World Lacrosse Championships 41- Everything Thread

[Cassadaigua]

WLC 41- Final

@ Dagan Airways Stadium, Concord Heights

Delaclava 8–13 Banija

Congratulations to the champion!!!


WLC 41- Third Place

@Qusmair Stadium, New Lakeland

Abanhfleft 17–9 Baker Park

[Banija]

Banijan Head Coach Owole Kalali, on the sideline before the game

"We do not carry the weight of history behind us." That was what Banija's head coach, Owole Kalali, had told reporters in pre-game press conferences, ahead of this WLC 41 Final. That was talking about the weight of Banija's failures, largely at the hands of just 2 nations- Abanhfleft and Sarzonia. Sarzonia, who had just built the most impressive dynasty the sport had ever seen. Four consecutive world titles. And Abanhfleft, who also had about 7 or so world titles to their name. Between Sarzonia and Abanhfleft, they accounted for almost half of the WLCs won all-time.

The two greatest lacrosse nations of the age. And while Banija had always been there, right with 'em... We could never defeat them both. If one had fallen, the other would slay Banija. We would consistently be at the end of their stories- rather than writing our own storybook endings. The pain of Banijan lacrosse was well-known. This was their fourth consecutive WLC Final, the last three they had lost to the Sarzonian Stars.

But indeed, when you were a NT, it was impossible not to carry the weight of history behind you. And this WLC 41 team, well, carried the weight of history behind them and then some. But they had done what they could to slay the demons of history. Quarterfinals? Banija v. the devil themselves, the sixth seeded, four-time defending world champions, the Sarzonia Stars. The Stars reign atop the lacrosse world, seemed to be set up to be never-ending, was brought down to Earth by this Banijan team. And then, Abanhfleft. We had finally vanquished them last time out. Could we do it again? The answer was yes, as a dominating performance over a historic rival led many Banijans to believe it was their years.

And now... the final. Opponent? Top seeded Delaclava. Banija's top two rivals were finally slain together- but that didn't always mean everything. Remember the WLC 34 Final? When a heavily favored Banija lost to an unranked HUElavia squad, that had never been in the tourney before. So anything was possible against the Phoenixes. And when the Banijan anthem yelled, and Kalali was bellowing it, he was determined- the suffering would stop today.

---

Lacrosse Glory has FINALLY reached these shores as Banija are crowned world champions in Cassadaigua


Banijans sprint on the field to celebrate as final whistle sounds in the WLC 41 Final

CONCORD HEIGHTS, CASSADAIGUA- "I cannot believe my eyes." Israel Mesfin, the Banijan captain, told reporters, nearly in tears. It has been a long time coming for this Banijan national team. Everybody knows the story. WLC 21. First international tournament, in any sport. Nobody's even heard of what was then a smaller, poorer backwater that was called Banija. We make an absolutely magical run to the Final. We lost, but we thought championships were coming. After that, we had a 0 point World Cup Qualification campaign, as well as an 0-10 World Bowl debut campaign. And we won those tournaments more quickly than we were able to win a tournament in lacrosse.

It is a unique pain, the pain of being a Banijan NT lacrosse fan. There's nothing quite like it. Ever since the stunning success at WLC 21, every single year, the team has gone out with championship expectations. And every single year- we have failed to meet them. Not for lack of trying- ever since that tournament, 20 cycles ago, we have only missed the knockout stages once(granted, that was on home soil). We've been to five finals before WLC 41, including the last three consecutively. Few understand how devastating those feelings were, like these players. Especially WLC 40. Hosted in Banija, brought home so that final could take place in our own house of horrors, Kizza I Field- and getting thoroughly ran off our own home field.

But yet, we got back up. We re-grouped. New coach, yes, but the players re-dedicated themselves, and re-committed to the cause. We took men's and women's teams to the Olympiad. They all united there, as both the men's and women's teams earned Olympic titles (no medals since it was a demonstration sport), and clearly took that championship experience back here. They learned from it, and it seemed as if they played with the weight of Banija's long history of late stage failures off their shoulders. They were relaxed, were open, and it showed on the pitch.

It was a very close contest throughout the first three quarters- 3-2 to Delaclava after one, 5-5 at halftime, and 8-7 to the Phoenixes after the third quarter. Trailing after 3, Banija looked to be in trouble, that the tournament's top seed would show why they were ranked that and win this thing. "Look, things weren't looking great for us at that point- the Phoenixes obviously had an excellent third quarter." Owole Kalali told reporters after the match. "But look- this team is full of difference makers. This team is full of players who just went to the Olympiad and won in this sport, showing the world that it can be done by the Banijans, even outside of regional competition. We had exactly one quarter to show what we were made of, and we did exactly that."

And that's what happened. Banija completely dominated the last quarter, as we outscored the top seeded Delaclavans 6-0 in the final frame, as we just put a chokehold on the trophy. Israel Mesfin- scored the equalizer. He again scored to take the lead. Lulla Bullo scored to make it 10-8. Bango Sene, who is playing in his fourth WLC Final, scored to make it 11-8. There was the oldest player on this roster, the 33 year old Sanji Kairaba, who scored with 2 and a half minutes left to make the score 12-8. And then, of course, it would be Abihail Apiyo, with 45 seconds left, who would seal the contest with yet another goal for team Banija. Samba Uster was barely bothered- simply put, it was a team possesed. It was meant to be.

The joy was cathargic. Euphoric. Whatever adjective you want to use. Literal tears everywhere. Former players, now literally old men, going viral on twii.tur doing crazy dances.

There could be no doubters now. Tournament's top seed? Beaten by Banija. The tournament's two historic powers, Sarzonia and Abanhfleft, also beaten by Banija. "We want to leave no doubters that we can be the very best in the world." Said the head coach, after the game. "We did what we came here to do- finally doing what should have been done long ago, claiming this trophy as the world's very best team in international lacrosse." The team, of course, will be the beneficiary of several parades back home.

With a title finally won, there are questions about next time. How many vets will retire? Can Kalali build off of that? Is this the sports moment we needed for so long? Whatever the answer, there are now 5 words you can say that you would have never been able to say before today- 'Banija, world champions of lacrosse.'