World Bowl 48 - Competition Thread

by **Saint Kanye** » Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:42 am

The St. Kanye Surge were glad to have opened up World Bowl 48 with a big win at home, 34-7, over the team from Equestria, giving them a boost in morale as well as the momentum to take on their next opponents. This was important, because who would be waiting for them but their perennial rivals, the Ko-oren Dragonflies, who were the top seed in their group. St. Kanye are leading the all time series at 4-2, 4-3 including the playoffs, but they wanted to extend that and aim for the upset on the road.

A lot of the Surge-Dragonflies games have been close fights with narrow winning margins, and their latest clash was no exception. The Ko-orenites controlled the tempo in the first half, which ended with them protecting a 13-3 lead, only for the Yeezie offense to wake up and come away with the 27-20 victory and the 2-0 record, good for second in Group F (Delaclava also had two wins after their 20-nil destruction of Equestria, but have the better point differential and thus the top spot).

1Q KOR field goal Bennett ?? KOR 3-0
Abner Bennett showed that he was still an accurate kicker at 38 years of age as he gave the home team the first points of this rivalry battle.

1Q STK field goal Rasputin 41 Tie 3-3
The Surge could only respond with a field goal of their own, courtesy of James Rasputin, in what was shaping up to be yet another snoozefest in classic Dragonflies style.

2Q KOR field goal Bennett ?? KOR 6-3
2Q KOR Ouimet ?? pass from Masman (Bennett kick) KOR 13-3
Ko-oren doubled up on their score as Bennett doubled up on his tally, and then five minutes later, a Francois Ouimet pass from Pier Masman marked the first touchdown from either side.

3Q STK Moore 42 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) KOR 13-10
3Q STK Jeffers 16 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 17-13
The Surge emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, which they put to good use by scoring fourteen unanswered points to start the third period. Linetti concluded the opening drive with a 20-yard pass to Patrick Moore, who then ran the remaining 22 yards to the end zone. Then the resulting possession for Ko-oren saw Masman cough up the ball after a hard hit from Jerome Whitlock, recovered by the St. Kanye defense. Linetti would eventually throw another TD pass, this time to tight end Hussein Jeffers, as the visitors grabbed the lead.

4Q STK field goal Rasputin 25 STK 20-13
The Yeezies had the chance to grow their slim four-point lead to as much as eleven (or maybe even twelve), only for the notorious Dragonfly D to shackle them and force them to go for the short field goal instead of a touchdown.

4Q KOR Aothemirila ?? interception return (Bennett kick) Tie 20-20
Keeping the Surge lead to just one possession also kept the home team in the game during the fourth quarter, as they would later tie things up on a Aeneatai Aothemirila pick six on Linetti, who was looking for an open man to no avail.

4Q STK Linetti 33 run (Rasputin kick) STK 27-20
The game remained level at twenty points apiece with less than two minutes left. St. Kanye had possession, but of course the Dragonflies once again tightened up their defense, closing up all the passing lanes knowing how potent their rivals' aerial attack is. However, there was a flaw in that plan. Linetti had basically no one to throw to, so instead he relied on his legs instead of his arms, taking the ball to the house himself for a 33-yard touchdown run. The extra point was good, and then came the kickoff back to Ko-oren.

Surge backup free safety Craig Anwar talked last week about wanting to prove his worth to his team during one of their biggest games of the group stages, and sure enough, he didn't disappoint. Playing on special teams, Anwar had his target locked on kick returner Lyonall Kusal. Punter/kickoff specialist Chris Florence sent the ball flying, which Kusal caught on the Dragonflies ten-yard line; he started running and gaining field position, only for Anwar to take him down at the 23, cause him to cough the ball up, and then dive on it himself. The Surge simply knelt out the remaining time on the clock, sealing their fifth win over Ko-oren in eight total outings.

The boys in purple and lime will have their spotless record at stake as they return to Surge Field next week to take on newcomers Zantalio, who were still winless in two outings after being crushed 40-9 by fellow unranked side Crpostran. "We won't let our guard down against them," said Yeezie head coach Jeff Delphine. "We'll be showing the same intensity as we did against Equestria and Ko-oren.... well, at least the second half of the latter."

-----------------------------------------------------
| MD | Opponent   | Rank | Score   | Record | Place |
-----------------------------------------------------
|  1 | Equestria  |  UR  | W 34- 7 |  1-0   | 1st   |
|  2 | @Ko-oren   |   4  | W 27-20 |  2-0   | 2nd   |
|  3 | Zantalio   |  UR  |         |        |       |
|  4 | Delaclava  |  29  |         |        |       |
|  5 | @Crpostran |  UR  |         |        |       |
|  6 | @Equestria |  UR  |         |        |       |
|  7 | Ko-oren    |   4  |         |        |       |
|  8 | @Zantalio  |  UR  |         |        |       |
|  9 | @Delaclava |  29  |         |        |       |
| 10 | Crpostran  |  UR  |         |        |       |
-----------------------------------------------------

by **Valanora** » Mon Feb 26, 2024 12:09 pm

Here the Sabres are in the third game in their third entry into the World Bowl and sporting a top twenty-five ranking in doing so, no longer having to worry about facing off against multiple best teams in the tournament as was the case in their first forray into the premier gridiron tournament. It is a national team that is still mostly comprised of semi-professional players who have failed to find their way into some of the professional leagues after their graduation out of their universities and competing in the NSCF, although there are a handful of players who have found homes in either the professional league of Banija or Ranoria. However despite that, most of these players are still some of the best that the Empire has on offer, with most having been part of the Raynor City Rockets or Mar Sara Tech Raiders, including runs into the championship game with either team. So that while they might not have that professional status attached to their name, the talent level is definitely there and there is plenty of room for the Sabres to try and cause a bit of a ruckus within their group and the two higher seeds of TJUN-ia as well as Abanhfleft.

There is a double round robin to contend with, with the teams each playing home and away against the rest of the group, and the team opening up with a show of force in the Empire against New Fernia in Mar Sara, with the offense flowing flawlessly and the defense standing up quite tall, only allowing a second half touchdown to their first opponents. It was exactly the sort of game the team was hoping to have to get the momentum rolling early and being ready to deal with the more difficult ties that were going to be happening a short amount of time later. Momentum is a key factor in quite a lot of sports but it is particularly important within gridiron, where even the shifts of momentum within the game can swing the way the outcome is going to go quite heavily depending on who could capitalize on those momentum shifts. Getting a bit of forward progress early into the tournament before having to take on the third rank TJUN-ia later down the line and make sure there is a bit of separation between the Sabres and the trio of unranked teams looking to make their own cases inside the group.

Before that titanic clash though, the team had to travel away from the Empire for the first time and much like their respective universities in the NSCF, the team's offense seemed to fade into nothingness away from the friendly confines of the home ground. Oahu-Hawaii was a blocked field goal away at the death of regular time away from being able to come away with a major upset against the Sabres and special teams coach Manuel Jakobsson will have earned their paycheck for getting his unit able to block that kick. It was far from the sort of domination that they team had put on the table in Mar Sara the week before where they were able to pass and run all over the New Fernia defense at a near nine yard average per play. Struggling to get anything going on the run allowed the opposition to cover up the wideouts with a diverse set of coverage that saw the team only get the one touchdown and a pair of field goals. It was a bit of a warning call that though there is talent, they are not above being found out by a team on any given game who might just want it a bit more than the Sabres do in the moment.

Which brings the team to their next two games against the two teams who are above them in the seeding, with a trip first to TJUN-ia before coming back to the Empire to host Abanhfleft, in what could be a decider on who will have the inside track for the rest of the group stage in finishing in the top two and getting out of the group. There was a lot of hope within the VSC that the Sabres could find their footing in this tournament and find their way into the playoffs of this World Bowl, be the type of result that could generate the interest and investment needed to fulfill on a potential professional league of gridiron being developed in the Empire as has been hinted at since the Sabres have started competing in the World Bowl. The side struggled in the first trip away from the Empire and now having to travel to take on ranked third in their home afterwards, it is a difficult situation as well as the follow up against the Fleftic side at home. Yet if the side is to take the next step and start to make good on the level of talent that is considered good or even elite in their team, they need to win at least one of these games and be competitive in both. It is a difficult ask but adversity is what makes us stronger in the end.

by **Cassadaigua** » Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:56 pm

Red zone issues doom Fillies,
by Kenzie Sherman, Concord Heights Times

In an entertaining contest against the Iron Legion of Chromatika, the Fillies fell by the score of 24-16. Making the difference in this game was the red zone efficiency of the visitors, being able to get touchdowns while we needed to settle for field goals. At halftime, the score was 17-13, but a golden opportunity in the second quarter really played a large part in the result. With the team facing 3rd and 7 from the Iron Legion 19, a situation that was not that bad before a false start penalty on Travis McHugh, it seemed as though the Fillies were going to pick up the first down. Brittany Carrington rolled to the right and located the pass perfectly to 32-year old tight end Natalie Baldwin. However, the veteran was unable to haul it in as the ball glanced off her fingertips and was very nearly intercepted off the deflection. Jenna Lewis connected on the field goal, and at the time it didn’t seem as though this would be such a pivotal play.

Later, in the third quarter, with the team still down by four, the pink and black were driving and appeared to convert a third and six from the Iron Legion 11, but again a penalty flag hurt the team. Jacob Ballard was called for holding, and yes, the would have been completion from Carrington to Allie Raymond probably would not have happened if not for the hold, it was still a frustrating penalty. Lewis did her part to hit from 39, making it a one point game but it simply seemed as though, at least at that point, that the Fillies were beating themselves. Head coach Jennifer Cole had other ideas, “We didn’t lose this game because of Natalie’s drop, or because of the holding penalty on Jacob. We lost the game because the Chromatika defense executed very well. We needed to do a better job. There were other plays that we could have picked up first downs in the red zone when we were unable to. We can all take part of the blame, even myself for some play calls.” However, Jennifer was quick to try and change the topic, “let’s not lose sight of the fact that we played one of the best teams in the world very competitively and still had a shot at the end of the game to get a touchdown and tie it with a conversion. We had a couple of possessions there late in the fourth where we fought hard and battled, but Misha’s (Florentine, the Chromatka head coach) group made the plays they needed. Congratulations to them on their victory.”

With the team now 1-1 in the standings, it will be important for the team to bounce back, and will have unranked Lozho next. At this point, it would be ideal for the Fillies to put some distance on themselves and the rest of the group, other than Chromatka. If the two C’s can break away from this group, it would be a lot less stressful group stage.

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Mon Feb 26, 2024 5:02 pm

This audio RP covers the start of KBT's pregame coverage of the MD3 matchup with Quebec and Shingoryeo, presented by Graham Harper.

by **South Americanastan** » Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:14 pm

"THE RANGER'S LAST RIDE" PART 2 EPISODE 1: THE DAGGER

PART 1 - "PROLOGUE"

FOOTBALL PRACTICE FIELD, NATIONAL SPORT COMPLEX, WESTSTOCK, HIGHLANDS PROVINCE, SOUTH AMERICANASTAN
JANUARY 22ND, 2024 - NATIONAL TEAM INTERSQUAD SCRIMMAGE

When Will Hart turned 14 years old, an uncle gifted him an expensive hunting dagger.

The young Will, an avid outdoorsmen (outdoorsboy?) when not playing football, had, in turn, cherished the knife, and carried it with him almost constantly. He had used it more times than he could count, whether that be to skin the bark off a branch for kindling or to help reap the reward of a bountiful hunt. Constant use required constant sharpening, and so with the knife, Will carried a piece of whetstone along with a leather strop to sharpen and maintain the knife. The trio over time became something of a good luck charm, present with him almost every step of the way. The knife, stone, and strop were the one constant in a tumultuous career, and Will found comfort in their presence.

Yet as Will ritualistically arranged them in order on the top shelf of his locker, with the stone on the left, strop on the right, and knife in the middle (Interestingly, the only time he had not been permitted to do this was during the ill-fated World Bowl 42 campaign), he couldn't help but notice that after 20-plus years of use, the knife, despite constant sharpening, had become slightly duller than it was at the start of its lifespan. Similarly, the whetstone had become worn in its middle, and the strop had become substantially scratched. He stood there, looking at the three items in his locker for what felt like an eternity, before descending the steps from the locker room onto the practice field.

As he pushed open the door and entered the field, the press gathered beyond the two railings charting a path onto the field began snapping photos of him, analyzing every inch of his figure except the 6 that he usually reserved for women whom he met at the bar, trying to figure out whether he had gotten fat or lost muscle. He winked and gave a finger gun to the phone of the team's social media admin, before jogging past the media and joining his teammates on the field.

Dick Lodsman was the national team's backup quarterback, himself being the owner of a storied career complete with 3 South Americanastan Football League championships. If not for Hart's presence, he would almost surely be the team's starter. He and Hart were both Rocky Creek alumni, with Hart having graduated 2 years before Lodsman arrived at the university. Lodsman was almost a carbon copy of Will in terms of playstyle, though a bit more of a pocket passer and more careful with his throws. Rocky Creek tended to churn out those kinds of quarterbacks.

Unlike Hart, who had spent most of his career bouncing from team to team, a mercenary constantly commanding one of the top salaries in the SAFL, Dick had spent almost his entire career with the Forrestbury Shockers, taking hometown discounts year after year to keep the team's cupboards consistently stocked with star-studded players. But opposites attract, and Dick and Will had quickly become close through out their tenure on the South Americanastan national team. Hart approached him from behind, and gave him a quick shot to the ribs. Dick hardly even had to turn around to know who it was.

"Whaddup, asshole"

"Nothing much, you?" Will answered smugly.

"Father Time caught up to your old ass yet?" Dick joked.

"Not unless Father Time runs a 4.6 forty" Will laughed.

Lodsman got halfway through his response before the sound of head coach Jack Wall's whistle interrupted him. The two jogged to the middle of the field. Wall explained the rules of the intersquad scrimmage. The offense would start from the 25, scoring 7 for a touchdown and 3 for a field goal. The defense, meanwhile, would score 3 for a forced punt, 5 for fourth down stop, and 7 for a turnover. The two squads were sent off to their respective sidelines, taking a 10-minute break before the starters went out. Hart, as always, went out with the starters.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:47 pm

OOC: Much of this scene is inspired, paraphrased, et cetera, from a speech by Simon Basset to Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton (S1:E5).

The Social Seasons of Shin-goryeo

Part 24 - The Plead

Tik, tik, tik. Jang Joon-Gweon felt the blood freeze before his eyes. The panel of four - older, powerful men and women who held their respective authority over him or his girlfriend, or were respectively the head of state - were sitting on their respective chairs. Each of them attempted their best to assess both the validity of their case with their deep, perhaps inquisitive gaze, and while none carried a particularly distasteful or disapproving demeanour on first sight, the lack of clear emotion displayed by any of them did not exactly make the situation better either..

