NSCF 32 - Everything Thread

by **Cardenao** » Tue Dec 10, 2024 8:39 pm

“Can you believe that? I mean I can’t, can you??”

“Huh…believe what?” Claudio Maltwest was hunched over a microscope as he had been for the larger part of the past 30 minutes while his lab mate prattled on. Bryan wasn’t paying attention, he needed to get this assignment done for their fishery science class. On its face, this assignment was an easy one. Stupidly easy at that. ‘Prove why Cardenaoan fisheries are among the best in the world.’

Claudio had shaken his head when he read the assignment, this was a piece of cake. Every Cardenaoan knew why their fisheries were so highly coveted, it didn’t take a rocket scientist. Warm water+nutrient rich ocean floor=lots of plants and small organisms, which leads to things that feed on those and things that eat them. But knowing something since childhood is much different than actually scientifically proving that. Look at some of the water under a microscope and what do you see? What does the water tell you? What does–

“Claudio are you paying attention man?? I’m trying to explain how crazy of a season Brett Hannah is having!”

“Didn’t he get benched or something last year? How is he so good now?”

“Oh my god Claudio, always analyzing! And it wasn’t like he was benched, it was actually a three quarterback rotation scheme with the best QB over the first three quarters getting to start the final quarter.”

“That seems inefficient.”

“And yet it worked! Sort of, I mean we won the Big-8 championship but got dumped out of the Playoffs…but this year though!”

“Is this finally The Year I hear so much about, the year we finally win it all?” Claudio let out a bemused chuckle as he went back to the exciting world of microscopes. He couldn’t deny that Arman’s enthusiasm and diehard loyalty to the LeBois Broncos didn’t rub off on him a bit. It was hard to be in a bad mood when Arman was around, though it was certainly hard to get work done.

“I mean it sure as hell could be! Look, everyone acted like the Broncos were dead and gone forever…we’ve lost one game! One!” He cried. “That was against a red hot Alexandria team who got their shit kicked in for the second week in a row…you know what that means C-money? Huh? Do you??”

“I do not.”

“IT MEANS WE’RE FIRST IN THE CONFERENCE! It means we’re in the driver’s seat baby, we’re the masters of our future and it’s looking like another conference championship!”

“Wouldn’t you rather get some success in the playoffs?”

“Well, I mean obviously yeah I want that, c’mon Claudio you’re smarter than that!” Arman said with a wink as he pulled out his phone, pulling up highlights from the Broncos game against Richardson University.

For years the Ranorian university had tortured LeBois, them and Cold Hill both had the Blue and Orange dead to rights and tormented them regularly. Last season marked a tipping point though with the famous “Over the Hill” chant as LeBois won the Big 8 championship for the first time in program history. Sure Bobby Dials had led them to a playoff semifinal, but it was Brett Hannah who actually won the first trophy for BSU and he was the man under center so it was all eyes on the junior.

“And I mean look at that, look at how he sensed pressure coming from behind and scooted out through the blocking gap, he’s totally going to run it but he sees Reno Thai at the last second and side arms it to him…he should’ve been sacked but we get a 23 yard touchdown out of it, just brilliant man.”

“Wow, that's crazy.”

“Yeah it was so cool! I mean Richardson went right down and got three points on the board, but Brett Hannah and the Broncos were in the driver’s seat the whole time! Reno Thai was sick this game, I know I’ve been saying Brett this Brett that but honestly Reno might’ve been the player of the game. I mean he got that receiving TD in the first quarter then he got the touchdown that iced the game late in the third quarter when he busted off that 81 yard burner.”

“Wow, that’s crazy.”

“Ain’t it though?? Shittttt that’s how you build up hype and momentum headed into the Battle of the B!”

“Does that mean we’re playing BYU?”

“Oh snap, I knew you were paying attention Claudio!

“Fuck BYU, we all know that Arman.”

“Love that and love you Claudio, couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m feeling pretty good about this game, or at least I’m convincing myself to feel good. I dunno, sure the Miners are pretty shit this season, I mean they’re 2-5 let’s be real, but they always seem to show up big against us.”

“Probably because of all the trash talk.”

“That might have something to do with it! We play our game, we should win mark my words. Get Reno Thai the ball, let the World Bowl winner run with it and when he needs a break? My man Brett can take us home from there.”

“At least that’s going well because we’re totally fucked on this assignment, can’t you even pretend to care??”

“Dude………it’s BSU football. Does anything else matter?”

“……I’ll just finish this for us then.”

High School Football MD8!!!!!!!!

Skyview Mountain Academy Fliers (2-3) 21-28 Escuela Nacíonal DCPF Footballers (2-3)

Players of the Game:

Skyview: Junior WR Jonathan Lee 2 RusYds, 128 RecYds, 2 RecTD
La Escuela: Senior WR Jonathan Jackson 121 RecYds, 1 RecTD

What a thriller this was between a Skyview team hoping to end the regular season with a winning record and a La Escuela team hoping to make it a respectable 2-3 finish. As it ended up, Skyview did not end the season with a winning record and La Escuela did get the W to rescue a 2-3 record. QB Taylor Fisher had one of his best games of the season as the junior completed 70% of his passes for 3 touchdowns and 248 yards though he did through an easily avoidable interception and got sacked three times for a loss of 22 yards. Junior WR Jonathan Lee made it his mission to win the game for the Fliers as he caught 8 of his 11 targets for 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sophomore WR Gage Ward had the performance of his season as he caught 7 of 9 targets for 76 yards and the game winning touchdown on ten yards. Senior RB Darren Dobbs capped a disappointing year with a 38 yard rushing performance on 8 carries while QB Taylor Fisher added 27 yards on 3 carries. It just wasn’t enough from a Skyview offense that never really looked up to the task. On defense, it was the linebacker duo who ran it up with senior LB Guy Krah adding 13 total tackles to his season total of 42, and he got three for solid losses tonight too. Building on that was fellow senior LB Joel Maxey getting 10 combined to his name with 4 for losses. Senior CB Jeremy Vail showed what he had as he got a tackle with three defended passes including an interception he brought back for 10 yards. A tough loss for the Skyview Fliers but at least they head into the Championship tournament not with the lowest seed.

For the winning Footballers, good on you boys! Get that 2-3 record and claw your way into the next echelon of Championship teams. Senior QB Temuro Brown would probably wish to have this game back as he only completed 21 of 38 passes for 236 yards and a split 1 touchdown/1 interception line, though he was sacked four times and lost a fumble to go with it. Senior WR Jonathan Jackson was the big stat winner of the day as he caught 10 of his 13 targets for 121 yards and a 42 yard touchdown while sophomore wideout Jer’Michael Montrenobe caught 3 of 4 for 43 yards. I was happy to see the running backs get some good air action, senior Neiko Yemm caught 3 of 6 for 32 yards and sophomore Johnuary Idaho caught 2 for 14 yards to go with a game leading 51 rush yards on seven (7) carries including a 12 yard touchdown carry and Neiko was right behind him with 45 yards though he failed to add 6 points. Shoutout to senior S Kevin Jenkins for his 8 tackles and fumble recovery on defense.

Riverstone International School Otters (2-3) 6-10 J.C. Evermore Academy Green Titans (3-2)

Players of the Game:

Riverstone: Senior S Richard Bolduc 5 Solo, 2 Int, 2 PD
JCE: Senior DE Jerrid Réamann 5 Solo, 3 Sk

Man……this was a rough game so let’s get this over with quickly, know what I mean? 6 points for the Otters, that’s rough. Senior QB Kanthony Marley could only manage 127 yards on 10 receptions to go with his 7 sacks so that’s a bad night for sure. Senior TE Darren Kent led both teams with 81 yards on 4 receptions though he couldn’t find the endzone. Not much else to write about in the receiving room so we head to Riverstone’s run game and it was led by Mr. Marley who went for 29 yards on 5 carries. The other two rushers combined for 20 yards and zero points so…yeah this was a terrible showing from the Otters offense when they needed something solid to finish the season with a winning record. At least junior LB Alec McDonald gave it his all with 11 combined tackles including 2 sacks, while senior safety Richard Bolduc added 7 combined and he intercepted both passes thrown his way. Not enough to secure the W though, better luck in the Championship!

For the winning Green Titans, helllll yeah you got the winning record! Junior QB James Ross kinda sucked ass as he completed 13 of 17 passes for a remarkable 92 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and he got sacked three times in a 68.4 rated performance. Yikes! With numbers like that, it’s no surprise there’s little to write about in the receiving room. Junior WR Scott Butler made the most of it as he caught four passes for 36 yards while the sole touchdown of the game came from a five yard pass to……an offensive lineman? Yes, the play totally brokedown and somehow senior OL Eric Jenkins hauled in the first target of his career for the first touchdown of his career, congratulations big man. When it came to running the ball, well the Green Titans were certainly more successful on the ground game as they recorded 147 yards on the night. No real surprise as senior RB David Brown led the team with 80 yards on 17 carries sophomore Devin Miller tried to make the most of his relief touches as he turned 12 rushes into 44 yards. On defense, senior LB Jay Kazee put his foot down to secure the victory as the senior led his team with 8 total tackles including 2 for losses meanwhile fellow senior LB Wes Simmon was right behind him with 7 tackles with a sack to boot. It was a narrow win, perhaps not the best one, but a win is a win for the J.C. Evermore Academy Green Titans!

Glenelg Athletic Academy Dragons (2-3) 17-34 Academia Cardonia Golden Knights (2-3)

Players of the Game:

Glenelg: Junior QB Anthony Simon 234 PssYds, 2 PssTD, 33 RusYds, 1FL
Academia Cardonia: Sophomore QB Charlie Slaughter 298 PssYds, 3 PssTD, 22 RusYds

It was an exciting clash between a Glenelg Dragons team hoping to get a winning record while the Golden Knights of Academia Cardonia were hoping to claw their way back from a 1-3 start to the season. For the Dragons, Junior QB Anthony Simon was really all that as he completed 12 of his 24 throws for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns as he avoided throwing an interception, though he did get sacked six times and fumbled the ball away once. Somewhat surprisingly it was sophomore WR Sam Maynor who led the team in receiving with his 96 yards and touchdown reception coming off four receptions while junior RB Larry Stukes seemed prime to have a big day, catching both of his targets for 56 yards and a touchdown before unfortunately spraining his ankle. Senior star TE, perhaps the best at his position in the league, only caught 3 of 6 targets for 40 yards and fans will be hoping for an increased target share moving forward. When it came to running the ball, once again the name Larry Stukes pops up, this time as he led his team in rushing with 47 yards on 8 carries leading his senior backup Carter Hagen’s 38 yards. QB Anthony Simon showed his willingness to get stuck in as he ran 5 times for 33 yards. Let’s talk defense…they didn’t play well. Okay, good talk. Alright alright fine, senior LB Maliek Davis continued his dominating campaign as he once again recorded double digit tackles, this time 11 combined while he batted down a pass attempt to top it off. Shoutouts to senior LB Billy Morris and freshman S Eddie Myatt for forcing a fumble each, that takes real hustle and smarts! Still though, L!

