World Lacrosse Championships 41- Everything Thread

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Home win would wrap up QF berth
by Glenn Hylton
The Western Observer

WEST CHESTER--The Baker Park National Team followed their first defeat in the tournament by rolling past Ganes Ame 21-7 on matchday four of the World Lacrosse Championship.

The opening day match against this opponent was the 100th WLC match played by the National Team, and on this day they showed from early on that they'd taken what they learned about the opposition at Boundary Station and built a game plan stressing more quick transitions from turnovers.

Danielle Grimaldi put 7 past the Ganes Ame keeper, with Ben Appleman getting five as the Elk machine cranked out a second 20 goal performance in the competition.

The final home match here will be against South Jeolerina, against which BP erupted for 24 in the away fixture on matchday two; a win for the Elks would clinch one of the eight knockout round spots, and leave the final day visit to Delaclava only a battle for the group's top spot.

The Phoenixes and Abanhfleft are the only sides who have yet to drop a game, as Sarzonia's record winning streak came to an end against Kriegiersien, 16-13, leaving both teams tied at 3-1 in Group 2, and Banija also with same record in Group 3.

[Cassadaigua]

Group 1
Cassadaigua 9–12 The Jovannic
Abanhfleft 9–6 Natanians and Nosts

* Group 1                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Abanhfleft               5   5  0   50  31 +19   15 Q
2 Cassadaigua              5   2  3   43  45  −2    6
3 The Jovannic             5   2  3   50  45  +5    6
4 Natanians and Nosts      5   1  4   34  56 −22    3

Group 2
Sarzonia 14–10 StrayaRoos
Canadian Dominion 9–17 Kriegiersien

* Group 2                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kriegiersien             5   4  1   74  48 +26   12 Q
2 Sarzonia                 5   4  1   68  50 +18   12 Q
3 StrayaRoos               5   2  3   50  58  −8    6
4 Canadian Dominion        5   0  5   33  69 −36    0

Group 3
Banija 24–6 HUElavia
The Cordian Isles 5–5 Magnus Phoenicia (5–8 OT)

* Group 3                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Banija                   5   4  1   88  37 +51   12 Q
2 Magnus Phoenicia         5   3  2   48  55  −7    9
3 HUElavia                 5   2  3   45  59 −14    6
4 The Cordian Isles        5   1  4   28  58 −30    3

Group 4
Ganes Ame 8–9 Delaclava
Baker Park 15–9 South Jeolerina

* Group 4                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Delaclava                5   5  0   57  37 +20   15 Q
2 Baker Park               5   4  1   76  41 +35   12 Q
3 South Jeolerina          5   1  4   56  78 −22    3
4 Ganes Ame                5   0  5   32  65 −33    0

[Magnus Phoenicia]

New Name needed for mixed Lacrosse Team?

"The Daredevils have the status of being the men's national Lacrosse team.
The Gems hold the distinction of representing the women's national team.

Many international championships permit only one national team to compete. The mixed team will see a surge of future appearances.
This does not make The Daredevils and Gems redundant. Those national teams will continue to represent us at global multi-sport events such as the NS Olympic Games or The Pangaean Union Friendship Games.

It was unfair to send a mixed team to compete with an already established brand name. Fans know the Daredevils have always been the men's team. The name confusion may have confused female fans to switch off, believing no female athletes were playing, as they didn't hear the Gems name mentioned. We want to draw in both male and female fans which will boost viewership and merchandise sales.

In moving in the mixed team direction, a new name is necessary. It's the perfect opportunity to build up a fresh new brand and identity, offering the best male and female players in a single national team that fans can rally behind.
Management is optimistic about the proposed changes. The changes will boost membership numbers which will rally more people to think up a name, a mascot, new uniform and the possibility of a mixed cheer squad.

So passionate is the Lacrosse Federation about these changes, 24 hours ago we posted on our channel and page on VibrGold calling for Magnus Phoenicia Lacrosse fans to come up with a new name for the team and a team mascot.

Our page has already received thousands of new hits. Hundreds of people have posted comments of possible names with many expressing they wish to see a name and mascot that is inclusive, diverse, supports unity, fun and modern.

Over the next few weeks we will collect posters' ideas, those suggestions which appear often will be added to a poll and the highest number of voters will decide the new team name and mascot.

So I encourage all fans to head over to our VibrGold page now and continue to cheer on our team at the World Lacrosse Championships who are about to head onto the field to take on The Cordian Isles."

Xavier Westeros; President of the Lacrosse Federation

[Abanhfleft]

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

---

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Lacrosse Lamentations
with Aisling Keane

It really does feel like we cannot and will not ever escape the number nine in this particular WLC. That’s now four out of five games that we’ve played in which the number nine has appeared in the scoreline. Even in that one game against Cassadaigua where it looked like we had finally gotten past our fear of scoring in the double digits, the Fillies still scored nine goals themselves, making it look like we truly have no escape from the number that you get when you put four and five together. Maybe we’re stuck with either scoring nine goals ourselves or having our opponents score nine goals against us. But as long as we score more than our opponents, maybe this is a deal that I can actually live with. But I do wish sometimes that we can change things up just a little bit and not make ourselves completely and utterly predictable with our scoring.

It probably goes without saying now that Dennis Koizumi and Vanessa Kim were once again instrumental in the Amazons’ second victory over Natanians and Nosts, although this time Koizumi’s contributions to the victory have become a bit disproportionate compared to the other players in this Abanhfleft team. Dennis scored five of Abanhfleft’s nine goals against N&N in our second meeting with the team in light blue, and while Vanessa only scored two goals, she did provide five assists as well (three of which were to Koizumi) so the partnership still continues, even if it isn’t all in goals scored. Reagan Lucero and Selina Keller were the other two scorers for the Amazons, rounding out another performance in which Abanhfleft could only score nine goals and nothing more.

But yet again, the defense stepped up to the plate and kept the other side from taking advantage of that. In the past few games, I have questioned our defense’s ability to keep the other team out of our net for more times than their defense kept our attack at bay, but after a slightly disturbing upward trend in the first four games, our back line has brought the opponents’ score back down. But six goals is still a lot, especially given the context that we only gave up four goals to Cassadaigua in our first meeting with the Fillies this WLC. Bruno Caeso North led the team by example once again, scoring four of N&N’s six goals, with José Túpac Tupsiak and Ion Álvarus Tibiriçá scoring the other two goals for their country. It followed a similar pattern to the first time that we played N&N in this WLC, with Bruno Caeso scoring the lion’s share of the team’s goals and other players chipping in one goal each. After giving up nine goals against the Fillies on their home turf in Brattleboro, I would most certainly take us letting in only six at Szymborski Stadium in Reyes.

In other Group 1 news, Cassadaigua were beaten by the Jovannic, who are truly making a case that they deserve to be in this competition despite being only the 37th ranked team in lacrosse. The Fillies’ loss puts them in the negative goal differential, but despite that they’re still second in Group 1, but they most certainly cannot afford to slip up against Natanians and Nosts or else they will be knocked out of the very competition that they are hosting. In Group 2, Kriegiersien and Sarzonia have also booked their places in the playoffs, but because of the Stars’ loss to Kriegiersien, they will not get the top seed unless they get their revenge for that 13-16 defeat and beat Kriegiersien by an even bigger score. Group 3 is the only other group where only one team has booked their place in the playoffs, and that team is none other than Banija, finally getting revenge for their overtime loss to HUElavia with a 24-6 thumping. And Delaclava have been joined to the “advancing to the playoffs” party by Baker Park, who booked their place in the next round with a routine victory over South Jeolorina.

There’s still one more game left to play, and it’s the second game against the Jovannic. They’ll certainly be feeling emboldened after their victory over Cassadaigua, and they were also the team that came closest to ending the Amazons’ own undefeated streak. This one will probably be the toughest game of them all, what with our place in the next round all but secured. It’s so easy for the team to get into the “take it easy” mentality and coast through the final game, and though some might argue that it might actually be a good idea to rest our starters for what is basically a dead rubber game, there are others who would like the team to preserve their 100 percent perfect record. And I’m not afraid to say that I’m one of those people.

Yes, I understand the logic behind coasting and resting players for the final game, but that 100 percent record is also a matter of pride; at least for me it is. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if we lost it, but I would most certainly love for the team to keep it anyway. Of course, it could all be for naught when the first round of the playoffs comes round, and the Amazons fall to Abanhfleft’s first round curse once again, but let’s not think about that yet for the moment, shall we? It’s still a long, long tournament, and anything can and will happen to everyone who’s still in it.

[Banija]

"Better late than never"- Dominating victory over HUElavia shows that, after slow start, Banijan lacrosse is really in full swing

HERZEGOVINA CITY, MORAVICA- In Banija's final home game of the WLCs, it was a Banijan team who had won two games in a row against a HUElavia squad who had dropped their last two contests. And yet, of course, it was a former world champion, HUElavia, who had beaten the Banijans, in OT, just three matchdays ago. "The fact that they had beaten us- well, that was simply extra motivation for the contest that was about to come." Said Banija's head coach, Owole Kalali. "The Olympic success we had, both men's and women's, is really starting to form and help the squad. They're playing without fear, they're playing with confidence- even though we had a loss in this tournament, they didn't approach the HUElavia with any kind of fear. They simply put their heads down and were like- what will it take for us to win?"

And what it would take, folks, Banija played one of the best group stage matches that they've played not only at this specific tournament, but that they've played in years. The 24-6 win over the 5th ranked team in the world, well- it is absolutely about as impressive and thorough a win you can get, against a team of their caliber, at this stage. "Obviously, the final score was absolutely stunning- not even in my wildest dreams did I think we'd beat a former WLC champion by 18, even in front of the best fans in the sport." Coach Kalali said, gesturing to the sold out Kizza I Field behind him. "But the performance itself? Did not surprise me. You could see how players were locked in, when it came to training, when it came to the film room. Their willingness to take criticism, to listen to their coaching staff- those are the little things that seperate a talented team, from becoming a memorable team. This team, we'll see what happens at the knockouts, but at least on this night, we showed that we have that."

Scores? 6-0 after a quarter, and we scored a stunning 9 goals during the 2nd quarter. When you're up 15-2 at half, well- the game's entirely over that one, and that was one of the most dominant halves of lacrosse that team Banija has ever played. With the 18 goal margin of victory, it means Banija, despite a 4-1 record, leads the entire tournament both in goals for, and overall goal differential. Their final contest will be against Magnus Phoenicia, who are 2-3 and are fighting for their playoff lives. If M.P. get a win on Matchday 6, they're through- and if they lose to the Banijans, who need a win for seeding purposes, then it will more than likely be HUElavia who joins Banija in the quarterfinals, while Magnus Phoenicia goes home.