Not the warmest of the gaze, even if the case were going to stand in our favour, thought he. Jang noticed how nervous Hannah Moran looked to the left of him, almost as if she were being subjected to a very frustrating ordeal even by her standard. He couldn't blame her for feeling that way. While Jang, being more accustomed to the pressure that had come as a cricket national teamer and the Naval officer, was able to handle it well enough, it was clear that the panel's presence alone were more than enough for plenty to wither from the pressure.

And this was before the actual start of the proceedings, where Jang and Hannah would have to plead their specific case.

'Lieutenant Junior Jang Joon-Gweon,' said Arsene, who started the proceeding as the Privy Council Chair. Jang looked forward to see the Prime Minister's face, which spoke more of assessment rather than blind approval. 'You and Ms. Hannah Moran have been brought, under the direct proposal of your mentor and custodian, Dr. Heo Dong-Soo, to plead your repective case of marriage. It is to our understanding that this is a request for a special dispensation for you to marry as an individual with former state protection status, under your father's affiliation to the failed attempt in treason of 2038, under the article no. 21 of the Individuals under State Protection Act of 1963.'

Joon-Gweon attempted his best to keep himself in control as he gave a light nod before starting to speak. 'It is true, right honourable,' said Joon-Gweon in a voice added with slight nervousness attached to it. 'The request is placed under the advice of me and my partner's respective mentor and advisor, as he is to your honourable and her majesty the Queen, in that the case ought to be explained and appealed under the Crown, the Prime Minister and the Privy Councilor.'

A small round of nods and murmur followed, as they confirmed the receipt of the very situation. Prince Laurent, Jang's senior who himself had very issues with his longtime partner of 30 years, was particularly in approval of the situation, while the Prime Minister continued to survey the two with slight uncertainty. Irene Kweon Binnington's relatively republican tendencies, combined with the fact Arsene Kim was her predecessor twice removed as Prime Minister, made the process uneasy even if her opinions about a junior staffer had been anything but positive.

Then they heard as the sound ended quickly, as the Queen opened her mouth and spoke with a low, alto voice. 'Thank you. You may now plead your case,' she said. It was clear enough to both Jang and Hannah that while Christine II very much bore an aura, calm and all-mediating one fitting of the role she held as head of state, the regent also held a specific, personal edge to it which, in a close environment like this, could tip the scale. They had heard plenty about the Queen's time at St. Croix too, from Dr. Heo no less, and knew that they had to appeal separately. 'I believe that there is a viable case if it involves two members of the Soongdeok Society, sponsored by dear Professor. Is it not?'

'Precisely so, but I am neither member's parent,' said Dr. Heo in a lighter voice. 'The boy's parents are long dead, and the girl's parents, while friends of mine due to fortunate associations, something that my dear Arsene would be aware of..'

'Yes, but I believe that we are not here to talk about how lovely people Bronco and Addie are, no matter how high of regard we hold on our respective political front,' Arsene answered, the good-natured Privy Council chair trying his best to keep the discussion serious and in motion. 'They are here to discuss the validity of their relationship, and the proposal.'

Hannah came forward, the staffer doing her part trying to keep the appeal calm and in control. 'Your majesty, I assure you nothing out of fashion or style, those that would risk our respective careers, but more importantly lives, were committed and that no dubious intention were put into our minds,' Hannah opened the process. 'It is only that we love each other so much, and that the decision was-'

'Thank you,' said the Queen, feeling unfazed by the initial words said by Hannah. 'But be advised we don't have much time for pomp and circumstance.'

'And I know that while this life could be sworn together with that of a well-bred, gilded man of appropriate socioeconomic class, I simply cannot deny the longstanding affection and friendship held between me and Lieutenant Junior Jang,' she continued. 'As you can see, your majesty, it is a love at first sight that had predated our first sight on the St. Croix grounds-'

Jang interrupted, realising that Hannah was close to spiling the details of how they had actually met at the famous art gallery in Perce, six months prior to their official accounts of meeting for the first time. 'It was the first sight, your majesty, of the lights and candles of the Soongdeok Society's early-autumn dinner, that had burned into the wildfire,' Joon-Gweon said in a hurry, before looking at Hannah. He turned to look at Hannah, whose surprised facial expression matched perfectly with her green eyes, before resuming to speak as he resumed looking back at the Queen and the panel.

'For years there stood certainty and confidence that is rarely found among all, that has fuelled it. At least it did on my part, really, even if the difference in our respective status, the worlds we were considering for our future, and everything else, may have been different,' he then resumed speaking. 'But in finding adversity through these challenges and questionings, we found ourselves great solace through understanding one another, pursuing likewise interests, and altogether being able to build the worlds both intricate, and yet separate, from our respective lives in 11 Gwangmoo, or Miramare (base of the Royal Quebecois Navy Aviator Corps's flight school, -e.d.-).'

Jang and Hannah noticed a light smile coming from their respective superiors, in particular the Sea Lord himself. The elderly man, who was now nearing seventy in age, seemed to bear a sense of understanding, perhaps a resemblance to his younger self, in which he had to face with his older brother, the late Jacques IX. 'As you can see, our tales have been known in Joongyeong to be worth light gossip at times, but it was anything but frivolous in nature where our conversations are always easy, our minds locked and most importantly, our faith towards one another unwavering. Love, but more importantly friendships like this, hold true weight and value, in that they can carry us forever even in the times of uncertainities where we might be away from one another over months considered unholy to those engaging in normal matrimony.'

The room stood silent, as Christine II turned around to look at her uncle. By this point Prince Laurent was in a delightful state, one that the Queen did not exactly want to disrupt, but did find it a necessity to ask. 'Admiral, do you agree with Lieutenant junior Jang's assessment of and his conduct as both the Tomcat pilot and the national team cricketer, per the reports from Team Quebec selection board and that of the Royal Quebecois Naval Aviator Corps?'

'Six stars out of five, your majesty,' chuckled Prince Laurent to the Prime Minister and Dr. Heo's annoyance, and Hannah's continued nerves. 'Lieutenant Junior Jang is a splendid asset to both the navy and the country, one whose accolades are rare even among the finest of junior naval aviator ranks. Your father and uncle, bless both their souls, would have found him a comparable rival had he been a Tomcat pilot during their times, and there is no cricketer more capable of playing in any situation as Mr. Jang would in this country.'

'Thank you, Admiral,' Christine II then nodded, before giving a look back at Hannah Moran. 'As for Miss Moran, I believe the feelings go mutual, as in the amity you two value, beyond that of midnight passions which we often so confuse with actual love.'

'That is true, your majesty,' Hannah answered with quick confirmation. 'Growing up, I have never been the one to first initiate a conversation unless necessary, and have learned to maintain guard on whenever it is in need. But with Lieutenant Jang, every one of those barriers were overcome, as each word we would speak to one another would bring out our strengths and weaknesses, to the point where we are capable of bringing our true themselves. Almost as if there is a soul-to-soul meeting.'

She then spoke further, in hopes that she would be to deliver a final plea. 'And it is with this plea, six years and many ordeals since our first meeting, that I would like to ask permission for Lieutenant Jang to be my husband.' She said.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:48 pm

MD3-4 Cutoff

Group A

Matchday 3
HUElavia (09) 23–27 Daharia (UR)
The Kytler Peninsulae (16) 10–6 Quebec and Shingoryeo (07)
Lisander (31) 27–14 Ekhistan (UR)

# Group A                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 The Kytler Peninsulae                          3    3   0    85   35  +50  —   10–6   —   31–0   —    — 
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo                          3    2   1    79   13  +66  —    —   21–0   —    —   52–3
3 Daharia                                        3    2   1    65   67   −2  —    —    —   38–23   —    — 
4 Lisander                                       3    1   2    50   83  −33  —    —    —    —   27–14   — 
5 Ekhistan                                       3    1   2    70   90  −20 29–44   —    —    —    —    — 
6 HUElavia                                       3    0   3    45  106  −61  —    —   23–27   —   19–27   —

Matchday 4
Daharia (UR) 37–7 Ekhistan (UR)
Quebec and Shingoryeo (07) 19–6 Lisander (31)
HUElavia (09) 7–41 The Kytler Peninsulae (16)

# Group A                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 The Kytler Peninsulae                          4    4   0   126   42  +84  —   10–6   —   31–0   —    — 
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo                          4    3   1    98   19  +79  —    —   21–0  19–6   —   52–3
3 Daharia                                        4    3   1   102   74  +28  —    —    —   38–23  37–7   — 
4 Lisander                                       4    1   3    56  102  −46  —    —    —    —   27–14   — 
5 Ekhistan                                       4    1   3    77  127  −50 29–44   —    —    —    —    — 
6 HUElavia                                       4    0   4    52  147  −95 7–41   —   23–27   —   19–27   —

Group B

Matchday 3
Sarzonia (11) 53–0 Untecna (UR)
South Americanastan (17) 10–38 Drawkland (01)
Juvencus (38) 35–6 Sherpus (UR)

# Group B                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Drawkland                                      3    3   0   126   59  +67  —    —   35–23   —    —   53–26
2 South Americanastan                            3    2   1    57   68  −11 10–38   —    —   31–17   —    — 
3 Sarzonia                                       3    2   1   107   49  +58  —    —    —    —   31–14  53–0
4 Juvencus                                       3    2   1    86   59  +27   —    —    —    —   35–6   — 
5 Sherpus                                        3    0   3    33   82  −49  —   13–16   —    —    —    — 
6 Untecna                                        3    0   3    48  140  −92  —    —    —   22–34   —    —

Matchday 4
Untecna (UR) 46–39 Sherpus (UR)
Drawkland (01) 27–13 Juvencus (38)
Sarzonia (11) 24–9 South Americanastan (17)

# Group B                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Drawkland                                      4    4   0   153   72  +81  —   35–23   —   27–13  53–26   — 
2 Sarzonia                                       4    3   1   131   58  +73  —    —   24–9   —   53–0  31–14
3 South Americanastan                            4    2   2    66   92  −26 10–38   —    —   31–17   —    — 
4 Juvencus                                       4    2   2    99   86  +13   —    —    —    —    —   35–6
5 Untecna                                        4    1   3    94  179  −85  —    —    —   22–34   —   46–39
6 Sherpus                                        4    0   4    72  128  −56  —    —   13–16   —    —    —

Group C

Matchday 3
Terefuxe (13) 18–7 The Fortem (UR)
Cardenao (24) 34–13 Banija (02)
Utahn Theocratic Republic (35) 20–14 The 14 Stars (UR)

# Group C                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Cardenao                                       3    2   1    74   49  +25  —   34–13   —   34–17   —    — 
2 Banija                                         3    2   1    94   74  +20  —    —   41–12   —    —   40–28
3 Terefuxe                                       3    2   1    86   64  +22  —    —    —    —   56–16  18–7
4 Utahn Theocratic Republic                      3    2   1    69   76   −7  —    —    —    —   20–14   — 
5 The 14 Stars                                   3    1   2    49   82  −33  19–6   —    —    —    —    — 
6 The Fortem                                     3    0   3    63   90  −27  —    —    —   28–32   —    —

Matchday 4
The Fortem (UR) 6–34 The 14 Stars (UR)
Banija (02) 59–21 Utahn Theocratic Republic (35)
Terefuxe (13) 26–30 Cardenao (24)

# Group C                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Cardenao                                       4    3   1   104   75  +29  —   34–13   —   34–17   —    — 
2 Banija                                         4    3   1   153   95  +58  —    —   41–12  59–21   —   40–28
3 Terefuxe                                       4    2   2   112   94  +18 26–30   —    —    —   56–16  18–7
4 Utahn Theocratic Republic                      4    2   2    90  135  −45  —    —    —    —   20–14   — 
5 The 14 Stars                                   4    2   2    83   88   −5  19–6   —    —    —    —    — 
6 The Fortem                                     4    0   4    69  124  −55  —    —    —   28–32  6–34   —

Group D

Matchday 3
Cassadaigua (12) 51–17 Lozho (UR)
Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (31) 41–56 Chromatika (05)
Kinqueven (UR) 20–21 Ubernordwinds (UR)

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Chromatika                                     3    3   0   126   64  +62  —   24–16   —    —   46–7   — 
2 Cassadaigua                                    3    2   1   117   58  +59  —    —    —   50–17  51–17   — 
3 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove         3    2   1   102   83  +19 41–56   —    —    —    —   41–17
4 Ubernordwinds                                  3    1   2    48   90  −42  —    —   10–20   —    —    — 
5 Lozho                                          3    1   2    58  126  −68  —    —    —    —    —   34–29
6 Kinqueven                                      3    0   3    66   96  −30  —    —    —   20–21   —    —

Matchday 4
Lozho (UR) 44–7 Ubernordwinds (UR)
Chromatika (05) 43–17 Kinqueven (UR)
Cassadaigua (12) 20–3 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (31)

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Chromatika                                     4    4   0   169   81  +88  —   24–16   —   46–7   —   43–17
2 Cassadaigua                                    4    3   1   137   61  +76  —    —   20–3  51–17  50–17   — 
3 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove         4    2   2   105  103   +2 41–56   —    —    —    —   41–17
4 Lozho                                          4    2   2   102  133  −31  —    —    —    —   44–7  34–29
5 Ubernordwinds                                  4    1   3    55  134  −79  —    —   10–20   —    —    — 
6 Kinqueven                                      4    0   4    83  139  −56  —    —    —    —   20–21   —

Group E

Matchday 3
Abanhfleft (14) 56–34 United States of Devonta (UR)
Valanora (22) 17–23 TJUN-ia (03)
New Fernia (UR) 50–27 Oahu-Hawaii (UR)

# Group E                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 TJUN-ia                                        3    3   0    84   44  +40  —   23–17   —   38–10   —    — 
2 Abanhfleft                                     3    2   1    86   63  +23  —    —    —   56–34   —   13–6
3 Valanora                                       3    2   1    61   42  +19 17–23   —    —    —   31–7   — 
4 United States of Devonta                       3    1   2    70  111  −41  —    —    —    —   26–17   — 
5 New Fernia                                     3    1   2    74   84  −10  —    —    —    —    —   50–27
6 Oahu-Hawaii                                    3    0   3    45   76  −31  —    —   12–13   —    —    —

Matchday 4
United States of Devonta (UR) 29–21 Oahu-Hawaii (UR)
TJUN-ia (03) 26–0 New Fernia (UR)
Abanhfleft (14) 19–30 Valanora (22)

# Group E                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 TJUN-ia                                        4    4   0   110   44  +66  —    —   23–17  38–10  26–0   — 
2 Valanora                                       4    3   1    91   61  +30 17–23   —    —    —   31–7   — 
3 Abanhfleft                                     4    2   2   105   93  +12  —   19–30   —   56–34   —   13–6
4 United States of Devonta                       4    2   2    99  132  −33  —    —    —    —   26–17  29–21
5 New Fernia                                     4    1   3    74  110  −36  —    —    —    —    —   50–27
6 Oahu-Hawaii                                    4    0   4    66  105  −39  —   12–13   —    —    —    —

Group F:

Matchday 3
Saint Kanye (08) 43–10 Zantalio (UR)
Delaclava (29) 0–6 Ko-oren (04)
Crpostran (UR) 43–7 Equestria (UR)

# Group F                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Saint Kanye                                    3    3   0   104   37  +67  —    —    —    —   34–7  43–10
2 Ko-oren                                        3    2   1    55   34  +21 20–27   —    —    —    —   29–7
3 Delaclava                                      3    2   1    43   12  +31   —   0–6   —   23–6   —    — 
4 Crpostran                                      3    2   1    89   39  +50   —    —    —    —   43–7   — 
5 Equestria                                      3    0   3    14   97  −83   —    —   0–20   —    —    — 
6 Zantalio                                       3    0   3    26  112  −86   —    —    —   9–40   —    —

Matchday 4
Zantalio (UR) 34–20 Equestria (UR)
Ko-oren (04) 23–0 Crpostran (UR)
Saint Kanye (08) 36–6 Delaclava (29)

# Group F                                      Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 Saint Kanye                                    4    4   0   140   43  +97  —    —   36–6   —   43–10  34–7
2 Ko-oren                                        4    3   1    78   34  +44 20–27   —    —   23–0  29–7   — 
3 Delaclava                                      4    2   2    49   48   +1   —   0–6   —   23–6   —    — 
4 Crpostran                                      4    2   2    89   62  +27   —    —    —    —    —   43–7
5 Zantalio                                       4    1   3    60  132  −72  —    —    —   9–40   —   34–20
6 Equestria                                      4    0   4    34  131  −97   —    —   0–20   —    —    —

by **Sarzonia** » Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:44 am

The mood heading into the Sarzonian national gridball team's matchup at Joe Gibbs Stadium in Woodstock was tense.