For the winning Academia Cardonia this was a pretty straightforward game that at no point looked like getting away from them. 14 points in the first quarter, 20-10 going into half and it just got more comfortable for them as the game progressed. Sophomore QB Charlie Slaughter continued his solid breakout campaign as he completed 30 of 44 passes for 298 yards and not one, not two, but three touchdown passes as he avoided throwing an interception and only got sacked once in a very impressive display. Slaughter’s favorite throwing target was senior star WR Jack Caver who caught 8 of 11 targets for 96 yards and a 16 yard touchdown but it was junior WR Maxwell Valverde who led the charge with 112 yards built off a 42 yard catch and go touchdown reception on nine receptions. The final touchdown went to sophomore Bardford Mayes who caught all three of his targets, to take him to nine total on the season, for 27 yards and a 15 yard touchdown on top, solid showing from the young lad who could potentially partner Charlie for two more seasons. On the run game, sophomore RB Myles Goins had the best game of his career so far as he turned 10 rushes into 50 yards though he did lose a fumble while senior Ben Devine got 43 yards and a touchdown on 11 touches. That’s how you do it! On defense, senior LB Jeremy Ruff got ten tackles and a sack while senior DL Darryl Richardson got two sacks and recovered a fumble he brought back ten yards. Pretty easy day for the Golden Knights on both sides of the ball as they clawed their way to a 2-3 record.

Ficilian Point High School Seabirds (1-4) 17-31 Obyedako High Blue Devils (5-0)

Players of the Game:

Ficilian Point: Junior QB Elijah Bartholomew 202 PssYds, 2 PssTD, 12 RusYds
Obyedako: Senior RB D’Von Glover 63 RusYds, 77 RecYds, 1 RusTD

It was a tight contest between a Ficilian Point team looking for their second victory of the season while the Blue Devils were looking to make it 5-0 on the season……which they did! Let’s start with the losing Ficlian Point team. They lost, which brings them to 1-4 this season and likely cements their place as the lowest seed in the upcoming Championship tournament. Junior QB Elijah Bartholomew did about as best he could as he completed 29 of his 39 passes for 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns, though he did throw an interception you’d expect Elijah to avoid. Senior WR Eric Goss was tearing it up with 64 yards on 5 catches before he injured his knee and will likely be out for several weeks. Senior TE D.J. Hicks also caught 5 passes for 31 yards and he reeled in an 11 yard touchdown to boot while fellow senior TE Tommy Frericks caught his single target for a seven (7) yard touchdown. Junior RB Kelton Huston led the ground attack with his 48 yards on 11 carries though he did lose the ball like a fool, while fellow junior RB Garett Flowers did his best to record 28 yards on 7 attempts. Not a lot going on the ground, not a lot going in the air, not a lot going for the Seabirds offense in this game. Not a lot going for the Seabirds defense either but let’s take a look at them. As has been the theme for Cardenaon high schools this season, it was a pair of linebackers who led the charge with senior Darren Driscoll recording 11 tackles while sophomore Dana Dalton continued to show his potential with an 8 tackle display. Junior CB Shaun Williams showed his versatility as he recorded an interception to go with five tackles. Not enough though for the Seabirds, simply not enough.

For the winning Obyedako Blue Devils, this is the best season in program history and they’ll be hoping to make it 6-0 next week. Dual threat quarterback Raymund Fitzgerald was fairly unremarkable this game as the senior recorded 219 passing yards and an interception on 14/23 throwing. Sophomore WR Orlando Thomas built on his promising year as he brought in 4 of 7 targets for 77 yards but he was just beat by senior RB D’Von Glover catching all 3 of his targets for 77 yards as well. D’Von also added 63 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries to solidify his place as the Blue Devils player of the game. Raymund Fitzgerald wasn’t afraid to roll his sleeves up and get his hands dirty as the QB went for 26 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. So where did this final touchdown come from? I’m glad you asked reader, I’m glad you asked. Onnnnnn defense, the star was freshman S Cade Row who brought his third interception of the season back 46 yards for a touchdown but he wasn’t the standout of the night. No, that honor went to junior LB Brion Woods who recorded 13 total tackles, a number matched by senior LB Aaron Corchiani while fellow senior LB David Wilstead was right behind them with 12 tackles. 5-0 for the Blue Devils, I didn’t anticipate that leading into this season but here they are and they’re hoping to add to their tally next week!

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Tue Dec 10, 2024 8:41 pm

Part 1: Northlake - Introduction

Part 2: Northlake - Allins - D-Two Weeks

It was around eleven in an April night when Lester Allin's pickup truck got out of Northlake and Chicoutimi proper. In the truck sat Allin and his son, high school junior Leslie, with neither of them looking much at each other as the father of two tried his best to drive into the bumpy suburban roads and highways heading into the city proper, before heading to the airport on the other side of the city.

The road, for most part, had been fairly straightforward though unlike in the other parts of state the Allins had lived, most of the cars you would see were high-priced sedans and SUVs that were commonly associated with questionable parenting practices. Those vehicles, probably coming from those of similar socioeconomic background as that of parents Lester had to routinely deal with as the Dragons' coach, whose kids also happened to be Leslie's friends and classmates, were better maintained and cared for than Lester's very pickup truck whose mileage had come close to 200,000 kilometres that he had considered buying a new one in the next year.

Of course, the Allins were relatively new to Northlake too, with Lester arriving in town only five years ago when Lester was in grade six. Not that it was anything but surprising - most of Lester's Saguenay teammates twenty-five years ago too moved a fair bit whether for their professional or educational opportunities - but the nature of the father's occupation as a high school football coach and before that a prominent radio host, had meant that his family, at least the two in the car, had to move around a lot. It was never easy having to say hellos and goodbyes every so often, but the hardest part was on the toll it would take between Lester and his wife, Ramona K. Oleksiak.

Ramona, who was part of a famous Oleksiak family of the Olympic fame, was busy with her own career and had rarely been able to take part in games played by Leslie or his sister, Elaine. Ramona, who had met Lester when he was still a burgeoning radio host post-graduation back in his native Joongyeong, was a well-known opera singer with an equally demanding schedule that required no less of routine. And while for many years they were able to adjust to one, the tensions between them had built up over the years that two years ago, they agreed on a separation with the hopes that with time and some time living away, they would be able to get back together for when Lester would be done coaching. It was something that neither really wanted, but considering the finite nature of their respective careers, they decided to take a step back in hopes that, most likely after Elaine graduates, Lester could stop coaching high school and maybe enjoy retirement.

'Excited to see your mother?' asked Lester, as he watched the cars passed his truck. Lester didn't flinch for most part, the 47-year old used to watch the cars pass by with a breeze over his pickup truck. 'I'm sure she does. Life comes fast and next thing you haven't seen so-and-so for six months, or something like that.'

So-and-so, thought Leslie, as he rolled his eye. The 6'2", 220 lb quarterback, who was born when Leslie was coaching on the other side of the country with another historic program in Pahkatequayang South, shared a long, blonde hair and relatively established built similar to his mother. 'Always, else I wouldn't be with you on this truck this late in night,' Leslie answered, as he grabbed a cigarette stick from his father's packet and gave it a nice lit. 'This too shall pass when both Elaine and I head to college, and I'm sure you guys will walk off to sunset together, right?'

Hopefully, Lester said to him, as he stepped away from answering immediately, before giving a mild answer. 'Young man, it's the matter of time', he said. Deep inside Lester, for what it's worth, was unsure when he's going to retire. At this point in time Lester has coached in high school level for fifteen years, with the last five years in Northlake Fennell being the longest of eight high schools he had coached up to this point, but it didn't come without difficulties. Fennell's hiring of Allin, who had brought his teams to a couple of championship game runs in Banbh and Agawa, was a controversy for many, including their powerful booster club that wanted a more proven name, and his hiring only went ahead due to his history of quarterback development and being part of the Saguenay's historic lineage at that position.

For Allin it was also slightly the matter of personal pride with him, in the eyes of many, had long been considered the 'unlucky one' of the lineage, even as he belonged firmly into it. Coming out of Ecole-Pleyel in Joongyeong, he was a four-star recruit on a class that had Hector Kweon-winner Heo Myeong-Shin and all-QFL selection Charles Bbumba on defence, but was considered to lack offensive talent outside of speedster Michael Welch on the receiver. So for Allin to win the starting position as a true freshman, and to be part of the 2041 Tiger Bowl championship squad as a lesser-known, but an underrated piece of the puzzle, was an achievement of its own that people would speak to this day.

In most schools they would stick to Allin as the guy to move forward. The issue, however, was that this was Saguenay football. The school recruited itself nationally before national recruiting was a thing, and would continue to do so. The same December when the Fighting Irish finished 11-1 en route to Apple Bowl semifinals against St-GR Wolverines, they had managed to sign their first recruit in twenty years from Pater-Dei, a notorious USM pipeline from Montevicio, in Ian Lautner. This had all but added to the dillemma for all those concerned, since both Allin and Lautner were of same fold - all-arounded pocket passers, with caveat that Allin's short-yardage advantage being negated by his limited, Coan-ite mobility.

For what it's known, neither Allin nor Lautner had much against one another - Lautner, who had rejected offers from hometown Trojans and the Queen's College Golden Gaels, where his parents attended, was willing to wait two years behind Allin. Both him and Allin were the guys brought by then-offensive coordinator Kweon Joon-Ho, a famous quarterback guru both at home and abroad, and was fairly straightforward with their plans for a quarterback he recruited. So when Allin came out a winner against Lautner in what was the QB competition everybody had talked about that year, all the noise seemed to have mattered little to either.