"It'll be a fantastic playoff atmosphere- I'm excited." Coach Kalali told reporters. "They've got talent, and although they were overwhelmed by the stage a few matchdays ago, I fully expect this next match to come down to the wire. Best of luck to 'em."

[Delaclava]

Rock Paper Scissors

lol jk

Uh, what the hell was that?

I'm writing this in the immediate aftermath of Delaclava barely escaping Ganes Ame with a 9-8 win, spectacularly allowing a 9-3 lead to nearly evaporate. (At least it wasn't a 10-3 lead!)

I'm not mad... I'm just disappointed. (And Lachlan Norris had some major disappointed dad energy in the closing minutes.)

I'll give some credit where credit is due. When you put a team in this tournament, it's not without some foresight and preparation. You make sure you're not going to get completely embarrassed. And so far, Ganes Ame hasn't been particularly competitive, but until Baker Park smashed them 21-7, they hadn't really surrendered any ridiculous scorelines. They next travel to South Jeolerina, a tough team playing for pride. A home game against Delaclava was the last best chance for Ganes Ame to pick up a win.

Still, it never looked like a real possibility. Even with a balanced rotation, the Phoenixes were steady ahead for about 40 minutes. With Ryan Xang smooth as can be in goal, the attack methodically dismantled the Ganes Amean defense, with Gino Martenot taking center stage with some clever movement that left him open for many chances, which he converted into three goals as the Phoenixes opened up a 6-2 lead at halftime. What could possibly go wrong? The good vibes continued for most of the third quarter; after Ganes Ame clawed one back early in the frame, the Phoenixes picked up three unanswered goals to make it 9-3. Then it all went to hell. Ganes Ame regrouped in possession, no doubt defeated yet still urged on by their faithful fans. An attacker got a step on Yan Makar, took the pass and slung it into the goal behind Xang.

9-4. Christian Ford won the faceoff and got the ball back into safe territory. Although they wound down the clock on the third quarter with a few shots, Ganes Ame eventually intercepted a bad pass by Ferguson White and took it down the field, taking advantage of one of the only odd man chances they'd get. Their shot beat the buzzer to sound the end of the period.

9-5. Norris didn't light into the team, but his expression was stern and the players should have known what was at stake. Ford won the faceoff again, but couldn't rescue the ball from his pocket in time and immediately had to surrender possession. The home team took control and got to work, knowing they still had plenty of time to get the goals they needed. But it only took about a minute to get the next one, finding an attacker looping around the net past Marcos Verona and getting the short range goal.

9-6. James Shack won the faceoff to give the defense a reprieve. Grigor Padun and Brian Vandevelde were in the game now, but looking a bit stale, they didn't have the same speed they usually had. The Ganes Amean defense was patient and Padun eventually tried to sling a long underhand shot that went well into the protective netting. The home team advanced up the field. With the clock winding down - both game and shot clock - they were entirely out of position and a midfielder fired a desperation long shot. It was on target, and it smacked off the bottom of Xang's stick head and bounced into the net.

9-7. Norris called Xang off the field and sent out a cold David Wallin. Yikes. Norris reassured Xang that none of it was solely on him, but in honesty Xang should have come out a bit sooner. Wallin is bouncing up and down, smacking himself on the helmet, desperately trying to feel ready. Shack tried in vain to win the faceoff and buy Wallin some time. It was fruitless. Ganes Ame won the faceoff and was right back down the field. The first shot they tried was low, right at Wallin's feet, and he couldn't move the stick quickly enough.

9-8. And there were still four minutes to go. Norris was at a loss for words, but Michael Querrey was besides himself. Shack finally got a faceoff and took the action away from Wallin, who did some jump squats and side-to-sides as Padun and company moved the ball around. The goal now was wasting time, and the Phoenixes bought themselves some as a frustrated Ganes Amean decked Patrice Vidal from behind, earning himself a penalty and giving the Phoenixes a man advantage to while away. Ganes Ame finally got the man and the ball back, and tested Wallin with another quick shot. He was ready for this one and cleared. On the other end, a Vandevelde shot went errant. Ganes Ame came back for one more try, with a minute left. They worked the clock, looking for their best shot, the coach screaming instructions. Wallin was patient, he was dialed in, he read their last attempt perfectly and caught it low, the same shot that felled him minutes earlier. He evaded the opposing offense, cleared the ball out to Sireno Maul, and Maul flung the ball in the air as high as he could so time would expire.

9-8. That's it. What a relief.

I... don't know what lessons we learn from this. We may not learn them until later, maybe not until we're finished with Baker Park, or until we're finished with this tournament, whether it ends with a trophy or in heartbreak.

I can't make sense of what I saw, and until I can... still counts. 5-0.

[The Jovannic]

Cassadaigua 9–12 The Jovannic: The Jovannic keep qualification hopes alive with crucial win against Fillies

As The Emperors look to steal the second qualifying position away from organisers Cassadaigua, the have recorded a very important victory that has placed us in a good position coming into the final game of the group stage.

The away side powered to a 4-1 lead in the first quarter, and the Cassadaiguans were unable to overcome this early deficit. Howard Lim was once again essential to this early scoring spree, scoring three goals in the first half, but was however substituted for Ale Soshtaker as Guinrti hoped to conserve full first team fitness. The second quarter featured intense midfield battles between the two sides, with Johiver Kee being the main difference maker with his incisive goal making it 7-3 at the end of the second quarter.

As the majority of first team players were taken off, the Fillies embarked on a renewed assault, and gave a slight scare as they scored twice within a minute. Fortunately, The Emperors placed their heads firmly back onto their shoulders, as 19 year old Jovan Swansee replying promptly with a smashing finish to get the first Jovannic goal of the third quarter. Each team would score once more, and the quarter would end 9-6.

The fourth quarter had the Jovannic score twice in the opening minutes, which led to the Emperors putting their foot off the gas and beginning to sit back. The Cassadaiguans once again pushed high and scored three goals, somewhat alienating the team, but a well developed attack by the Jovannic was finished off by Jovan Swansee and would be the final goal of the game.

"We stepped up to the occasion." Jovan Swansee stated when interviewed yesterday. "We did what we had to do. Now we have to perform to the best of our ability against Abanhfleft."

The Jovannic is currently tied with Cassadaigua on points, but has a +5 goal differential compared to the latter's -2. Should we produce a negative result against Abanhfleft, it is paramount that Cassadaigua loses against bottom position Natanians and Nosts.

Catch this crucial Lacrosse fixture at 6pm Central Jovannican Time on the SportJovannic News Network Channel 2 and the Haika Creative Association Sports Channel 1. AuroraTel Sports 1 will also be streaming in all provinces except Vixer, Togamon and Inzen Province.

[Cassadaigua]

Loss not as bad as it seems,
by Caitlyn Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

There are many reasons to be upset with Cassadaigua’s 12-9 loss to The Jovannic in Brattleboro last night. Not playing well is one reason, although the Emperors need to be commended for the way that they played from start to finish in what was a must win for them. However, in reality, it was a “must win by at least four” for them. And that’s why this result, as much as it will sting, probably does not keep the Fillies from advancing to the playoffs. As long as they defeat lowly Natanians and Nosts, then Cassadaigua is in regardless of what happens in the game between Abanhfleft and The Jovannic.

In a way, if you dig down into this game, The Jovannic fans might be scratching their heads a little bit, too. The Emperors were in firm control of the match, opening up a five goal lead, 11-6, before they seemed to sit back. On the Cassadagan sideline, Jessica Crockett and company were clearly annoyed to have the game be slipping away, but with the Fillies not generating much against the Emperors, she huddled the team together and began shouting at that them. When asked what it was about, Crockett told us, “Yes, we wanted to put together a comeback, but when they went up by five, the tiebreaker shifted. The way the Emperors began to sit back a little, I was sensing that they were not looking at the bigger picture as much.” Crockett smiled as the team ran off three unanswered, to close to within 11-9, though time was running out at that point, far too little of it to make a comeback. The Jovannic players seemed content to maintain possession, not looking like a team that needed at least a four goal win. Jovan Swansee scored to make it 12-9, and the next time Cassadaigua had the ball, they were content to run out the clock. “We knew what was at stake,” Gabby Dempster said, “no one likes to play that way, but at that point, a comeback is not realistic, and we are in effect, nursing a one goal lead.”

Since Cassadaigua won 9-5 over The Jovannic in the first meeting, only losing by three here clinched the tiebreaker. The overall goal differential might not be pretty, but it is head to head goal differential which is first in the pecking order. Now, it means that all Cassadaigua has to do is beat Natanians and Nosts, and if they do, they are in, even if the Emperors upset the Amazons. Of course, playing like this, winning against Natanians and Nosts is not a given whatsoever, and the team certainly will not scare anyone in the playoffs if they do win the game.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Score to Settle? Fries says No
by Glenn Hylton
The Western Observer

SONNEL--The Baker Park National Team completes it's group stage action in the 41st World Lacrosse Championship with a seemingly dead rubber against Delaclava, both nations having clinched spots in the quarterfinals.
At stake is the top spot in the group and one of the four top seeds in the knockout stage. But is there something more up for grabs when the teams meet on the planet of seven wonders?

"We want to come away with a win and no injuries. There's no specialness to this game relative to any of the others we've played", Head Coach Shannon Fries stated upon arrival on the seventh planet from the sun.
"We have a lot of respect for them (Delaclava), they've been a hard, fair competitor and our nations have had great relations. This is tight knit group of nations, we in the top 10, you have to ready to bring it every time out."

Six of the eight participants have been decided and there is a glimmer of hope that this could be the year someone stops the Sarzonia freight train.

"They (Delaclava) have looked towards us as another natural rival, possibly because they've become a bit of the little brother in the relationship with their former neighbor. It's not strange to develop a complex in sports when you are falling behind a close rival."