Sarzonia were coming off an away loss to Drawkland that left the team in foul spirits. Sure, the Grid Corps were the top ranked team in the gridball multiverse for a reason. They were an offensive powerhouse, although their defence left something to be desired after the Grid Corps conceded 26 points to Untecna on Matchday 1. While Drawkland virtually marched down the pitch at will, the fact they allowed 26 points to a team that hadn't seen the pitch before was an area of concern for the top ranked side.

The Drawks also conceded 23 points to Sarzonia, which allowed 35 in an effort manager Gavin Davis thought was unacceptable. Sure, the Stars were facing Drawkland, and conceding a lot of points to the top ranked side isn't exactly an embarrassment. But Davis expected better for his defence, and defensive coordinator Tyler Paige was no different.

So how would all that play out for the Stars as they returned home to face Untecna on Matchday 3? Very well, it turned out. Sarzonia got four touchdown passes from quarterback Cameron Stallworth, a 149-yard game on the ground from Ty'Relle Clinton, and Sarzonia decimated Untecna 53-0 to even their record to 2-2. It was a match that saw Davis warn his charges about potential trap matches, yes, but it also showed a team that was more than motivated to prove themselves after a match they thought didn't display themselves in their best form.

"That was a fun one," Davis admitted after he delivered his opening remarks. "I was pleased with our effort, our focus. We had a few plays I'd like to have back, but I was very appreciative of the hard work we put in with another important home fixture coming up against South Americanastan."

Things went wrong for Untecna from the opening kickoff, as the Stars elected to defer to the second half. Kicker Matt Andersen slightly mishit the kick, causing it to flutter and bounce short of the goal line, but it hit an upback and Sarzonia recovered the muff deep in Untecnan territory at the 28-yard line. Stallworth faked a handoff to Clinton, then fired a strike to wide receiver Steve Swain for a touchdown, and Sarzonia led 7-0 after the first offensive play from scrimmage. Andersen hit his second kick well, and the Untecnan returner opted to just let the ball bounce through the end zone and past the end line for a touchback. Paige opted to start with a stunt, and it caused confusion in the Untecnan blocking scheme, forcing the quarterback to fire the ball at the feet of his fullback.

"I don't think we need to blitz to generate pressure," Paige told Davis. "We've got experienced guys who can get to their quarterback a variety of ways, so we've got a few things we can do." Davis just nodded.

On second down, Paige sent a run-blitz hoping to catch their tailback in the backfield. That forced Untecna into 3rd and 11, which meant Paige decided he would blitz, even though he'd decided it wasn't necessary. The quarterback threw the ball, hoping to heave the ball out of bounds and punt, but instead, he threw a wobbler that cornerback Will Donnelly picked off and sprinted 35 yards into the end zone.

"We might tire Matty out just by having him kick off," Davis joked. Still, Andersen went out and fired another kickoff into the end zone for a touchback. The Stars ran up 631 yards of total offence and even backup quarterback Mike Barnett threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Clinton added a touchdown on the ground and one through the air, finishing the day with 234 yards from scrimmage.

"It was a nice day to let our depth players do the honours," Clinton said. "We're probably not going to have that same luxury against South Americanastan, so it was good to get an idea of who can play and who can't."

Sarzonia (2-1) will host South Americanastan on Matchday 4 after they lost a home match to Drawkland 38-10. Untecna will host fellow unranked programme sherpus in their next match. Drawkland will play Juvencus on Matchday 4.

by **HUElavia** » Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:47 am

Golden Skies

The History of HUElavian Airlines, the Flag Carrier of The United States of HUElavia

Episode 4
Golden Carrier

The Economic Slap had marked the end of the booming economy that HUElavia sustained itself throughout the early years of its history. It was a very difficult time for many HUElavians as the country went into a recession and caused a drop in wages and money going into the country. With President Maria Santos Leite being elected in 1964, one of the first acts President Santos had enacted was giving corporate welfare to the major industries, of which the Airline industry was one of those to receive a hefty sum for help. At the time in 1964, HUElavian Airlines was neck and neck with HUE Airways for the very top spot of highest revenue airline and most passengers transported. This eventually would come in late 1965, when HUElavian Airlines would edge out HUE Airways for both of those titles.

With countries around the world selecting their Flag Carrier, which enabled preferred benefits by their governments for support, HUElavia felt the need to select a flag carrier in order to support the industry. At this point in time, Rodrigues Chanca became CEO in late 1965 after Reus had stepped down due to health issues, giving him total control over the Airline. After both Rodrigues Chanca and HUE Airways CEO Samuel Diaz Garcia went to lobby to the HUElavian Government for their cause to be the Flag Carrier of the country, a vote was held by congress in February 1966. By a 56%-44% margin, HUElavian Airlines was voted to be the Flag Carrier of The Democracy of HUElavia. With the preferred treatment now set to the airline, CEO Rodrigues Chanca organized a meeting to help determine new domestic and international routes. Ultimately, HUElavian Airlines organized flights to all states of the country, as well as new international flights to Euroa and Aesia,as well as expanding to North and South Neumerica.

Throughout the mid to late 1960s, HUElavian Airlines had more mechanical problems than any sorts of accidents, although two notable incidents did occur, including Flight 1093, resulting in a motor falling apart as a Boeing 707 plane touched down in San Rafael, falling off and catching fire to part of the plane, where several passengers were injured, but none had passed away. Another accident was Flight 379 from HUEsilia to Ourao, where a DC-8 lost power and ended up crashing to the ground close to Ourao, killing all passengers on board. Despite the accidents, it was a clean airline that passengers had confidence in and took preference to between HUElavian Airlines and HUE Airways, but both airlines still were close to each other in terms of revenue and passengers carried.

Entering the 1970s, HUElavian Airlines continued business as usual, reaping in the benefits of their 727s and DC-9s, with the last of the 247s and 314 Clippers being retired right at 1971. The meals were fantastic, usually having a variation depending on the origin and destination of the flights, giving a mix of cultures throughout HUElavia, with more and more immigrant groups coming in, resulting in more options for passengers to order. New carriers were ordered, with Boeing 747SPs being delivered, alongside Douglas DC-10s as well. With more flights being offered and seeing as HUE Airways and ATC being the main competitors in HUElavia for the airline, CEO Rodrigues Chanca began to eye an expansion of airlines. This would culminate with HUElavian Airlines buying Jaguar Air for H150 Million, a record purchase of an airline at the time, repurposing the planes as smaller planes to smaller airports. From there, another new era was coming to HUElavian Airlines.

by **Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove** » Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:54 am

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove loses 2 against high ranked teams

Sacré-Coeur district, Saint-Jeann-Jacques-sur-Mer - After winning two games against two unranked teams, Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove played two games against high ranked teams and lost both of them. First, the Tapirs received Chromatika at Terrain de football 1 au Complexe sportif national (Football Ground 1 at National Sports Complex). Jean-Jacques Noiseux (ankle) didn't play and Ryan McConnachie played at right tackle while Charles-Henri Noiseux moved to left tackle. Maximilien Kowalczyk (knee) also didn't play and Guillaume-Alexandre Constantineau-Beauchemin replaced him at defensive tackle. Chromatika started off with the ball in the 1st quarter and Rowena Hastroff made a 16 yards rushing touchdown to put the score at 7-0. Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove only managed to make a 42 yards field goal on their next drive. The Iron Legion followed with a 22 yards pass from Sarai Gwenderyn to Demitrius St. Pierre and the score was 14-3 Chromatika after 1 quarter. Early in the 2nd quarter, Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps made a 31 yards screen pass to François-Pierre Guirguis who ran all the way to the end zone for 6 points plus the extra point. Chromatika followed with a 6 minutes long drive which ended with a 6 yards passing tochdown from Sarai Gwenderyn to Niles Gwivern. The Jean-Jacquois and Burnhamese had a 3rd and 7 at the 23 yards line in their territory and Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps's screen pass intended to Guillaume Bibeau-Babeux was intercepted by Cara Setri at the 25 yards line who returns the ball into the endzone for a pick six. Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove followed with a 26 yards field goal whitin the two minutes warning and the score at halftime was 28-13 for The Iron Legion.

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove started off the 3rd quarter with a 98 yards kickoff return for a touchdown scored by Anne-Élisabeth Guirguis. Chromatika followed with a 3 yards rushing touchdown from Lana Rhodes. On their next drive, Ryleigh O'Shaughnessy, a wide receiver, made a 61 yards rushing touchdown on a tricky wide receiver reverse play. Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove tried a two points conversion but Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps's pass was broken up. The score after 3 quarters was 35-26 for the Iron Legion. Chromatika scored early in the 4th quarter when Alessandra Mio caught Sarai Gwenderyn's 22 yards pass in the endzone. It was a 7 minutes long drive by the way. On their next drive, the Tapirs cut Chromatika's lead when François-Xavier Malboeuf caught Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps' 13 yards pass in the endzone. Malboeuf's little sister, Lily-Rose was on the national team roster for the CAFA Cup 8 and she previously was a big part of the team at the Di Bradini Cup 56 and 55. The Tapirs tried again a two points conversion and it was succesful this time. The Chromatiks followed with a 6 minutes long drive which ended with another rushing touchdown from Lana Rhodes. On the next Tapirs' drive, Guillaume Bibeau-Babeux fumbles the ball. The fumble was forced by Mi-Hyeon Park and recovered at the 41 yards line in Tapir territory by Victoria Mio. The Iron Legion followed with a 12 yards rushing touchdown by Lana Rhodes. In the final minute of the game, Anne-Élisabeth Guirguis caught Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps' 28 yards pass in the endzone. The final score was 56-41 for the Iron Legion.

SAINT-JEAN-JACQUES et BoS     3  10  13  15  -  41
CHROMATIKA                   14  14   7  21  -  56

GAME SUMMARY

1st quarter
10:14   TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - Rowena Hastroff runs for 16 yards. Extra point good
6:53   FIELD GOAL SJJ et BoS   - Ji-yoo Han's 42 yards kick is good
1:27   TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - Sarai Gwenderyn passes to Demitrius St. Pierre for 22 yards - Extra point good

2nd quarter
12:39  TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps passes to François-Pierre Guirguis for 31 yards - Extra point good
5:14   TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - Sarai Gwenderyn passes to Niles Gwivern for 6 yards - Extra point good
3:43   TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - 25 yards interception return by Cara Setri - Extra point good
0:14   FIELD GOAL SJJ et BoS   - Ji-yoo Han's 26 yards kick is good

3rd quarter
14:47  TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS - 98 yards kickoff return by Anne-Élisabeth Guirguis - Extra point good
8:30   TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - Lana Rhodes runs for 3 yards. Extra point good
5:56   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - Ryleigh O'Shaughnessy runs for 61 yards. Two points conversion failed

4th quarter
13:58  TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - Sarai Gwenderyn passes to Alessandra Mio for 22 yards - Extra point good
9:42   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps passes to François-Xavier Malboeuf for 13 yards - Two points conversion good
3:29   TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - Lana Rhodes runs for 5 yards. Extra point good
1:05   TOUCHDOWN CHROMATIKA  - Lana Rhodes runs for 12 yards. Extra point good
0:27  TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps passes to Anne-Élisabeth Guirguis for 28 yards - Two points conversion good

Concord Heights, Cassadaigua - After this scoring fest against Chromatika, Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove travelled to Cassadaigua to play against another top team. Jean-Jacques Noiseux was back in the line up, but not Maximilien Kowalczyk (knee injury). The Dagans took the lead in the 1st quarter when Jenna Lewis' 29 yards field goal was good. They increased their lead in the 2nd quarter on a 17 yards passing touchdown from Brittany Carrington to Allie Raymond. The Tapirs followed with a 46 yards field goal. The Jean-Jacquois and Burnhamese had the ball midway in the 3rd quarter but Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps' screen pass intended to François-Pierre Guirguis was intercepted by Austin Fitzgerald. Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps pushed him out of bounds at the 32 yards line in Tapir territory to prevent him from scoring a pick six. On a 1st and 10 at the 32 yards line, Brittany Carrington's pass was caught by Katelynn Ellis but she was stopped at the 2 yards line. Lacey Bouchard followed with a rushing touchdown. Cassadaigua increased their lead in the 4th quarter with a 33 yards field goal. The final score was 20-3 for the Dagans.

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove has now 2 wins and 2 losses and are in 3rd place in group D behind Chromatika and Cassadaigua. On week 5, the Tapirs will receive Lozho and the forecasts is cloudy for that game. On week 6, the Tapirs will travel to Kinqueven. Maximilien Kowalczyk (knee) is still injured and Guillaume-Alexandre Constantineau-Beauchemin is still replacing him.