Well, life didn't exactly turn out that way for Allin, as those before and after him did. As you may have figured out by this point, #15 never made it to pros. On the second game of the season against Saguenay A&M, a biyearly rivalry they alternated with St. Croix on the QIS side of the schedule, Allin was under trouble even though the Irish were leading 10-3. His pocket, which was rarely overrun, collapsed as the Aggies sent eight on a rush to overwhelm Allin on the second quarter. Allin tried to run, but suffered a freak, double-leg injury when he slipped and fell en route to a sack.

Almost immediately, he was taken out of the game, never to play another snap. Ian Lautner, his backup at #10, quickly got hurried to take over, paving himself into history books. The school still honoured his scholarship and Leslie graduated without trouble three years later, but that was it. To this day he had minor pains and occasionally had trouble moving at times.

by **Drawkland** » Tue Dec 10, 2024 8:51 pm

Big Eight & Celestia
Week 8

Back into your divisions for the home stretch of conference play!

BIG EIGHT
Mantabolo Tech (USN) 36–40 Cold Hill University (RAN)
Richardson University (RAN) 40–7 University of Delumisia (SHR)
Bingham Young University (UTA) 10–37 LeBois Santura University (CAD)
Alexandria University (CAD) 20–14 Utah State University (UTA)

# Everless Division                Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
2 Cold Hill University (RAN)         8    6   2   265  174  +91
4 Mantabolo Tech (USN)               8    5   3   241  190  +51
5 Richardson University (RAN)        8    5   3   178  131  +47
8 University of Delumisia (SHR)      8    0   8    85  271 −186


# Evermore Division                Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 LeBois Santura University (CAD)    8    7   1   277  118 +159
3 Alexandria University (CAD)        8    6   2   249  188  +61
6 Bingham Young University (UTA)     8    2   6   177  241  −64
7 Utah State University (UTA)        8    1   7   113  272 −159

CELESTIA
Rosemount University (DKA) 16–24 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)
Northern Moravica University (BNJ) 16–16 Islamic University of Busoga (BUS) (25–22 OT)
Steicesve Strava (SCH) 19–9 Université du Saguenay (QUE)
Université St. Croix (QUE) 20–6 Osenku University (NKK)

# Savannah Division                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Islamic University of Busoga (BUS)    8    6   2   258  137 +121
2 Northern Moravica University (BNJ)    8    6   2   199  150  +49
5 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)     8    5   3   221  163  +58
7 Rosemount University (DKA)            8    1   7   115  250 −135


# Sequoia Division                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
3 Université du Saguenay (QUE)          8    5   3   198  217  −19
4 Université St. Croix (QUE)            8    5   3   160  110  +50
6 Steicesve Strava (SCH)                8    3   5   157  166   −9
8 Osenku University (NKK)               8    1   7    84  199 −115

by **Dhemixia** » Tue Dec 10, 2024 9:42 pm

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The Columbus Dominion(Est.1873)

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Homecoming ruined, barely

For the first time in forever, the Jays have themselves a barn-burner for the division race. Leading the Boreal at 5-2, Craig Kelly and the boys certainly battled back from only scoring 9, but the offense just hasn't come back strong. In the hunt of the Jays, for the first time in a while, are the two Nova Calanian schools, both at 4-3. Having beaten both of them handily, Nowa Kalanianska by 25 and SJJ by 11, in the event of a tied record, the Jays would have to get DISMANTLED to lose H2H PD. Conveniently enough, the Jays play their 2 biggest challengers to the throne in the next 2 games, so it's safe to say this will be a fun race.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, however, the Jays definitely "got it back" @ Trent State. Atkinson put up 2 more TDs, making it 15 for him on the season, while the ever-reliable Sam Gustafsson tacked on the eventual game-winning 3. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, which is a good thing for this specificially, when I say that the defense stepped up. They did their jobs, limited scoring drives to just 2, and forced long the eventual game-winning missed field goal. Kelly, being an offensive-minded HC, absolutely cannot sustain this. UC-Prairie is not and has never been an entirely defense-based program, which is why Kelly needs to get it together only scoring 17 against a 2-5 opponent. Either way, a win is a win, and the Jays are gonna need it.

Next, the Jays come home for a while, staying to play the Boreal challengers in SJJ and Nowa Kalanianska in weeks 8 and 9 respectively. Both of those games will be monumental and resume-building for the playoffs, so if Jerry Atkinson wants anything to do with the playoffs in his farewell tour, he's gonna have to do it himself. Time and time again, it's been proven that Craig Kelly is not a winner, never has been, and by all means will most likely never be one, meaning the guy just cannot win big games for the life of him. However, the one big game he won, all the way back in NSCF 30, was the MinCon championship game. This goes to suggest that Craig Kelly only wins in-conference big games, which is partially correct if you don't count the playoffs of that year, potentially hinting at a win against the Toucans in The Brig. We'll just have to find out what comes of it.

Schedule_

*blue indicates home games
Week 1: @ Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer W 41-30
Week 2: @ Nowa Kalanianska W 25-0
Week 3: VS. Roane State W 30-16
Week 4: @ Kormania W 15-9
Week 5: VS. Green City L 23-24
Week 6: VS. Niakursk L 9-17
Week 7: @ Trent State W 17-15
Week 8: VS. Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
Week 9: VS. Nowa Kalanianska
Week 10: @ Roane State
------------
Non-conference play
Week 11: @ Raynor
Week 12: VS. Cold Hill
Week 13: @ BYU (SPIT Bowl)

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Tue Dec 10, 2024 10:37 pm

Mineral and Zephyr Conference - Week 8

Cutoff.

Mineral Conference:

Niakursk University (IMP) 24–10 Trent State University (TJU)
Green City University (TJU) 41–10 Kormania University (BRS)
Uniwersytet Nowa Kalanianska (UNC) 24–10 Roane State University (KNP)
University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE) 36–34 Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer (UNC)

# Heartland Division                                        Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Niakursk University (IMP)                                   8    6   2   170  140  +30
2 Green City University (TJU)                                 8    5   3   212  210   +2
3 Trent State University (TJU)                                8    2   6   180  185   −5
4 Kormania University (BRS)                                   8    2   6   162  221  −59
# Boreal Division                                           Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE)                        8    6   2   196  145  +51
2 Uniwersytet Nowa Kalanianska (UNC)                          8    5   3   178  138  +40
3 Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer (UNC)    8    4   4   217  215   +2
4 Roane State University (KNP)                                8    2   6   183  244  −61

Zephyr Conference:

Thereisnogodistan Community College (NGD) 39–29 Maximus Rochester Institute (PFA)
University of Mancodas (PFA) 10–9 Vikramandayu University (VAI)
Raynor University (VAL) 16–10 Bowerstone University (ATH)
University of Roco (CRA) 16–39 Mar Sara Tech (VAL)

# Legends Division                           Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 University of Mancodas (PFA)                 8    4   4    97  149  −52
2 Vikramandayu University (VAI)                8    3   5   198  148  +50
3 Maximus Rochester Institute (PFA)            8    2   6   172  225  −53
4 Thereisnogodistan Community College (NGD)    8    2   6   169  302 −133
# Celestial Division                         Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Mar Sara Tech (VAL)                          8    7   1   326  141 +185
2 Raynor University (VAL)                      8    7   1   248  142 +106
3 Bowerstone University (ATH)                  8    6   2   239  149  +90
4 University of Roco (CRA)                     8    1   7   152  345 −193

by **Grand Exultia** » Wed Dec 11, 2024 5:13 am

Phoenixes Pummel Prehistorics , 26-0
By the Phoenixes Sports Desk, Vaelis Brightsong

Back on home soil at the Skyfire stadium and the Phoenixes have coasted to a historic win with a record breaking victory margin and their first shutout. With a score to settle after the loss earlier in the season the Phoenixes were focused intently on proving they had gone from strength to strength as the season progressed, even though they went 1-3 in the cross-conference games.

No surprises at the start of the first quarter as the ever-solid Phoenix defence let up very few yards, inspired by the return of Nightingale, and forced an early turnover against the Dinosaurs. Stormheart leading the offense out for the first play, they take the first snap looking to find Goldenwing on the slant who hadn’t got themself open, options dwindling and the pocket collapsing as a number of players, Phoenix and Dinosaur, fall onto Stormheart. Once the officials had managed to untangle the pile it was clear Stormheart had come off worse than any other, some form of issue with the right arm and their game looked done. Up steps Jackalope who takes the safe option for the rest of the drive handing off to the backs for some steady gains, once again Khaine Bearclaw managing to be the preferred choice as they dance through the Dinosaur defence. A quick field goal from Duskblade sees the Phoenixes with an early 3-0 lead. Both defences standing strong and nothing of note rounding out the first quarter.

A very slow start to the second quarter saw both offences faltering somewhat, Jackalope struggling to connect with his receivers and being replaced with Brightwing but the positive of Nightingale leading the Phoenix defence to punish the Dinosaur offence with a number of sacks and constant pressure. As time ticked on and the half slowly drew to a close the Phoenixes lined up for what was likely to be their last drive of the half as Windrider threw out a few more rotations to see if he could spark some life into a lacklustre game. Brightwing began by firing a couple of short yardage catches into the hands of tight end Pewterheart to get the drive going, a few shotgun plays catching the Dinosaur defence on the back foot opened up spaces for Bearclaw to run through the gaps and finally Brightwing to fire a touchdown pass to Leopardfoot who took a good catch under pressure. Duskblade making the extra point and the Phoenixes go into half time with a 10-0 lead.

With an assured confidence that this team could compete within the division Windrider turned to his freshman corps to rest up the more regular seniors in anticipation of the game next week against the cadets, a dominant team that the Phoenixes lost to by a single point at home. This invigorated line up proved to be more than effective as they receive the ball in the third quarter and the freshman and juniors have no issues playing without a hint of fear or nerves. Plays are called to suit the younger, inexperienced players trusting their innate ability to play the game how they want to. A fake pass screen allowed Bearclaw to follow Hollybranch up the middle as the Dinosaurs seemed to dissipate in front of them. Yards were gained easily and the Phoenix were camped in the Dinosaur half the whole quarter, failing to get over the line on a few drives, the inexperience showing on Brightwings reads of the defence. Another swap of quarterback allowed Jackalope to take the drive into the endzone with spectacular fashion as he picked out Woodheart and Laughingleaf in turn to land an easy touchdown pass, Windrider choosing to risk it and go for 2 as Jackalope strolls himself into the endzone with barely a challenge.