[Cassadaigua]

Group 1
The Jovannic 9–18 Abanhfleft
Natanians and Nosts 4–23 Cassadaigua

* Group 1                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Abanhfleft               6   6  0   68  40 +28   18
2 Cassadaigua              6   3  3   66  49 +17    9
3 The Jovannic             6   2  4   59  63  −4    6
4 Natanians and Nosts      6   1  5   38  79 −41    3

Group 2
StrayaRoos 23–7 Canadian Dominion
Kriegiersien 10–7 Sarzonia

* Group 2                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kriegiersien             6   5  1   84  55 +29   15
2 Sarzonia                 6   4  2   75  60 +15   12
3 StrayaRoos               6   3  3   73  65  +8    9
4 Canadian Dominion        6   0  6   40  92 −52    0

Group 3
HUElavia 12–14 The Cordian Isles
Magnus Phoenicia 9–13 Banija

* Group 3                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Banija                   6   5  1  101  46 +55   15
2 Magnus Phoenicia         6   3  3   57  68 −11    9
3 The Cordian Isles        6   2  4   42  70 −28    6
4 HUElavia                 6   2  4   57  73 −16    6

Group 4
Delaclava 17–9 Baker Park
South Jeolerina 4–8 Ganes Ame

* Group 4                Pld   W  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Delaclava                6   6  0   74  46 +28   18
2 Baker Park               6   4  2   85  58 +27   12
3 South Jeolerina          6   1  5   60  86 −26    3
4 Ganes Ame                6   1  5   40  69 −29    3

Quarterfinals:

(1) Delaclava vs (8) Cassadaigua* @ Dagan Airways Stadium, Concord Heights
(2) Abanhfleft vs (7) Magnus Phoenicia* @ Qusmair Stadium, New Lakeland
(3) Banija vs (6) Sarzonia @ Five Star Mobile Stadium, Brattleboro
(4) Kriegiersien vs (5) Baker Park @ Peak'n'Break Stadium, Grande Mountain

*- Switched to avoid group stage matchup
Saturday is an off day, so we'll be back at it Sunday night.

[Magnus Phoenicia]

"We had two positive scenarios going into match six. Either of these outcomes would have blessed the team with progression to the quarter-finals. A sensational conclusion to the pool round and mind-blowing achievement coming back into the World Lacrosse Championships.

Both scenarios would captivate our fans both in the stands and at home." Priapus Ioannidis, Team captain of The Daredevils shared post-match with Michael Dhaliwal, Television Sports Journalist for Channel 7: MP Sports One."

Priapus Ioannidis

"Scenario one: Beat Banija. They hold a world ranking of #2 and were the recent champions at the Lacrosse Demonstration event at the XVI Summer Olympics for both their men's and women's teams. They also defeated us 22–11 in our first meet-up.
I didn't need to be psychic to know they were going to pull off that first win. They have the experience and work in harmonious partnership. Two skills we are working on as a team.
It was embarrassing as they were filming a segment of The Real WAGS of Magnus Phoenicia Lacrosse and I had to film a post-match scene with my fiance Trisha Pak when I wasn't in the mood after the loss.
They are not infallible, HUElavia Beat them in overtime so they can be beaten. They also have several second-place and third-place titles to their name, so it shows some teams can beat such a talented team.

Coming off a two-win streak, we were quietly confident there may be a chance we could beat Banija. Beating them would secure us a place in the quarter-finals. Unfortunately today we didn't win, we were defeated 13-9. An improved margin, thanks to Zebulun Mizrahi, who played goalie for all four quarters. He was instrumental in stopping Banija from gaining too many goals as they did in the first meet.
I do congratulate Banija on their win. As a team, we now nervously wait for HUElavia and The Cordian Isles to complete their match. This is scenario two, we need The Cordian Isles to win to stop us from having to go head to head with HUElavia. It would be disastrous to be in that position where progression comes down to statistics like goal difference. We want to be ahead in matches won, so we can progress because we won enough matches to move forward. It will be some nail-biting moments as we wait for the results."

[Banija]

"Sarzonia again"- Banija face their kryptonite, and 4 time defending world champions, Sarzonia, in a massive quarterfinal tilt

CASSADAIGUA- WLC 37. Tournament semifinals. Banija faced off, in Baker Park, against Sarzonia. The game's big not only because of the stakes(a rivalry game in route to a final with Abanhfleft), but of course in political circles- where the game was used as the site for a diplomatic breakthrough between the Kingdom and the Sarzonians. And it would be the Sarzonians, in emphatic fashion, who would win that tie- 15-8. Sarzonia down Abanhfleft in the title game. Come back for WLC 38. An unbeaten Banijan team faces off against an unbeaten Sarzonian team, and the Stars dominate, against, for their second straight world title win, by a score of 13-6. Flash forward to WLC 39- where we're fighting desperately, for a re-match. We get back, again. And the Stars are back, again. We achieve our first ever knockout stage win over Abanhfleft in the tournament semifinals. Finally our year, right? That was the closest we got, but the 13-10 Stars win got them their third consecutive world title, and our second straight title loss.

And then, WLC 40. For the first time since WLCs 28 & 29, the sport's premier tournament was brought back to be played on home soil. With our nation as hosts, there seemed to be one goal, one expectation- finally, have the home field advantage necessary to finally beat Sarzonia, and claim our desperately sought after, first ever world title in lacrosse. An excellent tournament on home soil led us to the championship game, in Herzegovina City, against Sarzonia. There's tension in the Moravican capitol- but excitement, nervousness. "You could've cut through the excitement in the city like a knife on that night." Said a former manager, Dejan Polek. "The expectations, the joy... It would have been quite a crowning achievement for what seems to be the greatest period in Banijan lacrosse history." And, of course, for the fourth tournament in a row, a late stage elimination to Sarzonia- and yet another in blowout fashion, by a score of 18-10.

That seemed to take the wind out of the sails of Banijan lacrosse. "I don't know if I've ever had a worse feeling in this sport, than the WLC 40 Final." Israel Mesfin said. "Obviously, the history of the fixture weighed on us, the weight of the Sarzonian dynasty weighed on us- but truly, we thought it was the year that we'd be on the very top of the sport." And obviously, that's not what happened. The sad night proved the Sarzonians the greatest dynasty the sport has ever seen, and the Banijans were where they should be- perenially a contender, never a world champion. Always a bridesmaid, never the bride. Head coach Allen Budaye, who had been to 5 semifinals in 5 tournaments(and three finals), retired out of frustration. Many players retired out of frustration. And then... The Olympics.

"Winning the demonstration event on both the men's and women's sides did wonders for this team." Head Coach Owole Kalali said- of course, he got the job since he coached the men's team to that Olympic title. "It showed us what can be done." And in these WLCs, where so many things are changing, many are remaining the same. What's normal? Abanhfleft is back, floating through the group stages with a 6-0 record, showing the world that they are ready to take the crown back from Sarzonia. But suddenly, the tournament feels about as wide open as it has ever been, after four straight tournaments of domination by Sarzonia. Sarzonia lost their first WLC contest since WLC 36 during the group stages, when they fell to Abanhfleft in the quarterfinals of that tournament.

Not to say the Stars haven't been excellent. But they lost their last group stage game. They just went 4-2 in group play, after not losing a WLC contest for four consecutive tournaments. A team that's beaten ours in three straight finals- and yet, this seems about as good of an opportunity as any for us to finally put the sword to the Sarzonian dynasty. "Look, let's not get it twisted- these are the four time defending world champions, and they will remain so until somebody beats them in the knockout stages." Said 33 year old midfielder, Sanji Kairaba.. "We've never played with an ounce of fear against Sarzonia. But man... You can't deny that we're thinking of all of our past matchups. That's how rivalries work, that's how fierce the passion we have is. I'm sure we're gonna have a fantastic game."

Can Banija finally slay the Sarzonian dragon that has taken over the sport? Or will the Stars show everyone why they're still world champions, and send this Banijan team packing for the fifth consecutive tournament? We'll find out in prime time tomorrow night, eh?

[StrayaRoos]

MD5
StrayaRoos 10 (Yuga Kiuba x6,Yuro Kiuba x4)
Sarzonia 14 (Grassley x7,Page x4,Loewen x3)
Q1:STR 3-1 SRZ
Q2:STR 2-5 SRZ
Q3:STR 2-6 SRZ
Q4:STR 3-2 SRZ

MD6
StrayaRoos 23 (Yuga Kiuba x12,Yuro Kiuba x5,Yuka Kiuba x3,Reaqej x3)
Canadian Dominion 7 (Boyd x4,Cowan x3)
Q1:STR 8-0 CAN
Q2:STR 4-1 CAN
Q3:STR 5-3 CAN
Q4:STR 6-3 CAN

Player (Goals)
Yuga Kiuba (42)
Yuro Kiuba (18)
Jake Reaqej (8)
Yuka Kiuba (3)
Hamish Greanel (1)
Yula (1)

Quarters Won/Lost
15 W 9 L

[Abanhfleft]

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

---

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Lacrosse Lamentations
with Aisling Keane

Nine is going to be the theme of this entire tournament for us, isn’t it? I literally said it before in a previous post: even if we finally stop scoring nine goals ourselves, the other team is still going to score nine goals themselves. Heck, and if that isn’t enough, even though we’ve finally broken the double digits in our own scoring for only the second time in this tournament, our final score still ended up being a multiple of nine anyway! Or at least I think it’s called a multiple. I never was that good at math. Everyone likes to make a big stink about how women are always portrayed as being bad at math, but in my case it’s literally true. Or as the young ones say it nowadays, OMG literally me. Yeah, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. Enough trying to fit in with the younger generation for me right now.

Our second encounter with the Jovannic was not as close as the first one was. Nowhere near, even. Whereas the first match had the Jovannic keeping pace with us for almost the entirety of the match and even took the lead in the third quarter, in this return leg, we were clearly the dominant side and never allowed the team in orange a look in. And need I even say it anymore? Dennis Koizumi and Vanessa Kim were once again responsible for more than half of Abanhfleft’s goals against the Jovannic, but this time they shared the spoils equally. Five goals for Koizumi and five goals for Kim. If that isn’t teamwork then I don’t even know what is anymore. Reagan Lucero herself was no slouch in attack this time around, contributing four goals in what was possibly the best display of Abanhfleft’s attacking prowess that this competition had seen so far. Substitute attacker Santos Norris scored a double in his short time on the field, while Robyn Williamson and Darcy Garza have one goal each to their name.

The Jovannic themselves were no slouches either. It takes a special kind of skill to score nine goals against this Amazons team, and I think it’s fair to say that they pulled it off as well as they could given the circumstances. In a small change to their tactics from the last time we played them, the Jovannic decided to go for a more central approach, meaning that they focused their attacks down the center of the pitch and not on the wings like they did before. The result of this was that most of their goals came from their central players, most notably central attacker Sqeiza Misticoli, who was responsible for four of the Jovannic’s nine goals. But the truly central figure in their game, both literally and figuratively, was Johiver Kee with three goals and five assists. It was Kee’s long passes over the heads of the defensive line that were key to the Jovannic remaining relatively competitive in this game, but in the end his efforts would not be enough as the Jovannic bowed out of the competition anyway thanks to Cassadaigua’s thumping 23-4 victory over Natanians and Nosts.

