongside a crappy offensive line in an offence that just wants to chuck it deep and see what happens. Anyway, I guess from now on they'll be named 'receiving tight end' and 'blocking tight end' from now on.

It also helps teams defend why they need even bigger rosters, and that helps second division teams defend why they need more players in general - for every guy on a Top League roster another guy is stuck in second division purgatory - and that helps Dev League teams saying that they need even bigger rosters - for everyone in the second tier there's two talents in the Dev League hoping for a spot. Rosters are bigger than for any other sport, and it gets better/worse the further down you go.

Anyway, let's hope that with this move, they're done messing with rosters and depth charts. This move has bombarded more players to the 'starter' status - because you can now name four receivers as top of their position on the depth chart, with XR, YR, ZR, and WR positions, and the same goes for all the other positions - which is a massive exercise on paper for very little gain on the field.

[South Americanastan]

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"TALK SHIT, GET HIT":
BEARS PUNCH UP AT BANIJA IN 44-26 UPSET

Hakeem Okonkwo runs the ball in the new Red-White-Blue alternate uniform. He would record 256 rushing yards on 49 carries with 3 touchdowns on the day

Going into the game against Banija, the most exciting news about the upcoming game was the debut of a set of alternate uniforms in red, white, and blue, the provincial colors of Highlands Province, honoring the province's rich history as the cradle of football in South Americanastan.

Boy, were we in for a surprise.

The Bears pushed through to a 44-26 win over the Serpent Eagles , improving their record to 3-5 with 2 games to play. Playing in a packed (and extremely windy) Woodstock Horseshoe, South Americanastan jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on a 17-yard run up the gut by Hakeem Okonkwo, setting the tone for the rest of the game as the Bears smashmouthed their way up and down the field. Banija responded with a 40-yard drive ending in a 52-yard field goal to make it 7-3. With the run established, the Bears continued to ride the inside run down to the Banijan 47 yard line before a play-action pass found slotback Tanner Wesco on a corner route for the touchdown. The ensuing PAT made it 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.

A quick drive by Banija culminated in a 42-yard pass from quarterback Ifeatu Chineze to Kalu Alazar, with strong safety Erik Nicholson being coming out of the wrong end of a 50-50 jump ball. Nicholson, who was mic'ed up for the game, would exchange words with Alazar afterwards, with the two having to be separated by teammates. South Americanastan would be in position to drive up the field again, reaching their own 49 when Sean Forrester fumbled the ball while trying to get "too cute", as Jack Wall put it, on a dive play. Demas Akech would scoop up the ball and take it back for a touchdown, giving Banija a 17-14 lead with 10:36 left in the second quarter.

The Bears would get the ball back after a stellar kick return by Wallo Mills, who took the ball out to the Banijan 42-yard line to put the offense in great field position. The Bears marched down the field, taking it to the 7-yard line before a tough run by Will Hart punched the ball into the endzone, eating a helmet-to-helmet hit from linebacker Moses Luwum on the way in. Hart would clear concussion protocols in time for the next offensive drive for the Bears.

The final drive of the quarter would be Banijan, as their offense was forced to run tempo due to the Bears' only leaving 1:49 left on the clock after their touchdown. After a one-handed catch by Alazar over Nicholson, the two would again begin jawing off to each other, only to be again separated by teammates. The next play, Alazar would run a a crossing route just under the safeties, being targeted by Chineze. Nicholson would sprint down towards Alazar at full speed, laying him out just as the ball his hands. He proceeded to stare down at the fallen receiver, and uttered, just loud enough to be picked up by his microphone:

"Talk shit, get hit, b*tch"

The drive would end in another deep touchdown pass, this time to Kawsu Gaye covering 32 yards in the air on the final play of the half. Jack Mastel would block the PAT to keep the score at a 23-21 Banijan lead.

The Bears came out of the half firing, counting on the Banijan defense adjusting to crack down on the run to air it out coming out of the half. Making heavy-use of play-action passes, the Bears' offense drove down the field, with Jumbo Warrick punching it in from 2 yards out to give the Bears a 28-23 lead. After another Banijan field goal (the Serpent Eagles' last points of the game) brought the score to 28-26, the Bears' returned to their smashmouth scheme, burning clock by punching the ball up the gut before a 9-yard run by Hakeem Okonkwo brought the score to 35-26. From there, it was smooth sailing, with the Bears' racking up one more touchdown and even a safety after a stellar punt by Robert Malone to take home the game 44-26.

Okonkwo would finish the game with 256 on 49 carries with three touchdowns, while Forrester would only record 7 carries for 27 yards and a fumble. Will Hart would go 12 for 15 with 153 yards and a touchdown in the air, along with 33 yards on 4 attempts and a touchdown on the ground. Meanwhile, Bill Wisniewski recorded 3 sacks, with 2 more sacks from Walter Olzmauer added on. The Bears will look to continue their momentum against Kohnhead in the next week as they attempt to improve upon last year's 3-6 record.

[Ranoria]

Top Of The Food Chain:
Which Players Can Make a Claim To Be The Best At Their Position?
Part 1: Offense


We could probably just list off the starting 11 for the Serpent Eagles offense and Dragonflies defense, but not only are we contrarians here at RSSN - we're not quite that lazy!

Let's just start this off with our preface - we're leaving quarterbacks out of it. That position more than any other in sports is glorified and evaluated by a completely different standard. Sorry in advance superstars like Sarai Gwenderyn, Ice Chineze, RJ Linetti - you're not gonna get any press to read tonight. That lot gets enough attention as is, so we're going to turn to some of the "unsung" heroes, if you can even call them that. Starting with, fittingly, the offensive line!

*we'll also throw in a few players who we think have a chance to make the leap to this kind of tier in the near future - names to keep an eye on!

Please note, this list is not intended to be a definitive ranking. This is just a group of players who we believe can make a legitimate case to be the class of their position.

Moses Busara
Banija Serpent Eagles

A four year starter for the Cold Hill Buffalo, Moses Busara is a name that sounds intimidating on its own. Throw a six foot six left tackle who's been a wall on Ice Chineze's blindside in there and you can see exactly why. The Sisonke Leapards world-beater is the second most important player on the best offense in football by conventional valuations, and he's a huge reason for the success of the Serpent Eagles high-flying attack. He's truly the class of his position.

Donovan Nimischuuch
Quebec And Shingoryeo Grim Reapers

A big man who made his WB debut in World Bowl 44, Nimischuuch is a Saguenay alumn who embodies the Quebecois legacy of players who control the line of scrimmage. Ian Lautner's blindside protector is a stalwart presence and keeps the veteran and legend clean - he's been one of the few bright spots on a 2-4 squad so far this cycle.

Honorable mention for the future: Aenieme Arenna, Ko-oren Dragonflies

Otho Tilcott
Ko-oren Dragonflies

Big man in the middle! Well, really Tilcott may be a bit undersized for the position, but that doesn't seem to have limited him on the field. The Eaglesbury Emperors veteran is a favorite for one of the best teams in sport to run their all-world running back behind, and a huge part of his success.

JT Everhart
Ranorian Krauts

A man as large as JT Everhart should probably be playing tackle, but for some reason that just never happened. It started in high school when his coach wanted to do nothing but run the ball up the middle, and he never really bumped outside during his career for St Croix. Now he's playing over in the QFL and is a tone-setter for this Krauts offensive line - he's as mean and nasty as anyone else on the two-time-championship winning squad.

Truly a big-game player who thrives on the spotlight - tends to shine in primetime and playoff games.

Honorable mention For the future: Hector Storolfsonn, Ranorian Krauts

Alex McFadden
Delaclava Phoenixes

McFadden, a veteran mauler for the powerhouse Catherina Crushers, is a starter on the most annoyingly effective offensive line in the world. Anyone who glances at these sub-270 pound blokes on the Phoenix front five has to be wondering what the hell the Delaclavs were smoking when they roll these guys out - then they get blasted by wrestling-esque mastery of leverage and dudes who can pull or climb to the second level in the blink of an eye.

At age 34, the old-timer has faced a bit of a transition in World Bowl 45 as he's no longer snapping to Taurus Wright, the perennial MVP contender quarterback for those same Crushers, but his effectiveness hasn't dropped at all.

Alessandra Mio
Chromatika Iron Legion

More than any other player at this position group, Mio is synonymous with the meteoric rise of gridiron success in her country. Along with Sarai Gwenderyn, Alessandra Mio has been vaulted up to one of the best receiving threats the world has to offer, and has taken the crown of the top player at her position in the Ranorian Football League with a lot of room to spare. Her double move has become the go-to example to show any shifty player on film - an absolute legend and she's not anywhere near done.

Justin Vandaele
Delaclava Phoenixes

How much do we really need to say here? The guy's been the game-breaker for a team that's currently #1 in the world from the gun. He racked up a 200+ yard game in World Bowl 44 and heaved in a 78 yard touchdown later in the campaign. Borderline unstoppable, and he doesn't seem to be letting off the gas any time soon.

Kalu Alazar
Banija Serpent Eagles

The Mighty Eagle alumn was a huge piece in Banija's World Bowl run despite being buried on a loaded WR depth chart, hauling in a pivotal touchdown from Ice Chineze in the fourth quarter of their semifinal win over Delaclava to tie the game up late. He's been the go-to guy for an offense that's dropped a sixty and an eighty four point game - we're not underlining it because there's no way to emphasize enough that scores like that shouldn't be possible at this level - there's not a right-minded corner in the world who wants that matchup.

Lafi Senghore
Banija Serpent Eagles

It took Senghore awhile to break into the top of the receiving depth chart for the Serpent Eagles, but when you're buried behind future GFLB hall of famers, we'd argue that's to be expected. Still made plenty of plays in their World Bowl 44 title run, with one of those big plays putting Kohnhead away in the playoffs. Key cog in one of the most dominant offenses in the sport.