The fourth quarter was much of the same as the defence held the Dinosaurs from making any advancement past the chains, notable performances from freshmen Myrna Ironheart, Ember Leatherhide, and Ettie Leopardfoot to hold the line and put constant pressure on the Dinosaur QB to disrupt any attempt at rhythm or successful plays, linebackers Ironheart and Leafblade were all over the field consistently stopping plays before they could develop. Ironheart in particular displayed excellent reading of the game and their playmaking led to several key stops in the backfield finishing the game with 3 interceptions. It was the defensive tackle Ironheart who was to extend the Phoenix lead further after a pass attempt from the Dinosaurs tipped by Leafblade wobbled through the air and was collected by the charging Ironheart who was letting nobody get in their way as they ran over the floundering QB and shrugged off two tackle attempts carrying one of the tacklers into the endzone. Another 2 point attempt from the Phoenixes rounded out the game as Bearclaw used the offensive line to great success charging straight through the middle to finish the game 26-0.

Another game with no post game interviews as Windrider maintains a media blackout turning around the losses and leaving the players to focus on their game.

A phenomenal performance from the Phoenix defence as they do not concede to now be the lowest conceding defence in the competitiona good turn around for defensive co-ordinator Thalindra Nightfall. On the road next week against Silver Coast State Cadets the Phoenixes will be hoping to go one step further than last time and maybe come away with another upset. Stay tuned, as this team is ready to soar once more.

by **New Umoja** » Wed Dec 11, 2024 5:16 pm

Top 10 big plays from the Golden Kings’ week 8 loss to Cold Hill

After a run of grinding out close wins, Mantabolo Tech were on the losing end of one in week 8 as Cold Hill Buffalo bested them in a 36–40 shootout. Here are some of the biggest plays from the game.

1. Q1 9:51 UMT-36 3-9 Dante Flowers pass complete to Heine Stølan for 14 yards (tackle by Kareem X)

The Buffalo took the opening kickoff and advanced downfield in a six minute drive helmed by quarterback Dante Flowers and powered through running back Hebron Naphtali, culminating in an opening score as Flowers connected with Earl Silverman from 22 yards out. But the drive nearly came unstuck as edge rusher Kamau Nash got to tight end Kyle Miller, who’d taken a swing pass in the backfield, and dragged him down to leave Flowers facing 3rd and long. In Week 1, Tariq Abdullah had done a good job of shutting down star receiver Heine Stølan, but the rematch proved more profitable for Cold Hill’s #1 option, who got separation from the corner and made the big first down to keep the drive alive.

2. Q1 8:17 UMT-38 3-10 Tyriq Vaughn pass incomplete deep right intended for Mikkel Sanders is intercepted by Kolton Mastson at CHU-48 and returned for 52 yards, touchdown

Tyriq Vaughn has been far from the most aggressive passer this season, but he has done a good job of not turning the ball over. Until this game. The first of his two interceptions came on the Golden Kings’ opening drive, risking a deep ball to tight end Mikkel Sanders. The wobbling pass was way off target and an easy pick for safety Kolton Mastson, who reeled it in on the run and continued all the way to the end zone for a devastating six point swing. That Rio Bocan missed the ensuing extra point wide left was scant consolation.

3. Q1 6:30 UMT-23 3-12 Tyriq Vaughn pass complete to Rashaun Holloway-James for 56 yards. Penalty on Clay Silva: Illegal Contact (Declined)

The Golden Kings’ second chance at mounting a reply wasn’t going much better, as Philbert Aitken sacked Vaughn. Pushed back to 3rd and 17, Vaughn had no choice but to try going deep again. Fortunately this time his aim was better, getting the pass right into the box for Rashaun Holloway-James, who had oddly chosen to play the down wearing a rather bulky backpack. No, wait, that was DB Clay Silva, wrapped around like a sloth around a particularly juicy branch. It didn’t stop Holloway-James reeling in the catch and getting all the way to the red zone. From there, Rashad Muhammad was able to punch it in on a couple of strong runs to at least get the Golden Kings onto the scoreboard.

4. Q2 10:15 CHU-15 1-10 Tyriq Vaughn pass complete to Rashad Muhammad for 15 yards, touchdown. Penalty on Mikkel Sanders: Offensive Holding, 10 yards (no play)

The Buffalo restored their 13 point lead with a 6 minute drive capped by Hebron Naphtali’s rushing score. The Golden Kings badly needed a score to stop the game getting out of hand. The drive was going smoothly, with first down passes to Rashad Muhammad and Holloway-James, and Zayvon Booker picking up two on the ground, to get into the red zone. On a play-action, Muhammad span off and collected a short dart, then bulldozed his way all the way into the end zone, and turned around to celebrate – only to see a flag on the field. Tight end Mikkel Sanders had held edge rusher Milton Nuhl, preventing him from getting to Vaughn. The touchdown was wiped off and the team had to restart their drive on their 25, after which Nuhl proved why Sanders had had to hold him in the first place, stuffing Muhammad on a rushing play and then sacking Vaughn for an 8 yard loss to force a 3rd and 25 that Vaughn couldn’t convert. The Golden Kings had to settle for a field goal. They were falling behind the high powered Buffalo offense thanks to their own costly mistakes.

5. Q2 1:06 CHU-20 3-15 Dante Flowers pass incomplete intended for Heine Stølan intercepted by Zaire Bailey at CHU-30 and returned for 22 yards

After another tackle for loss by Kamau Nash, Messiah Everett broke up a pass to Silverman to force the Buffalo to kick a field goal on their next drive, while the Golden Kings’ drive picked up 31 yards between a DPI call on Miles Yun and a flag for unnecessary roughness on Trent Gray. This time they were able to convert the yardage into a touchdown through Zayvon Booker, who caught two passes and finished the drive with a 1 yard rush. Inside the two minute warning, the Buffalo offense showed no signs of wanting to wind down the half. Once again Flowers went to Stølan for his big third down conversion – but this time Zaire Bailey was in the way, the strong safety jumping in. He almost took it back for six before being forced out at the 8 yard line, but it was easy enough from there for Vaughn to connect with Quindarius Hale. When Jamila Scott kicked the extra point, it meant the Golden Kings had taken a highly unexpected lead going into the half.

6. Q3 4:14 CHU-49 1-10 Earl Silverman left end for 51 yards, touchdown

After 47 points through the first two quarters, the game quietened down in the 3rd, with the two teams exchanging punts. Vaughn was sacked by Erik Kessler, and Hebron Naphtali suffered a loss of yardage on three consecutive running plays, as both offenses struggled to recapture their earlier momentum. Naphtali had more success catching out of the backfield with a 20 yard pick-up to move to midfield. The next play looked like it was back to churning up the gut, but the draw was a play-fake, and instead Flowers tossed the ball back to wide receiver Silverman on a sweep. It caught the Golden Kings’ defense totally wrongfooted and both safeties were up and unable to cover. Though only credited for a 51 yard gain Silverman had sprinted about 70 yards with the ball, without once being touched by a Mantabolo Tech defender. The Buffalo had regained the lead – and they would not surrender it again.

7. Q4 12:28 UMT-25 3-8 Tyriq Vaughn pass incomplete intended for Rashaun Holloway-James intercepted by Clay Silva at UMT-42 and returned for 6 yards

Mastson stuffed Muhammad for a big loss that meant their next drive in response never even got started, and Rashad Coleman once again punted away. The Buffalo added another field goal to extend their lead to 9. Now in the fourth quarter, Vaughn was having to chase the game. Trusting in Holloway-James on 3rd down, he once again hurled a long pass in his direction. But this time, Silva’s coverage was on point and he got to the pass before Holloway-James had a chance. The turnover handed back possession to the Buffalo at the Golden Kings’ own 36 and gave them the opportunity to grind more time off the clock before hitting Kyle Miller with a 20 yard pass to move to the 2, and a second short slant pass for the score. Rio Bocan kicked over the team’s 40th point, extending the lead to 16 with less than 8 minutes to play.

8. Q4 7:55 CHU-30 KO Rio Bocan kicks off 68 yards, returned by LaMarcus Freeman for 35 yards. LaMarcus Freeman fumbles, recovered by Clay Silva at UMT-41

In Week 1, LaMarcus Freeman swung the game back with a big kick return. Here, he looked ready to spark something on special teams again as he brought out a kick. Rio Bocan was kicking off 5 yards back following an offside penalty against Cold Hill, so his kick didn’t quite reach the end zone. Freeman snagged it at the 2 and brought it 35 yards before cutting inside sharply to beat the tackler and race down a clear lane. Unfortunately, without the ball, which he’d left back at the 41 yard line. Silva secured his second takeaway of the game inside the Golden Kings’ half by quickly gathering in the roller.

9. Q4 5:19 UMT-29 4-16 Rio Bocan 47 yard field goal no good, blocked by Anwar Kumalo, recovered by Tariq Abdullah and returned for 71 yards, touchdown

Flowers took the Golden Kings into the red zone, but Zaire Bailey and Sincerity Matombo combined for a sack on 3rd and goal. Still, a field goal would have made the lead 19 points and required three scores, basically killing the game. Rio Bocan had already made two, and 47 yards wasn’t out of his range. The snap and hold were good. But so was Anwar Kumalo’s leap. The huge defensive tackle swarmed over the offensive line and got his hand up to block the kick. Cornerback Tariq Abdullah, who’d been shooting in from the side, quickly corrected to pick up the erratically bouncing ball before anyone on the kicking team could recover amid the chaos of football’s most unpredictable play, the blocked kick. Abdullah then showed his unmatched pace to take the ball all the way in for a score. An 8 point score would have halved the deficit with 5 minutes to play, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during the return pushed the 2 point attempt back 15 yards. Zayvon Booker couldn’t collect the pass and the attempt failed, leaving the Golden Kings 10 points adrift and still needing to score twice.