Speaking of Cassadaigua, the Fillies are going to join us in the playoffs after their much needed victory over Natanians and Nosts confirmed their place as the second best team in Group 1. The Dagans put out a masterclass in absolute domination as the team in blue simply had no reply to the Fillies, and N&N will join the Jovannic in not going to Cassadaigua proper for the next stage of the World Lacrosse Championships. In Group 2, Kriegiersien cemented their place as the new top dog of the group after they completed their rout of defending champs Sarzonia through a 10-7 victory. The Man from Markovsky will not be very pleased to see the team of zombies, ghouls and whatnot making it to the next stage of the tournament, but what can you do about it?

Another group who will be angry with this development will be none other than Banija, who by a cruel twist of fate will now have to basically replay the final of WLC 40 in the quarterfinals of WLC 41. They did everything that they needed to do, which is to top their group (barring a little hiccup against HUElavia, but we don’t really talk about that), and what kind of reward do they get? A rematch in the quarterfinals against the defending champs, that’s what. Maybe there really is a higher power somewhere out there, and her sense of humor is completely beyond the understanding and comprehension of us mere mortals. At least she’s got a different plaything at the moment, although the stage does look like it’s ripe for yet another team upsetting Abanhfleft despite all the odds.

I only bring up this point because it’s one of Banija’s group mates who will face Abanhfleft in the quarterfinals, and that is the nation of Magnus Phoenicia. Some have claimed that they are just a renamed and reskinned West Phoenicia, while others are convinced that they are a completely new team. In any case, they’re the team Abanhfleft will have to play in the quarterfinals, and no matter if they’re new or old, they really look like they’re a team that could knock out the Amazons if the girls are not ready or prepared. I mean, it kind of makes sense. This could be our best chance at finally claiming championship number seven. It would be just so typically Abanhfleft of us to throw away that chance without so much as a second thought.

The last two teams to go through to the playoffs are Delaclava and Baker Park. Delaclava, like us, are also undefeated in the group stage, and I don’t think that there was ever a game in which they came close to dropping points and such. The Phoenixes are most definitely another team that we have to watch out for because they have both the ability and the strength to claim the championship in this tournament. Then again, they’ll have to go through the Fillies of Cassadaigua first, and that match-up is literally a toss-up. I don’t know who’s going to win there, although the Dagans might just have the edge because they’re going to play on their home turf for the playoffs.

So that’s how the quarterfinals will line up: Delaclava versus Cassadaigua, Abanhfleft versus Magnus Phoenicia, Banija versus Sarzonia (oof!), and Kriegiersien versus Baker Park. The quarterfinals matches in and of themselves already have some storylines set out before them, but the potential semifinals games have potential of their own. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We can only play against the team before us, and there’s no use trying to think about who we’re going to play next. Let’s just not fall into that trap right now. Although now that I think about it, it looks like there might just be a reason why nine is such an important number for the team right now. We’ve played a total of six games in the group stage, as has everyone else who has made it through to the playoffs. Any team that makes it all the way to either the final or the third place playoff (of which this tournament has one; I checked) will have to play a total of nine games in this tournament. So maybe nine is indeed a lucky and auspicious number for us. But have I just jinxed the Amazons for discovering the pattern, the connection? I hope not. For the sake of the entire country of Abanhfleft, I really hope not.

[Delaclava]

Rock Paper Scissors

Big Brother should've watched more carefully

I won't bury the lede, so let's start there and work our way back:

For the second time, the Delaclava lacrosse team convincingly defeated top seed Baker Park - this time at home by a score of 17-9 - to complete an undefeated group stage and advance to the World Lacrosse Championship quarterfinals as the number-one seed.

Now, back to the beginning.

Baker Park is a truly, remarkably, just stunningly decent lacrosse team. They first played this tournament in the 29th edition, and impressively worked their way into the Round of 12. Although a 24-3 thrashing at the hands of Qasden rudely put an end to their run, Baker Park has not failed to reach the quarterfinals since. This edition now makes it twelve in a row, and to go that long without so much as a dip in form is impressive.

Delaclava has a track record of uninspiring lacrosse play dating back to the fifth edition of the tournament. The Phoenixes of yesteryear did manage to string together four quarterfinal appearances together, the first run ended at the hands of the Sarzonia Stars, the other three ended at the hands of the Allamunnic States team. The Phoenixes then experienced a brief decline before the beginning of the isolation era helped them save some face.

Delaclava experienced a brief re-opening, during which time the Phoenixes entered the 16th WLC, hosted in the Licentian Isles. There, inconceivably, Delaclava did not lose a game until the final - yes, as in the game that determines the champion; the Phoenixes quickly surged to the forefront with a smothering defense and a gritty style of play that only the Stars could stop. And just as quickly as the Phoenixes came, they were gone again.

Until the 34th edition, and since then, it had been rough going for a long time, but the Phoenixes began to experience a turn in fortunes when they only missed the knockouts of the 39th tournaments by the skin of their teeth, before getting there for real in the ruby anniversary in Banija. Despite losing the Round of 16, there was plenty of optimism heading into this tournament.

The next bit is familiar to you. Delaclava gets drawn against Baker Park, setting up a rematch of that octofinal. They each start 2-0. Delaclava goes into Osheana and walks over the home team, 17-10. The Phoenixes are understandably ecstatic about the result, and we were right to make a big deal of it, because starting a tournament 3-0 has been a rarity in this program's history. The Parkers were understandably less thrilled. The two teams continue to roll on with two more victories - Delaclava at 5-0, Baker Park at 4-1.

Then, as the rematch in Catherina looms, we get this truly bizarre soundbite from Baker Park's head coach, Shannon Fries:

"They have looked towards us as another natural rival, possibly because they've become a bit of the little brother in the relationship with their former neighbor. It's not strange to develop a complex in sports when you are falling behind a close rival."

We can parse this into two equally puzzling ideas here: the Sarzonia-Delaclava dynamic and the Baker Park-Delaclava dynamic. Let's start with the Cyanea bit.

I can't believe I have to start this basic, but Delaclava has always been a sovereign nation with a distinct culture and society. Arguably, those aspects have diverged over time from the rest of Atlantian Oceania, inspiring a necessary and beneficial move to Sonnel. There's an allyship between the nations of Sarzonia and Delaclava, but if you're somehow personalizing the cultures of two nations and drawing some reaching conclusion from it, you need therapy, no two ways about it. In terms of lacrosse, it's a weird reading, because we haven't fallen behind anyone. We just are behind. See the above: Delaclava mostly sucks at lacrosse, and I'm not going to assume this level of success we're having right now will carry on until we actually repeat it. I think Fries built this narrative because she doesn't respect Delaclava. She isn't the first and she won't be the last. It's not unfamiliar to me.

Now, for the matchup against Baker Park, there's some sense to be made of this, and in fact, Lachlan Norris did a good job of putting the sentiment in context prior to the game in Catherina:

"I think it's pretty typical that up-and-coming teams read more into a matchup than the more established teams. For a team like ours, these top teams that we get the opportunity to play again and again provide a sort of measuring stick for our progress. Each time you play them, you get to see if you can play them closer or even get a win over them. From their perspective, I know they see plenty of new teams trying to knock them from the perch. It's right to not get too concerned about any one of them. I think if the shoes were on the opposite feet, we'd each feel the same as the others do."

But later on, Norris added a warning:

"I think when you're a team that's there, you run the risk of failing to recognize the warning signs. You don't take a team seriously until it's too late."

And I think he nailed exactly the flaw in old Sharon's psychology. Because first of all, why would you criticize the view of a "natural rival" when it has indeed developed organically? The Phoenixes made the head-to-head record 2-2 with the win in Osheana; now, they lead it 3-2. All five of those matches are relatively recent, with three in extremely close proximity in the sport's premier competition. I can think of other teams we've played a good handful of times in recent memory - Banija, Abanhfleft, Ranoria, Taxonomic Kingdoms, and South Jeolerina particularly stand out. I'm not the right person to tell you which cross the line to "rivalry" - and to be honest, it's likely none yet - but those are matchups that matter. The Phoenixes want to make up grounds in those head-to-heads, and their adversaries can't (or couldn't) afford to lose any ground.

But what lies more at the heart of the matter is this: Fries had the opportunity to take the Phoenixes seriously after they knocked them off by seven goals on home turn. She didn't do it, and Baker Park administrators and fans alike should be massively concerned by that indifference.

And when you look at the game itself, the philosophies of the two teams shone through clear as day. Delaclava played like there was something on the line; Baker Park played like there was nothing. This is the advantage of still being a team on the rise, constantly hungry, constantly trying to improve. You innately understand there is always something to play for. The Phoenixes had a spot in the quarterfinals sewn up, and they could've kept the group win as long as they didn't lose this one by any more than six. But the Phoenixes played for the victory because they wanted to. Like it or not, the Phoenixes made a statement and the Parkers have to roll the dice against a Kriegiersien team that's beaten four-time defending champions Sarzonia twice.

On that note, let's take a look at what we have ahead. Sorry if you wanted to hear more about the game - but now you can go to DSGN for the game summaries, and I'm still here for the unqualified opinions that you know and love!

The quarterfinal opponent for us is Cassadaigua. Let's break down what their situation is.

First, the bad: at 3-3, they're in the quarterfinals on about as perilous footing as can be. They had two shots at the group's marquee squad, and Abanhfleft got the job done both times. Not a ton of shame in that, as the Amazons are the only other team to match the form of the Phoenixes (they have the same record and goal differential: we took the #1 seed on goals scored, which is objectively iffy, because we stan a good defense). The Dagans also dropped a home game against The Jovannic, which is not ideal - although with Abanhfleft running away with the group, the Dagans seemed to understand that they could protect a minimal deficit and have the inside track on the second spot with a win over Natanians and Nosts.

Now, the good: my goodness, did they get that win over Natanians and Nosts. Twenty-three to four is a shot across the bow at those who hoped they might stumble backwards into the quarterfinals. Natanians and Nosts are historically a capable team, and with a victory like that, Cassadaigua's squad must be feeling pretty unstoppable in this moment, and when you have to start taking games one at a time, the more distant past starts to matter a lot less.

And now, we're the lucky team who has to try to stop that momentum - and because they're hosting this thing, you can add thousands of adoring fans to that hype train.

I can't tell you how that game is going to go.
But I can tell you Lachlan Norris and his players aren't going to make the same mistake as Shannon Fries.
I can tell you they massively respect the Cassadaigua team and the situation they're about to enter.
I can also tell you there are some very good reasons the Phoenixes have won six games in a row - a balanced and diverse offense, an assertive and in-your-face defense, an aggravating toughness and a desire to win and to push until the very last whistle.
I can say I'm going to have a lot of nervous excitement as I turn on this game.