CASSADAIGUA                    3   7   7   3  -  20
SAINT-JEAN-JACQUES et BoS      0   3   0   0  -   3

GAME SUMMARY

1st quarter
8:41   FIELD GOAL CASSADAIGUA  - Jenna Lewis' 29 yards kick is good

2nd quarter
10:21  TOUCHDOWN CASSADAIGUA  - Brittany Carrington passes to Allie Raymond for 17 yards - Extra point good
6:28   FIELD GOAL SJJ et BoS   - Ji-yoo Han's 46 yards kick is good

3rd quarter
7:42   TOUCHDOWN CASSADAIGUA  - Lacey Bouchard runs for 2 yards - Extra point good

4th quarter
12:51  FIELD GOAL CASSADAIGUA  - Jenna Lewis' 33 yards kick is good

Jean-Alexandre Guindon

by **Daharia** » Tue Feb 27, 2024 12:44 pm

Double Dipping the Wins
Gerhardt Wehner - Daharian Herald

After an extravagant 4th quarter comeback by Mikuláš Günther and his offense, Daharia has officially won back-to-back games in the 48th edition of the World Bowl. After dropping their first game against Quebec and Shingoryeo 21-0. The Daharian Football Team has played exponentially better on the world stage, beating Lisander 38-23, and now beating Huelavia 27-23. Offensive Coordinator Longin Piontek told reporters after the game “Overall, the offense played very well, they knew what they were doing, and on the last drive, despite being down 23-21 with less than a minute left, I could see players laughing in the huddle, and everyone was very calm. I’m more than proud of these boys, and what we’ve accomplished so far. Just being here has been revolutionary for us.”

This is the first game the National team has played at home after the disastrous Westfalenstadion Riots. Allianz Arena was full of life that night, being a very welcoming temporary home to all games being played in Daharia for the time being. Post-game, all of the players on the national team were asked about the situation. Mikuláš Günther and all of his teammates and coaches decided to donate all of their paychecks towards helping the families. After calculating the salary of all of the players, the Daharian Herald reports that more than K3,000,000,000 will be donated to the families of those killed or injured during the riots.

Quarter 1:
12:38: Mikuláš Günther 45-yard pass to Bazyli Zelenka - Extra Point by Finn Köhler good.
6:32: Maximiliano Fernandino 59-yard interception return - Extra Point by Lutz Schulz no good.

6-7

Quarter 2:
2:06: Bernd Schwangau forced fumble, Diedrich Schmitz 24-yard return - Extra point by Finn Köhler good.
0:02: Lutz Schulz 53-yard field goal good.

9-14

Quarter 3:
6:36: Timta Vilca Chaupin 12-yard pass to Udo Obasie - Extra point by Lutz Schulz

16-14

14:22: Chidi Uche 49-yard touchdown run - Extra point by Lutz Schulz good.
7:00: Sergej Schmidt 85-yard interception return - Extra point by Finn Köhler good.

0:00 Reinhold Zellweger 48-yard pass to Tobiáš Brož.

*Announcers During the Last Drive of the Game*

“Huelavia’s defense has been playing rather well today. But that choice to punt the ball instead of kicking the field goal will always be a strange one to me.”

“I agree with you there, Why would you punt the ball, instead of most likely making the kick, and forcing Daharia to go downfield and score a touchdown?”

“I think I understand actually. Raphael Schneiderman must trust his defense to hold Daharia. Additionally, his Punter Ye-Jun Ha has a great leg, and that is evident here, as he has the Daharian offense starting their drive on their 7-yard line.”

“Here comes the Daharian offense now, led by their wonder kid Mikuláš Günther.”

“Günther is a great quarterback, I don’t see anyone else you would want to be under center at a time like this. With 0:31 on the clock Daharia is lining up in a Spread formation, with Zellweger, Brož, and Zelenka on the left, and Schenck out right with Voigts.”

“Heres the snap, Günther dropping back, defensive is covering well, Günther rolls right, he’s going to toss it to Brož on the drag, and he’s gonna pick up 7 and step out of bounds."

“0:24 on the clock now. For Günther, this is plenty of time to get downfield. They only need a field goal to win. Single-back set, Günther takes it, he’s going to toss it left to Zellweger, Zellweger is going to put on the speed, he’s gonna break a tackle… Zellweger is going to make him miss! He’s finally going to be brought down at the opposite 48-yard line. That was an amazing run. But he did NOT get out of bounds, so Daharia will have to burn their last time out."

“0:17 on the clock now. Daharia needs 10 yards to be in surefire field goal range. 1st and 10 from Huelavia’s 48-yard line. In a Right Trios formation, Günther snaps it, he’s gonna toss it right to Zellweger, but he’s not running it! He launches it deep to Brož! He’s gonna catch it! OH MY GOODNESS! HE’S GONNA GO! BROZ! SIDELINE! TOUCHDOWN! UNBELIEVABLE! Daharia’s gonna win it! WHAT A PLAY!”

“That was a beautiful play, and an amazing way to end the game. Lets see that one more time.”

“The toss, the perfect throw, the jumping catch over the defender, couldn’t have written it any better. Such a well-drawn play.”

Excerpt from Mikuláš Günther’s Personal Journal

After we landed at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, I could see a million-strong welcome group for us. I believe we deserve it though. We’ve played great games over the last few weeks. I'm looking forward to seeing my wife once I finish all of this.

Officially made it to the team headquarters, we've ordered pizza from the local parlor, we have ice cream, and a ton of snacks and other things. We also have my favorite treat, Trdelnik, It is made from dough that is wrapped around a stick, then baked and topped with sugar and walnut mix. I love to eat it, and its rather cheap as well.

I also got to see my wife and kids while I was here. My beautiful wife Liesa, and my adorable kids Alojzy and Jenny. Alojzy is in 10th Grade, and he loves to study law. I hope that one day, he's going to make his dreams come true. Jenny is in 7th Grade, and she loves to play sports, just like me. I am also the head coach of her Soccer Team, and I know she has the ability to make it to the big leagues.

We dominated in the last game against Ekhistan. I threw 3 touchdowns, and handed off to Reinhold Zellweger for another. First touchdown, a 65-yard lob to Tobiáš Brož, another 28-yard throw to him. A 3-yard shovel pass to Mariusz Schenck, and I also ran for a 10-yard touchdown off of a scramble drill.

I'm looking forward for the next few games, we are on a high note right now, and we need to keep the momentum rolling.

by **Sarzonia** » Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:47 pm

Winning a match as easily as 53-0 against an unranked foe is one thing.

As easily as the Sarzonian national gridball team matriculated down the pitch against Untecna, Gavin Davis knew the going would be much tougher against South Americanastan. The Stars easily dominated a team they were expected to, but with a team only six spots below it in the world rankings, it would tell a lot about Sarzonia when all was said and done.

Consider the real test passed. Sarzonia were able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and defeated South Americanastan 24-9, placing the Stars squarely in second position in the Group B table behind undefeated Drawkland, which had a surprisingly tough 27-13 victory over No. 38 Juvencus, who will be Sarzonia's next opponent as the Stars return to the road.

Sarzonia's strategy against the Bears was to establish the running game, even against consistent eight-man fronts in South Americanstan's 4-4 defence. They would also look to hit the occasional deep shot and utilise play-action passing against a team aiming to make running the ball a near impossible task. Manager Gavin Davis had watched the video and approached offensive coordinator Trent Beaucamp hoping to talk him into establishing the ground game with Sarzonia's offensive line outweighing South Americanastan's. When Beaucamp immediately suggested running the ball and using Sarzonia's size to their advantage against the Bears, he smiled.

That's why I hired him to call the offence, he thought. Beaucamp knew fullback Les Creighton, who was often the lead blocker for running back Ty'Relle Clinton, was within four pounds of defensive end Bill Wisniewski and actually outweighed Walter Olzmauer by two pounds. Sarzonia also frequently employed 22 and 13 personnel. They could use their size to overpower the Bears defence.

The result went as well as the Stars hoped. Clinton ran 24 times for 128 yards and a touchdown, quarterback Cameron Stallworth completed 11-of-17 passes for 149 yards and one score and ran nine times for 73 yards and another score. Kicker Matt Andersen hit from 39 yards to provide the final margin as the Stars held South Americanastan to three field goals.

"We looked at the film and we determined we were able to impose our well on them physically," Davis said. "There was no mystery by midway through the third quarter. We could have telegraphed our plays to them and they still couldn't stop what we were doing."

The victory ensures that Sarzonia (3-1) remain in favourable position to qualify for the knockout rounds. The top two teams in each group qualify for the Round of 16 along with the four best third place sides. Davis said he wanted to make sure his team were not among those sweating out the final group stage matches.

"We have a couple of away matches ahead of us [against Juvencus and unranked Sherpus], and then it's Drawkland back here at Joe Gibbs Stadium," Davis said. "We haven't had a sellout in this building yet. We definitely want all our fans ready to go against the Grid Corps."

Almost as if on cue, a press release from stadium authorities indicated the match against Drawkland was sold out.

by **TJUN-ia** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 2:26 pm

After taking down the group's biggest foes on ranking in a tight one, the Jaguars were 2-0 as they were about to enter the 1st double-header of this 48th World Bowl. Spirits were still high and all that comes with that matter-of-fact, but no one was resting on their laurels this early into proceedings, especially not Gus McKerrin himself. He knew things could get pretty chaotic quickly, but to what degree is always a matter of interpretation. Two big games were coming up...but what would they produce this time?

Up first was that massive clash, up against the Sabres of Valanora, and considering both teams were 2-0, there was a sense on both sides that the result of this contest would determine the early momentum holders in this group. The Lathalein Celestial Stadium in Mar Sara was ready for a war and it was one that both teams would certainly go through with anger in their eyes. Like the Abanhfleft game, this contest was 14-all at halftime...and for good reason. Andy Magnusson had a dynamite QB named Håkon Schau at his disposal and he would end up with 2 TDs, both to Nikolas Isaksen, while Fredrik Mundal made both PATs. On our side, we had Gareth Baldwin as he found Victor Que-et-Vous and Gilbert Nyamutsamba while Clayton McGee hit both PATs. Just like the Abanhfleft game, our defence clamped the opposition down so much they could only manage a Mundal FG for the rest of the game while Baldwin found Que-et-Vous again with McGee missing the PAT but making a FG to complete another 23-17 performance. Same scoreline, but this one felt all the more important.

Then it was back to The Field of Dreams in The Gardens of New Washington to face debutants New Fernia and...yeah, we blanked them. They scored NOTHING because our defense was too good for a team like theirs to crack. At least they are 1-3 and not 0-4 but damn...we were too good. Gareth Baldwin got 3 more TDs, all of them to Gilbert Nyamutsamba, while McGee made 2/3 PATs. Leon Gallas couldn't add anymore when he took over but Xander Tiovannen did with 2 FGs to make it 26-0 when all was said and done. Just a simple win...just what we needed.

This next double header will mark the halfway point of this whole process and with that in mind, we have to press forward. We're off to Oahu-Hawaii next up before our rematch @USD. GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group E)
MD1: vs United States of Devonta (UR) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 38-10 (1-0)
MD2: vs Abanhfleft (14) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 23-17 (1st/2-0)
----------------------Double Header 1----------------------
MD3: @Valanora (22) - Lathalein Celestial Stadium, Mar Sara W 23-17 (1st/3-0)
MD4: vs New Fernia (UR) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 26-0 (1st/4-0)
----------------------Double Header 2----------------------
MD5: @Oahu-Hawaii (UR)
MD6: @United States of Devonta (UR)
----------------------Double Header 3----------------------
MD7: @Abanhfleft (14)
MD8: vs Valanora (22) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington
----------------------Double Header END----------------------
MD9: @New Fernia (UR)
MD10: vs Oahu-Hawaii (UR) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington

by **Cassadaigua** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:48 pm

As we wanted: Fillies now 3-1,
by Kenzie Sherman, Concord Heights Times

Following the loss to Chromatika, it was good to see that the team was still in high spirits. They knew that there were things that they could have done better to put themselves in a position to win the game, but it’s easier to take a result like that when you are playing a team as good as the Iron Legion are. In interviewing many players about that game, the theme was pretty similar in that they were not going to necessarily forget about it, but that they were ready to move on and would not dwell on the things that went wrong. These are the best players in Cassadaigua, so you’re not even going to say that they should try and learn from the negative things that happened there. Forget, and move on, and for the pink and black, moving on meant Lozho in the third game.

They were very good early in the game, scoring on the opening drive that went 80 yards, culminating in a Carrington to Harrington special, this from 24 yards, to make it 7-0. Lozho managed three on their next possession, but the Fillies were not phased by that at all, going 72 yards downfield for another touchdown, this being a Crystal Mannix three yard run. Quickly up 14-3, Cassadagan fans could be relaxed in knowing that their team was executing a lot better and would only hope that would continue. That, it would, but first some defensive heroics came about as Xavier Callahan sacked the Lozho QB in the end zone to make it 16-3 with the safety. Back to back holding penalties on the team of unknown players put them in the difficult situation, but that QB of theirs lacked some game awareness by dropping back to pass a little more than they needed too, then running back a little more to try and avoid the rush of Callahan. Off the free kick, a drive that ended in the first and ended in the second, resulted in a Carrington touchdown pass to Natalie Baldwin, making it 23-3, and things were cruising.

But things are never easy in football, and before the half was over, the scoreboard read: 23-17. Lozho responded with a touchdown following our drive, then forced the Fillies to punt. For this moment, the unranked opponent was doing everything right, and with them receiving to begin the second half, they could make things very difficult for us. On that first drive of the third quarter, they drove to midfield, before the turning point of the game happened: a Kelsey Mancini interception and 59 yard return to the end zone. “We needed the lift. We started that game so well, but it started to turn on us. We talked about it at halftime, but even with that, they were driving against us. Then, Kelsey steps up. We’re so grateful that we have a player like her on this team,” head coach Jennifer Cole said after the game. When asked about the play, Kelsey told us, “They ran the same play in the second quarter and had success with it. I recognized it immediately and jumped the route. It happened just as I thought it would. Lucas (Byrnes) gave me a hell of a block on the run back, too.”

Lozho only picked up one first down for the rest of the game, as they never recovered. Cassadaigua was rejuvenated offensively as well, and saw Carrington throw for two more touchdowns, going to Katelynn Ellis and Lacey Bouchard to make it 44-17. In the fourth, the second stringers were in the game, and found the end zone as well, with Tori Grasso connecting with Ava Longmire for the eventual 51-17 win.

Next on the schedule was Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove, a team that had just put up 41 points on Chromatika, but unfortunately for them (and maybe for us too), Chromatika scored 56. Jennifer Cole emphasized defensive play with her team knowing that result, expecting the Tapirs to have a lot of confidence offensively after that game. “They were good,” Cole said, “so our plan was to slow the game down and focus on defense. The Tapirs were solid on defense as well in the first quarter especially, but we didn’t want to get into a shootout with them.” That would not happen, but the Fillies did only manage three points in the first, then got a key touchdown pass from Brittany Carrington to Allie Raymond to go up 10-0, allowing the team to buckle down even more.