Bruce Dobler
Saint Kanye Surge

As with the Serpent Eagles, the Surge's strengths truly shine through in their receiving corps. Bruce Dobler arguably has the best hands in football - he broke his foot against HUElavia though, and that's going to be a tough hitch for a team with championship aspirations to overcome. Top target for the electric RJ Linetti. Scored 4 touchdowns of 40+ yards in World Bowl 44, showcasing truly game-breaking speed.

Patrick Moore
Saint Kanye Surge
The #2 man for the Surge takes his place in the slot and will have to step up in a big way following the loss of Dobler. Like his fellow superstar, he's a threat to score from anywhere on the field, as showcased by several 40+ yard scores over the last few World Bowls - this Saint Kanye team's offense almost makes these games feel like college outings, both with the way they routinely drive up and down the field and with the exuberance of both the team and their fanbase. While the injury to Dobler is tragic, it'll be exciting to see Patrick Moore taking on even more targets as the team adjusts.

Honorable mention for the future: Giles Costigan, Ko-oren Dragonflies

Herman "Warhawk" Whitworth
Kohnhead Brains

The Brains haven't quite vaulted themselves to the heights of some of the other teams represented on this list, but make no mistake - Herman Whitworth is an absolute monstrosity. In four seasons of play in the Ranorian Football League, he's racked up two championship wins in three appearances, 7,031 rushing yards, 67 touchdowns, and most recently won league MVP when he set the single-season rushing record at 2,107 yards.

He's the best runner employed in a run first league, and the only time in his career he missed a championship berth was in his second season, when he was hampered by a hamstring injury. Enough said.

Jack Hoy
Drawkland Grid Corps

Jack Hoy's the center of a lot of controversy at the moment after publicly admitting to his immortality - but brashness aside he made his point perfectly clear - he and Leo Cross are first-ballot Hall of Famers through and through, regardless of any outside factors recently coming into play. Even prior to his alleged immortality, Hoy was fending off proclaimed successors in Matt Adams and Mike Banks - Hoy is as elusive as they come and can, at times, put a team on his back in a way that few running backs ever get a chance to. Played key roles in both of the wins the Grid Corps has had over the John Garrett-led Krauts, the only two playoff losses the Krauts have taken with Farmboy at the helm.

Dustin Beck is one of the best to ever do it and Leo Cross is a monstrosity who probably shouldn't be allowed to legally assault people the way he does on the gridiron, but between the fire he can inject into his team seemingly at will, the moxie, and the sensational highlights reels, Jack Hoy is the heart and soul of the Grid Corps.

Alastair Thorebourne
Ko-oren Dragonflies

A shifty trickster who carries the load for the still-reigning dynasty of the Ko-oren Dragonflies, Thorebourne is the one who maintains the pace of play that keeps their defense fresh and ready to dismantle anyone who had the audacity to step on the field against them. Key cog in a season 50 Ko-oren Bowl Championship and the workhorse of this Dragonfies offense.

Robbie Hahn
Delaclava Phoenixes

Man it's hard to even talk about the on-field performances with how many blunders this guy has had off the field - but his intentions are pure, and uh, he does get the job done in between the whistles.

Robbie's had some troubles - from being given the gentle suggestion to go to rehab, missing a game against Kohnhead due to popping enough drugs in his system in a urine test to sedate Ranoria City, Istria, and Catherina for a month. Cocaine for his back pain, LSD to take the edge off, and DMT to mellow him out. But by god has be been the guy for this football team. Incredibly strong comparisons to Deondre Rhine in terms of the dissonance on and off the field - this guy was Taurus Wright's favorite target during their four consecutive semifinal appearances and with Johnny Farmer starting to fade, we think it's finally fair to say the he's put the competition to bed. Robbie Hahn is the best tight end in the game.

[Cassadaigua]

Two more wins,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

When you return to a competition like the World Bowl after a long time off as we did, you can set a series of goals. At the top of the list would be to win the World Bowl title. While every player has a dream to take home a championship no matter what the odds against them might be, that dream is not always realistic. At the opposite end of that, at the very bottom of the list, would be, “just don’t embarrass yourselves”. This should be the absolute easiest to attain, and is not really a goal at all, it’s more a last resort. A team like Cassadaigua, that has won the World Bowl on three occasions isn’t going to set the bar that low. The best bet for a goal in a campaign like this would be to set it right smack in the middle: attain a .500 record. That has to be worked for, and is something that can be built on in future competitions. We never heard the team say that was a goal, but for a reasonable fan expectation, you can live with that. By the Fillies winning their last two games, they have clinched ending the group stage with at least a .500 record.

As a tournament goes on, you can raise or lower the bar as you see fit. After eight games, and with a chance at the playoffs seeming increasingly likely, fans will set their sights higher. Let’s make the playoffs. Fans woke up this morning and see Cassadaigua at the very top of the group, and are 2-1 in their combined games against Ranoria and Ko-oren, two teams which are in a three way tie with the Fillies. Cassadaigua does have to play the Dragonflies again, and a season sweep of that matchup would be pretty tough to attain. StrayaRoos is the other game, at home, and while that should be winnable, they beat us before so could do so again. StrayaRoos and Anthor are 4-4, so very much alive in the final two games. While we are seeing playoff spots get clinched in other groups, Group D is completely up for grabs.

Looking back at these two games, we will start with the game against New Ontario Dominion in Concord Heights which was a complete effort from start to finish, won by the pink and black 24-7. After a scoreless first quarter where the Fillies did control the ball for most of it, but saw one drive end with a missed 40-yard field goal by Jenna Lewis, and another see a failed 4th-and-1 from the Dominion’s 36, Cassadaigua was able to drive the ball down the field, 88 yards, for the first score of the game. Brittany Carrington was very efficient, and for the first time, we could say Carrington to Harrington for the touchdown, as Monica reeled in the 13-yard score. Towards the end of the first half, Lewis atoned for her missed field goal with a 43-yarder to make it 10-0.

The Dominion had what would be their only long drive of the game to begin the second half, going 80 yards in 11 plays, but the Fillies responded to that with a long touchdown reception from Carrington to Rachel Williams, this begin from 53 yards, to make it 17-7. Rounding out the scoring early in the fourth, Ashley Pryor ran it in from six to make it 24-7. Up and down the stat sheet, all the numbers were pretty for Cassadaigua other than for the missed kick by Jenna Lewis. “A kicker will miss from time to time,” head coach Jennifer Cole said after the game, “it’s best for everyone when the kick doesn’t impact anything. And you really have to credit the defense for a dominant effort, and then the offense looking as good as we did. We were rolling today, and I hope that can continue into the next game against Anthor.”

Well, the offense would certainly click against Anthor. Unfortunately for the Fillies, a wild game saw the defense be unable to come up with stops. Anthor would receive to start the game, and on just their third play from scrimmage, found the end zone on a 61-yard pass play. They have not provided a list of their players, and that’s especially a shame with a game being as while as this one would be. However, the Fillies would not be outdone, having Katelynn Ellis set the team up with strong field position with a 55-yard return, and then eventually Brittany Carrington throwing a touchdown to Rachel Williams from 27. With still 11:53 left on the clock in the first quarter, we were off to the races. The quick pace continued as the home side marched down the field for a touchdown to make it 14-7, but Cassadaigua rebounded well, with our second “Carrington to Harrington” in the end zone, this from 20 to make it 14-14 with 3:07 left to play in the first. With their possession that started in the first and ended in the second, Anthor settled for a 41-yard field goal to go up 17-14.

Cassadaigua took possession of the ball the next time and it seemed as though the message of Jennifer Cole was to slow the pace of the game down. The Fillies focused on utilizing the ground game much more, and for a while, they were able to chew up some clock, but that would end in a positive way, when Morgan Phillips busted a 39-yard touchdown run to the right side to make it 21-17 in the favor of the Fillies. The team would not get much momentum from that, though, as the home side went 81 yards to reclaim the lead with five minutes to go in the first half. Still, Cassadaigua was not going to be stopped either with the team looking to have the final possession of the first half. But a quick score, a Carrington 36-yard touchdown pass to Allie Raymond made it 28-24 with still 1:51 left on the clock. The remaining time proved to be a good thing as Gabrielle Mercer came up with an interception, and there would be enough time to move the team into the range of Jenna Lewis for a successful 48-yard field goal to send us to halftime. 31-24, and the Fillies would get the ball to begin the second half.

Brittany Carrington and company would make the most of their opening possession as well, again moving almost at will against the home team before Phillips punched it into the end zone with a two yard run to make it 38-24. For a quick moment, things were looking good, and you might have been thinking that the team was about to shut the door on the home size. However, the rest of the third quarter did not really go well for us, with Anthor responding with a touchdown drive of their own to make it 38-31, and then forcing our offense to go three and out. Our defense would hold for a bit, forcing Anthor to have to settle for a 29-yard field goal to close the lead to 38-34 with still 1:49 left in the third. The offense showed a little life, but the offense stalled around the 50, and the team had to punt again. Now, it was Anthor getting the ball back, and ultimately going back on top, 41-38, with 13:10 left in the fourth.

The momentum shift here was very concerning, but just as the Fillies had run off seventeen unanswered earlier in the game, now the home side was able to do so, and the offense was going to have to find a way to reclaim the lead. For now, they could not, seemingly going three and out again, and bringing out Julie Hammond. She would get the ball away, but a defender of the home size would make solid contact with Hammond, forcing the referee to flag the play for roughing the kicker, and giving the Fillies a new set of downs. Hammond was okay, and a new jolt of energy into the pink and black resurfaced. Brittany Carrington, with the new chance, showed the form she had earlier, and finished the drive off with a 13-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Kayleigh Murray, one of the few World Bowl 41 returnees, to make it 45-41 with 7:34 left in the game.