I hope it's not the last of the season, but if it is, we're not going away quietly.

We're not going away at all.

[Cassadaigua]

What the heck was that?
By Caitlyn Dufresne, Concord Heights Times

For the first five games of the World Lacrosse Championships, Cassadaigua did not do a lot of scoring, and held a lackluster 2-3 record. With the next game against Natanians and Nosts, things were favorable for picking up the necessary win that would seal playoff advancement regardless of what The Jovannic did with Abanhfleft. In the other groups, the only thing that potential first round opponents of Cassadaigua were likely worried about was dealing with the crowd. Otherwise, the pink and black were not doing anything at all to intimidate anyone. Then, this happened. The Fillies would only conceded four goals to their opponents, while away from the friendly confines of Brattleboro. Oh, and by the way, they scored twenty three. In some games you had to wonder if they would score “two plus three”, and prior to the game, they had 43 goals in five games. There was nothing to suggest that such an onslaught, such a thorough and complete massacre of an opponent, was about to happen.

There are pretty stat lines, with the team jumping out to a 15-1 lead at halftime, and Jenna Matthews scoring nine of them. Bench players played the second half, and even they did a great job. When all was said and done, the score really was 23-4. “I said at halftime that I wanted us to keep looking to score goals, but it would be different people getting a chance to do so,” coach Jessica Crockett said, “when you have a team on the ropes, you have to keep pushing. This isn’t little league. There is no mercy rule in world class lacrosse. If the shoe was on the other foot, they would be trying to do the same thing. It was a great game, but I have to wonder where this had been for the first five games.” So, is everyone else. Regardless, the demolition job is done, and the team will next face undefeated Delaclava at home. The Phoenixes will be highly favored, so what does Cassadaigua have to do spring an upset? Well, more performances like this will certainly help. Mostly everyone I talked to looks at this result as being a bit of a fluke, but it is nice to enjoy for now.

Other first round matchups will feature Abanhfleft against Magnus Phoenicia and Kriegiersien against Baker Park. Then, there is the monster clash: Banija against Sarzonia. They usually wait until the final to play one another, so seeing them go head to head here and now is quite something.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Quarters matchup sees Lax face Kriegiersien
by Glenn Hylton
The Western Observer

GRANDE MOUNTAIN--The World Lacrosse Championship shifts to Cassadaigua for the knockout stage and Baker Park will face off the winners of Group 2, Sar...no, wait that's not right.

Kriegiesien not only inflicted the first loss in this competition on the Stars in six tournaments, but completed the sweep on the last matchday to take top spot and the overall fourth seed, putting them in the path of the Elks who were the top second place side.

The Peak n' Break Stadium will host the fourth ever meeting between the nations, the first in a knockout game; this will mark the 13th time BP have made the playoffs but just the third time in the quarterfinals, as there is no preliminary round in WLC 41.

Banija and Sarzonia will meet in another quarterfinal, rather than the final as they have in the past three editions; the hosts will face overall #1 seed Delaclava and Abanhfleft will battle the former West Phoenicia n ow known as Magnus Phoenicia.

[Cassadaigua]

WLC 41- Quarterfinals

@ Dagan Airways Stadium, Concord Heights
Cassadaigua 8–11 Delaclava (Game scorinated by Quebec)

@ Qusmair Stadium, New Lakeland
Abanhfleft 10–4 Magnus Phoenicia

@ Five Star Mobile Stadium, Brattleboro
Banija 16–15 Sarzonia

@ Peak'n'Break Stadium, Grande Mountain
Kriegiersien 11–11 Baker Park (12–13 OT)


WLC 41- Semifinals

(1) Delaclava vs (5) Baker Park @ Five Star Mobile Stadium, Brattleboro

(2) Abanhfleft vs (3) Banija @ Dagan Airways Stadium, Concord Heights

[Abanhfleft]

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

---

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Lacrosse Lamentations
with Aisling Keane

So that’s one hurdle cleared and out of the way. My prediction that the number nine could very well be the key to this whole tournament still holds true, at least to a point. The Amazons of Abanhfleft are now guaranteed to play nine games in the 41st World Lacrosse Championships, but the stakes for which they’ll be playing are not yet set in stone. They could yet be playing for their seventh championship, or they might have to play only for their fifth bronze. Well, I say only, but I’m sure that a lot of other teams would kill for the chance to have four or five bronze medals to their name. Four third place finishes only look a bit bad for us because we’ve been spoiled by six championships. But we should all be grateful that we have even made it this far in the first place. Getting a semifinals berth is perhaps the minimum requirement for the Amazons now, and they’ve just done it, so they deserve some congratulations for that.

On the face of it, it really does look like we’ve finally gotten away from the number nine. We finally scored in the double digits once again, and our opponents didn’t score nine goals themselves. However, Magnus Phoenicia did score four goals against our ten, resulting in a differential of six goals, and if you turn six upside down you get nine, so maybe that number is still lurking in the shadows, just waiting for the right moment to strike. But it will have to wait while we celebrate our victory over the Phoenicians. They really made us fight for this one, but our defense played a big part in this. They held the Phoenicians at bay and kept them to only four goals. Honestly, it really felt like I was rewatching our very first game in WLC 41, when we kept the Fillies of Cassadaigua to just four goals as well. Then again, Magnus Phoenicia are the only side to make it into the playoffs with a negative goal difference, so make of that what you will…

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record now, but yet again it was Vanessa Kim and Dennis Koizumi who headlined for the Amazons in this game. Vanessa would be the highest scorer for Abanhfleft this time around with four goals to her name, but Dennis was no slouch with a hat trick of his own. Selina Keller, Kianna Kirby, and substitute Lynette Welch all scored a goal each in this quarterfinal fixture against Magnus Phoenicia to complete the victory. Meanwhile, James Bainmann scored three of the Phoenicians’ four goals, with the fourth one coming from Vlad Nouman. To be honest with you all yet again, this game was more about a proper defense rather than simply outscoring the opponents. The Phoenicians have shown themselves in the group stage as not being that good at either scoring or defending, so the Amazons knew that all they needed to do was keep Magnus Phoenicia at bay and they were good to go. And that was exactly what happened.

Yeah, I know, I haven’t said a lot about the match itself, but frankly I think that that last sentence sums it up quite well. So now let’s take a look at what’s happened in the other matches. Well, first of all, Delaclava’s own undefeated run continues, coming at the expense of the host nation Cassadaigua. To be fair to the Fillies though, they kept it close and lost out on a semifinals berth by only three goals. I’m sure that I’m not the only one disappointed at the team in pink bowing out this early. I really thought that they might have stood a chance to finally break their duck this time around, but alas, Delaclava had other ideas. On the other side of the bracket, Baker Park triumphed over Kriegiersien, but it did take the team from the Commonwealth overtime to eliminate the team with zombies and such. I can already hear the Man from Markovsky breathing a short sigh of relief at this particular development.

But it’s the fourth quarterfinal that has perhaps completely and radically changed the playoff picture. Sarzonia versus Banija is a match-up that you would now expect to see in the final of the World Lacrosse Championship, not in the quarterfinals, but due to the nature of this competition with its reduced field, it was perhaps almost inevitable that two giants of the game would meet each other this early. And for a long time, Banija had not had much success against the Stars. I mean, they lost three straight finals, for Christ’s sake! If that isn’t unlucky then I don’t know what is. But remember what I said earlier about me feeling that this Sarzonia team might not be anything like the dominant teams of yesteryear? Looks like I might have been right about it in the end. But the Stars didn’t go out without a fight. Oh hell no, they didn’t. There was a reason why this team won four straight World Lacrosse Championships upon their return to the big stage, and it isn’t because they give up easily. The Stars took the fight to the Lions right to the end, and it was in fact only by a single goal that Banija booked their place in the semifinals at the expense of the defending champions.

And what did Banija get as a reward for finally overcoming Sarzonia? Why, they’ve got a meeting against the Amazons up next. Yes, it’s yet another chapter of the continually unfolding story of Abanhfleft versus Banija in lacrosse. It might seem weird to those looking back on it all those years ago, but the Abanhfleft-Banija rivalry truly felt like it was Abanhfleft’s first proper rivalry. It was the first rivalry involving us where it really felt like both nations were involved in the rivalry in one way or another. Sure, in the early days of Abanhfleft’s entry into multiversal sports, we called nations like Nephara and Pasarga our rivals because they were constantly beating us and eliminating us from competitions, but you always got the feeling that we were the only ones who cared about those rivalries, that neither Nephara nor Pasarga really cared that they were always beating us time and time again.

Banija was different though. Yes, for the first few years of the rivalry, we were the Nephara to Banija’s Abanhfleft, the uncaring and unfeeling juggernaut who didn’t really take notice of the little minnow that they kept running over and over. But once Banija had established themselves, not just in lacrosse but across the rest of the multiversal sporting disciplines, we took notice of them as well, and it now became a matter of national pride that we continued beating them in lacrosse. Yes, I know that in previous blog posts, I have expressed a desire to see Banija be better than they were back then because they really did have the potential to be better, and it did sometimes look like we were the only thing standing in their way in terms of finally claiming the silverware that they’ve always dreamed of.

I can’t remember the first time that Banija finally beat Abanhfleft, but it can’t have been that far back in the past because I still remember it somewhat clearly and some fans are still a bit bitter about it. But that’s the nature of sports. Sometimes one team will be on top and the next, they’re struggling to remain competitive. Abanhfleft have always had the upper hand over Banija until very recently, and now the Lions are looking to take advantage of the void left behind by Sarzonia’s early elimination to become the new top dog of lacrosse. But we want to do that ourselves, and so will Delaclava and Baker Park. But as the old saying goes, we can only beat the team that’s in front of us, and right now that team happens to be Banija. Will the Amazons reclaim their winning history in the semifinals of the 41st World Lacrosse Championships, or will the Lions truly cement their status as the new best team in the lacrosse multiverse? I guess we will see tomorrow.

[Banija]

Banijan Head Coach Owole Kalali, standing on the sideline as the Sarzonians celebrate their match-tying goal with 57 seconds left in regulation

"Son of a bitch." Owole Kalali muttered to himself. It was clear- the Sarzonians were not the dominant Sarzonians of yesteryear, the ones that had basically wiped the floor with every single opponent that they had ever been faced with. And yet- these Sarzonians were probably as hard fighters as ever. They did not get rattled. They truly feared nothing, and regretted less. This had been a back and forth game, and their opponents had been the ultimate professionals. You could tell which teams was- Kalali had lost track. 7 time champions? 8 time champions? Who the hell knew. You could tell that they were four-time defending champions. When large momentum swings came Banija's way that would have felled basically any other team, the Stars stood up and simply took it on the chin.