With the score 10-3 at the break, the play of the game was again a Cassadagan interception, this time coming from linebacker Austin Fitzgerald. The Tapirs were marching down the field a bit before Fitzgerald’s acrobatic leap, something that fans are familiar with, led to the interception, and nearly took it to the house. “Only had one player to beat, but didn’t beat them,” Austin said after the game, “and Hannah (Chapman) and Kelsey (Mancini) are already teasing me about that!” It didn’t matter all that much, as the Fillies ultimately did turn the pick into a touchdown when Lacey Bouchard punched it in from the two. Eventually, the final score would read 20-3, in a key win against one of the group’s better teams.

The beat goes on with still six games to play.

by **Chromatika** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:12 pm

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

The Last Dance of the Firehawk
IV. The Master Plan

Three Days before the World Bowl Opener
Henza Center
Dre'a, Capital District

Cassadaigua. Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove. Kinqueven. Ubernordwinds. Lozho. The five groupmates for Chromatika during the Group Stage of the World Bowl. Make the top two, or be one of the four best third placed placers, and make the Round of Sixteen - to be held at Quebec and Shingoryeo. Honestly, the Iron Legion should head the group with no problem - with Cassadaigua being the only roadblock. The real tournament would be about just how much this team would suffer in injuries before the knockouts, and whether they would be able to contend with the likes of Ranoria, Drawkland, and the best of the best.

Practice was going well. The team was motivated more than ever after hearing the news about Sara McAllister Drumov. Sarai Gwenderyn and the passing unit was really on the same page, Lana Rhodes and the linemen were hell bent on imposing their role, the inside linebackers of the defense were some of the best in the world, and the secondary for the Iron Legion were really something else. This was a team that could really win it all, they just needed to overcome the mental blockers that seemed to overshadow them in the latter stages - and for Gwenderyn to do what she has been destined to do from the very beginning - put Chromatika at the very top of Gridiron football.

So, Chromatika would enter the Group Stage with a very specific goal in mind - stay sharp, avoid injuries, and top the group. Nobody really cared if they were 10-0, 9-1, or 8-2 - what mattered was the bracket, and that was dependent on how the other teams ended up in their Group Stage anyway. They would start Gwenderyn, have Pantoja as backup, and allow Vivayavich to pick up as many starts as she could to keep Gwenderyn fresh.

Everyone agreed that three things would need to happen if Chromatika were to finally complete their quest of winning the World Bowl, effectively sending Sara McAllister off on the highest of notes:

1. The Lines. All play in gridiron starts with solid line play, and the Iron Legion weren't any different. Whether it be keeping Gwenderyn clean, blocking for Hastroff/Rhodes, pressuring the opposing Quarterback, or stopping the run, a lot would hang on the balance for the units led by Mikel Kingston and Jill Lia. Chromatika had the talent that one needed to win in the trenches on both sides of the field, and they would have to show up, game after game.

2. The Mentality. In the losses for the Iron Legion, their opponents had imposed their will on them, taking away the game plan, or making adjustments as needed to shake the Chromatiks' confidence. It would be up to the Coaching Staff to make sure that they were prepared for what the world would throw at them, and if there were any adjustments made, to counter. Thankfully, Misha Florentine was entering his second World Bowl as Head Coach, and he had done the necessary teambuilding to be on the same page with his coordinators to make sure that they'd be prepared. Nobody was going to out-prepare them this time.

3. The Stars. You can't win if your stars don't play well. Whether it be Sarai Gwenderyn, Alessandra Mio, Lana Rhodes, Niles Gwivern on the offensive side, Jill Lia, Park Mi Hyeon, Jere Rinaldi, Nikolai Dimitrov, or Lisa Bonsoon on the defensive side, or Nellie Katt and Dwayne Markseon on special teams, the stars must do well to win.

Could they finally pull it off? Or would the tears to fall after it all be of sadness instead of happiness?

by **South Americanastan** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:40 pm

"THE RANGER'S LAST RIDE" PART 2 EPISODE 2: BLUNT

PART 1 - "PROLOGUE"
PART 2 EP 1 - "THE DAGGER"

FOOTBALL PRACTICE FIELD, NATIONAL SPORT COMPLEX, WESTSTOCK, HIGHLANDS PROVINCE, SOUTH AMERICANASTAN
JANUARY 22ND, 2024 - NATIONAL TEAM INTERSQUAD SCRIMMAGE

The first few drives went over fairly unremarkably, as the offense and defense seemed fairly evenly matched, with the defense having a slight edge as per usual. By the end of the third drive, the score stood at 6-5 following a goal line stand by the Bears' vaunted defensive unit. Hart grabbed a squirt of water from a Crocodilade bottle between drives, before jogging back out for a fourth drive, the last that would contain the first string quarterback, him, before Lodsman and third stringer Mick Hassel would receive 3 and 2 drives respectively. Hart called his huddle and read off his wristband.

"I-Pro Left Twins Outside Veer on 2, on 2, ready... Break!"

The huddle broke with a clap and Hart methodically walked up to the line, examining the defensive front, a base 4-4 set, with Red Matrikan lined up walked down on the strong side tight end, forming a 5-man front on the LOS. Hart silently identified Matrikan as the dive read on the play, before settling in under center and barking out orders.

"Down, set... Red 88, set hut!... set hut!"

Matrikan came crashing down the line towards the dive, and Hart pulled the ball before rushing towards pitch read Mack Johnson. His feet seemed to glide over the grass of the national team's practice field, and he made his frantic run through the defense look effortless as Johnson expanded out towards halfback Sean Forrester, who, despite falling out of favor due to Hakeem Okonkwo's sudden rise to stardom during World Bowl 46, was still somewhat preferred for option plays due to his ability to get to the edge quickly. Suddenly, Hart only had one man to beat in the form of free safety Pat Larson.

Larson was arguably the best pass coverage players on team, but was often the weak link in the team's run defense. He wasn't necessarily a poor tackler in his own right, but compared to the rest of the defense, he was beatable. The 6'3" 191-pound safety squared up to the 6'2" 203-pound Hart. Hart had beat him in the past, and it was almost a certainty he could once more, and the press in the crowd seemed almost sure of what was about to happen next.

Hart cut inside, putting him in a footrace with Larson, one he'd won before multiple times. Cheers came from the offensive sideline as he bolted down the field at top speed. However, not even ten yards after cutting past Larson, he felt his left leg come out from under him as he tumbled to the dirt. His left side hit the ground as he rolled a solid five yards, before stopping and springing to his feet in a perfect kip-up. The crowd cheered as Hart raised his arms in a display of showmanship.

He jogged back to the huddle with the swagger he had become known for. Even at 37, he had a reputation as something of an ironman, rarely injured despite his highly physical running style. But even then, he felt every hit just a little bit more than the last these days, and the hit from Matrikan was no exception. He pulled his arms back and then forward, stretching his aching chest and upper back. He took a second to breathe, before relaying the next playcall into the huddle.

"Pro Set Slot Right Mesh, check to Texas, on 1, on 1, ready... Break!"

The offense arrived at the line in an under center split-back formation, with a slot receiver split out to the left in lieu of a tight end. Forrester moved into the weakside halfback position, while Hakeen Okonkwo came onto the field to play as the strongside back. Hart scanned the field, identifying his read keys, and barking out orders to the rest of the offense.

"Check Ranger! Check Ranger! 41's the Mike!"

He changed the play to a Texas concept, featuring Forrester running a backside angle route and slot receiver Tanner Wesco running a dig on the frontside, with a high-low read on middle linebacker Micheal Levitsko. The defense made its own calls at the same time, and Hart prepared to take the snap.

"Green 29... set hut!"

Hart took a 3-step drop into the backfield as the receivers and backs broke out into the routes. He looked the backside safety off of the high-low read, flashing his eyes towards a backside post from veteran receiver A.T. White, before bringing his eyes back down onto Levitsko. The relatively young linebacker dropped back towards the dig, and Hart uncorked a throw to Forrester. The ball felt good out of his hand, and, at least to him, looked good out of it too. But the ball never reached an apex before reaching Forrester, instead continuing to sail over the running back's head.

Levitsko, in the meantime, adjusted, rocketing towards his right into the ball's trajectory, diving to come up with a clutch interception to give the defense a 12-6 lead over the offense. As Levitsko tumbled towards the ground, securing the ball in the process, a silence engulfed the field. Hart, as much of a reputation as a gunslinger that he had, made those throws, almost always. Hart tried to keep his head up as he jogged back towards the sideline. Offensive Coordinator Lance Patterson came over to comfort him, assuring him that "not every play was perfect" and that he was just rusty from going a year without football. But even with Patterson's calming words, he began to come participate in a silent argument with himself.

Maybe he wasn't as sharp as he used to be?

by **Lisander** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 8:10 pm

Lisander Gridiron Football National Team
The Lynx

Style Mod: +2

Gridiron Football in Lisander is not professional. The more correct term is perhaps "subsidised". Due to the financial inconstancy of the NAFL (an entity that acts as both Federation and National League), Gridiron Football in Lisander survives mostly on small sponsorships and the pockets of its own players, who are amateurs. Another obstacle to the growth of this sport in Lisander is the unintended association made with Rugby League, an ever-frowned-upon code in the country, which is kind of devoted to the Rugby Union.

With little money, but a few hundred loyal and dedicated players to the sport at various levels (League, College, Full-pad amateurs, Arena Football, Flag Football, Beach Football), and among these, some benefactors unafraid to spend money on the sport, Gridiron Football keeps developing with the dream of one day reaching World Bowl success. While this dream is not possible, the NAFL seeks to popularise the sport with timid appearances in world stage.

Matchdays:

MD1 - Zube Olympic Stadium - The Kytler Peninsulae (16) 31–0 Lisander (31)
MD2 - Allianze Arena - Daharia (UR) 38–23 Lisander (31)
MD3 - Nordland Metropolitano - Lisander (31) 27–14 Ekhistan (UR)
MD4 - Marijuana Island Gaol - Quebec and Shingoryeo (07) 19–6 Lisander (31)
MD5 - Nordland Metropolitano - Lisander (31) 13–47 HUElavia (09)
MD6 - Nordland Metropolitano - Lisander (31) 35–30 The Kytler Peninsulae (16)
MD7 - Nordland Metropolitano - Lisander (31) - Daharia (UR)
MD8 - To be confirmed - Ekhistan (UR) - Lisander (31)
MD9 - Nordland Metropolitano -Lisander (31) - Quebec and Shingoryeo (07)
MD10 - To be confirmed - Huelavia (09) - Lisander (31)

Stadium:

Nordland Metropolitano with field markings and posts for
a Rugby Union Match.

Nordland Metropolitano (28000)
Nordland Metropolitano is a multipurpose indoor arena that belongs to Soria Municipality, yet being managed by Nordland Corporation. The arena is used mainly by Soria Union FC. Being the first fully indoor venue in the nation big enough to receive Association, Rugby and Gridiron Football Codes, using artificial turf instead of grass, what draws a lot of criticism. Remaining oblivious to this criticism and to the accusations that the team would have an advantage by being more accustomed to the surface, the teams rely on the report from the turf supplier company, Neufloor, which reports that it has been tested and approved, meeting the standards set by international competitions. Nordland Metropolitano hosted IUBC XIV Final Four and plenty of international events. Neufloor, the turf supplier itself, is an internationally recognized company, having provided surfaces for NS Tennis Tour events, as well as for the 15th Summer Olympics, in Terranean Coast.

Note about Roster and RP Permissions:
I’m not providing an extended roster. I’m focusing in the scorers and going with a roster similar to those we usually see in Fantasy Football. I do this all my american football interations, to save time and because I'm not a deep conoisseur of its mechanics. Provided that, you’re free to write what you want. I only ask you to keep injuries in “easily recoverable mode”, since I would like to have these players playing for a long time. If you need of some extra info or graphic to complete your post, feel free to drop a TG and I’ll answer as soon as possible.

Focused Roster:

Starters
#	Name		Position
1	Mattias Rozan	QB
27	Alex Mayer	RB
14	Igor Milner	RB
16	Dante Casella	WR
9	Andreas Linze	WR
32	Jack Maurer	RB/WR
84	Sorento Fiori	TE
94	Saulo Graad	K/P
Reserves
#	Name		Position
10	Roman Bressen	QB
44	Dani Lecastel	RB
29	Hugo Inglis	WR
41	Lucas Belard	TE
39	Leon Salvaterra	K

00	Eric Jones	Head Coach

The Looks:

Home Uniform, Away Uniform, Away Alternate Uniform (worn against The Kytler Peninsulae)

The Lynx wear primarily green jerseys with two gold sleeve stripes, white pants and green socks at home. For away matches where the green jersey clashes, the colours are inverted, making the stripe look (curiously) like the ones used by cycling national champions. The helmet is green with the same golden stripes and golden facemask. Lisander is expected to wear green at all home matches, and at least in the away match against Huelavia, that has a yellow jersey as its primary. For the away matches against Daharia, Quebec and Shingoryeo, it's expected the Lynx wear its regular away uniform. For the away match against The Kytler Peninsulae, that wears an all-green uniform, the Lynx matched its away uniform jersey to its home uniform pants, going with an all-white uniform, completed with a white helmet, this one with matching stripes to the away jersey. Isn't expected, however, for this to become a permanent choice of uniform to the team.

by **Saint Kanye** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:31 pm

It hasn't been the best of starts to Zantalio's maiden World Bowl campaign. Coach Rishtaky Nilyybonzhivania's squad dropped their opener against the Ko-oren Dragonflies 29-7, then got crushed by fellow debutants Crpostran 40-9. Now in the cellar of Group F, the Zantalis have become hungry for success and eager to regain their confidence. Unfortunately, their next opponents, the St. Kanye Surge, would not give them the pleasure, sending them to their third straight defeat by a score of 43-10.

Veteran Surge QB R.J. Linetti shut the haters up with a performance that proved that it isn't yet his time to follow Bruce Dobler and Gary Bradman's example and retire, throwing for 310 yards on 26/32 passing and two touchdowns (for a rating of 127.86), not to mention eight carries for 105 yards and another two TDs on the board. St. Kanye were also cooking on the defensive side of the ball, forcing nine turnovers on their opponents (whereas the Yeezies themselves only had two). "We were just in the groove today," said head coach Jeff Delphine, "and they [Zantalio] seemed to be out of it. Put those two factors together, you get a result like this one."

1Q STK Johns 90 kick return (Rasputin kick) STK 7-0
Taylor Johns showed his explosiveness on the opening kickoff, zipping past and evading defenders as he took the ball all the way to the house for the home team's first six points. James Rasputin made it seven, just because he can.

1Q STK Jeffers 6 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 14-0
Zantalio's resulting possession ended in a three and out. Rejina Trinzy's punt pinned the Surge at their own five-yard line, but that didn't seem to be much of a problem. Linetti's first three throws all went for first downs, and then facing a third and 8 at Zantalio's 34, he went for a massive 23-yard run to move the chains. The long drive ended in two short passes to his trusty tight end Hussein Jeffers, the latter of those finding him in the end zone to make it a two-possession lead.