Anthor, once again, was able to move the ball down the field and set themselves up in the red zone again. But this time, their quarterback would throw a pick, as Kelsey Mancini made the play and then got a great block in front of her by Matthew Longwell to enable her to take it 91 yards for the score, giving Cassadaigua a lead that would usually be comfortable, 52-41, with 3:15 left in the game. You couldn’t expect Anthor to go away quietly, and they moved down the field and into the end zone as quickly as they could, closing to 52-48 with 1:32 left. But they would not be able to touch the ball again, as Cassadaigua was able to recover the onside kick and then run down the clock, securing a win where one hundred total points were scored. “A game like that will be fun for the fans, and a lot happened in it.” Jennifer Cole said after the game, “as long as we won, we’ll be happy and take it but naturally we will be getting to work immediately reviewing where things went wrong, so that they do not happen again.”

[Kohnhead]

Kohnhead emphatically clinch spot in playoffs in rout of Sword Island

William Carey celebrates a 51 yard touchdown against Sword Island

Last time we checked, the Kohnhead Brains were riding high following upset victories over #10 in the World, Sarzonia and the reigning World Bowl champion Banija Serpent Eagles in Overtime. Byron Joseph has been lethal both on the ground and in the air so far this tournament, and he looks to show the world he is an elite quarterback on the international stage. Of course his success wouldn't have been possible without the dominant backfield of Herman Whitworth and Elliot Roach. Warhawk is averaging almost seven yards a carry and is handling less than 50% of the carries for the first time in his career thanks to Roach and Joseph. He's stayed fresh and that has payed huge dividends thus far.

Through the air, Joseph has seen success everywhere he throws the ball. WIlliam Carey has been a consistently productive receiver throughout his career and has stepped up to be this team's #1 making some ridiculous catches in the process. Marco Polisson has been a home run threat and has been helped by often having the opposition's second best corner on him because their #1 has to shadown Carey. Ezekial Edwards has been reliable as always, the safety blanket out of the slot continues to make people miss and continues to move the chains. Edwards and Joseph played together for years at KCU and their chemistry shows everytime Joseph looks toward #17. Zachary Lewis, the first time starter has stepped up in a big way especially in the redzone as he leads the team in touchdown receptions.

Defensively, Robert Lawrence has clearly proven himself as the premier passrusher averaging over a sack a game. Albie Snow has been effective as the nose tackle while Rayyan Spears has struggled immensely. Levi Espinosa has spent much of this World Bowl campaign injured but when he has been on the field he still appears pretty effective. In the heart of the defense, Phillip Haney and Marcus Sandoval have been a lethal pairing as Sandoval has fit in great with the starting defense.

The secondary has been okay at best, Chris Molina is showing his age and Shane Holman has clearly lost a step. Zion Irving replacing Percy Whitehead has helped a bit but Irving himself has not been fantastic by any stretch of the imagination. The defense has been good against mediocre and bad teams only really allowing mainly garbage time points but in the games that matter against Banija and Sarzonia, they have really underperformed. While no one is expecting a Ko-oren performance, defensive specialist Eric Dietrich should be doing a bit more against the elite of the World Bowl.

On the note of Eric Dietrich, Kohnhead's Head Coach has shut down any talk about his contract. His initial five year deal runs out following next season, and while Dietrich has given Kohnhead their most successful seasons, some feel he hasn't done enough with the talent level in the nation. Some unconfirmed rumors suggest Dietrich might be eyeing a return to college with Kohnhead's own Swisston City listed as a potential landing spot. Dietrich has denied this and has stated his focus is on the Kohnhead National Team and the contract will be addressed in due time.

Kohnhead's offense has been obviously good but the numbers suggest something entirely different. The numbers say Kohnhead's offense has been downright elite. For starters, the 77 points we dropped against the historical powerhouse Allamunnic States squad ranks as the second best offensive performance after Banija's 84 over Sword Island. But Kohnhead also have the third best offensive performance with 61 points against Sword Island (poor Sword Island). Not only that but by points scored, Kohnhead is second best in the entire tournament falling 15 points behind group rivals Banija once again. However the Brains and the Serpent Eagles are head and shoulders above the competition with the third best offense in Drawkland sitting 40 points behind us.

Sitting at 6-2, Kohnhead have already clinched their spot in the Round of 16 but have to finish strong if they want a good seed. The Allamunnic States should be hungry for revenge following the rout last time and are obviously a team with a strong track record at the World Bowl. And while only at 3-5, South Americanastan have shown their talents with a huge upset victory over Banija and could give Kohnhead some problems in week 10. Their defense has been top tier and provided some problems for our explosive offense back in week 5 where we only managed 23 points. If Kohnhead finish 8-2 it would mark their most successful regular season to date, however at this point the bigger focus is on the playoffs and if Eric Dietrich can take this team on another run.

In other news, Robert Lawrence was active on twi.tturr yesterday getting himself involved in the Gideon Kearse trade rumors. The Highport (pretty much Kohnhead though) Hawks have been very successful in recent years winning two Championships with Joseph and Whitworth anchoring the offense. Gideon Kearse is one of the best defenders in Ranoria and the defensive end appears to be displeased with his Port Kruger Phalanx. I'm sure, Lawrence wouldn't mind not having to face double teams anymore if Kearse lined up next to him for Highport.

@thelawyer98 Hey Gideon I hear the weather is really nice in Highport this time of year...

[Delaclava]

Live podcast "The Inside Track", hosted by journalist Arlo Kasabian.

"...and we're joined today by Justin Vandaele, as many of you know, the incredibly talented wide receiver who broke all kinds of records, a multiple All Star with the Farland Jackals. He's currently playing his third World Bowl and has been recognized as one of the best receivers, if not the best in the entire game. And right now, he's taking time out of his day to be with us in the middle of a very competitive group stage, so Justin, thank you so much for being here."

"My pleasure, thanks for having me."

"So, Justin, I just want to set the stage here a little bit for the listeners, because Delaclava traditionally has always had a very good international team, winning two World Bowls decades ago, and then when this team came back to the international game, it nearly picked back up where you left off. The Phoenixes have now made the semifinals of the past four World Bowls, you're currently ranked number one in the world, yet you're searching for a chance to lift that trophy once again. And, let me make sure I have this right, just pulling this up... you're currently 6-2, which I think is a pretty good spot, yes?"

"Yeah, we're not quite clinched for the next round, but we're very close. We have two games left and winning one of them should do it."

"And in terms of schedule, I'd say the less accomplished teams of the group, you've managed to take care of quite easily. You have two very strong wins over Abanhfleft, you've played Drawkland twice now and those haven't gone your way. So that's kind of the context we're working with. I just want to start with, how're you feeling? How's the team feeling?"

"I'm good, Arlo. You know, I think we're fortunate that, look, none of us like losing, but we're still fine. We've still won a good handful of games and we also have some things we need to tinker with, but we have some time, not a lot of time, but some time to fix it before we get into the back end of this competition. And I think, you know, I came into this team at an interesting time, because when I got here, it was the maximum pressure. The team had gotten two semifinals, lost both pretty close, now they were coming to a home World Bowl, we rolled through that group stage undefeated. I think the expectations really boiled over and blew up in our face in a spectacular fashion. So I think my whole time with the team has been marked with a sense of, I don't want to say desperation, but certainly that knowledge that we're so close to a title and we don't know how long we'll be on that kind of form until other teams push us off the ledge. It's... stressful, I won't lie, but that aspect is something I'm used to."

"Sure, no, I think that makes a lot of sense. And I understand this is delicate, but it's not an easy time right now, you are coming off a loss, so what's the morale like in this situation?"

"It's okay, all things considered. I think mainly we saw it as an opportunity to clinch our spot in the next round a bit earlier. And of course because the Grid Corps beat us at home, we wanted to get it back. It didn't happen. But we've pretty much always lost games at this stage, right? The undefeated group stage we had was unprecedented, and we were facing, what, a very diminished Drawkland team, Kohnhead, Buffalostan. Then other years, we've had teams like Banija and Sarzonia really push us and take a game or two off of us. I know there are so many reasons someone might make more of it, but we've never gone into a tournament thinking we can't lose a game. The first two-thirds, you get some leeway to figure things out. Shit, there was a year this team lost to goddamn Kalactin and we still got to the semis. You just have to have the attitude that you're going to look for ways to find a new level and keep building on that. So, in general, I know this team has some anxieties and some pressures it deals with, but I wouldn't say this last loss has made any of that particularly worse."

"Let's talk about Drawkland for a second, because certainly they're in very fine form this year."

"Yeah, they've been incredible. Lately they've been a bit rocky at this stage, they even took a pretty bad loss right before they played us. I don't know what they've done differently this year or what their preparation's like, but they just got on their best form more quickly than we did. We've played a good amount of times, I think we're up to nine now? It's been a back and forth series, the last time we had them in the group stage we were in fantastic shape and they started so slow, so of course we won both of those games. I don't think we've started badly at all, but clearly what they're doing is a bit better."

"Is there a particular challenge they present?"

"You know, we've had a lot of defensive turnover in the past, and this year has been no exception. We have a ton of talent all around that team, but maybe just a lack of experience. Drawkland is so good at constantly ramping up the pace, going balls out, throwing anything and everything they have at you and trying to mix things up. It's exhausting. And in a year where they seem pretty cohesive and well put together, I think it's just been more of a challenge than our guys have been up for. But I have to hand it to our guys, they're young and hungry, I know they kind of got discouraged during the game itself, but they came back to practice the next day ready to work, ready to work and ready to learn."

"Can you talk about some of the pressures you feel, some of the ones that the team is feeling too?"