That was why, when Banija had taken a 15-13 lead with 4:45 left in the contest, Kalali had urged his team to not step onto the brake- but fully stomp onto the gas pedal. "Look, these are the freaking Sarzonians- they are the four time defending champs for a reason." Kalali had told his team, who had all had smiles on their faces. "We cannot sit here complacent! If we want to do something that we've never done before(win a world title), we have to do things that we have never done. And that will include, putting away the greatest dynasty the sport has ever seen. We have them on the ropes, yes- now, let's go out and seal this fucking contest."

"LIONS ON 3!" The team captain, Israel Mesfin yelled. "ONE! TWO! THREE!"

"LIONS!" The team echoed back. Kalali clapped his guys back onto the field, and looked back up at the clock, and then into the crowd, and finally- into the Brattleboro night sky. A fierce fight to the finish was promised, and Kalali knew that the Banijans would need some serious mental fortitude. There was no way to reduce the pressure in many of their minds, the pressure of the moment- everyone knew that the Sarzonians had beaten the Banijans in 3 consecutive Finals. If any of them had been on the field for any of those, they knew how frustrating those losses were. They knew how close they were to wiping out those narratives- but sometimes, that pressure could be too much. Sometimes, you could buckle under that pressure.

That was the unique aspect of playing lacrosse for this national team, right? Consistent championship expectations, the state of fear when playing our rivals, Sarzonia or Abanhfleft- and yet, this is a team that has yet to deliver the big one. Just a minute later, with 3:37 left, he saw Aramata Sarr in the midfield make a pretty dumb hip check on a Sarzonian attacker. The Sarzonian referee blew their whistle. "Hey!" The Ranorian referee yelled, blowing his whistle. "Power play!" Kalali muttered shit under his breath, as he could sense the nerves getting into this team. Just 12 seconds later, the Sarzonians ended the power play by scoring. Just 1 goal down.

The Banijans fought until just under a minute left. Desperate defending, fantastic goalkeeping- until Adam Lannister, a 35 year old off the bench, scored a stunning equalizer. That brought Kalali to his current "son of a bitch" moment. As the Sarzonians were celebrating, he looked around at his bench- and his dejected players on the pitch. "C'mon- the game isn't lost! We can win this!" He yelled out. He turned towards the Banijan fans, who seemed to be approaching the moment of knowing dread. He looked down at the bench- wanted a youngster for some energy, before OT.

"Kotongo!" The 19 year old looked up. "You're in the game. Finish out this final minute. Play with an intensity you've never played with before, for your entire life. We gotta reset our mindset when we get to OT." Kotongo nodded, and then went into the game. Not every coach would call upon an unproven teenager in a time like this- but for Kalali, he had no idea what he had unleashed...

---

"The Lion has slain the dragon", as teenage WLC debutant John Kotongo scores late winner to beat Sarzonia at the WLC Quarterfinals, 16-15


Lions celebrate at the end of their stunning 16-15

BRATTLEBORO, CASSADAIGUA- "Stunning." "Incredible." "Unbelievable." "Madness." "Chaos". Those are the words used by the Banijan players, in their post-game press conference, to describe how they felt after their stunning quarterfinal. Easily in the highest pressure and most hyped quarterfinal among the four, as it involved the teams ranked 1 and 2 in the WLC standings, as well as the two teams who had been to the last three WLC Finals(all of them won by, you guessed it, Sarzonia). "There's no way to escape the weight of the past when you put on a Banijan lacrosse uniform." Said the head coach, Owole Kalali. "You don't want to be burdened by the weight of the past- that's what will shut you down. You want to use the past to inspire you."

"That said- today's a new day." Owole Kalali told reporters. "Especially at the national team level, when these world championship tournaments are only happening every three years. This exact grouping of players hasn't lost 4 in a row to Sarzonia. There's no desire on my part to call on the past- instead, I would much rather focus on the present. This team, this WLC 41 team- this is capable of anything. If there is past we should focus on, it is not the history of this fixture, but the film that this team has watched over the past couple of days. Not the losses of tournament past, but the practices we've had throughout this very week. Those are what matter, and that is what is going to win or lose us this contest."

This match was an incredibly close one throughout. No team led by more than 2 throughout the entirety of the match- as soon as one team got a lead, then another would get right back into it. You could tell- the score was 4-3 Sarzonia after 1 quarter, and 9-7 Sarzonia at halftime. But it was the Banijans who were cruising in the 3rd quarter, taking a 13-12 lead into the fourth quarter. The entire thing was a nailbiter- with fantastic goaltending, great offense, and elite play. "This game was the epitome of what elite, high-level, national team lacrosse is all about." Said the head coach, Owole Kalali. "You could easily tell- two teams, clearly good enough to win a world championship, sparring at the game's highest levels to do exactly that."

And yet, it wouldn't be any of those experienced players who'd make the final difference- but a young player, a teenager. John Kotongo, not entangled in any history between Sarzonia and Banija. Brought on in the last minute, after Banija had allowed an equalizer from Sarzonia. The ol' ball coach claims he brought him on just for an extra burst of energy, to get the team to overtime. But Kotongo would do much more than that, as he had a stunning, long-range goal, with 19 seconds left, that sent the Banijan crowd into ecstasy and ended the Sarzonians run at 3.

"This run- it stops here." Said captain Israel Mesfin, in literal tears, after the victory. Sarzonia, of course, eliminated Banija in the semifinals of WLC 37, and then in the Final of WLCs 38-40- so this was a long time coming. "Somebody had to step up and end the Sarzonian era, and now, it is ended." The celebrations were fantastic. Tears from playing, bellowing of the anthem from the crowd, great scenes- even though it was the quarterfinal.

"Look- this victory, knowing the history, feels awesome." Said Head coach Owole Kalali. "But how do we amplify this victory? By continuing to win. It is going to be a challenge. Right now, we celebrate- this is a big win, a big milestone. But we must build upon this. We cannot celebrate into the night. Tonight, we must rest up. Tomorrow morning, we'll fly out to Concord Heights, and begin our preparations for the sport's other superpower- Abanhfleft. The road to the WLC title has long gone through them to, and it will be my job, as coach, to make sure that we come down from this emotional high, to be ready for our semifinal. We've got to be energized in the film room, focused on the training pitch, and do whatever it takes to get back to that WLC Final."

We've never beat Sarzonia and Abanhfleft in the same tournament. We beat one, and the other seems to show up to crush our dreams. Can Banija beat the 7-time world champions and get back to the Final? Or is this the beginning of yet another Fleftic dynasty at the top of this sport?

[Delaclava]

Rock Paper Scissors

Rejoice, recover, reset

Rejoice, because these mad lads have made it a magic seven in a row and made it to their World Lacrosse Championship semifinal in the modern era.

Recover, because the Cassadaigua Fillies threw everything they had at the Delaclava lacrosse team, and players and fans alike will need to recover from that one.

Then, reset, because we've got a big game ahead, and it's a trilogy game against Baker Park (or, to put it another way, are you fucking kidding me?).

So let's start with the fun part - a classic, hard-fought game between a group of plucky underdogs who have looked unstoppable and a squad looking to salvage something great in front of their own crowd. Cassadaigua may have carried just a 3-3 record into the quarterfinals, but they didn't back their way in; they utterly smashed Natanians and Nosts. Talk about a sledgehammer for a nail. But it doesn't matter what team in what sport you are, good luck trying to escape Concord Heights with a win. Dagan Airways Stadium is, without exaggeration, one of the classic venues in all of sports, a Dagan cultural institution and an international landmark. It's hosted World Cups, World Baseball Classics, and more - and now, the Phoenixes had arrived to take down the Fillies in a WLC quarterfinal.

The excitement was palpable, and the adrenaline spilled over in a hot mess in the early stages of the game. Even the cool Grigor Padun, the steely veteran Michael Querrey, the stoic goalie David Wallin all looked a little shaky. They sprinted ahead to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, but were left catching their breath as the Dagans, ever calm and patient under pressure, waited for the Phoenixes to crack before returning fire with interest. It was a quick hat trick from Jenna Matthews that led the way.

With a quarter to play, Delaclava was exhausted, losing 5-3, desperately needing a way to hang on, let alone get back into the game.

The depth of the Phoenixes came in clutch. A younger but still dangerous lineup including Daniil Bobylov and Damon Varner in back, Brennan Carr and Luke Allen in the midfield, Otis Keller and Shev Makar up front were able to move the ball around with confidence and ease belying their years. Lachlan Norris didn't really need any goals from them, but he got one anyway, Keller juking past Krystine Douglas and firing off an underhanded shot that zipped like an arrow under the arm of Brittany DiNovo. They then handed back over to the starters. They still had a bit of lactic in their legs, but oxygen back in their lungs and clarity in their minds, and they began to plod forward, applying dogged pressure on defense and searching for chances on the attack.

And then we saw the finest of Grigor Padun. Fortunately for the team, Padun is, for lack of a better word, a bit lazy. Maybe "likes to conserve energy" would be kinder, but anyway, Padun will and did get a little bit creative to do it. And it seemed, all of a sudden, that he was slipping Kristen Gratton with ease and getting wide open chances right in front of the net. Each time David Gaborov or Patrice Vidal would feed him the ball from up top, it was danger for the home team. And so the score became 5-5, 6-5, 7-5, and now Padun was able to pull away attention from his teammates, getting Brian Vandevelde and Keller on the board to make it 9-5 by the middle of the third quarter.

But no one could have really thought that would be the last out of the Fillies, and with Courtney Schulz and the fans of the team in pink willing them on, the home side was evidently the stronger in the fourth quarter. Two quick goals from Matthews and Christina Phillips halved the lead and put Delaclava on their heels. After James Shack thankfully won a key faceoff to give the Phoenixes a rather long possession, Vidal capped it off with a crucial goal that gave Delaclava a 10-7 lead with four minutes remaining. The Dagans tore down the field off the ensuing faceoff, quickly looking for a clean shot, looking their crisp and fluid best, and it was Schulz who would line up the perfect shot to beat Wallin. They did look superior in that final stretch, but the Phoenixes had ran away with things in a torrid midgame, and an insurance goal by Brian Vandevelde in the waning seconds was enough to seal it.

And with that, the home team bowed out despite finishing their participation in fine form; the visitors, exhausted, are off to the World Lacrosse Championship semifinals for the first time since a similarly improbable run all those years ago in The Licentian Isles.