2Q STK Linetti 10 run (Rasputin kick) STK 21-0
The Yeezie ground attack, while not as potent as their passing game, proved that they too can accomplish things in this game. Gregory Silk took the handoff on a fake pass attempt, running 29 yards and into the red zone, after which Linetti finished the job by going the remaining ten yards for the score. Another perfect PAT by Rasputin, and it's 21-nil.

2Q ZAN Naminaino 13 pass from Vanim (Tuvin kick) STK 21-7
The visitors never crossed midfield until midway through the second quarter, on a drive that ended in a blocked field goal. They never reached the end zone until roughly three minutes remaining in the half, only for their attempt to score being successful this time, Zaian Vanim hooking up with receiver IIkaly Naminaino to put their team on the board.

2Q STK field goal Rasputin 52 STK 24-7
Zantalio might have scored too quickly though, because that left the Surge a minute and change to try to do something. Rasputin once again didn't disappoint, sinking a long FG attempt to increase the lead to seventeen before halftime.

3Q STK Lane 35 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 31-7
Hunter Lane announced his return to the Surge lineup after a few seasons of absence by getting on the scoresheet early in the third. Linetti went for an empty backfield and five receivers on the play, and Lane turned out to be the one with the least pressure on him, which he definitely capitalized on.

3Q STK Safety, Vakiino tackled by Bellinger in end zone STK 33-7
A combination of sacks, tackles for losses and a holding penalty saw the visitors being pushed back into their own four-yard line on their drive. Vanim's first throw resulted in an incompletion, while his second was batted away by cornerback Aidan O'Connor, yet another of the Surge's veterans. Zantalio made the decision to keep the ball on the ground on third down, only for running back Nani Vakiino to get stuffed by linebacker Brexton Bellinger for two points.

3Q ZAN field goal Tuvin 28 STK 33-10
Later, Tuvin added another three points to Zantalio's tally, allowing them to score in double digits for the first time this tournament.

4Q STK field goal Rasputin 28 STK 36-10
Rasputin retaliated with a field goal of his own during the fourth quarter, from the exact same distance.

4Q STK Linetti 31 run (Rasputin kick) STK 43-10
Linetti's second rushing touchdown of the day not only wrapped things up for the boys in purple and lime, it also added to his highlight reel the way he appeared to break defenders' ankles during his run.

The huge win put St. Kanye in the proper mood and mindset to take on their next opponents, also at the Surge Field in Kardashia. The Delaclava Phoenix may have fallen to 29th in the world rankings, a far cry from the Surge's 8th, but the latter had triumphed over the former in their only matchup to date, the bronze medal match of World Bowl 41. Coach Delphine is well aware of this, saying "They [Phoenix] got past us when it mattered. Now they'll be wanting to do that again, and in the process pull off what could be one of the biggest upsets of this tournament. And we've got to stop them, we've got to look past their low rank and treat them as if they were someone higher. Remember, what's written on paper no longer matters when you're out there on the turf."

And so, while some fans were of the belief that the Phoenix were washed, others were expecting a close fight for this matchup of the third place playoff from seven World Bowls ago. The Surge, however, had other plans - playing with much intensity, they delivered not a nail-biter, but a 36-6 beatdown where they held the visitors scoreless for the first three quarters.

1Q STK Moore 39 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 7-0
Johns had the opportunity to return the opening kick for a score like he did against Zantalio, except this time around a Delaclav defender was able to push him out of bounds at the Phoenix 30. Linetti took a sack on his first play, but then made up for it by connecting with Patrick Moore for the TD.

1Q STK field goal Rasputin 32 STK 10-0
Just a routine Rasputin field goal, nothing to see here folks.

1Q STK field goal Rasputin 40 STK 13-0
Actually, make that two.

2Q STK Carter 57 interception return (Rasputin kick) STK 20-0
The Phoenix quarterback threw a bad pass that had the team's fans chanting the name of their old star Taurus Wright, as if calling for his return. Instead of the receiver, it was former Upper Westside University standout Ishrael Carter getting to the ball first, then running away with the pick six.

2Q STK field goal Rasputin 37 STK 23-0
Did we say two earlier? We actually meant three.

3Q STK field goal Rasputin 45 STK 26-0
Correction: four.

3Q STK Fredericks 64 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 33-0
Delaclava looked like they were finally going to score when their QB launched a long bomb to their receiver, only for the ball to get caught out of bounds. They tried again, hoping for a different result. They got one.... just not a favorable one, Mason Schwartz this time being the one to intercept the ball. The Surge offense marched onto the field, but they didn't stay there long, as it only took Linetti one play to find Deshawn Fredericks for yet another score.

4Q DEL field goal K 24 STK 33-3
Finally, the Phoenix start scoring. But it was much too late for them, and much too big of a lead to overcome. At least they won't come away with nothing, like they did in their previous outing against Ko-oren (a snooze-inducing 6-nil)?

4Q DEL field goal K 26 STK 33-6
That's two for the Delaclav kicker....

4Q STK field goal Rasputin 41 STK 36-6
.... and five for the Yeezie one. Despite the lopsided result, the Surge showed that they were gracious hosts, shaking the hands of the opposing players and staff at the end of the game.

The Surge (4-0) will finish up the first half of their group stage schedule against Crpostran (2-2) at the latter's home field. "We're on a roll, but it's not time to take our foot off the accelerator just yet. It's still a long tournament ahead. The second half, the rematches, those are even tougher because you just know that teams will make adjustments and improvements to try and get back into the playoff hunt," said defensive coordinator Jordan Filipovic. "And that isn't limited to just the losing teams who would want nothing more than to bounce back. The winning teams would of course want to keep things going their way, and that's just what we're going to do."

-----------------------------------------------------
| MD | Opponent   | Rank | Score   | Record | Place |
-----------------------------------------------------
|  1 | Equestria  |  UR  | W 34- 7 |  1-0   | 1st   |
|  2 | @Ko-oren   |   4  | W 27-20 |  2-0   | 2nd   |
|  3 | Zantalio   |  UR  | W 43-10 |  3-0   | 1st   |
|  4 | Delaclava  |  29  | W 36- 6 |  4-0   | 1st   |
|  5 | @Crpostran |  UR  |         |        |       |
|  6 | @Equestria |  UR  |         |        |       |
|  7 | Ko-oren    |   4  |         |        |       |
|  8 | @Zantalio  |  UR  |         |        |       |
|  9 | @Delaclava |  29  |         |        |       |
| 10 | Crpostran  |  UR  |         |        |       |
-----------------------------------------------------

by **Cardenao** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:14 pm

Cardenao National Gridiron Team Beats Off #2 Banija, Seals Victory Against #13 Terefuxe

It’s not every day you get a chance to compete against one of the best teams in the multiverse, and it’s definitely not every day you get to play against a two time World Bowl winner who also happens to be a close national ally. Yup, you guessed it, it was time for Cardenao vs. Banija, #24 vs. #2. Obviously the Blue and Golds were not the favorites heading into this matchup and this was doubly true after their shocking defeat to The 14 Stars. After failing to find the endzone against the unranked Stars, the Cardenaoan national gridiron team knew they would be in for a tough match against the Banijans and they would have to perform better than ever. For the visitors, their World Bowl campaign was going just about as expected as they posted 40+ points on both Terefuxe and The Fortem and they would surely be shooting for a similar result against Cardenao. All this is to say, the stakes were high for each team as they sought a much needed win.

From the opening kickoff, it was clear that both teams were going to give it their all this game as Saivion Ware took the kick to the 33 before getting laid out by a defender…the game was on. Bobby Dials strode onto the field knowing he needed to have some of the best 60 minutes of his life to both beat Banija and make-up for his awful showing against The 14 Stars and it was clear tonight was his night from the first snap. Sure, Saivion Ware ran a brilliant route, faking outside before slanting through the middle, but Bobby’s throw was even better as he found him for a 32 yard gain and that was just the start. For the whole game, the Big Dialer was slinging dimes to his targets but it took a while for the first points to get on the board, as good as Bobby was, the Banijans were right there to match him. It took until the last five minutes of the first quarter for the deadlock to be broken when the high school kicker Badrick Cedella nailed a 38 yard field goal. The kid’s been fantastic for the Blue and Golds, he’s hit all six of his field goals and gone 100% on PATs too, so that made it 3-0 in Cardenao’s favor.

The second quarter started with a lot of back and forth as both teams traded 3 and outs as they tried to march down the field. With eight minutes left in the half, the Cardenaoan’s opened up the offensive game. Jake Watson proved his worth as the running back excelled with the ball in his hands and as a receiver, as he marched his way to a 100+ all-purpose yard game, and he pulled through with a vital 3rd down conversion to set Bobby Dials up for a seven yard touchdown pass to Marquis Ingram and now Cardenao was really rolling…right up until Bobby threw an interception that the Banijans brought to the house to make it 10-6. All the credit to the Blue and Golds defense as they recognized the need for them to step up to the plate and they delivered with the most impressive goal-line stop. Alabaster Red played the Banijan quarterback perfectly, fooling him into thinking that he had a clear passing option, but Big Red shot the gap, picked off the pass, and ran every inch of the 99 yards to make it a touchdown play. 17-6 in Cardenao’s favor and the Blue and Golds were ready to roll. Halftime came around and the Blue and Golds were the ones in the driver’s seat.

The third quarter? Absolute snooze fest. Both teams went back and forth, trying to build some momentum but the Blue and Golds defense seemed to just keep keeping on. Bobby came close with a drive starting on the Banijans eight yard line, but damn they were tough as hell and the Cardenaoans couldn’t overcome it. The most exciting moment came with 3:44 left in the quarter as, who else but Badrick Cedella came in to hit the 54 yard field goal to make it 20-6 in the Blue and Golds favor.

The fourth quarter was full of excitement as the Blue and Golds found themselves with a 2nd and 6 on the 13 yard line with only five seconds left on the clock. While everyone expected Bobby Dials to throw a pass, he instead handed the ball off to DeAndre Vick and the 26 year old running back ran it straight into the endzone to make it 27-6 for the Broncos and the spanking was confirmed for Banija. Riiiiiight up until they marched down the field and completed a one yard touchdown pass to bring it back to 27-13 with 10 minutes left in the game. The odds were certainly in Cardenao’s favor, but the skill was strongly behind Banija. Now, it came down to game management, and Bobby Dials opened up a vital drive with……a 54 yard arrow to Antonio Reddick to put Cardenao in prime field position. Rather than managing the clock out, Bobby pushed the tempo and opened the door for Jake Watson to bring it to the endzone with a 34 yard run to make the score 34-13.

It was a historic result for Cardenao, it’s not every day you beat the second best team in the multiverse, much less when you win it in as commanding a fashion as the Blue and Golds did. It inspired the sort of energy that could lift a team to the promised land, and that was further evidenced when the national gridiron team beat the #13 Terefuxe with a 30-26 victory. Next up for Team Cardenao is a game against The Fortem, an unranked side that should pose little threat to the Blue and Golds before they travel to Utah in a must win rivalry match. Our national gridiron team is in the driver's seat in their World Bowl group, but every second of every game will be needed to secure qualification to the knockout rounds.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:16 pm

The Social Seasons of Shin-goryeo

Part 25 - The Afterglow

Around a month or two after Jang Joon-Gweon and Hannah Moran's successful meeting at the Daemyeonggoong Palace, Dr. Heo and his daughter, Myeong-Yoon, were having a quiet lunch at a bistro on the quaint, Abitibi town of Adelphi, Abitibi-Agawa. While both the father, a longtime teacher and advisor to the Queen, and the father, the commonly-nicknamed 'Point God' who has since transitioned successfully into sports ownership and management, were known figures in the public, they were barely recognised by the locals or fellow visitors mostly on the grounds of the Adelphite Festival, where all colours of high-gliding individuals would be brought out with fluff.

With both dressed in semi-formal attire with the father wearing a grey suit jacket with a simple brown tie, and daughter, whose long, flowing brown-blonde hair were accompanied by a blue dress, their clothes did not exactly match. They looked mostly like that of friends with noticeable age gap, or just...father and daughter. It was apparent that Myeong-Yoon resembled more of late Maureen Turner, the late wife of Dr. Heo passed into eternity around twenty-five years ago, than Dr. Heo, but their mannerisms were similar enough for the strangers to figure it out after a minute or two. Now, this was something that had become more evident, even as they slowly drifted apart over time with Dr. Heo continued to be occupied in engagements into his seventies, and Myeong-Yoon having her own life and family to raise.

'Thank you, how much would it take for the food to get ready?' said Myeong-Yoon, as they let the middle-aged waiter take the menu after they had ordered. 'No hurry, just wanted to know.'

'Around fifteen minutes for yours, miss, and just a bit longer for your order, monsieur,' answered the waiter, as he made sure to first look at Myeong-Yoon, before turning to look at her father, who made sure to give a gracious smile back at him. He then left to the table right behind them, where a family of four had been eating at the time and were asking to refill their soda and wine, leaving the two to go back to their conversation.

'What exactly happened between you and the Queen, father?' Myeong-Yoon asked, as she tried her best to get her father, who seemed more relaxed than he had been in past year or so, to tell her the important details regarding the sudden clearance of Barbenheimer the movie's rights to be released at home. The sudden clearance,'It must have taken a great mile of effort to persuade everybody, whether it be the Prime Minister or the Foreign Office, that all the efforts with Barbenheimer would not be left a waste.'

'What effort?' Dr. Heo pretended to know as little as possible, as he looked back at Myeong-Yoon, whose cup of coffee was still showing a light trail of steam on top of it. 'There was nothing hard that I had to do, though I will admit, Myeong-Yoon, that it's not the persuasion that is hard, but rather the planning and the lead-up to it.'

'I suppose you are true, but what promises did you even make to the Queen?' Myeong-Yoon asked, as she tried her best to figure out what's the latest of promises Dr. Heo had made to the Queen. From time to time, she would hear from her father or those she had known, whether they be her cousin Ji Gyeong-Wan or others on the other side of Joongyeong high society, about the occasional tasks the Queen would request from her teacher. While they had mostly involved the CIH/RAS records that the Queen had wanted to enquire, there would be other times where more deeper-level conversations be held, whether it be something spiritual (outside of Myeong-Yoon's zone), political (crown's above the politics, but opinions do exist) or courtly matters, and the quiet slips her father would give were solid teasers for the daughter.

'There were nothing out of ordinary when I did make a visit to the Queen for special dispensary to Joon-Gweon and Hannah's marriage,' Dr. Heo answered, as he tried his best to remain calm. Slowly and gradually there were more guests coming into the bistro, and with the day being sunny, it was expected the outdoor patio to start filling up. 'At least the procedure wasn't so extra-ordinary. Even in occasions where she is the one to make decision with the Privy Council, the Navy and the Government, the Queen would still want both the attention and right words being said by those who come forward to her.'