"Yeah, honestly, it's bad for me, I get panic attacks before a lot of these games. I didn't use to, it's one of those things that started when I started playing for this team and ever since then if I can sense there's a lot on the line, I just lose control a little bit, shaking, throwing up. It sucks, I don't know how but I just flip the switch to what we practiced, I try to simplify as much as I can, feel the game out and just execute. I know we're all really pushing to break through. I won't lie, we are pissed we keep losing at the same place in the tournament, we're pissed we've lost twice to Drawkland, we're pissed that we've put together the record we have and people still pretend that we're not even a top-10 team. For us it's not the pressure of winning or losing any particular game, it's knowing there are a lot of fans and critics looking to us to see what kind of legacy we're going to put together. It's incredibly overwhelming. Sometimes I don't even want to step out and play. Sometimes I wonder if that means I'm not cut out to play at this level, who knows if Dustin Beck or John Garrett or those guys have thoughts like that. But it's the truth."

"Well, Justin, I don't know if this helps, but I think anyone who's watched you play can objectively say you're cut out to play at this level. It's a tough game, but it's really been a pleasure to see this team in the mix. In the past decade or so you've only lost to the best of the best and beaten a good handful of them too. And you yourself... I mean, I'm looking at this article from RSNN out of Ranoria that's got you on that short list for the best in the world, right there with Alessandra Mio, Kalu Alazar, Bruce Dobler, some truly elite names."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I don't know how much that says though, I know for a fact I'm leagues better than Mio and we showed that last time out."

"Ha, there's that swagger I knew you have. It's clear there's still a lot left to look forward to, so in your own words, what's next?"

"Well, most plainly, it's two games left on the schedule, Arjunnagar and Quebec. I know, first and foremost we want to win, we want to bounce back and finish strong. I know if I'm making wishes, we'd really like to make a statement - Arjunnagar is, with all due respect, far less experienced and we'd like to beat them far more convincingly than we did. And Quebec, that's the last chance, that's really the audition for the knockouts. We're just about in there, so it's really more of a question of how we get there, what kind of form we're in. I think we're in an exciting spot where the Grid Corps have exposed some of our weaknesses and we have a chance to get creative and try to solve them. After that, it's interesting, because with five groups, it's very hard to predict how everyone will get matched up. For fans, that can be irritating, I'm sure, although I know computers can figure out all those probabilities and things. For us, it means we're not fixated on what the whole schedule might look like. We really can go one game at a time. We'll be in Chromatika, and it's funny, it's a bit of a dreary place from what I've heard, but it's where this team first had a really good run, so I think there's something magical about taking the glitz and the glamour out of things. This team is gritty, it's tough, it's not guided by ego and testosterone, it's guided by technique and fitness, training and studiousness. We just need to play the game and we're good."

"I can agree with you there, I think this is a very special team to watch and no one's quite doing what the Phoenixes are doing in today's game. Thank you so much for taking the time to appear with us, and we're all really looking forward to the rest of the competition. Best of luck."

[Drawkland]

CORPSGUY725'S BLOG

World Bowl XLV Group Stage Playoff Push
When is the other shoe gonna drop?

If you had told me before this tournament started that Drawkland would win six games, and be the last undefeated team remaining before taking their first loss, I would've said something like, "well, I find that within the realm of possibility, though quite unlikely." What, were you expecting me to be pessimistic there? All in all, the Grid Corps is a good team with the potential to win a lot of football games. I didn't necessarily expect us to go undefeated through the first half and be sitting in the #1 playoff spot with two games to go, but that's why they play these games in real life and not on paper.

These last two weeks of play are going to be huge for the Corps. Right now we're in position to have a very favorable playoff seed, provided we manage to Not Fuck Up the last two games. Knowing what we all know about Drawkian teams, that may be asking too much. Before we talk more about the playoffs, though, I'm going to quickly recap each game of the group stage so far. I will try my best to be succinct, but we all know how that goes.

The Campaign So Far

Game one was the home opener, a big-name matchup between Drawkland and Quebec & Shingoryeo. While Quebec has a solid squad, they didn't really have a shot at winning this game from the get-go. After a Jack Hoy run to open the game, Dustin Beck hit Abram Navis on a deep pass off of play-action. Navis hauled in the dime pass after blowing through the secondary and cruised in for the opening score. It was pretty much all Drawkland from that point onward. Beck would play for the entirety of the game despite the 38-14 scoreline, recording 2 passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown on the day. My favorite defensive highlight was this absolutely disgusting hit on the Quebecois running back by Prokopios vortiwhatever that forced a fumble. The ball popped out of this guy's hands and traveled over five yards before it hit the turf. This kid is still in college??

The next game was pretty much the same thing, a home blowout against a lower-ranked opponent. This was against Arjunnagar, the 42nd ranked team, and it was a much better showing defensively and offensively. The first game was designed to build up the passing game and ensure that Beck still had the power to lead the Corps' passing attack. Against a more inferior opponent, Romano decided to use this as a clinic for the running game. The time of possession was even further in our favor for this match, but we still had a similar scoreline. The defense held Arjunnagar to a mere two field goals, while Jack Hoy, Matt Adams, Mike Banks, and even Jeffrey Mitchell all put up stellar rushing numbers. 37-6, and Drawkland is off to a 2-0 start.

We went from two easy tune-up games to quite possibly the hardest game of the whole campaign. The away match against Delaclava, the supposedly undisputed #1 team in the World Bowl right now. I have to say, I wasn't expecting this result. The first half of the game was neck-and-neck, exactly as many expected it to be. Michael Willis, the starting QB for the Phoenixes, passed for two TDs, while Beck passed for one to compliment a Hoy score on the ground. We went 1/2 on two-point conversions, and the halftime whistles sounded on a 14-14 scoreline. Coming out of the half, though? It was all Drawkland. We got the ball first to start the second half and proceeded to eat up eight minutes of clock on a touchdown drive to take the lead. Delaclava responded with Willis throwing a pick around midfield. With the short field, the Corps would go down and score again, to bring it to a 16-point lead (2/2 on two pointers here). Delaclava responded with Willis throwing a pick in the red zone. Though we couldn't get to paydirt, the defense had done their job and shut down the Phoenixes. We'd tack on a field goal towards the end of the fourth quarter, and Willis couldn't will his team back into the game with so little time left. All of a sudden, Group E was in sole command of the Drawkians.

After such a triumphant and important win, the Corps traveled back home to take on Abanhfleft. You'd expect such a huge win over the world #1 to leave us tired out and vulnerable against one of our old rivals. Unfortunately for all twenty-seven remaining Fleftic sports fans that somehow haven't committed suicide yet, this would not be the case. Drawkland still owns Abanhfleft. Jack Hoy and Matt Adams ran the ball down the throat of Marius Magnussen's defense, and the Corps defensive front pitched a shutout. Just like old times!

Then came three straight road games, two against the lowest ranked teams in the tournament. The first was against The Jovannic, and this almost turned into a loss. In reality, it was a blowout that almost fell apart in garbage time. The score was 30-7 at halftime (you read that right), with Dustin Beck hitting the bench to stay fresh in what was certainly going to be a Drawkian win. Caspian Casson would come on to game manage the Corps for the rest of the game, and he even threw a touchdown pass to increase the lead. Unfortunately, midway through the third he got injured during a sack and had to leave the game. On came the "fan favorite" Lane Proudfoot. I am on record saying that he's no better than an overachieving game manager, and this game proved it. In a little over a quarter, Proudfoot put together an impressive resume: punt leading to a Jovannic field goal, strip sack fumble leading to a Jovannic TD, interception returned for a Jovannic TD. What excellent quarterback play! I would be lying if I didn't say this was mostly the fault of bad offensive playcalling, but you gotta admit that Proudfoot had a shitty game. Thankfully he managed to put together a whopping three-point drive to use up most of the remaining time and make it a 34-40 win. All I'm saying is that he's clearly not the QB of the future, fucking sue me.

The next game featured a trip to Quebec, which would be another big blowout win. This time, Beck would exit the game at the conclusion of the third quarter, with Drawkland boasting a 16-40 lead. Try fucking that up, Lane! Casson was still nursing his injury at the time and didn't want to aggravate it, so Proudfoot came on to close the game. He led the Corps to a couple of field goals, and the second-string defense allowed only 10 points in the last quarter of garbage time. Two blowout games for a series sweep against a top 20 opponent? You can't ask for much more than that.

At this point in the tournament, Drawkland was one of two nations that were still undefeated in the group stage, the other being the playoff hosts in Chromatika. The Iron Legion would suffer an away loss earlier in the weekend, a hotly-contested 47-37 game against South Newlandia. The Grid Corps could've used this as an opportunity to flex their might and take hold of the playoff race, but instead we fumbled the bag, quite literally. Playing on the road against the unknown Arjunnagar, everything seemed to go the other team's way. Beck would be forced to leave the game after banging up his knee diving for the pylon on the opening drive. Caspian Casson had recovered from his shoulder injury and was able to step in immediately, but he isn't an electric player like Beck is. Arjunnagar, meanwhile, had done a lot of game film study after their week two blowout loss, and their offense was able to capitalize on the short field given to them by two Casson interceptions and a Matt Adams fumble.

Honestly, I was expecting an embarrassing loss to a non-contender at some point during this tournament, so I'm glad it happened at a relatively innocuous time. To me it almost seemed like the Corps coaching staff had spent more time preparing for the next week's matchup against Delaclava and hope to coast through Arjunnagar, and we paid the price for it. Fortunately, the extra work seemed to have paid off. This second matchup against Delaclava was huge. We were both at 6-1, and the result here would decide the head-to-head and group table advantage.