10. Q4 2:13 CHU-30 4-1 Tyriq Vaughn up the middle for no gain (tackle by Kenny Parham and Tom Zachariah)

Needing to quickly score again, the Golden Kings did just that as Amarion Reeves forced a fumble from Kyle Miller that Jaidon Blackwell Jr. recovered. Vaughn found Jelani Ogden in the end zone. But Jamila Scott unaccountably shanked the PAT kick. Instead of scoring 7 and needing a field goal to force OT, the Golden Kings were still down 4 and would need a touchdown, with under 3 minutes to play. So instead of kicking away, they lined up for the onside kick, with Scott taking her first kickoff of the season (Javonte Durham or punter Rashad Coleman normally handle kickoff duties). Her attempt went a little deep, but Abdullah’s speed won out to recover the kick. The Golden Kings burned their timeouts making their way down to the 30, where they faced 4th and 1 after Derek Boss and Milton Nuhl stopped Zayvon Booker short of a 3rd down. Needing to quickly convert, they hurried to the line for a QB sneak. But linebackers Kenny Parham and Tom Zachariah blitzed in hard and shoved Vaughn back as he tried to lunge over. The ball was turned over on downs and after a couple of rushes a pass to Miller converted the 1st down and allowed Flowers to kneel out for the win.

by **Chromatika** » Wed Dec 11, 2024 10:05 pm

The State of Chromatik Football
Part 1: Alpha Conference
Part 2: Beta Conference
Part 3: Delta Conference
Part 4: Gamma Conference

Chromatik High School Gridiron - Season Fourteen
Part 5: Conference Championship Games

Alpha Conference Championship Game

Myana Northwestern High School 39–31 Mt. Niar High School

The Anacondas gave the Blue and White their best shot. Maas van der Voorde had his best game against Myana Northwestern, going 28 of 35 for 281 yards and four scores, but Kacper Grenda was more than ready for the challenge. The Blue and White completed a 15-play, 71-yard drive with two minutes and a second left for the final margin - Mark Lutt catching the fade route - and then converted the two-point conversion for the final score. Myana Northwestern kept their unbeaten season going, and look like they may be back to dominating Chromatik High School football.

Beta Conference Championship Game

Staramara Tech High School 7–24 Urrhed High School

Revenge is sweet, isn't it? After being had by the Battle Angels during the regular season, the Sand Vipers came with a new wrinkle - that of Izajasz Piekarski keeping the ball from time to time. The Freshman ran the read-option well with Shinsato Katsu in the backfield, and the 191 yards on the ground led Urrhed High School to the upset victory. Staramara Tech couldn't get their vaunted rushing attack going with Grayson Marsh, and Defensive Coordinator Cherry Edmonton couldn't get her charges to adapt fast enough to beat the upstarts. The Battle Angels will still be heralded as one of the teams that can win it all, but they blew a chance to be a top seed in the playoffs.

Gamma Conference Championship Game

Vitoron School of Charge 10–20 Lanar High School

These two teams were always going to be evenly matched - and the difference this time ended up being the play of one Linebacker, Jacqueline Vom Bruch. The Sophomore had nine tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble to lead the Rhinos to the upset win over the Robots. Lanar High School is known as the only marquee program without a big-name Quarterback, but when you have a running game like theirs and a solid defense, you can win at the high school level. Vitoron dropped the ball - and will have to play an extra game if they are to win the title.

Delta Conference Championship Game

Cheonju Korean Institute 20–34 Franscesca Larriet-Cortes High School

One of the stories of the season was the emergence of the Red Devils and their Quarterback, Kirsi-Marja Sibelius. The Martyrs finally figured out how to contain the air raid - and Senior Quarterback Darin Piltoffer outplayed his younger counterpart, throwing for two scores. Ray Donnovan also helped with two scores on the ground, and the Martyrs pulled away in the second half. The Red Devils will have their hands full in the playoffs, while the Martyrs run away with a top four seed, hoping their veteran talent will be enough.

The Playoff Field

With only eleven teams getting a record of .500 or better, only eleven teams will make the playoffs. The four teams that won the Conference Championships get the top four seeds. Here are the seeds:

(1) Myana Northwestern High School (11-0)
(2) Lanar High School (10-1)
(3) Franscesca Larriet-Cortes High School (8-3)
(4) Urrhed High School (7-4)
(5) Staramara Tech High School (9-2)
(6) Vitoron School of Charge (9-2)
(7) Cheonju Korean Institute (8-3)
(8) Mt. Niar High School (6-5)
(9) The Chromatik Institute (6-4)
(10) City of Lorentine High School (5-5)
(11) West Shantarr High School (5-5)

First Round
(6) Vitoron School of Charge vs. (11) West Shantarr High School - Winner plays @ (3) Franscesca Larriet-Cortes High School
(7) Cheonju Korean Institute vs. (10) City of Lorentine High School - Winner plays @ (2) Lanar High School
(8) Mt. Niar High School vs. (9) The Chromatik Institute - Winner plays @ (1) Myana Northwestern High School

This means that Staramara Tech High School is set to have a rematch at Urrhed High School for the Quarterfinals, and that there can be another rematch between Mt. Niar and Myana Northwestern in the Quarterfinals, too. There was talk about avoiding rematches, but that was shut down with the new format.

Lenny Rhimes Kickoff Return Shocks Skyhawks as Firehawks Prevail

Felswyr State against Sadeg State is more than just a game. The two programs have run the Horizon Conference - and then the Starlight Division - since the Firehawks entered the NSCF, and when the two sides play, there are always fireworks. Chromatiks are too regimented and Drawkians too proud for games to end in outright fistfights, but it would not be a stretch to say that there is bad blood between the two schools. Add in the wrinkle that Felswyr State recruited a Drawkian to come play for them this season, and things were reaching a fever pitch. Having lost to both Drawkian schools in the first round-robin, the Firehawks knew that they had to win this return matchup at home, and it showed.

Points were at a premium between the two squads in the first half as they only managed one drive each. Brooklyn Beck found Dylan Copperfield for a seventeen yard score to begin things in the Second Quarter, and Nicole Estera answered by finding Mack Mason in the flat right before the half ended. Both teams had only completed three third downs and held the other to just the one drive to their part of the field; the defenses were swarming, the sellout crowd in Felswyr was at full throat, and it seemed like it could be a second half that would be to remember.

Then, the Third Quarter turned out to be a slog. Four straight three-and-outs among the two teams meant that they would head into the final stanza of this match tied. Sadeg State had more success through the air, while the Firehawks' ground attack was starting to grind on the opposition. Felswyr State would break the stalemate first with Muhoozi Kadindo finding paydirt from three yards out with eight minutes remaining. The teams traded punts, and when Brooklyn Beck took over at her own nine yard line with five minutes left, it looked like Felswyr State would be able to get the ball back with excellent field position and close the game out. On third and eight from their own eleven, Brooklyn Beck found a rare soft zone in the Firehawks' defense between the safety and the cornerback, and Kastor Armati took the resulting pass forty-eight yards to Firehawks territory for the first time in ages. The Skyhawks would grind out three minutes and thirty-seven seconds from the clock before Beck's second touchdown pass of the game - Jason Oberro on a quick slant.

Sadeg State decided to pull a Cavsar and go for two - and with Scott Fierro carrying two players into the end zone, took the lead 15-14. It was the right thing to do given how their defense was tiring and few key injuries that had knocked some linebackers out of the game.

With a minute and some change remaining, Donald Jensen kicked the ball off - and instead of letting the ball bounce into the end zone or taking a knee, Lenny Rhimes decided to field it. This decision had been coming for a while, ever since the middle of the Third Quarter. Vera James, the Special Teams Coordinator, had called her unit aside and told them that they would have to play a part in winning the game. She pointed out the fact that they were getting some push in blocking the Skyhawks, and if they were to push a little further in maintaining clean blocks, the speedy Rhimes would get the job done.

Sure enough, Rhimes took the ball at the two yard line - it had been a good kick by Jensen - and took off. Three key blocks - none with clear holds - paved the way, and his speed did the rest, outracing the rest of the kicking unit as he tiptoed down the sideline for a ninety-eight yard kickoff return that would give the lead back to Felswyr State with all the momentum in their hands. Brooklyn Beck was only able to move the Skyhawks to their own forty-two before running out of downs, and the Firehawks had won a crucial game in their quest to win the division.

Yes, another key matchup against Cavsar University awaits - a Cavsar team that swept Staramara Tech, and will look to sweep Felswyr State. However, if they are to win that game, they would have the edge heading into the Battle for the Eternal Flame, having won the first leg of the matchup against the Lava. With all four teams at .500 or above, the battle for the Starlight Division seems to be picking up at the right time - and when Felswyr State is smart enough to find the matchups that they need to exploit, they care still absolutely a team that can turn it on and win.

Nicole Estera's play nonwithstanding.

by **Ranoria** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 7:38 am

Governors Rout Delumisia in Complete Game
-
Richardson Looks Lethal Heading Into Crucial Matchup vs Mantabolo Tech

Governors fans couldn't complain about the 40-7 drubbing their team handed out in week eight

Dex Banka had a rough day in the office in week seven, a real buzzkill of a showing after he'd looked so incredible in limited action. But anyone with a brain knew it - this was the perfect bounceback game. With the student body behind him and going against a winless squad, he was primed for a breakout. That's exactly what he delivered.

When Terrance Savage ended Delumisia's first drive with a third down sack, the offense got the ball with strong field position, and an eight yard carry by Malik Starcevich gave them a perfect opportunity to take a shot early. They did just that - Dex Banka faked the handoff and launched the ball to the Governors' biggest threat - literally - in big Hezekiah Thomas. The two-hundred-seventy pound tight end grabbed the ball in stride and pushed a linebacker into the dirt to get into the open field. And by the time a safety had closed the distance to try and lay the wood down, Zeke didn't even notice, not even breaking stride as he ran straight through his aspiring tackler and sending the poor defender spinning down into a facemask full of grass. No one else got a clear shot at him, and the Governors faithful immedietely made their excitement known after the fifty two yard catch and run.

Things didn't get much better after that for Delumisia's completely overmatched offense - when their quarterback made the mistake of targeting Vilde Lauritzen on third and long, she jumped the route and picked the pass off without issue, nearly taking it back for a score. No worries there though - Banka's second pass of the day was just as productive as his first, hitting Thomas again from eleven yards out to make this one a quick fourteen-zip.

And that's about how this one went overall - the first half ended up even worse at 24-0, thanks to Dex Banka hitting Jack Archer on a third down screen that the running back - sporting a visor for the first time in his career - defied the odds to not only move the sticks, but run another twenty one yards uncontested to the end zone.

Richardson toned things down hard in the second half, featuring the run game hard, but still scored another sixteen points - Malik Starcevich and Jack Archer each notched a touchdown run, and Banka only threw the ball eight times in the second half - and connected on each one.