He then added with great satisfaction to their appeal of their love's durability, which did help turn around the state. 'Both of them had managed to appeal strong enough on the grounds of an enduring friendship as the strongest form of love. I think it was a right choice, especially since she wanted the answer that reflects what she would consider to be an ideal relationship - that being her marriage to Caspian, the Duke of Halifax.' He then coughed, before adding a final remark. 'Afterwards a clearance was given.'

Myeong-Yoon knew her father was going around with the topic. 'Sure, but what really happened behind the scenes with the Prime Minister and Prince Laurent?' Myeong-Yoon asked as she lowered her voice, upon noticing that had she maintained her usual level of volume, somebody else might overhear it. 'Rico said that Arsene Kim told him to thank you, so there's got to be something between you and everybody else in that room, isn't it?'

'Perhaps,' Dr. Heo briefly lifted his glasses to suggest acknowledgment, or perhaps a non-denial, before putting it back on the original spot. 'You see, dear Myeong-Yoon, let's just say that sometimes, when life requires you to cooperate to its plans, especially those that involve the distant future for you and your beloved ones, you got to take it.' He then continued. 'I cannot disclose the details, presumably for the political and security-based reasons that would get us in trouble during Adelphi festival season of all times, but it's a project that involves many lives of now, tracking down many more of those in past, and will involve the lives of too many people that it may sound sinister. But really, it would be for the best of all.'

Myeong-Yoon was not fazed about her father's go-around answer. 'You know this makes you sound like a villain who happens to be my father, right?' she raised.

'Yes, but at least Montesierra's free from the Queen Mother's nose or Busukuma's intervention over Barbenheimer,' he said, before the waiter arrived with their meals.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:24 pm

OOC note: Third-party viewing of the Group A results, instead of originally-intended third-party scorination, were done by Tikariot due to technical difficulties on his end with installing gridiron (WB-post-XXXI) file. This is communicated forth, with expectation that this be resolved in time for next cutoff.

MD5-6 Cutoff!

Group A - Live third-party viewing and verification of the results done by Tikariot.

Matchday 5
The Kytler Peninsulae (16) 34–10 Daharia (UR)
Lisander (31) 13–47 HUElavia (09)
Ekhistan (UR) 0–22 Quebec and Shingoryeo (07)

# Group A                     Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 The Kytler Peninsulae         5    5   0   160   52 +108  —   10–6  34–10   —    —   31–0
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo         5    4   1   120   19 +101  —    —   21–0  52–3   —   19–6
3 Daharia                       5    3   2   112  108   +4  —    —    —    —   37–7  38–23
4 HUElavia                      5    1   4    99  160  −61 7–41   —   23–27   —   19–27   — 
5 Ekhistan                      5    1   4    77  149  −72 29–44  0–22   —    —    —    — 
6 Lisander                      5    1   4    69  149  −80  —    —    —   13–47  27–14   —

Matchday 6
Daharia (UR) 0–13 Quebec and Shingoryeo (07)
Ekhistan (UR) 3–13 HUElavia (09)
Lisander (31) 35–30 The Kytler Peninsulae (16)

# Group A                     Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                
1 The Kytler Peninsulae         6    5   1   190   87 +103  —   10–6  34–10   —   31–0   — 
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo         6    5   1   133   19 +114  —    —   21–0  52–3  19–6   — 
3 Daharia                       6    3   3   112  121   −9  —   0–13   —    —   38–23  37–7
4 HUElavia                      6    2   4   112  163  −51 7–41   —   23–27   —    —   19–27
5 Lisander                      6    2   4   104  179  −75 35–30   —    —   13–47   —   27–14
6 Ekhistan                      6    1   5    80  162  −82 29–44  0–22   —   3–13   —    —

Group B

Matchday 5
South Americanastan (17) 43–6 Untecna (UR)
Juvencus (38) 20–30 Sarzonia (11)
Sherpus (UR) 20–26 Drawkland (01)

# Group B                   Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD                             
1 Drawkland (01)              5    5   0   179   92  +87  —   35–23   —   27–13  53–26   — 
2 Sarzonia (11)               5    4   1   161   78  +83  —    —   24–9   —   53–0  31–14
3 South Americanastan (17)    5    3   2   109   98  +11 10–38   —    —   31–17  43–6   — 
4 Juvencus (38)               5    2   3   119  116   +3  —   20–30   —    —    —   35–6
5 Untecna (UR)                5    1   4   100  222 −122  —    —    —   22–34   —   46–39
6 Sherpus (UR)                5    0   5    92  154  −62 20–26   —   13–16   —    —    —

Matchday 6
Untecna (UR) 20–27 Drawkland (01)
Sherpus (UR) 14–47 Sarzonia (11)
Juvencus (38) 3–7 South Americanastan (17)

# Group B                   Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD                                
1 Drawkland (01)              6    6   0   206  112  +94  —   35–23   —   27–13  53–26   — 
2 Sarzonia (11)               6    5   1   208   92 +116  —    —   24–9   —   53–0  31–14
3 South Americanastan (17)    6    4   2   116  101  +15 10–38   —    —   31–17  43–6   — 
4 Juvencus (38)               6    2   4   122  123   −1  —   20–30  3–7   —    —   35–6
5 Untecna (UR)                6    1   5   120  249 −129 20–27   —    —   22–34   —   46–39
6 Sherpus (UR)                6    0   6   106  201  −95 20–26  14–47  13–16   —    —    —

Group C

Matchday 5
Cardenao (24) 43–13 The Fortem (UR)
Utahn Theocratic Republic (35) 19–50 Terefuxe (13)
The 14 Stars (UR) 13–20 Banija (02)

# Group C                         Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD                          
1 Cardenao (24)                     5    4   1   147   88  +59  —   34–13   —   34–17   —   43–13
2 Banija (02)                       5    4   1   173  108  +65  —    —   41–12  59–21   —   40–28
3 Terefuxe (13)                     5    3   2   162  113  +49 26–30   —    —    —   56–16  18–7
4 Utahn Theocratic Republic (35)    5    2   3   109  185  −76  —    —   19–50   —   20–14   — 
5 The 14 Stars (UR)                 5    2   3    96  108  −12 19–6  13–20   —    —    —    — 
6 The Fortem (UR)                   5    0   5    82  167  −85  —    —    —   28–32  6–34   —

Matchday 6
The Fortem (UR) 17–19 Banija (02)
The 14 Stars (UR) 7–19 Terefuxe (13)
Utahn Theocratic Republic (35) 17–30 Cardenao (24)

# Group C                         Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 Cardenao (24)                     6    5   1   177  105  +72  —   34–13   —   34–17   —   43–13
2 Banija (02)                       6    5   1   192  125  +67  —    —   41–12  59–21   —   40–28
3 Terefuxe (13)                     6    4   2   181  120  +61 26–30   —    —    —   56–16  18–7
4 Utahn Theocratic Republic (35)    6    2   4   126  215  −89 17–30   —   19–50   —   20–14   — 
5 The 14 Stars (UR)                 6    2   4   103  127  −24 19–6  13–20  7–19   —    —    — 
6 The Fortem (UR)                   6    0   6    99  186  −87  —   17–19   —   28–32  6–34   —

Group D:

Matchday 5
Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (31) 49–3 Lozho (UR)
Kinqueven (UR) 17–12 Cassadaigua (12)
Ubernordwinds (UR) 7–19 Chromatika (05)

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 Chromatika (05)                                5    5   0   188   88 +100  —   24–16   —   46–7   —   43–17
2 Cassadaigua (12)                               5    3   2   149   78  +71  —    —   20–3  51–17  50–17   — 
3 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (31)    5    3   2   154  106  +48 41–56   —    —   49–3   —   41–17
4 Lozho (UR)                                     5    2   3   105  182  −77  —    —    —    —   44–7  34–29
5 Ubernordwinds (UR)                             5    1   4    62  153  −91 7–19   —   10–20   —    —    — 
6 Kinqueven (UR)                                 5    1   4   100  151  −51  —   17–12   —    —   20–21   —

Matchday 6
Lozho (UR) 21–28 Chromatika (05)
Ubernordwinds (UR) 20–25 Cassadaigua (12)
Kinqueven (UR) 13–37 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (31)

# Group D                                      Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 Chromatika (05)                                6    6   0   216  109 +107  —   24–16   —   46–7   —   43–17
2 Cassadaigua (12)                               6    4   2   174   98  +76  —    —   20–3  51–17  50–17   — 
3 Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove (31)    6    4   2   191  119  +72 41–56   —    —   49–3   —   41–17
4 Lozho (UR)                                     6    2   4   126  210  −84 21–28   —    —    —   44–7  34–29
5 Ubernordwinds (UR)                             6    1   5    82  178  −96 7–19  20–25  10–20   —    —    — 
6 Kinqueven (UR)                                 6    1   5   113  188  −75  —   17–12  13–37   —   20–21   —

Group E

Matchday 5
Valanora (22) 25–12 United States of Devonta (UR)
New Fernia (UR) 0–35 Abanhfleft (14)
Oahu-Hawaii (UR) 3–20 TJUN-ia (03)

# Group E                        Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD                                
1 TJUN-ia (03)                     5    5   0   130   47  +83  —    —   23–17  38–10  26–0   — 
2 Valanora (22)                    5    4   1   116   73  +43 17–23   —    —   25–12  31–7   — 
3 Abanhfleft (14)                  5    3   2   140   93  +47  —   19–30   —   56–34   —   13–6
4 United States of Devonta (UR)    5    2   3   111  157  −46  —    —    —    —   26–17  29–21
5 New Fernia (UR)                  5    1   4    74  145  −71  —    —   0–35   —    —   50–27
6 Oahu-Hawaii (UR)                 5    0   5    69  125  −56 3–20  12–13   —    —    —    —

Matchday 6
United States of Devonta (UR) 13–23 TJUN-ia (03)
Oahu-Hawaii (UR) 44–50 Abanhfleft (14)
New Fernia (UR) 20–37 Valanora (22)

# Group E                        Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 TJUN-ia (03)                     6    6   0   153   60  +93  —    —   23–17  38–10  26–0   — 
2 Valanora (22)                    6    5   1   153   93  +60 17–23   —    —   25–12  31–7   — 
3 Abanhfleft (14)                  6    4   2   190  137  +53  —   19–30   —   56–34   —   13–6
4 United States of Devonta (UR)    6    2   4   124  180  −56 13–23   —    —    —   26–17  29–21
5 New Fernia (UR)                  6    1   5    94  182  −88  —   20–37  0–35   —    —   50–27
6 Oahu-Hawaii (UR)                 6    0   6   113  175  −62 3–20  12–13  44–50   —    —    —

Group F

Matchday 5
Delaclava (29) 44–7 Zantalio (UR)
Crpostran (UR) 22–40 Saint Kanye (08)
Equestria (UR) 3–44 Ko-oren (04)

# Group F               Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 Saint Kanye (08)        5    5   0   180   65 +115  —    —   36–6   —   43–10  34–7
2 Ko-oren (04)            5    4   1   122   37  +85 20–27   —    —   23–0  29–7   — 
3 Delaclava (29)          5    3   2    93   55  +38  —   0–6   —   23–6  44–7   — 
4 Crpostran (UR)          5    2   3   111  102   +9 22–40   —    —    —    —   43–7
5 Zantalio (UR)           5    1   4    67  176 −109  —    —    —   9–40   —   34–20
6 Equestria (UR)          5    0   5    37  175 −138  —   3–44  0–20   —    —    —

Matchday 6
Zantalio (UR) 12–27 Ko-oren (04)
Equestria (UR) 24–39 Saint Kanye (08)
Crpostran (UR) 16–49 Delaclava (29)

# Group E               Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 Saint Kanye (08)        6    6   0   219   89 +130  —    —   36–6   —   43–10  34–7
2 Ko-oren (04)            6    5   1   149   49 +100 20–27   —    —   23–0  29–7   — 
3 Delaclava (29)          6    4   2   142   71  +71  —   0–6   —   23–6  44–7   — 
4 Crpostran (UR)          6    2   4   127  151  −24 22–40   —   16–49   —    —   43–7
5 Zantalio (UR)           6    1   5    79  203 −124  —   12–27   —   9–40   —   34–20
6 Equestria (UR)          6    0   6    61  214 −153 24–39  3–44  0–20   —    —    —

by **Cassadaigua** » Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:42 am

Carrington banged up, team falls,
by Kenzie Sherman, Concord Heights Times

With the Fillies leading 3-0 in the first quarter against Kinqueven, and unranked opponent that everyone expected us to beat, the team was dealt a blow that they could not overcome. With the ball at the Kinqueven 21, and facing 4th and 1, Jennifer Cole called for a QB sneak that in some nations is referenced as the “tush push”. It’s not the first time that either Cole, or Brittany Carrington have run the play, and it seemed to be an effective call here as well as Carrington did pick up the first down. However, she would not get right back up, and the concerns of the team were immediate. Once players stepped away from the fallen star, and the training staff was on the field, it was evident that Brittany was in pain, either something to do with her leg or her foot. Looking at the replays, we could see how it happened, as even though the first down was picked up, LG Keith Hudson fell on her leg with all of his weight, plus the weight of the defensive tackle that knocked him over. She would have to be carted off, and in would come Tori Grasso at QB. Now, Tori’s had mop up fourth quarter duty in two of the four games up to this point, so no one was really concerned.

On her second play, 2nd & 6 from the 16, Grasso seemed to get her signals crossed with WR Allie Raymond, and the errant pass was picked off by the underdogs, with whoever that player was getting one of their career highlights and taking it 84 yards for the score. Just like that, Cassadaigua was in a 7-3 hole. No one was going to panic yet, but still, not ideal. On the sideline, Grasso and Raymond had a long discussion, not heated or anything, but you could tell that one of them was mixed up. It was not apparent who took the blame for it, and after the game, neither player would, as they instead made comments about forgetting and moving on. Unfortunately for the pink and black, they never were able to move on in this game, with Grasso being unable to generate much offense. Even when the team did move the ball, something always seemed to get in their way. The team was down 10-6 at halftime and nothing was going.

Even when it looked like things would go the Fillies way, they didn’t. A Cassadagan punt appeared to be muffed by the returner for Kinqueven and recovered by Sammi Catalano at the Kinqueven three in the third, when the score was 10-9. However, the official saw it different and ruled that the ball was recovered by whoever wears #22 on their team. This is the call that really had the Fillies sideline steaming, as replay clearly showed that Catalano recovered the ball but it was ripped out of her hands in the dogpile that ensued. Special Teams coordinator Kellie Suarez was so animated on the sideline that she had to be restrained by other members of the Fillies staff. Even so, the play wasn’t immediately devastating for the team, as they forced a three and out, and Jenna Lewis would connect on her fourth field goal, this a 54-yard try (previous kicks were from 49, 38, and 44), to make it 12-10. It wasn’t a pretty game, but with 10:51 remaining in the fourth quarter, it seemed as though the team was doing enough to pull out a very ugly win.