Dustin Beck returned from injury, and he returned with a vengeance. No doubt watching his team lose to fucking Arjunnagar by 8 points while he sat helpless on the sideline lit a fire under his ass to get the Corps back on track. Poor, hapless Delaclava, even with Michael Willis at the helm, couldn't get the job done. The story of the game was one that's been told countless times before. Two good teams go at it, but one gets up early. The Corps scored on the opening drive, forced a three-and-out on defense, and then dedicated punt return man Ozzy Otten took that punt to the house. Delaclava had to punt again on their next drive, and Beck led the Corps to a field goal. The score was 19-0, and it wasn't even the second quarter yet. By now, the already mid Delaclav running game had to be abandoned entirely, and Willis tried his best to move his team down the field against a defense that knew to expect pass almost every down. Leo Cross had two and a half sacks on the day, as did Evan Wimbley. Willis would pass for three touchdowns, but the game was never close, because Beck continued to lead the Corps to score until the final whistle, a 38-21 win to put Drawkland in a very favorable position.

Upcoming Group Stage Games

We have two games remaining on the group stage schedule, away against Abanhfleft, and at home against The Jovannic. It's so easy to be pessimistic when you're a Corps fan, but even this is hard to spin in a negative direction. We blanked Abanhfleft, and though we didn't have an outstanding offensive performance, we controlled the line of scrimmage all game and pretty thoroughly dominated the Revolutionaries. The Fleftic faithful will surely be dying to cheer their team on to upset us in the final matchdays of this group stage. I'll admit, this is a perfect time to strike. Arjunnagar showed that Drawkland is vulnerable, and the Corps will likely still be tired after that big win over Delaclava. Now we'll be on the road, and meanwhile Abanhfleft needs a win to stay alive in the playoff race. If we're gonna lose another game, I would expect it to be here. Beck and the boys may have something else to say about that, however.

Meanwhile, our home finale will be against The Jovannic, who nearly beat us in the first leg thanks to Lane Proudfoot being a sack of crap under center. The Jovannic have already been eliminated from playoff contention, unfortunately for them, so they probably won't have a lot of fight left going into an away match against one of the best teams in the tournament right now. On the other hand, the pressure is now off, and maybe they have enough left in them to give us a shot on the nose before they head home. This is all theoretical, however. Bettors expect Drawkland to win by at least two touchdowns here. Can we grab the easy win when we need it most?

The Playoff Picture

The win over Delaclava was huge in more ways than one. For starters, it clinched a playoff berth for the Corps with two games left to play. Of course, with our form, it would be inconceivable for us to miss the playoffs even if we'd lost to the Phoenixes, but at least the mathematical certainty is there to take off some pressure. The win also raised us to 7-1, tied with Chromatika for the best record in the tournament after we both lost in week six. The Grid Corps and the Iron Legion (basically the same nickname if you think about it) are the only teams with seven wins, so if we both win out, it'll come down to point differential. However, Drawkland sits at +127, while Chromatika is barely half that at +66. Thus, it is basically impossible for Drawkland to land anywhere other than the top seed in the playoffs ... provided we win our last two games, which is not a given.

In the event we lose one of our last two games, our chances of earning the #1 seed are almost certainly dead in the water. There are lots of good teams at 6-2, including Saint Kanye, who have the best point differential in the tournament at +128. Most of these teams will likely be 8-2 at the end of the stage, so it's going to be a big clusterfuck of teams at the top. There's also Delaclava in our own group to worry about, but we're a win ahead and have the head-to-head in hand. As long as we don't lose out, we'll still win the group and a top five seed, even if Delaclava wins out. See why that second game was so crucial?

If we lose out, which would be both hilarious and horrifying, then things get way more interesting. By "interesting," I mean "ridiculous." Delaclava is likely to win out, as their only two losses came from us. They would take the group lead, and we would be sitting in second place at 7-3. Only one second place team sits at three losses right now, which is Ranoria. Yes, I just checked a second time, because I didn't believe that either. Ranoria? Second place in the group with three losses? John Garrett truly is washed. Anyway, a 7-3 record is likely to land us in the bottom half of the second place team seeding, so we'll be hovering right around the line for the top half or bottom half of the bracket.

It's pretty crazy to think about. Win out, and we will be the #1 seed in the World Bowl playoffs. Lose out, and we might not even be in the top half of the bracket. What a place to be! The good news is that just one win will be enough to ensure we're a top four seed, thanks to Group D being a big pile of Group Dogshit (it's actually just a group full of big contenders who can't get a lead over the group, but it's fun to make fun of them). The bad news is that the World Bowl has so much parity right now that every playoff match from the quarterfinals onward is going to be a murderously unfair matchup! Even the first round is likely to be a tough call for about half the field. My condolences for whichever poor bastards have to play the third place team from Groups B and D in the Round of 16. Of course, when the group stage is over, I'll have a more advanced projection for the playoff bracket, and who has the best shot going forward.

The Big News, i guess

I suppose I have to comment on the big news story surrounding the Grid Corps. Prior to the first group stage game against Abanhfleft, Corps veterans Jack Hoy and Leo Cross held an impromptu press conference where they dropped some mind-blowing news. Apparently they had both achieved immortality at some point prior to the season, in the same manner that our immortal Drawkionel leaders did many years ago.

People are asking me to comment on this, for some reason. I don't really have a strong opinion, quite frankly. So what, these two freak athletes will be on the Grid Corps roster forever, or "as long as they feel like it?" That's cool and all, but if we were able to win World Bowls purely on the skill of Hoy and Cross then we'd have twice as many titles as the Allamunnic States right now. It takes an entire roster to win games, and though it will be nice for their experience and unending energy to help the rest of the team, I just don't think it's going to make a huge difference in the long run.

Think about it. Those poor schmucks just sentenced themselves to centuries of front-row seats to watching the Grid Corps fail to live up to their potential and not win championships. I only have to endure a single lifetime of that shit and I'm already considering jumping off a bridge. They don't even have that option! Clearly they are much stronger men than I.

That's about all I have left to say. Hopefully I will return for the beginning of the playoffs to give my thoughts. I will be traveling to Chromatika, so if you go to a Drawkland playoff game and think to yourself, "holy shit, this disgustingly obese Drawkian sitting next to me has eaten 12 trays of nachos and it's not even the second quarter yet," then you'll have had the misfortune of meeting me. Until then, everyone.

corpsguy725 out

[Saint Kanye]

During the second quarter of their World Bowl 45 road game against HUElavia, St. Kanye Surge wideout Bruce Dobler jumped up to try and catch a pass, but suffered a helmet to helmet hit against a defender and landed awkwardly on the ground, breaking his left foot in the process. This was enough to take him out of not only the current game and subsequent 26-40 loss, but as the verdict by the medical staff says, all subsequent ones. It was a big blow for St. Kanye to lose a vital part of their pass-heavy offense, especially since there'll be a tough stretch of matchups ahead of them to close out their group stage schedule. But they pushed on ahead, and not only did they survive Tlacocuilco and Kriegiersien, they defeated both of them decisively, 37-14 and 38-3 respectively. Patrick Moore, who plays on Dobler's opposite side, and Deshawn Fredericks, the young tertiary receiver who was subsequently elevated to a starting role, both had huge contributions for the boys in purple and lime as they remained at the top of Group C with a 6-2 slate.

---

Fredericks

1Q TLA WR1 19 pass from QB1 (K kick) TLA 7-0
The visiting newcomers were able to score on their opening drive, and thus take the early lead. Despite having only one win, it came at the expense of the Yeezies, and so they were looking to play spoiler here and earn the upset and the sweep.

1Q STK field goal Rasputin 51 TLA 7-3
St. Kanye tried to equalize on their first drive of the game, but ran into a roadblock, R.J. Linetti absorbing back to back sacks to make it third and 25. Moore was only able to gain fourteen yards before being pushed out of bounds, so on fourth down, they turned to James Rasputin and his powerful leg to cut the lead down to four.

1Q STK Silk 23 run (Rasputin kick) STK 10-7
Tlacocuilco's next possession ended in a punt, which Greg Malloy returned almost to midfield. The Surge took advantage of their good field position, gaining yardage on a series of short passes before third down back Gregory Silk found a hole in the defense and slipped through it for his first touchdown of the tournament.

2Q STK Moore 21 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 17-7
After Fredericks torched them on two long receptions, the opposing defense focused all their attention on covering him. That left other targets open though, and Linetti connected with Moore instead to make it a two-possession game at the start of the second period.

2Q STK Varley 63 fumble return (Rasputin kick) STK 24-7
2Q STK field goal Rasputin 56 STK 27-7
That lead went up to twenty, as Justin Varley picked up the ball knocked loose from the Tlacocuilco running back by Robby Edison and took it to the house, and Rasputin drilled in one of his signature long field goals just before the half ended.

3Q TLA TE1 10 pass from QB1 (K kick) STK 27-14'
After giving up 27 straight points, the visitors would get on the scoreboard again in the third quarter with a short reception by their tight end in the red zone.

3Q STK field goal Rasputin 35 STK 30-14
Another Rasputin field goal buried Tlacocuilco a little deeper. Their kicker tried to respond with one from the exact same distance after their drive stalled, but it would be blocked by the Surge.

4Q STK Fredericks 83 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 37-14
The Yeezies capped things off with a long bomb by Linetti to Fredericks with less than two minutes remaining. "Deshawn surely was a great pickup by this team," said Surge head coach Jeff Delphine after the game. "Even watching him at UWU, we knew for sure that he'd be an asset to the national team, and now that he's a starter, he'll be getting more chance to prove it." "Thankful for the praise," Fredericks, the Ranorian league hotshot, added. "I'm just doing the best I can to make the coaches proud, make Bruce proud, make the country proud. I'm not at the same level yet as the likes of Bruce or Pat or that Mio chick [Alessandra of the Chromatika Iron Legion], but hopefully one day I get there."