The Governors offense hit a lot of milestones in this game. For starters, it's the first time any of their receivers have notched multiple scores or over one hundred receiving yards this season (Hezekiah Thomas, 2 & 121). It's also the first time one of their quarterbacks has posted over two hundred yards (Dex Banka, 225), and just the third time over the last two seasons where they've had a quarterback throw three touchdown passes. Throw in second string running back Jack Archer having by far his best career performance so far, and the Richardson offense looks like a very legitimate threat for the first time.

Of course, we can't oversell this performance. Delumisia is a winless squad scoring just over ten points per game and allowing well over thirty. They are not a good football team, and if the Governors had done anything but run them off of Dietrich Stadium's grass there would have been very legitimate concerns. Even then, the defense doing what they do and the offense putting up nearly a quarter of their point total this season is a great sign heading into the pivotal last two games of the conference slate.

Mantabalo Tech has come onto the season and shaken things up in the conference - Tyriq Vaugn has done an excellent job at quarterback for them, largely avoided turnovers, and it was enough to stun the NSCF by beating the Governors in week two. Even coming off what may have been his worst showing this year against Cold Hill, the offense still managed 36 points and nearly upset a team that's been to three straight NSCF title games. Mantabalo Tech won't go down easy, and with a near-guaranteed win in week ten against Delumisia in week ten, Richardson has to beat them next week for a chance at a conference title berth.

And then, of course, comes the all-important matchup against Cold Hill. They own the tiebreaker there thanks to a 33-7 beatdown in week one, but the Buffalo have maintained a one game lead all season. If Richardson loses - because the Buffalo, like Mantabalo, have an easy win against Delumisia, the Governors will effectively be out of the conference championship race.

And while we'd love to say that this freshman quarterback, who's looking like a rare talent, can do it himself, that's not his job, not yet. That'll come down to the Governors defense. Vilde Lauritzen, in particular, will have to play better than she did in the first matchup of these teams. The NSCF 30 championship's MVP has been electric all year long, but she let up a pair of big receptions in the team's first showdown against the Golden Kings. She's been reliable her entire career, and that one blip on the radar is unlikely to repeat itself. Throw in Landon Rayne - another freshman who's stepped in as a big time contributor - Lyn Dairon, and a ferocious pass rush, and the team will look to do what Cold Hill did Saturday and force turnovers to make life easy on their offense.

It's effectively a must win game for a conference title berth - and at this point, the Governors have to be thinking of their brutal out of conference slate as well. They can't expect to win all three of those matchups, and if they start accruing losses here, the playoffs may be a legitimate question. That's all speculation for now though. In the Big 8, getting caught looking ahead is a sure-fire way to get taken out at the knees.

"All our focus is on Mantabalo Tech," said Malik Starcevich, who's handled 226 carries in just eight games this season, "We've been saying all year that we want to bring the Big 8 championship back to the McNair Memorial Athletic Complex, where it belongs, and we can't do that if the new kid on the block sweeps us."

by **Drawkland** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 9:20 am

"The Guilty Call"

The upcoming game against Felswyr State could possibly be the biggest of the campaign. An opportunity to slip back into contending for the division title. Now that it was summer vacation, there was nothing stopping Brooklyn Beck from spending every waking moment focusing on taking down the Firehawks. Despite this, Brooklyn was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate. She had essentially blackmailed her head coach into letting her start the previous week, and the actual ramifications of such an action were starting to sink in. Brand Manlio had been professional at best, and completely curt at the worst, all since last week’s practice.

The connection between coach and quarterback had been severed. Manlio wasn’t interacting with Brooklyn at all unless it was absolutely necessary. Thankfully the rest of the team had yet to notice, but it was only a matter of time until they did. The idea of winning games was becoming secondary to thoughts about this feud, and the pit in Brooklyn’s stomach grew heavier every time she noticed.

It was maddening, trying to bundle up all these feelings without having an outlet. She couldn’t mention it to her roommate Grace Robbins despite seeing her every day. Brooklyn trusted her friend, but felt it was unwise to tell a fellow Sadeg State student about her borderline insubordination. Of course, Brooklyn couldn’t tell her parents either. Her mom already hated when her dad pulled a similar stunt, and Brooklyn felt her dad would scold her too.

Telling any of her teammates was also out of the question. News travels fast in the locker room. Her former teammates? Julian was the worst possible person to tell, being over at Cavsar. Mark and Kevin would definitely end up telling Julian if she talked to them. There was nobody else that Brooklyn really close enough to vent to without compromising her professional integrity or catching a lecture in response.

Well, there was one person. At midweek Spencer Harrelson’s name popped into Brooklyn’s brain. She hesitated at first, wondering if he’d be too busy, but eventually the pent-up frustration was too much to handle. He wasn’t likely to offer helpful advice, but at least Brooklyn felt like he was smart enough to not tell anybody else. Brooklyn made sure Grace was out of the apartment, and she dialed Spencer’s number.

The call rang several times before Spencer picked up.

“Hello?” Spencer said. He sounded a little tired, though it was only afternoon.

“Hey, Spencer.” Brooklyn said tentatively. “Um, are you in town right now? Sadeg, I mean. Since it’s summer break and all.”

“Break?” Spencer chuckled humorlessly. “I’m in the middle of summer semester down in Corinth.”

“Summer semester? Like you’re taking classes?” Brooklyn was astonished. That concept had never crossed her mind.

“Yes …” Spencer said slowly, not sure why Brooklyn sounded so taken aback at the idea. “I’ve got a 12 credit hour workload this time around. Hellish, but pretty much worth it.”

“TWELVE?” Brooklyn exclaimed. “How would that ever be worth it?”

“Well, I’m graduating with my bachelor’s this winter, so there’s that.”

“Already? A year early?”

“That’s what happens when you prioritize your education.” Spencer’s smile could be heard in his voice.

“Okay, you don’t have to sound so smug about it,” Brooklyn muttered. “So, uh, are you busy right now? I kinda want to vent about something, if that’s alright with you.”

“Yeah, I’m just drowning in free time, so that’s fine.” Spencer replied flatly. He paused for a moment. “What is it about? Something with one of your teams?”

“Something like that.” Brooklyn hesitated. “I just feel like I can’t really tell anybody else. It’s … well, it’s really not good.”

“Is that so?” Spencer wasn’t exactly looking forward to this ordeal, but his interest was a little piqued.

“Do you pay attention to the news at all?” Brooklyn asked. She didn’t want to have to overexplain herself.

“I keep up to date,” Spencer answered dryly. “I doubt that the Dubbo Krish tariff situation or the latest gaffe by Anna Voss has anything to do with your sports nonsense, though.”

“Huh?” Brooklyn rolled her eyes. “I’m sort of playing in a tournament right now. International type coverage. Is that not front page news?”

“Evidently not.” Spencer clicked his tongue. “I did hear that you’d been injured, though. Something with your ankle?” Spencer wondered if maybe she was struggling with the recovery process.

“I guess.” Brooklyn struggled to find where to start. “Basically early last week I got news that my ankle has recovered really well and I could’ve been cleared to play last weekend. But the head coach said I couldn’t. I honestly felt really good on my ankle and I’ve been dying just sitting on the sidelines the couple weeks before. So I tried to convince my coach to let me play last weekend, but he still refused. And I think I went a little overboard trying to convince him otherwise.”

“‘A little overboard?’” Spencer echoed. “That can mean a lot of things.”

“A little bit.” Brooklyn took a deep breath. “I basically blackmailed my coach. Not technically, but like in a way I did.”

“Blackmail?” It was Spencer’s turn to be astounded. “Did you get dirt on your coach?”

“Not really.” Brooklyn stopped to consider it for a moment. “I suppose it’s more like I strong-armed him. But it feels scummy. I told him that if he didn’t let me start, I’d hold out and not play at all for the rest of the season. But there’s no backup anymore, because the other quarterback our age left right before our season started last year, and the next-best quarterback we have is a novatim. So the team would be screwed without me, and Coach has supposedly been on the hot seat lately. I was sort of threatening to get him fired by holding out.”

“But couldn’t he revoke your scholarship for that?” Spencer wasn’t sure how to respond.

“Yeah, easily. But that still leaves him with no quarterback.” Brooklyn sped through her logic. “It wouldn’t even be an issue for me either, because I still have my baseball scholarship to fall back on. And even if he got the AD to revoke my baseball scholarship too, I told him I’d transfer to Cavsar.”

“Silly academic decision, but okay.” Spencer furrowed his brow. “Could you really transfer that easily though? I’m sure Cavsar is still miffed that you rejected them originally.”

“I don’t know!” Brooklyn replied tightly. “I haven’t even legitimately considered it. But it just came into my mind. I was so frustrated, I couldn’t stop myself.”

“But why? What’s so important about last week’s game?” Spencer felt he was missing the most important piece to the puzzle.

“It’s not last week’s game I cared about.” Brooklyn clarified. “It’s this week’s game. Coming up in a few days. It’s a huge game, against Felswyr State. One of the schools from Chromatika. It’s so important that we win it, because if we lose then our path to the conference championship is way harder. Not to mention that they’ve embarrassed our school the last few years. I want to beat them every single time. I’ve won the last two times we played, and I don’t want to break that streak any time soon. But with my injury, I wasn’t sure if I’d be ready to play at a high enough level to beat them. I wanted last week to be able to test my limits at full speed, because getting babied at practice isn’t going to show me my capability. Last week’s game was easier, so it’d be lower stress and a better environment to test myself. And I was right!”

“So if you continued to rest last week, you would’ve felt underprepared for this week.” Spencer understood.

“Yeah. Yeah, exactly.” Brooklyn sighed. “But the problem is that now Coach isn’t talking to me at all. Like, he’ll give direction at practice. He gave instruction and feedback in the quarterbacks meeting. But he hasn’t made eye contact once. Even when talking to me, it’s like he’s looking through me, or past me. Like he’s trying to ignore my existence besides the bare minimum.”

“Can you blame him?” Spencer replied carefully. “You did essentially threaten his livelihood. I’m surprised he’s even being that civil. I’m surprised he went along with you at all.”

“You’re not helping!” Brooklyn whined.

“If you want somebody to just tell you things you want to hear, you called the wrong person.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m just - it’s really difficult. I don’t know what to do. I feel like our connection is cut off. I wasn’t super close with him, but I did respect him. He’s been in the game a long time, really experienced. He coached my dad, even. But your coach and quarterback need to really trust each other for the team to succeed. And I feel like I destroyed that trust.” Brooklyn felt a knot in her neck, and tried to swallow.