With 1:41 left in the game, the Fillies were still up by two as Kinqueven got their final chance to put together a scoring drive. Julie Hammond’s punt was downed at the 8, meaning that the opponent had to go 92 yards and for the most part the Cassadagan defense was dominant. They had only allowed the one field goal as a unit, so confidence was high that they would get the job done. And they seemed to be doing so. On 4th & 12 from their own 23, Kinqueven needed a miracle of some sort. They would get it, as their QB beautifully placed a pass into the hands of the unknown receiver, even though Hannah Chapman’s coverage seemed to be great. Heck, if that QB could always place pass like that, they would be undefeated. Then, a untimely miscue by Chapman as she missed the tackle, allowing the receiver to sprint upfield. Heather Carson ran them down, but not before a long gain put the ball at the Cassadaigua 31. Kinqueven was confident in their kicker at this point, and ran down the clock, forcing a potential game winning field goal with :32 left from 48 yards. The kicker drilled the kick, but holding on their right tackle nullified it, and sent them back ten yards, and out of the kickers range. Surprisingly, they threw the ball in the middle of the field, which was caught for a 20 yard gain, but the elusiveness of the receiver allowed them to break clear, and dart into the end zone. With :08 on the clock, it was 17-12 Kinqueven.

A brutal loss in so many ways, but the biggest concern was the condition of Brittany Carrington. It was an ankle injury, nothing terrible, but she would be ruled out of the next game against Ubernordwinds. Carrington apologized for getting hurt, even though she obviously did not need too, “I feel like I let everyone down. That play should be executed better, I didn’t do my part.” With a week to prepare, Tori Grasso was expected to be better. However, she did not back down from blame for her performance against Kinqueven, “You have to be ready to enter a game like that, and I thought that I was but the tapes will show that I was not. Sorry about that.” Things did not get better for Grasso when a Cassadagan fan on social media posted a picture of Tori getting very drunk at the hotel bar the day before the game, with the simple hashtag of, “this is why we lost”. Grasso denied that she had more then two beers.

Tori wasn’t particularly impressive against Ubernordwinds, but the team did manage a 25-20 win to improve to 4-2, and you can find comprehensive coverage of that on the Concord Heights Times Mobile App. Which, if you haven’t downloaded yet, you are really missing out.

That result did lead Jennifer Cole to eye opening decision: third stringer Haylie Steadham will start against Chromatika. It’s unclear if Carrington will be back after that.

by **Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove** » Thu Feb 29, 2024 9:06 am

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove is back on track

Sacré-Coeur, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer - Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove defeated Lozho 49-3 at home on week 5 and it looked like there was only one team on the field. The Tapirs started off with the ball and took the lead with a 12 yards passing touchdown from Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps to Ming Ze Mao. Lozho answered immediatly with a 44 yards field goal but it was their only score of the game. The Jean-Jacquois and Burnhamese increased their lead before the end of the 1st quarter when François-Xavier Malboeuf caught Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps' 19 yards pass in the endzone. The score after 15 mnutes was 14-3. Midway in the 2nd quarter, François-Pierre Guirguis made a 4 yards rushing touchdown and the Tapirs increased their lead late in the 1st half when Callum O'Farrell caught Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps' 16 yards pass in the endzone. The score at halftime was 28-3.

There was only one touchdown in the 3rd quarter, a 16 yards rushing touchdown by François-Pierre Guirguis. Early in the 4th quarter, Lozho's quarterback's pass was intercepted by Félix Lajeunesse-Flanagan who was tackled at the 9 yards line in Lozho territory. Alexandra Van Voorhis was playing at quarterback in the 4th quarter and she threw a 9 yards pass to Ryleigh O'Shaughnessy for the touchdown. The Tapirs increased their lead with a 7 yards rushing touchdown by Guillaume Bibeau-Babeux. The final score was 49-3.

SAINT-JEAN-JACQUES et BoS   14  14   7  14  -  49
LOZHO                        3   0   0   0  -   3

GAME SUMMARY

1st quarter
9:51   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps passes to Ming Ze Mao for 12 yards - Extra point good
7:26   FIELD GOAL Lozho   - Lozho's Kicker's 44 yards kick is good
2:44   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps passes to François-Xavier Malboeuf  for 19 yards - Extra point good

2nd quarter
5:14   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BOS  - François-Pierre Guirguis runs for 4 yards. Extra point good
0:42   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - Arielle Bellerose-Deslongchamps passes to Callum O'Farrell  for 16 yards - Extra point good

3rd quarter
1:23   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BOS  - François-Pierre Guirguis runs for 16 yards. Extra point good

4th quarter
14:46  TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BOS  - Alexandra Van Voorhis passes to Ryleigh O'Shaughnessy for 9 yards. Extra point good
6:19   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BOS  - Guillaume Bibeau-Babeux runs for 7 yards. Extra point good

Losika, Kinqueven - On matchday 6, the Tapirs travelled to Losika, the capital city of Kinqueven and beat them 37-13. Kinqueven started off with the ball and took the lead 3-0 early in the 1st quarter when Kicker made a 36 yards field goal. Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove answered immediatly with a 13 yards rushing touchdown by François-Pierre Guirguis. The Tapirs scored 3 more points late in the 1st quarter and led 10-3 after 1 quarter. Kinqueven tied the game midway in the 2nd quarter when Wide Receiver #2 caught Wide Receiver #1's 21 yards pass in the endzone. The Jean-Jacquois and Burnhamese took the lead with no time left on the clock with a 55 yards field goal and the score was 13-10 at halftime.

The Tapirs increased their lead early in the 3rd quarter with a 41 yards passing touchdown by the halfback François-Pierre Guirguis to Anne-Élisabeth Guirguis. Kinqueven answered with a 29 yards field goal. Before the end of the 3rd quarter, Quarterback #1's pass intended to Tigh End #1 was intercepted by Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon who returned the ball to the 26 yards line in Kinqueven territory. On a 4th and 8, Ji-yoo Han made a 43 yards field goal and the score after 3 quarters was 23-13. The Tapirs added two more touchdowns in the 4th quarter, a 2 yards rushing touchdown by François-Pierre Guirguis on a 6 minutes long drive and a pick six by Louis-Alexandre Bourguignon, Jean-Baptiste's little brother. The Bourguignon brothers and sisters, Anne-Gaëlle, Jean-Baptiste and Louis-Alexandre, are the nephews and niece of Gilles Bourguignon (national soccer team head coach) and cousins of Nathan and Félix Bourguignon (on the soccer national team roster). The final score was 37-13 for the Tapirs.

Saint-Jean-Jacques et Burnham-on-Stove has 4 wins and 2 losses in 6 games and are tied in the standings with Cassadaigua who lost against Kinqueven on week 5 and seem to have quarterback problems with the injury of Brittany Carrington. On week 7, the Tapirs will receive Ubernordwinds and the weather will be cloudy with some south wind.On the following week, they will travel to Chromatika. Maximilien Kowalczyk (knee) is questionnable against Ubernordwinds and will be probable vs Chromatika. Ryleigh O'Shaughnessy suffered a shoulder injury on week 6 and will be out for week 7 and doubtful for week 8. Anne-Élisabeth Guirguis, Zachary Tourangeau and maybe Ophelia Van Voorhis will have the chance to catch more ball.

KINQUEVEN                    3   7   3   0  -  13
SAINT-JEAN-JACQUES et BoS   10   3  10  14  -  37

GAME SUMMARY

1st quarter
12:13  FIELD GOAL KINQUEVEN  - Kinqueven's Kicker's 36 yards kick is good
6:55   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BOS  - François-Pierre Guirguis runs for 16 yards. Extra point good
0:48   FIELD GOAL SJJ et BoS   - Ji-yoo Han's 31 yards kick is good

2nd quarter
7:20   TOUCHDOWN KINQUEVEN  - Quarterback #1 passes to Wide Receiver #2 for 21 yards - Extra point good
0:00   FIELD GOAL SJJ et BoS   - Ji-yoo Han's 55 yards kick is good

3rd quarter
12:37  TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BoS  - François-Pierre Guirguis passes to Anne-Élisabeth Guirguis for 41 yards - Extra point good
9:51   FIELD GOAL KINQUEVEN  - Kinqueven's Kicker's 29 yards kick is good
4:19   FIELD GOAL SJJ et BoS   - Ji-yoo Han's 43 yards kick is good

4th quarter
10:59   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BOS  - François-Pierre Guirguis runs for 2 yards. Extra point good
5:22   TOUCHDOWN SJJ et BOS  - 58 yards interception return by Louis-Alexandre Bourguignon. Extra point good

Jean-Alexandre Guindon

by **Sarzonia** » Thu Feb 29, 2024 12:47 pm

Even though the Sarzonian national football team still defeated No. 38-ranked Juvencus 30-20, by most accounts a fairly comfortable margin, Gavin Davis still faced a lot of questions about his decision.

Sarzonia just scored that decisive touchdown with a five-yard run by reserve fullback Wilson Marquez with 1:06 remaining in the match, providing what proved to be the final margin of victory. The reason Davis received questions was his immediate decision to go for a two-point conversion.

"I wanted to force them to score two touchdowns," Davis said. "They were getting the ball back and I decided I'd feel better with a 12-point lead than 11."

"Juvencus used all three of its timeouts on the last drive," one reporter noted before they asked, "they didn't show themselves being able to march quickly down the field to score on your defence." Davis, scowled for a moment before he doubled down on his reasoning.

"I wanted to make it more difficult for them," he said. "An extra point there means they can draw level with a touchdown, a two-point conversion and a field goal. If we get the two, it forces them to need two touchdowns in what, a minute with no timeouts left. I fully stand behind my decision no matter how many dumb decisions videos you make on it." He turned with an annoyed look on his face, shook his head and walked away from the dais and back into the hallway toward the team's dressing room.

Quarterback Cameron Stallworth was more forthcoming about his reasons for wanting to go for two.

"Juvencus played us a lot tougher than we were prepared for," he said. "We thought even though we were playing them away that we'd outclass them. They fought hard. Before our last drive, they chewed up the clock for a good six minutes to cut it to 24-20. We wanted to make sure they burned their three timeouts on our drive, and that's what we did." Sarzonia's last scoring drive culminating in the Marquez touchdown took 14 plays and burned 7:31 off the clock, forcing Juvencus to call all three of their timeouts.

Defensive coordinator Tyler Paige agreed with Davis's decision, noting some of the defensive linemen had their hands on their hips before getting into their stances and taking in oxygen on the sidelines after series or between plays.

"Gav wanted to make sure our defensive guys got rest on the sidelines and we got some momentum on our side," he said. "[Offensive coordinator]Trent [Beaucamp] did a masterful job of calling plays that let us chew up some clock." The Juvencus defence also helped the Sarzonian offence along. A Juvencan linebacker hit Stallworth on third-and-seven from the Sarzonia 24-yard line a step too late, drawing a roughing the passer penalty that extended the drive. They also jumped offside after a hard count after the Stars lost two yards on a Ty'Relle Clinton rush and the team faced a 3rd-and-six from the 22-yard line. Stallworth sneaked over the left guard for three yards for a first down to keep the drive going.

Clinton finished the day rushing 18 times for 68 yards, leaving after hitting the ground hard on that second down carry. He cleared concussion protocols, but not before Marquez's touchdown.

Sarzonia (4-1) will have another away match against unranked Sherpus before returning to Joe Gibbs Stadium against No. 1 and undefeated Drawkland (5-0). They won a surprisingly close 26-20 victory over Sherpus.

Clinton said he wasn't looking at the scoreboard.

"Right now, we got a job to do," he said. "I don't give a rip about what other teams are doing. I want to make sure we're doing what we need to do."

by **HUElavia** » Thu Feb 29, 2024 8:49 pm

Golden Skies

The History of HUElavian Airlines, the Flag Carrier of The United States of HUElavia

Episode 5
Expansion and Conquer

In early 1972, HUElavian Airlines bought Jaguar Air for the then record of H150 Million, taking in the employees and planes and small airports they serviced. In a gesture of goodwill, CEO Rodrigues Chanca announced that all employees would retain their positions, and that the planes would be branded as the small regional planes under the HUElavian Airlines livery. With the expansion in planes meant that there was an expansion of locations. While HUElavian Airlines had mainly served along the coastal areas, there was not many routes into the interior of the HUElavian continent. With the acquisition of Jaguar Air, there was officially one flight to every state in The Democracy of HUElavia.

While the major cities of Curumba, Sao Salvador, San Rafael, Jinaqa, HUEsilia, and Rio de HUEska (located in the far east of the country) became the hubs of the airline and the most flown cities in the country, many cities in the interior saw benefits from the expansion. Some of these cities included cities of Pamallu, Rebes, A Corona, Bish, Toin, Sao Dias, Bubios, Manilla, and Bolovets. For the most part, HUElavian Airlines was dominant in the southern markets of the country, while it's main competitor of HUE Airways was the dominant force in the northern markets.

In the mid 1970s, with the election of President Omar Lima de Reus, there was still continued support by the government for the industry, with the regular stream of handouts for the airlines. With the introduction of more immigrants to the country throughout the rest of the decade, this was an opportunity for more passengers to sell to, both domestically and internationally. While there were orders for 747SPs and DC-10s being further made, HUElavian Airlines retired the last 707s and 720s, as well as the start of phasing out the DC-9s. While some mechanical problems would come with some planes, there was no recorded accident and loss of life in the 1970s, which helped boost the airline's image.

Into the 1980s, some slight hiccups in the economy led to the postponement of orders for new aircrafts, meaning that HUElavian Airlines had to hold on to their planes for a few years longer. With the slump that occurred, the airline had to make work of what they could. Flights eventually began to pick up in the mid 1980s, finally purchasing Boeing 747-400s and 737 Classics, along with MD-80s, which began to serve as the main plane for Jaguar Air flights. With this, HUElavia began expanding along into more countries across the world, with some including Bigtopia, Maxtopia, Brancaland, Moltevino and Sakura. With these international expansions, there was higher demands for flights, meaning more planes had to be ordered for the airline to cover the passenger demands.

In the 1990s, the answer to passenger demands would be met with a new aircraft: The Boeing 777. This was the first wide-body aircraft sold to the multiverse and HUElavian Airlines took up the opportunity to request several of these planes to cover long-range international flights. With orders being made, HUElavia continued with their regular flights without much of a hitch. The only notable issues with flights were some mechanical issues on some of the 747-400s having engine losses, most notably one flight, Flight 680 from San Franco to Curumba, where an engine failed as the plane was approaching and had to make an emergency landing on one of the runways that resulted in a hull loss.

HUElavian Airlines also took the chance to order MD-90s, using it mainly for longer domestic legs to less frequented destinations as well as towards some of the flights in North and South Neumerica. As the decade and century was coming to a close, HUElavian Airlines was leading the airline industry in the country and looked forward to the 2000s and the 21st century, looking to expand even more.

World Bowl 48 - Competition Thread

Wow Wow Wow (WB - III)

Who is online