---

Moore

1Q STK Fredericks 72 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 7-0
Fredericks ended last week's game with a monster of a reception, and he would start this week's matchup with another, despite several silver-clad defenders trying to stop him from doing so.

1Q STK Law 40 interception return (Rasputin kick) STK 14-0
Just like in their first meeting, the Surge were able to shackle Kriegiersien's orcish ace player Dudagog. A pass went for him went straight into Oliver Law's hands, and he would leap over and shove aside everyone in his way for six.

2Q STK N. Jackson 2 run (Rasputin kick) STK 21-0
The Surge capped off a 93-yard, eleven-minute drive with a short run by fullback Nico Jackson that saw the Kriegiersien defense get fooled and go after Noah Sherman instead as he ran to the opposite direction of where Jackson was.

2Q STK Moore 34 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 28-0
The home team tried their best to erase that big Cocoabo egg on the scoreboard, but just couldn't. Another potential reception by Dudagog ended in disaster, this time with Aidan O'Connor recording the interception. No pick six as he was brought down at the Kriegiersien 34, but just a play later, the Surge would score anyway on a catch by Moore. He, alongside Dobler, were the only two Yeezies featured in the Ranoria Sporting News Network's list of players to watch out for during the tournament, a mention that he took great honor in. "I'm a regular lurker of the RSNN site," he explained. "When I saw my name in that article, I let out a loud 'YEAH!' and woke up my neighbors. What can I do? Seeing your accomplishments get noticed not just in your own country, but worldwide, makes me proud and motivated to keep playing at a high level."

3Q STK field goal Rasputin 57 STK 31-0
3Q KGS field goal Bigfoot 45 STK 31-3
Rasputin and Tungdil Bigfoot added three points for their respective teams in the third. The rest of the plays in that period ended either in punts or turnovers.

4Q STK Jeffers 20 pass from Hunt (Rasputin kick) STK 38-3
Already up big, the Surge had Linetti sit out in the final quarter in favor of Tim Hunt, who like Fredericks plays pro ball in Ranoria. Hunt completed all but one of his twelve passes in the quarter, the highlight being the touchdown throw to tight end Hussein Jeffers where he was able to escape what would have been a takedown by three Kriegiersien defensive linemen.

---

The Surge close out their group stage schedule with a home game against budding rivals the TJUN-ia Jaguars (4-4), before going on the road against Squidroidia (3-5). "The TJUN-ia game is especially crucial," Coach Delphine said. "We beat them in our first meeting, but it was only by eight, basically a single possession. Knowing the Jags, they won't stand for it, so we have to be prepared." No team in Group C has been guaranteed to make it to the playoffs yet, although Tlacocuilco was eliminated upon losing 21-6 to HUElavia (also 6-2, but the Surge have the tiebreaker). Already in are hosts Chromatika as well as the Drawkland Grid Corps, both at 7-1, plus the South Newlandia Elephants, Banija Serpent Eagles and Kohnhead Brains at 6-2. "All really good teams, and having faced each of them at least once, we're speaking from experience here," spoke St. Kanye defensive coordinator Kevin Macintyre. "If we make the playoffs, there's sure to be a tough challenge ahead of us, but it's one we definitely won't say no to."

---

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| MD | Opponent      | Rank | Uniform        | Score   | Record | Place |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 1  | HUElavia      | 11   | Purple/Purple  | W 55-13 |  1-0   |       |
| 2  | @Tlacocuilco  | UR   | White/Purple   | L 30-33 |  1-1   |  4th  |
| 3  | Kriegiersien  | 16   | Purple/Black   | W 37-13 |  2-1   |  1st  |
| 4  | @TJUN-ia      | 4    | Purple/Purple* | W 14- 6 |  3-1   |  1st  |
| 5  | Squidroidia   | 29   | Purple/Purple  | W 32-19 |  4-1   |  1st  |
| 6  | @HUElavia     | 11   | White/Purple   | L 26-40 |  4-2   |  1st  |
| 7  | Tlacocuilco   | UR   | Purple/Black   | W 37-14 |  5-2   |  1st  |
| 8  | @Kriegiersien | 16   | Purple/Purple**| W 38- 3 |  6-2   |  1st  |
| 9  | TJUN-ia       | 4    | White/White*   |         |        |       |
| 10 | @Squidroidia  | 29   | White/Purple   |         |        |       |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Chromatika]

This article appeared some three months before the World Bowl, after Chromatika was already selected as host. It was posted anonymously on the official forum for the Chromatik Football Federation, CFFFans.co.cr.

Should Felswyr State University and Staramara Tech University Be Allowed to Host the World Bowl Playoffs? Obviously.

In the previous World Bowl Chromatika hosted - the forty-first edition - the nation used multiple football stadiums to act as venues for the World Bowl, unveiling the Henza Center, the only arena that has been made specifically for Gridiron in the country, to host the final. Marking out the yardage and the end zones weren't difficult; neither were inserting goalposts for the field goals. As so many of the stadia were already being used by teams in the Chromatik Football League (the domestic league for Chromatik Gridiron), it wasn't much of a problem.

Now, four editions later, the Chromatik Football Federation - which governs both football and gridiron football, while the rest of the sports are governed by the Chromatik Sporting Council - are faced with a question: should the Firehawks' Roost and Johnston Memorial Stadium be allowed to host World Bowl Playoffs?

The pros are obvious - both venues were made with gridiron in mind first - the Chromatik Collegiate Football Association comes second for those two schools - and the venues are seeped in Chromatik Gridiron history. It's no secret that a lot of the Iron Legion were once a member of Felswyr State or Staramara Tech, and to potentially see some of those players back on their home turf would be legendary. As the Chromatik schools have been lucky enough to even field some of the starters from other nations, it could be that those could have fun coming back to their collegiate fields as well.

The cons are not as obvious - but as important. Felswyr State University and Staramara Tech University own those fields, and their standing with the Chromatik Football Federation is not as linear as the direct relationship between the Chromatik Football League and the Chromatik Football Federation. In fact, Felswyr State University and Staramara Tech University's gridiron programs are officially independent from the Chromatik Football Federation, being a part of the NSCF instead. This could mean that they would have to sign specific deals to allow the CFF to use their stadiums, which could open another can of worms.

The alternative, of course, is to just let those stadiums remain unused, but that seems to be a waste of available resources. With the Iron Legion being one of the favorites to come to Chromatika, who wouldn't pay huge money to see Sarai Gwenderyn and Alessandra Mio play their playoff game at Firehawks' Field? Sure, Johnston Memorial Stadium is small, but it is a hall dedicated to the sport - to see it not used in such a tournament would convey the wrong kind of message.

It is this writer's humble opinion that the CFF and the boards of FSU and STU's gridiron programs should get their acts together and sign a multi-year deal. The opportunity cost is too high to do anything but that - and the fans deserve it.

[Chromatika]

The bell tolls... Did you make it to Chromatika? Cutoff!

---

World Bowl 45 - Final Group Stage Results
Teams in Green have made it to playoffs. Teams in Red are eliminated.

Group A - games including Chromatika scored by Tumbra, other games scored by Chromatika, tabulated using table generator.

Matchday 9
New Gesem 0-23 Chromatika
South Newlandia 57–24 Sairona
Juvencus 24–33 Gyatso-kai

Group A                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika              9    8   1   258  169  +89
2 South Newlandia         9    7   2   320  181 +139
3 Gyatso-kai              9    6   3   263  193  +70
4 New Gesem               9    3   6   168  199  −31
5 Juvencus                9    2   7   189  274  −85
6 Sairona                 9    1   8   137  319 −182

Matchday 10
Chromatika 30-24 Juvencus
Gyatso-kai 32–6 South Newlandia
Sairona 9–19 New Gesem

Standings after Ten Games:

Group A                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika             10    9   1   288  193  +95 
2 Gyatso-kai             10    7   3   295  199  +96*
3 South Newlandia        10    7   3   326  213 +113*
4 New Gesem              10    4   6   187  208  −21 
5 Juvencus               10    2   8   213  304  −91 
6 Sairona                10    1   9   146  338 −192 
*Gyatso-kai ahead of South Newlandia due to H2H Result (2-0).

Group B

Matchday 9
Kohnhead 36–29 Allamunnic States
Sword Island 12–16 South Americanastan
Banija 32–27 Sarzonia

Group B                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Banija                     9    7   2   363  261 +102
2 Kohnhead                   9    7   2   352  258  +94
3 Sarzonia                   9    5   4   265  195  +70
4 South Americanastan        9    4   5   174  183   −9
5 Allamunnic States          9    2   7   228  310  −82
6 Sword Island               9    2   7   122  297 −175

Matchday 10
Allamunnic States 20–24 Banija
Sarzonia 41–0 Sword Island
South Americanastan 23–13 Kohnhead

Standings after Ten Games:

Group B                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Banija                    10    8   2   387  281 +106 
2 Kohnhead                  10    7   3   365  281  +84 
3 Sarzonia                  10    6   4   306  195 +111 
4 South Americanastan       10    5   5   197  196   +1
5 Allamunnic States         10    2   8   248  334  −86*
6 Sword Island              10    2   8   122  338 −216*
*Allamunnic States ahead of Sword Island due to H2H Result (2-0).