“Hm.” Spencer searched for the gentlest way to phrase his next words. “You probably did. Not only because you threatened him, but because now he feels his authority is eroded. No manager or boss wants to feel like they’re at the mercy of their subordinates. It undermines the power structure, especially when there’s such a gap in experience between you.”

“I know it’s wrong, okay?” Brooklyn sniffed. “I’ve said that like eight times. I want to apologize but I don't know how. I don’t know if it would be enough.”

“I never said it was wrong.” Spencer replied. “It sounds like he’s a sore loser.”

“He’s what?” Brooklyn wasn’t sure she heard that right.

“He’s a sore loser.” Spencer’s voice darkened. “He played the game, and he lost. You’ll find, Brooklyn, that the upper levels of any organization, be it academic, corporate, scientific, even your frivolous pursuits, are all rife with backstabbing. Hard and aggressive choices are sometimes necessary to ensure you remain in your position. Everybody wants to be at the top. Everybody will always be aiming for the top. So if you’re at the top, you have to know that you’re never safe. Your coach should know that, with how long you say he’s been coaching. He was clearly gambling with you one way or another, and lost.”

“How do you know all this?” Brooklyn was shocked by the sudden turn. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, especially because that seemed to contradict what her dad said about the football industry when talking about work. “We’re the same age.”

“I’ve already driven far too deep into the swamp of academia.” Spencer sounded more tired than ever before, not physically fatigued, but more like a weariness of the soul. “And I’m about to enroll in grad school next year, so I’m only going to be sinking deeper. Trust me, I’ve seen this exact overly political tension between my professors and deans and associates. Now your coach is giving you the cold shoulder as a last resort. I’m sure he’s too prideful to try and soften things between you, he’s already clearly embarrassed enough that you outplayed him, he wouldn’t grovel. If anything that would just embolden you. So his last option is to try and shut you out, use your emotions against you. He wants you to feel abandoned. He wants you to feel isolated, and like you made a mistake. He wants you to feel like you have to make amends. He wants you to apologize, because that’s the only way he can start to pull back the power dynamic.”

“Yeah, right.” Brooklyn shook her head as if to clear it, but Spencer’s words were stuck inside. “You’re a pretty smart guy, Spence, but I think you might be reading a little too much into it.”

“Just calling it how I see it,” Spencer responded. He felt a little bad, but he had zero patience left. He was going on 30 straight hours without sleep to finish a project and ingested enough caffeine to detonate a hummingbird. There was no room for sympathy. “What’s done is done. If you’re already in hot water you might as well try to swim for shore.”

“I guess.” Brooklyn’s stomach was twirling in turmoil, but at least the pit wasn’t there anymore. “But I still feel like we need to reconnect for the good of the team. Even if I have all the ‘power,’ whatever that means, it doesn’t mean anything if the team is still sucking.

“Do you still trust him?” Spencer asked.

“Y-” Brooklyn almost responded automatically, but she stopped herself. The hesitation was probably enough to answer the question, but she continued. “I don’t know. Something weird happened between him and the other quarterback who was on the team last year. The other quarterback left very abruptly, and Coach won’t tell me why. I guess he doesn’t trust me enough, and that was before all this happened.”

“So why would you trust him if he doesn’t trust you?” Spencer finished the thought.

“Ah.” Brooklyn pondered this for a moment. Now it felt like a tumble dryer in her gut. “I guess that makes sense. It just sucks because the only reason I did all that stupid shit is because I wanted to make sure I was ready for the game this week. I got what I wanted, but now it’s making things worse because I can’t focus on preparing for the game.”

“A true monkey’s paw scenario.” Spencer couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Right.” Brooklyn sighed again. She didn’t necessarily feel better, but she’d successfully vented her frustrations to somebody. It was clear that Spencer wasn’t going to give her any better advice. “Well, I guess I should stop bothering you now. Thanks for listening.”

“No problem.” Spencer replied simply.

“Hey …” Brooklyn added before hanging up. “When are you going to be in town again?”

“Probably Drawk’s Week,” Spencer replied. “We actually get the half week off, though I’ll probably end up studying the whole time I’m up there.”

“Ooh, yeah, that makes sense.” Brooklyn checked the calendar on her wall. “Hey, that’s our last regular home game of the tournament. Roane State. Maybe you could drop by and watch.”

“Yeah, let me just sit in a cramped crowd with nobody I know so I can see you play from 300 feet away. Sounds like a great time.”

“Just a suggestion,” Brooklyn muttered. “Well, thanks again. I’ll see you whenever.”

“See you later, Brook.” Spencer hung up.

“The monkey’s paw,” Brooklyn murmured to herself after the call ended. Maybe Spencer was right about giving up on trying to patch things up with Manlio, but that didn’t make it any easier to prepare for Felswyr State.

The Firehawks were locked in for the home leg of the matchup. One thing was certain: Felswyr State did not like getting embarrassed. The last two times they’d faced Brooklyn Beck and the Skyhawks, they’d been taken out to pasture. As much as Brooklyn despised them and deeply desired a win, it seems Felswyr State were just as determined to finally shut her down.

It was tough sledding, as they say. Brooklyn and the Skyhawks only put up a single touchdown before halftime, as the Firehawk defense clamped down (helped a lot by Archer Allen, who had grown a lot in his role since their meeting at the beginning of the season). Brooklyn’s ankle wasn’t feeling any worse, but she seemed to lack that deadly extra step that had served her well earlier in the season. Thankfully, the Sadeg State defense was also having little trouble containing Nicole Estera.

The 7-7 stalemate lasted through the third quarter and most of the fourth quarter. The ground game spearheaded by Muhoozi Kadindo was getting things done for the Firehawks, and it was Kadindo that finally broke the tie with a goal line touchdown run. This left 8 minutes on the clock for Sadeg State to respond. Their first drive went three and out, but the defense once again bailed Brooklyn out and got the Skyhawk offense the ball back with five minutes left. The ball was inside their own 10 yard line, but Brooklyn was fired up going into the drive. It was now or never.

The first two runs went nowhere, Scott Fierro getting stuffed on first down and Brooklyn not quite able to escape the pressure on a second down pass, getting brought down a couple yards past the line of scrimmage. On 3rd and 8, it seemed that Felswyr State was gonna force another punt and be able to run out the clock. It felt like the game was almost over … but Brooklyn refused to let that happen. She read the Firehawk zone defense and saw that Kastor Armati would have an opening. She fired the ball in between the corner and safety, and Armati did the rest to bring the ball to the other side of midfield. It was the first time Sadeg State had been in Felswyr State territory since halftime, and they were going to take advantage.

Brooklyn kept the drive rolling, eating time on the ground with a few scrambles and hitting her receivers on a couple key third downs. Three and a half minutes later, the Skyhawks were knocking on the door of the end zone. Brooklyn found her tight end Jason Oberro on a slant, and Sadeg State were a point away from tying the game … but Brand Manlio decided against it.

“We’ll go for two. There’s barely any time left, and we want to put the pressure on.” That’s what Manlio said, but everybody knew what he meant. He had zero confidence in overtime. Instead, the Skyhawks would put all their hope on a single two point conversion play.

Thankfully, Brooklyn’s read option handoff to Scott Fierro worked perfectly. Fierro bulldozed through the line and into the end zone to make it a 14-15 game with less than two minutes left on the clock.

“LET’S GO D! LET’S GO D!” Brooklyn shouted in jubilation as the offense returned triumphantly to the sidelines. It had been an ugly game, but she’d pulled it out. Once again, she’d managed to outplay the Firehawks. 3-0 against Felswyr State had a nice ring to it. The defense just had to do their job for about 60 seconds, and Sadeg State would be back in the driver’s seat for the Starlight title.

The defense wouldn’t even touch the turf. The ensuing kickoff flipped the fortunes of everybody in the stadium. Donald Jensen’s boot fell a little short, enough to entice Lenny Rhimes to take the ball and attempt a return. The blocks lined up perfectly, a couple Skyhawk special teamers were caught out of their lanes, and Rhimes slid through the coverage with deadly speed. Brooklyn and the rest of the Sadeg State roster watched in horror from the sideline as Rhimes high-stepped into the end zone. In a matter of seconds, Sadeg State had gone from a good chance of winning to a nearly guaranteed loss.

Brooklyn tried her best to keep her composure, but she couldn’t resist smacking the bench with her left hand in frustration as she grabbed her helmet. There would be no magic return in response; Sadeg State got the ball on a touchback and had a minute to drive 40ish yards for a field goal attempt. With only 1 timeout left, it seemed unlikely. Brooklyn managed a pretty good third-and-long run to keep the drive alive, but it also kept the clock moving. After a spike and a couple incompletions, hope was lost. The ball was barely past their own 40, less than 10 seconds left, and 4th down. The only chance was a perfectly-placed ball in field goal range and a lightning-fast time out call. It wouldn’t be on the cards. Brooklyn tried to hit Dylan Copperfield on a post, but Eric Djokovic read it perfectly and knocked the ball away. The clock hit zero right before the ball hit the turf, but it didn’t matter. Felswyr State had won, and now Sadeg State’s path to a conference title was much darker.

by **Valanora** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 11:17 am

Horizon Conference - Week 9

Cutoff.

Starlight Division
Sadeg State University (DRK) 23–13 Staramara Tech University (CMT)
Felswyr State University (CMT) 37–13 Cavsar University (DRK)

P                                                    Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Felswyr State University (CMT)                       9    6   3   187  140  +47
2 Staramara Tech University (CMT)                      9    5   4   235  181  +54
3 Sadeg State University (DRK)                         9    5   4   208  196  +12
4 Cavsar University (DRK)                              9    4   5   229  233   −4

Equinox Division
Gerthos State (SDT) 14–42 Palæontological-Centred Research University (NTN)
Lithrelir University (GEX) 47–9 Silver Coast State College (SAS)

P                                                    Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Silver Coast State College (SAS)                     9    7   2   188  179   +9
2 Lithrelir University (GEX)                           9    4   5   172  123  +49
3 Palæontological-Centred Research University (NTN)    9    3   6   139  180  −41
4 Gerthos State (SDT)                                  9    2   7   133  259 −126

by **Banija** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 1:59 pm

"Game of the season"- Northern Moravica earns wild comeback, double OT victory over the Islamic University in an 'instant classic'

NMU Player celebrates after wild win over the Islamic University that upends the race for the Savannah Division title

HERZEGOVINA CITY, MORAVICA- "This game... It takes on a great importance. Last year... Was about respect. Going 8-0 against the Banijan and Quebecois schools combined last season? Reaching the NSCF Semifinal? There ain't no doubt about it- we've forced everybody to respect us. This year, we've got a relentless push for excellence, and we want to own this division- it's about showing the college football world that we are going to be the pre-eminent Savannah Division power for some time to come." That was the words of Busoga HC Julian Aigo before the game.