The opponent? Everyone's favorite Commonwealth, that of Baker Park. We're now guaranteed nine games total and three will be against them, and that's kind of insane. Elsewhere, Banija edged Sarzonia in what seemed to be an inconceivable matchup, given that these two teams have each stood on the podium the past four tournaments; now only one, Banija, can. They'll take on the Amazons, neck and neck with the Phoenixes on an undefeated run.

I've spilled plenty of ink breaking down Baker Park's thought process throughout this tournament - now let's look at ours. Because here's the question, and I'll leave it to Michael Querrey to phrase it.

"We can't overlook them, the same way we can't overlook anyone else," the veteran attacker explained. "We can't get cocky, we have to kind of forget what happened before because this is the only game against them that really matters. But on the other hand, I'm not sure how much we want to forget. We deserve that confidence you get from beating a good team, especially twice and especially so convincingly. It'd be foolish to completely abandon the mindset that this is a team we can take care of."

Well, Michael, how do you manage it?

"I think it starts from focusing on ourselves... we don't have to think, hey we beat this team twice, we're definitely going to win again. It's more of knowing the level we've brought to all of these games, knowing we can defend well and score with ease, and feeling confident that we can do all of those things regardless of the opponent. So it's an inward confidence I think we're after. We don't have to think we're better than anyone, we just want to know how good we are.

"And in terms of this matchup, the game planning, I think we go about it like it's a new opponent. Because it very well could be, in a sense. They didn't really show up to play against us the first two times, maybe they show up this time. And in a sense, that's hard to gameplan for. Maybe they look like the team that's smashed Ganes Ame. From those games, we're familiar with their capabilities. Maybe they'll have something entirely new to the table... but I think that goes to the first point. Can we recognize our skills and make them play on our terms? You can't win any big games playing catch-up or reacting to what your opponents do. Everyone is too good at this point."

Everyone, indeed, is too good at this stage of the tournament to take lightly or to allow to control the game. And whether the Gaelic Gamers or ABSM or The Western Observer like it or not - and you know they don't - that includes the Phoenixes.

The Phoenixes have won on hostile enemy soil, they've started strong, they've finished games strong. They've made adjustments, they've battled, they've survived to the end seven times out of seven.
But now, their mission is the same as anyone else.
They are two hours away from history.

Let's get it.

[Cassadaigua]

WLC 41- Semifinals

@ Five Star Mobile Stadium, Brattleboro
Delaclava 11–9 Baker Park

@ Dagan Airways Stadium, Concord Heights
Abanhfleft 10–15 Banija


WLC 41- Final

@ Dagan Airways Stadium, Concord Heights
Delaclava vs Banija

WLC 41- Third Place

@Qusmair Stadium, New Lakeland
Abanhfleft vs Baker Park

[Abanhfleft]

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

---

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Lacrosse Lamentations
with Aisling Keane

The streak is over. The streak is done. Delaclava are now the only team that remains undefeated in the 41st World Lacrosse Championships. And Banija… Oh boy, Banija. They really are set on finally claiming their first lacrosse trophy now that they have disposed of both of the nations that have always stood in their way all this time. First it was Sarzonia, and now it was Abanhfleft’s turn to feel the wrath of the Lions. But whereas the Stars took Banija almost all the way but blinked right at the very end, the Amazons simply couldn’t hold a candle to the rampant Lions. You could perhaps make the case that the Lions simply wanted the victory more as this was literally their best possible chance of finally claiming that first ever chip. We already have six titles to our name so the desire to win more probably isn’t there just yet.

Dennis Koizumi and Vanessa Kim once again provided most of Abanhfleft’s goals in this game, but Banija’s defense stepped up and kept them (and the whole team, to be fair) to only ten goals. It’s still one more than the nine goals that we have become used to seeing, but now it might look like a new pattern is developing in that Abanhfleft will score only ten goals in the playoffs. Maybe I’m just imagining things now. Or maybe I’ve actually hit the nail on the head once again. In any case, Dennis Koizumi was the highest goalscorer for the Amazons with a hat trick to his name, while Vanessa Kim only got a brace herself, but she was responsible for four assists so she does have that. Reagan Lucero also scored twice for the team she’s captaining, and Robyn Williamson, Santos Norris, and Darcy Garza had one goal each. And were it not for Banija’s defense, it really could have been much more than that.

For the first time in a long time, I really can’t find much fault in Abanhfleft’s defense. Banija really were just that determined to finally get another one over us, especially with the World Lacrosse Championship itself beckoning to them. How else could you explain the fact that Lula Bullo (which, no offense to the woman, sounds like something you would use to describe a short argument over something trivial like who gets what milkshake) scored seven goals against the Amazons? Seven goals! That’s more than the goals that both Cassadaigua and Natanians and Nosts scored against us in our first meetings with those teams, and it’s the same number of goals that the Jovannic scored against us in our first encounter with the Emperors. Yeah, Banija will not be denied tonight, plain and simple.

The next highest goalscorer for Banija was Israel Mesfin with four goals, and Aramata Sarr and Mary Okongo contributed two goals each to the Lions’ 15-point tally over the Amazons. It just goes to show that their attack has a more balanced feel to it, meaning that they’re willing to explore all avenues in terms of finding the gaps that they could exploit. They don’t really care much about focusing their attack down the flanks or through the middle, although given that their top scorer for this match is indeed their centrally placed forward, maybe there is a little bit of favoritism towards the middle of the pitch for the Lions. Whatever it is, it’s clearly worked out for them, and now they are through to their fourth straight final, while we are off to our third straight bronze medal match (and our fourth overall), where we will be set for a rematch of the bronze medal match of WLC 34 with the Commonwealth of Baker Park.

And what about Banija? What awaits them in the final of the 41st World Lacrosse Championships? None other than the Phoenixes of Delaclava, the only undefeated team left in the competition now that Banija have beaten us. Delaclava have only been in the final of the WLC once before, and that was way back in the 16th edition of the competition, way back before the Amazons began taking part in it. And guess who beat the Phoenixes back then? Yep, none other than our old friends the Stars of Sarzonia. Interestingly enough, that title was Sarzonia’s last before their resurgence in recent years, and given that Delaclava themselves are also on the resurgent side of things like the Stars, could we possibly be looking at the start of a new dynasty at the hands of an old timer? Or will Banija not be denied anymore, and finally establish the dynasty that they had been dreaming of since time immemorial?

The final days of the 41st World Lacrosse Championships are now upon us, and now the stage is set and the actors have been casted. Banija and Delaclava will be the ones fighting it out for the most prestigious lacrosse prize in the land while Abanhfleft and Baker Park will once again have to settle for the bronze medal. The Amazons have experience in fighting for third place; they’ve never been beaten in the bronze medal match in the four previous times that they’ve made it that far. Baker Park have only won it once, and it was against the mysterious Taxonomic Kingdoms as well. We have more history in this match than the Commonwealth, but let’s not forget about our own tendency to muck things up when the stakes are high. I know that Abanhfleft have a reputation of fighting for third place and nothing better than that, but let’s not give the lacrosse gods any funny ideas right now, okay?

Meanwhile, history beckons for both Banija and Delaclava. No matter who wins the final tomorrow, we will have a new World Lacrosse Champion. Will it be the old-timers who will finally make their mark on this competition, or will it be the new blood who will cement their place and their legacy in the annals of lacrosse history? There’s only one way to find out, of course. History beckons. History awaits. And only one will answer the call and be found worthy.

[Banija]

Banijan Head Coach Owole Kalali, standing in the post-game press conference

The head coach was grinning, although he was determined not to show it. The win Banija had over Abanhfleft- one so thorough, at this late stage in this tournament, like that, was stunning. Most observers expected Banija to be beaten in this one. There was no way, many said, that the Banijans could follow up a historic win over Sarzonia by then beating an unbeaten Abanhfleft, the same Fleftic team that Banija has struggled against so many times historically. Many thought the dynasty was destined to swing from Sarzonia to the other nation that usually holds a dynasty in this sport- Abanhfleft.

And yet, that was not to be.

Truly, probably one of the most impressive coaching jobs in Banijan lacrosse history, by Owole Kalali. He had to get his guys down over the euphoria, with just 3 days gap between the quarterfinal and the semifinal. He made sure to do that. The celebrations did not go into the night. "Guys, after the tournament, we'll have plenty of time to memorialize this win, to figure out how we did it, and celebrate!" He had told his players. "But did not come to Cassadaigua on a mission to beat Sarzonia, although that was an essential part of the mission- we came to Cassadaigua to win Banija's first ever world championship in lacrosse. And have we done that? The answer is clearly, and obviously, no! There remains work to be done."

The players iced up, as they had watched their film on the Fleftics. He had thought that Bunyoro RSC striker Lula Bullo would have a chance to exploit various holes in the Fleftic defense, and indeed- she was a woman on a mission. She was at the center of everything Banija did, scoring 7 goals in the semifinal- a legendary performance, one that would be memorialized forever IF Banija could finish the job againts Delaclava. The Banijans had a crazy yet, and ensured the celebrations were muted. He was proud about what the players were saying. "Onto Delaclava." "Nothing matters unless we beat the Phoenix." "Delaclava are the #1 seed for the KOs and unbeaten... This is their tournament to lose."

And so when Kalali was asked the question he knew he was going to be asked, he was ready. "Coach, congratulations on making your first WLC Final. This is Banija's sixth WLC Final- obviously, we know our record. What makes this one different than any of the others?"

"To fans of this team, I implore you- give this team hope." Kalali told reporters. "This has the pressure and all the trappings of a final, and indeed it is- the sport's biggest prize will go to the winner of this match. But of course, the beauty of this one is that we do not carry the weight of history behind us. No matter. Delaclava, if anyone has watched this tournament, is clearly elite. It's not easy to win all of your games at the WLCs, and indeed, they have done so. We have run the gauntlet- beating the sport's greatest powers, Sarzonia and Abanhfleft, in back to back contests. Many teams would be too worn down. It'll be up to us to make sure that we can lay it all on the line, just one more time. If we do that- and not just on the game day. In the film room, on the training pitch, and on gameday- then win or lose, we can hold our heads up high."

---

Back in the WLC Final. The question is asked- is this FINALLY the year?

CONCORD HEIGHTS, CASSADAIGUA- "This tournament so far- it has been like a dream." Said the team captain, Israel Mesfin. "But it will be a nightmare if we can't beat Delaclava on Sunday night." And look- I wouldn't exactly go that far. Banija has had much more dominant group stages in tournaments prior. Lost a group stage contest to HUElavia on Matchday 2, in overtime- at a time when many thought that might be a poor harbinger of things to come. But the team not only finally came back around, but came back around with full force, they've won games against teams who, historically, have had the better of Banija.