Group C

Matchday 9
Tlacocullco 19–37 Squidroidia
HUElavia 30–30 Kriegiersien (40–33 OT)
Saint Kanye 28–3 TJUN-ia

Group C                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Saint Kanye                9    7   2   297  144 +153
2 HUElavia                   9    7   2   293  229  +64
3 TJUN-ia                    9    4   5   205  141  +64
4 Squidroidia                9    4   5   178  216  −38
5 Kriegiersien               9    4   5   198  277  −79
6 Tlacocullco                9    1   8   123  287 −164

Matchday 10
Squidroidia 7–14 Saint Kanye
TJUN-ia 39–32 HUElavia
Kriegiersien 22–13 Tlacocullco

Standings after Ten Games:

Group C                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Saint Kanye               10    8   2   311  151 +160
2 HUElavia                  10    7   3   325  268  +57
3 TJUN-ia                   10    5   5   244  173  +71*
4 Kriegiersien              10    5   5   220  290  −70*
5 Squidroidia               10    4   6   185  230  −45
6 Tlacocullco               10    1   9   136  309 −173
*TJUN-ia ahead of Kriegiersien due to H2H PD (+50) after H2H Result (1-1).

Group D

Matchday 9
Ranoria 25–13 Anthor
StrayaRoos 22–16 New Ontario Dominion
Ko-oren 26–14 Cassadaigua

Group D                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Ko-oren                    9    6   3   197  119  +78
2 Ranoria                    9    6   3   247  209  +38
3 StrayaRoos                 9    5   4   195  221  −26
4 Cassadaigua                9    5   4   216  205  +11
5 Anthor                     9    4   5   252  206  +46
6 New Ontario Dominion       9    1   8   122  269 −147

Matchday 10
Anthor 7–20 Ko-oren
Cassadaigua 19–13 StrayaRoos
New Ontario Dominion 30–12 Ranoria

Standings after Ten Games:

Group D                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Ko-oren                   10    7   3   217  126  +91
2 Cassadaigua               10    6   4   235  218  +17*
3 Ranoria                   10    6   4   259  239  +20*
4 StrayaRoos                10    5   5   208  240  −32
5 Anthor                    10    4   6   259  226  +33
6 New Ontario Dominion      10    2   8   152  281 −129
*Cassadaigua ahead of Ranoria due to H2H PD (+5) after H2H Result (1-1).

Group E

Matchday 9
The Jovannic 33–34 Quebec & Shingoryeo
Abanhfleft 10–16 Drawkland
Delaclava 31–24 Arjunnagar

Group E                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Drawkland                  9    8   1   292  159 +133
2 Delaclava                  9    7   2   247  203  +44
3 Quebec & Shingoryeo        9    5   4   242  231  +11
4 Abanhfleft                 9    4   5   180  182   −2
5 Arjunnagar                 9    2   7   172  299 −127
6 The Jovannic               9    1   8   215  274  −59

Matchday 10
Quebec & Shingoryeo 9–23 Delaclava
Arjunnagar 24–47 Abanhfleft
Drawkland 48–7 The Jovannic

Standings after Ten Games:

Group E                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD
1 Drawkland                 10    9   1   340  166 +174
2 Delaclava                 10    8   2   270  212  +58
3 Quebec & Shingoryeo       10    5   5   251  254   −3*
4 Abanhfleft                10    5   5   227  206  +21*
5 Arjunnagar                10    2   8   196  346 −150
6 The Jovannic              10    1   9   222  322 −100
*Quebec and Shingoryeo ahead of Abanhfleft due to H2H PD (+8) after H2H Result (1-1).

---

World Bowl 45 Playoff Seeding Table

Overall                     Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
E01 Drawkland                10    9   1   340  166 +174
A02 Chromatika               10    9   1   288  193  +95 
C03 Saint Kanye              10    8   2   311  151 +160
B04 Banija                   10    8   2   387  281 +106 
D05 Ko-oren                  10    7   3   217  126  +91
E06 Delaclava                10    8   2   270  212  +58
A07 Gyatso-kai               10    7   3   295  199  +96
B08 Kohnhead                 10    7   3   365  281  +84 
C09 HUElavia                 10    7   3   325  268  +57
D10 Cassadaigua              10    6   4   235  218  +17
A11 South Newlandia          10    7   3   326  213 +113
B12 Sarzonia                 10    6   4   306  195 +111 
D13 Ranoria                  10    6   4   259  239  +20
C14 TJUN-ia                  10    5   5   244  173  +71
E15 Quebec & Shingoryeo      10    5   5   251  254   −3
E16 Abanhfleft               10    5   5   227  206  +21 BEST FOURTH PLACED FINISH
B17 South Americanastan      10    5   5   197  196   +1 
D18 StrayaRoos               10    5   5   208  240  −32 
C19 Kriegiersien             10    5   5   220  290  −70 
A20 New Gesem                10    4   6   187  208  −21

---

World Bowl 45 Playoff Bracket
Venues TBD, announced tomorrow

R1: (01) Drawkland vs. (16) Abanhfleft @ Riders' Arena, Pùr, Heartland District (Cap. 35,210)
R2: (08) Kohnhead vs. (09) HUElavia @ Dragon's Nest, Anfanhar, Heartland District (Cap. 48,210)
R3: (04) Banija vs. (14) TJUN-ia* @ Hawks' Nest, Lanar, Rainbow District (Cap. 112,000, 38,000 Seats)
R4: (05) Ko-oren vs. (12) Sarzonia @ The Hive, Sanar, Rainbow District (Cap. 122,000, 42,000 Seats)
R5: (07) Gyatso-kai vs. (10) Cassadaigua @ The Pack, Pria, Coastal District (Cap. 67,290, 19,000 Seats)
R6: (02) Chromatika vs. (15) Quebec & Shingoryeo @ The Cove, Lhor, Coastal District (Cap. 51,265; 28,000 Seats)
R7: (03) Saint Kanye vs. (13) Ranoria* @ Island Dome, Myana, Myana Island (Cap. 133,000; 35,000 Seats)
R8: (06) Delaclava vs. (11) South Newlandia @ The Jungle, Eyrods, Myana Island (Cap. 74,590, 26,000 Seats)

* (13) Ranoria swapped with (14) TJUN-ia to avoid Group Stage rematch between Saint Kanye and TJUN-ia (Group C)

A swap between Quebec and Shingoryeo and Abanhfleft to avoid a Group Stage rematch between Drawkland and Abanhfleft was considered. However, since swapping would also result in a Group Stage rematch between Drawkland and Quebec and Shingoryeo, they were not swapped.

Weather Forecast, Round of Sixteen
Pùr, Heartland - slight chance of rain; 15 mph winds in the NW direction - High: 52F, Low: 38F
Anfanhar, Heartland - slight chance of rain; 13 mph winds in the NE direction - High: 51F, Low: 34F
Lanar, Rainbow - sunny with a chance of cloudy skies - High: 61F, Low: 40F
Sanar, Rainbow - slight fog rolling in from the southern coast - High: 58F, Low: 38F
Pria, Coastal - cold front rolling in from the coast, cloudy skies - High: 48F, Low: 29F
Lhor, Coastal - cold front rolling in from the coast, cloudy skies - High: 46F, Low: 27F
Myana, Myana - clear skies with decent winds - High: 65F, Low: 38F
Eyrods, Myana - clear skies with decent winds - High: 60F, Low: 42F

[Ko-oren]

After all the permutations and the calculation, it's the results that matter. And in terms of those, the Dragonflies have done themselves a favour by beating Cassadaigua who helped us to a defeat, slightly surprisingly so, but the Dagans have proved to have lost no touch since getting back into the World Bowl by later beating StrayaRoos and claiming a knockout spot. After that, the Dragonflies also defeated Anthor, who at that point were already eliminated following their round nine loss to Ranoria. Anthor's schedule gave them every chance of an upset and getting to the top three but they went 0-2 versus Ko-oren and Ranoria and while that's nothing to be ashamed about, it does end their tournament right there.

So the Dragonflies have made a remarkable run after a tepid start, and with their four game win streak they'll get into the playoffs as the fifth seed - the worst group winner - but at least we have won our group. That round nine win over Cassadaigua and then Ranoria's loss to New Ontario Dominion in round 10 (who would finish 2-8, with their wins being over Ranoria and Cassadaigua, which is worth hanging a banner for, to be fair) help us a fair bit - you normally can't expect to win a group at 7-3. Other group winners have done so at 8-2 (Banija, Saint Kanye) or even 9-1 (Chromatika, Drawkland) as it turns out we live in the Age of the Chromatik, whose club soccer is also having a moment.

Ko-oren 26–14 Cassadaigua
Carrington got her team on the scoresheet early, and the defence held on to protect that lead for the rest of the first quarter. Becker, Murray, and Williams weaved in between zones and defenders to catch everything Carrington could launch their way, and it took Ramsbottom and his guys by surprise. It wasn't exactly what they had prepared for, and with Gomoltinden the only one to break into the backfield even once, the Cassadagans had enough time to plan their attacks carefully with time to spare in the pocket. Today, however, it would the Ko-orenite offence's turn to save the team. It's rare, but it happens. Their second drive, starting right at the end of the first quarter, had Thorebourne escape for a 33-yard run (our longest of the Bowl so far) setting up a Masman strike to Voorhorst to earn a first and goal. A few futile attempts to get closer to the goal line later, Masman faced a 3rd-and-8 and tossed it up high for Gasbeek, who came down with the ball over Mancini to even the score at 7-7. That second quarter would later only see a field goal to give the Dragonflies a slight lead, 10-7.

The second half began with Carrington again methodically pushing her team down the field, but now with slightly more cracks in pass protection. Stroo caught her escaping the pocket for the first sack of the day. Still, the lack of further QB hits and the lack of penalties (from both sides, most of the game) gave the young quarterback an opportunity to pass to Raymond for 22 yards and the score: 10-14.

From then on, it was all Ko-oren with Carrington getting sacked three more times, getting long fields on every drive, and even Pryor getting tackled in the endzone for a safety - yes, those are back on the menu for the Dragonflies, we've been missing them since they were a staple in our World Bowl winning campaigns. In between, Costigan dipped, dived, dodged, and ducked between defenders for a whopping 50 yards after the catch on his 5 targets and 4 catches in the second half, though he wouldn't get the honour of actually scoring. Masman ran in a 2nd-and-goal from the five yard line, and in the fourth quarter, Narlash caught the final touchdown for the 26-14 final score. Carrington recorded no interceptions today - the first time the defensive backs didn't add insult to injury in a few games now.