Sarzonia. 4 time defending world champions. Beat Banija in three straight finals. Eliminated. Abanhfleft. Another rival. How many countless times has a fantastic run by Banija at the WLCs been ended at the hands of the Fleftics? Eliminated. But now, comes the biggest challenge of all- winning the damned trophy. "Delaclava was the #1 seed going into the knockout stages for a reason." Said the hero of Banija's semifinal effort, Lula Bullo. "They are the best team here, and they will remain so until somebody says otherwise. It is our job, to come out here as underdogs(for the third straight match, no less!), and do what we can to win the sport's most elite trophy."

"I know everybody wants to talk about the past." Said Sanji Kairaba, one of the most senior members of this roster, a four-time member of the WLC team. "But this is a new year, new team, new opponent. I'm not interested in what's happened in the past." She said this, when asked if Banija's 0-5 record in WLC Finals will extend to 0-6. "Nobody's past record matters- not 7-1(Banija's record at this tournament), not 0-5(Banija's WLC Final), not 8-0(Delaclava's current WLC record). We're 0-0, and all that matters is what happens between the fourth quarters."

Banijans are pouring in. An extra wrinkle in this match, of course, is Delaclava's region. For many years, this would've been an all-AO Final, as Banija and Delaclava have both historically been part of AO. However, within the last year, Delaclava stunned the region by leaving. And not leaving for Anaia, mind you- but for Sonnel. "It's a political angle, yes- but the focus is too much on that trophy for that to play any sort of relevant factor." Said a Banijan political analyst. "A Banijan royal is attending the match, but will a Delaclav Government official? Would they even meet? Would they talk about it? All of that is unlikely."

Of course, this will mean that a new name will be engraved on the trophy, regardless- neither team has ever won a WLC title. Will it be Banija's? Find out, tonight, in prime time.

[Delaclava]

Rock Paper Scissors

This is not a drill.

The Delaclava Phoenixes are playing for a World Lacrosse Championship.

Yes, that Delaclava - a program who until this tournament had not won an elimination game, only just last tournament snapped a streak of four losing records; and now with an 8-0 record in this competition, has improved its WLC record to a paltry 21-23 - is in The Big Final, with only Banija standing in the way of capturing glory at Dagan Airways Stadium.

It's an idea that defies belief, but requires none.

And yet conversely, it was those same Phoenixes who seemed about to fall from its perch at the hands of a plucky underdog - yet that plucky underdog is one of the blue bloods of the game, Baker Park. For a moment, it seemed that the third time just might be the charm for them. Plenty of words, largely in the form of subtle digs, had been fired from both sides, yet the on-field action was significantly lamer with the Phoenixes handily winning each affair, 17-10 in Osheana, 17-9 in Catherina. Yet recent history would not hold in Brattleboro. The Baker Park showed a brand-new intensity, largely driven by the midfield play; while the Phoenixes started perhaps a touch undercooked, the Parkers were already forging ahead with force and aggression, winning the loose balls and determined to make their impact felt immediately, especially Scott Locksley and Eric Lennox, two of the older players on the (relatively young) team. That paved the way for the Baker Park attack to set up and get comfortable, without fear of what might come the other way. It was Tricia Vanderpool who opened the scoring two minutes into the game, and with Locksley and Vanderpool each chipping in another score, Baker Park took a 3-0 lead and forced Lachlan Norris to call a timeout.

Norris wasn't angry, he wasn't flustered. Calmly, almost with a smirk, we could hear him tell the team, "This is what we were waiting for, wasn't it? We were wondering if they'd bring it? Well, boys, they're bringing it. What are you going to do now? You know what you gotta do now?" Then, as time wound down, he gave some valuable instruction: "Don't get reckless, don't get stupid. Take what they're giving you and add five percent, ten percent to it. Up the pace, the pressure, the effort just a little bit. Make smart plays, but go for it a little bit, yeah? Beat them with your speed, your conditioning. No one can hang with you for the next fifty minutes!"

With perhaps a bit less technical prowess and chemistry than the more established programs, athleticism and fitness are what the Phoenixes have on their side, and they took it heart after that speech. With veteran midfielder Kyle Bachman coming off the bench for some additional oomph, they were there a bit sooner and a bit stronger on ground balls; they were crowding the passing lanes just a little bit more. When Lennox attempted to pass it down to Alex Nelson, Yan Makar saw he had the time to jump the pass, intercepting it cleanly and sprinting down the field as if he wasn't carrying a lacrosse stick in his hands. The defense gave him far too much room to run before finally stepping to him, at which point Penny Rosewater had to abandon staying with Grigor Padun. Bad choice, and far too easy for Makar to fling the ball in Padun's direction, Padun corralled the pass and zipped it past Jeremy Oliver. It was 3-1, and a brand new game.

From there, the Phoenixes slowly inched their way back as the two teams traded goals. The Parkers had acclimated to the Phoenixes' speed and ball movement, yet they could not entirely slow it down; while the Phoenixes still struggled to suppress a technical, smooth team who was now at the height of their powers when the moment demanded it. Yet the Phoenixes would finally first draw the game at 6-6 on a sharp drive down the middle from Ryan Driscol, yet the two teams would trade another goal each to make it 7-7 as the third quarter drew to a close.

For the first seven games, Delaclava had held the lead after forty-five minutes. Yet in the biggest game of the tournament, they did not, nor had they held the lead at all. Scanning all the faces in the huddle, some through their helmets, there was no fear or panic. There was only determination. Norris let Michael Querrey take the pep talk. "Guys, we can beat anybody for fifteen minutes. We're made for this. Let's take this right now."

James Shack won the faceoff, moved the ball along to Patrice Vidal and scurried off the field. Vidal walked the ball into the offensive zone and started to move the ball along the offense. A few rotations later, he would receive the ball at the top of the zone, saw he had half a step inside on Lance Davis, and turned on the jets down the middle. Mitch Carlson stepped forward to him, leaving Padun wide open. Easy dump and score. Delaclava led for the first time in the game, 8-7.

Baker Park wasn't done. Alex Nelson would tie the game 8-8 after a long, frantic possession where the attack slowly wound up the pace, patiently finding their right shot. Then Locksley made it 9-8 with a somewhat relaxed shot that took a bounce and found its way past David Wallin. Wallin's swearing managed to cut through the stunned buzzing of the crowd, but Greg Rogers gave him a rough yet encouraging whack on the helmet and the rest of the Phoenixes hustled back into formation. Shack won the faceoff and immediately surged forward to find Brian Vandevelde ready to receive the pass. Vandevelde caught, spun, and fired a shot past Jeremy Oliver. 9-9.

After a long, tenuous possession for Baker Park, a pass from Locksley to Vanderpool went awry and Delaclava was finally able to reclaim possession. The first foray into the offensive zone flickered out, but after some struggling for possession around midfield, the Phoenixes finally took the ball back. This time, it was Ryan Driscol who took his chance; as soon as he got the ball from Vidal, he took a scissor-step forward and flung a wicked shot through the air and past the arm of Oliver. 10-9.

And just one minute remained. Shack won the ensuing faceoff, but immediately had the ball wrested from his control by Locksley and the Parkers were going to get one more shot. For the last time, they moved the ball quickly around the perimeter, looking for the right angle. Nelson managed to slip past Marcos Verona, circled around and took the pass from Rachel Ewing, he had a shot clear as day in front of Wallin. He aimed it hard and down into the ground; Wallin just folded downward and managed to get the bottom of his stick on it. It rolled back out and Verona came back hard to check Nelson out of the way, giving Wallin time to recover the ball. He quickly aired it out to a streaking Makar, who took it all the way down the field. The bench, initially urging him to slow the game down, saw that he had an unimpeded path to goal, urged him on, and Makar stampeded in front of Oliver and buried the shot. 11-9, and that's how the game would end.

The Phoenixes celebrated at the final whistle, got themselves calmed down to commiserate for their worthy opponents, then celebrates some more, their lungs and legs still burning. They conquered one of the toughest things anyone can ask of a team: beat a highly competitive opponent three times in a row, especially on the third time of asking when it could wipe away all they've accomplished before.

And now, one* game remains in the World Lacrosse Championship. In the blue corner, you have Banija, three-time defending finalists, reaching their sixth straight podium, one of the fixtures of international lacrosse, yet remarkably still looking for their first title, and perhaps they'll finally get it done after finally clearing the Sarzonia Stars and the Abanhfleft Amazons out of the way. Their only blemish on their record is an overtime loss to HUElavia, but after beating the other two top-three teams in the tournament, they couldn't be in better form for their latest attempt at history.

In the red corner, you have our boys, the Delaclava Phoenixes, longtime listeners, first-time callers in this competition. They were an original lacrosse stalwart, if unremarkable. Then they were a surprising yet formidable side who fell just shy of glory. Then they were merely a memory, whispered about in recollections or readings of a past era, which continued even as they physically returned to the competition. This is just the team's second winning season in the modern era. They are perhaps making the case to be the worst team to ever win the World Lacrosse Championship. And yet somehow, this run has been pristine. In the previous six championships they contested, the Phoenixes were 13-23; they are currently a flawless 8-0, trying to make it 9-0.

It's an intriguing matchup, marked by general diplomacy and relations between the two nations, competition between the sporting programs (often in favor of the team in orange). Delaclava's recent move to Sonnel certainly puts a tinge on the matchup. President Anna Voss will be in attendance, and perhaps she will be called to answer for the decision. But that extra flavor doesn't figure to enter the field of play; the question would elicit a blank look from most of these players.

The two teams have played in recent memory, and it was a drubbing for the Lions at home, decimating the Phoenixes 21-10. Delaclava would still make the knockout round, but it would truly show the gulf that existed between them and the top tier.

Perhaps that gulf still exists. Perhaps this is finally the moment that is too big for the upstart Delaclava team, the moment where Banija understands what it means to play in the WLC final and learns from their past mistakes to get over this hump. Perhaps recent history will hold as Banija has steadily worked its way up the podium, and they will finally take the top step, and the Phoenixes will be happy just to be on the risers at all.

But maybe not. Maybe, like the last few weeks, Delaclava continues to charge into the unknown without fear or hesitation. Maybe, somehow, they are the best team in all of lacrosse right now, their talent and athleticism and chemistry and fortune converging at just the right time. Maybe this team is a shooting star that will zoom past them all, and as the rest of the world aims for consistency and progress and improvement, the Phoenixes dare to surpass them all in one fell swoop.

In about sixty minutes or so, all will be revealed.