Anthor 7–20 Ko-oren
The group final was a relatively easy day out, with Tadhinthen setting up some long fields that ended in turnovers more often than not. Aurisea returned an interception for a touchdown, Duterre picked off the QB by jumping a fade, and even Darknoll got a pick by being at the right place at the right time on a slant. That's three interceptions, and then Gomoltinden knocked the ball loose twice around the line of scrimmage, while Payne recorded two sacks. Holding penalties for Ko-oren were the only thing that held us back from a monster score, but even so, a 13-point win is more than fine. Masman was somewhat accurate, going 15 from 26 for 191 yards. We've seen him do better.

---

Incredible signing sprees in the last few hours for all 12 teams in the League to finalise their rosters ahead of the new season. Rules surrounding rosters in the Top League, Second Division, and the Development League mean that there are a lot more names floating around than normal, and we see plenty of written-off second divisioners over the age of 28 finding teams and contracts.

After the dust settled, these look to be the best offences going into next year:

Aerellen Explosions - A formidable all-round team with an imposing O-line and skill players, and a decent-to-alright QB. The best players: FB Togai Joshie (34), LG Aerili Allacea (24), RE Jon Mulders (34)
Willowbourne Saints - The Saints will have to make sure that their offence remains on the field at all time, lacking a good defence. A great QB with a great line is what they aimed to start building from, so the splash plays might not happen, but they will drive down fields even if slowly. The cream of the crop: CE Adé Gavreau (32), QB Philip Bodkin (26)
Eaglebury Emperors - The best team overall, not topping out in any category but giving any unit a run for their money, they have the same DNA as the Saints, with a good QB and a great line. Plenty of stars: LG Auhonen Haustedhaungen (27), LD Mablw yTaddwadd (24), RG Otho Tilcott (27), WB Edward Darknoll (29), SS Chilra Minjarrah (35), QB Stanley Parkes (37)
Mayara Destroyers - Much like the Saints, but with less deep craters and less high peaks. They'll have little time to develop plays behind a shoddy line, but the rest of the offence is top notch. Some names: RT Olinosuke Vuluja (30), FB Doninak Soserindhen (28), RB Garathen Jurethen (31), RD Veja Stroo (33)

And the best defences:

Sterrenwolde Dragonflies - A good QB, good special teams, and most of all: a defence to be feared. It's what Sterrenwolde does. The building blocks for the national team, they have a fantastic secondary with decent help underneath. Lots of talent: LD Maukiliru Gomoltinden (32), QB Pier Masman (24), FS Aoradora Aurisea (24), LC Herman Jennings (26), RD Boaz Avink (32), MB Toon Fokke (36), PR Clé Moreau (27)
Noordrug Astronauts - Not bad in any category, but only truly great in defence, with stars on every line. Their best: RE Tausurlun Hanalaunden (27), SS Sadhaulak Dakitherinthen (33)
Eaglebury Emperors - Mentioned before, it's Eaglebury. Arguably the best front seven, paired with an average secondary.
Mayara Wolves - A poor offence that lost a lot of key players now only has a defence to rely on. We're looking forward to a lot of pressures and sacks. Players to look out for: LC Elwood Guillan (30), LD Melton Hoddle (27), WB Baluin Dauntaringun (32)

For good measure, the best special teams, all of which also feature on one of the other two lists!

Sterrenwolde Dragonflies
Aerellen Explosions
Eaglebury Emperors
Noordrug Astronauts

Teams not mentioned on any list:

Mawryshire Centaurs - a passable offence with potentially the leakiest defence, some help on the O-line but they do have a top 3 QB... so watch for RC Jalu Vigouroux (30), PU Dhaungekun Tadhinthen (31), QB Kageera Ingdon (25)
Schemerdrecht Admirals - didn't invest in special teams, but has some upsides on 'both' sides of the ball. The skill positions and O-line are fine, and they only need to 'luck' into a good quarterback. They have plenty of good linebackers as the glue in their defence, but the foundation isn't great for the rest of it. The best players there: SS Dhauthenu Turaundhinthen (31), XR Egge Gasbeek (26), MB Reuben Ramsbottom (30), LT Sibren Schooten (34), RT Noro Sardou (26)
Schemerdrecht 65ers - Missing out on all three lists but only barely, it's feast or famine from unit to unit. The linebackers and offensive line have some great talent, while the rest can be suspect. Some exciting talent and veterans: RB Spencer Galway (33), RT Elisha Witvos (32), WB Louw Hagendoorn (24), LG Kōki Matsunami (23)
Aminey Caspians - it's not looking good in Aminey, who had hoped to keep close to Sterrenwolde for a while. The secondary is fine, as are the skill positions, but they've neglected to invest in the o-line, as the Caspians like to do. They have: YR Giles Costigan (24), LC Camille Duterrre (30), RD Marc Gérald (31), RC Aeneatai Aothemirila (25)
Greencaster Godspeed - they've been good recently, but those days seem over. There are a few skilled guys, but overall it's too up and down to expect much. Look at those special teams, though: LT Aenieme Arenna (28), SB Gabe Henry (35), PK Abner Bennett (35), PR Go Bronsvoord (27), FB Jonas Wilson (28), RB Alastair Thorebourne (29)

QB,BQ - Quarterback, backup
FB,HB,RB - Fullback, halfback, running back
WR,XR,YR,ZR,TR,TB - Wide receiver, X-, Y-, Z-receiver, receiving tight end, blocking tight end
RT,RG,CE,LG,LT,OL - Right tackle, right guard, center, left guard, left tackle, offensive line (backup)
LE,LD,NT,RD,RE - left defensive end, left defensive line, nose tackle, right defensive line, right defensive end
OB,WB,IB,MB,SB,BZ - outside linebacker, weak-side linebacker, inside linebacker, middle linebacker, strong-side linebacker, blitzer
LC,FS,SS,RC,NB,DB - left cornerback, free safety, strong safety, right cornerback, nickelback, dimeback
PK,PU,LS,PR,KR,JM,GU - placekicker, punter, long snapper, punt returner, kick returner, jammer, gunner

[TJUN-ia]

After another split went down in this Group of Death, this time by thrashing one team and losing to another in tight fashion, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia were 4-4 and knew for a fact that they had to have a little bit of help if they wanted to advance into what could be a final World Bowl playoffs for a lot of people on this roster. Two games, both against the Top 2 in this group, would decide our fate in this group that has certainly been painful for us thus far, but Gus McKerrin wasn't giving up hope just yet. This team HAD to see the playoffs before the changes came in and he certainly wasn't going to take 'No' for an answer...not this time.

Up first was Round 2 against the Surge of Saint Kanye, this time over on Surge Field at Pencurve Electronics Stadium in Kardashia. Facing off with Jeff Delphine one more time didn't turn out to be as fun as we hoped, as their D-Line was just too good right there and then and we could only manage a simple FG from Chi On-Ma. The Surge, on the other hand, did their business pretty convincingly as they managed 4 TDs on us, with R.J. Linetti managing 4 superb passes to Bruce DoblerDeshawn Fredericks and Patrick Moore (2 each) while James Rasputin made all 4 of the PATs he would be given. It just wasn't a good day at all and now, we all knew what lay ahead back at home.

We had to beat HUElavia to stay alive. That was the matter of fact. As such, there would be a feisty atmosphere in the air back in New Washington when Raphael Schneiderman came to the Field of Dreams in The Gardens. This game was expected to be a very big game, with seeding permutations and everything under the sun being on the line here, and our opponents, to be fair to them, certainly gave it their all. Maurício Pinto Machado managed 4 TDs, two each to Dylan de la Cruz and Diogo Correia Marques, while also running in a 2PC while Lutz Schulz went 3/3 on PATs and managed a FG too. As for us, we managed almost the same - but Jake Griffin managed 5 TDs (2 each to the Davidsons and 1 to Hubert Valois) and ran in a 2PC while Chi managed 4/4 PATs and a FG. That was enough for the 39-32 win and, by the skin of our teeth, we're through into the next stage. It was very very tight...but we just about survived.

We would've faced Saint Kanye again in the knockouts, but the "no rematch" rule put an end to that. Instead, we will face the #4 seeds in these playoffs - the Serpent Eagles of Banija. Lord, what have we gotten ourselves into? This could be the end, as Banija certainly know what they are doing when it comes to gridiron affairs, but that doesn't mean we won't fight until the very end. No matter what, Jaguars never quit. GO JAGS!

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SCHEDULE (Group C)
MD1: vs Tlacocuilco (UR) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 31-6 (2nd/1-0)
MD2: @Kriegiersien (16) - Hall of Stone, Aturim Deephides Stonecutter School L 13-13 (19-22OT) (2nd/1-1)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD3: vs Squidroidia (29) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 41-17 (3rd/2-1)
MD4: vs Saint Kanye (8) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington L 6-14 (3rd/2-2)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD5: @HUElavia (11) L 23-24 (4th/2-3)
MD6: @Tlacocuilco (UR) W 16-13 (4th/3-3)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD7: vs Kriegiersien (16) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 60-7 (3rd/4-3)
MD8: @Squidroidia (29) L 6-10 (3rd/4-4)
-----------------NSFB-WB-----------------
MD9: @Saint Kanye (8) - Surge Field at Pencurve Electronics Stadium, Kardashia L 3-28 (3rd/4-5)
MD10: vs HUElavia (11) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 39-32 (3rd/5-5/+71PD)
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Ro16: vs Banija (2/#4/B1/8-2) - Hawks' Nest, Lanar, Rainbow District, Chromatika