And from Hannah McKendry? "Look- last week we proved, without a shadow of a doubt, against Saguenay, that NMU is back. We've got the first place team in this conference, the defending divisional and conference champs rolling into town... It's a matchup between the top two teams in the division. But more importantly- it is about proving that Northern Moravica, once again, is a force to be reckoned with on the granular NSCF stage. And these types of games, against elite teams... That's where we cut our teeth and prove our mettle."

Those quotes from the participating coaches in this matchup simply underscore the big-time stakes that come with this year's second matchup, between the Islamic University and Northern Moravica University. The Caracals, entering the game at 6-1, and NMU, entering at 5-2, both with big time points to prove. What a whirlwind of difference from the last time the Islamic University paid a visit to Herzegovina City, eh? Remember, the Caracals have only won an way game against NMU twice in school history. And one of them, of course, was last season- the opening game of the season, in what was then considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of this (mostly one way) rivalry. Beat them a couple of more times, and get all the accolades, for good measure- welp, the Islamic U has already accomplished a major institutional goal of theirs, in a way. Two years ago, they were a gimme win. Now, it's a big game for the division. NMU putting this kind of emphasis- being forced to recognized that yes, the Islamic University can actually come out here and ball out.

But early in this game, it was the Caracals who got off to a strong start, to quiet down this raucously red crowd. They received the opening kickoff, returning it to the 22 yard line. They got a couple of first downs on the drive, but ultimately, had to punt around midfield. Starting a battle of field position. NMU got pinned at their own 7 yard line. They did get one first down- thanks to Horace Horton pushing a pile of defenders for a 4 yard gain on a 3rd & 2. However, the Cougars ultimately had to punt, and a decent punt return put the Caracals in excellent starting field position, at their own 43 yard line. Their offense has been quite high-powered, especially over the last 5 weeks- scoring nearly 40 points a game. They were not going to let an opportunity like this one go. A balanced rushing and passing attack, and it took them 8 plays to go 57 yards, with 35 of them coming via the air via 5 passing plays. The scoring play? A HB toss to Alpay Tozlu- who went into the end zone, untouched, for an 8 yard TD run.

An excellent drive. But these big games, sometimes, can be chess matches. NMU knew that they'd need to figure out a way to stop the Caracals, somehow- did they want to get ran out of their own building? The story of the second quarter, and frankly, the rest of the game- was the stinginess of the home team's red zone defense. When Caracals superstar CB, Julius Adhon, picked off Wade Hurley and returned it to the NMU 17 yard line, almost everybody was nearly pencilling in a 14-0 lead for the visitors. But that did not happen. A 3 yard run by the Caracals on 1st down. But, on 2nd & 3rd down, the NMU defense making plays. A pass deflection by Michael Larson on 2nd down, while a Kyle Turner pressure on 3rd down forced Ersoy to throw it away, so they had to settle for 3. A similar thing happened later in the quarter, when a long Caracals drive got into a goal to go situation- the NMU defense stiffened, and the drive stalled. Rangy linebackers stuffing running plays on 1st & 2nd down, and then pressure forcing Ersoy to throw it away, once again, on 3rd and goal- making the Caracals settle for another short FG, this one from 25 yards.

So despite NMU's offense doing so little in the first half, and despite them even missing a FG on the last play of the half, the Cougars didn't feel too bad going into halftime down 13-0. "A frustrating half for the Islamic University." Said a Banijan TV analyst. "They have, realistically, been dominating this game- and yet, they are only up 13. NMU has a lot to fix on offense, and remember, their QB is Wade Hurley- well-known for having an up and down career. And the man who often struggles in big games, is struggling today. They feel like they should probably be up at least 17-0, if not 21-0- and we will see if that will come back to bite them later."

At least, of course, the Islamic U's defense continued to have the Cougars in a chokehold. NMU had an excellent drive to kick off the third quarter- nearly 6 minutes, driving the length of the field, ground & pound, getting the ball into the red zone. And then, the backbreaker- Wade Hurley being picked off, at the 6 yard line, by the 5 star true freshman at Free Safety, David Reitan. A lot of hope was leaving the stadium- if they couldn't score on that drive, if Wade Hurley was simply determined to muck it all up, then what chance did they have? Even the announcers spoke about it after the game. "It was, or it could have been, a third quarter backbreaker for the Cougars, if the Caracals had played their cards right." Said one analyst after the game.

And they followed up a long drive.. With an even longer drive, that also went the length of the field. It eventually put the Caracals in a tough situation- 4th & goal, at the opponent's 2 yard line. Up 13-0. Kick a FG to keep it a two possesion game? Or go for the kill? Julian AIgo explained his thought process afterwards. "Yes, I knew we were up, and knew we had momentum." He told reporters. "However, in games like these, when you are on the road, against a talented opponent... You simply can't keep kicking FGs. Gotta get a touchdown." And hey- he gets paid the big bucks for decisions like these. Let's look at the commentator's call.

Banijan Commentator wrote:And Tozlu is... Tackled at the 2 yard line! The Caracals, on 3rd & goal from the 9, ran a HB draw- and Tozlu broke a tackle to get all the way down to the 2. He tried to lean into the end zone, but the Busogan back was stood up there. A great third down stop for the Cou.... Oh wait! I think AIgo is leaving his offense on the field? And he is! Oh wow, a big call. See folks, there's 3:30 left in the third quarter and counting, and the Caracals hold a 13-0 lead here in Herzegovina City, over Northern Moravica University. A high risk, high reward type of move- considering how this offense is playing, 6 points here mean that this is pretty much a wrap. No way the Cougars are coming back, down 20-0, with Wade Hurley at QB- with all due respect, of course.

The Caracals are in the pistol. They've got a FB to Ersoy's right, and Ifeatu is lined up as the deep back. They've got 1 TE on either end of the line of scrimmage, and Miles Sikes, the only WR on the field, is split out on the far sideline, to the QB's right. What are the Islamic U looking to do here? Surely, they'll put the ball in the hands of their do-everything QB, Mr. Ersoy. The crowd, pretty quiet for most of the night, is getting into it here- they need a stop. NMU's gone heavy on defense- they've got 5 DL on the field, 4 LBs, a single CB- MIchael Larson- and a single safety. He barks out one more time.. And the ball is snapped. Ersoy fakes it to the back, and drops back. He looks for his tight end curling towards the corner, he throws- and it's knocked down! It's knocked down!

Oh wow, what a stop! Kyle Turner, the true freshman from Cardenao, has leapt up and knocked the pass down basically as soon as it left Ersoy's hands. Oh no- brutal for the Caracals, but what a defensive play for the Cougars! Turnover on downs!

A rough one for the Caracals. Now, they got a three & out, and used that great field position to get their third field goal of the game. But what's the running count- 0 touchdowns on their last 4 red zone possesions, and 1/5 during the game. Still, 16-0 up, entering the fourth quarter- NMU hanging around, but not showing much signs of life, right?

They would need something, anything, to spark them and get them going on offense. And they found their spark. Who do they look to when they need a big play on offense? Nowhere else than the star himself, Horace Horton. They faced a 3rd & 9 at their own 34 yard line. Horton had been pretty much bottled up, alongside the rest of the NMU offense- 5 carries for 19 yards, and 4 catches, but for just 24 yards, through three quarters. But on this play, he asserted himself. A deep post, into double coverage- what was probably an overthrow, designed to give his man a chance. And chance he did- a spectacular, diving catch on what had otherwise been a quiet night for the star player. One hell of a gain, too- to the Islamic U's 29 yard line, a 37 yard gain on a 3rd and long, to give the Cougars new life. And finally, they were ready to take advantage. First down- a slant route to Halvor Moe, for a seven yard gain. Second & 3, off tackle handoff to Brianna Heavenworth- who bowled over the safety en route to a 22 yard TD run. Just like that, it was 16-6 with just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. They had to go for two, and they got it- a play-action leading to a backside pass, which left a wide open Horton catching the conversion. Suddenly, it was 16-8. A one possesion game. Crowd getting into it.

The next big moment, was on the ensuing drive. A drive sparked by a 22 yard QB scramble, they had driven rather quickly into the red zone- a place of horrors on the night, so far anyways, for the Islamic U. A FG would make it a 2 possession game- a TD could possibly bury the home team. But, neither happened. When NMU needs a big play, who did they go to? None other than their best defender, Carmen Dior. A great punchout while tackling Ifeatu led to yet another red zone disaster for the Busogans, as NMU recovered it at the line of scrimmage, at their own 17 yard line. A place where they were nearly guaranteed to get points- and they did not get any at all. Aigo simply threw his hands in the air- could his team do anything correctly once they got inside the 20? That meant they were one for six in terms of scoring TDs on their red zone possessions today, and in a one possession game- that was the only reason NMU was still alive.

The Cougars would live or die their way, and eventually, had their golden opportunity. Ball back with 3:33 left, all three timeouts, plus the warning, at their own 21 yard line. But Wade Hurley came out, and started dealing- making throws that he hadn't been able to make all game long. Taking advantage of the double coverage on Horton- finding his WRs, who were winning their individual battles. He drove them down to the goal line, and who else was going to punch it in? None other than Horace Springhorn- on a FB dive. A throwback to the NSCF 29 Playoffs, when on that exact same play, in a similar situation, Hurley mucked it all up- slipping on the exchange to lose the playoff game to Cold Hill- and it was the last time NMU Had participated in the NSCF Playoffs. But this time, demons chased- clean snap, clean exchange, and Springhorn bowled into the end zone. 16-14.

Another 2 point conversion. Going to their second best play here. But this one worked as well- an out route, to Ilman Jote- a perfect pitch & catch, to tie the football game at 16. But with just over a minute left, Ersoy had a chance to try and win this game- and he was going to do his damned best. He drove them into range, giving a chance to kick, with 4 seconds left, at the NMU 35.

Busogan Commentator wrote:What a game this has been. All sorts of blunders for the Islamic U- it probably should not be coming down to this in the first place. Plenty of opportunities to win this game earlier, but NMU fought, and battled, and battled- continuously bend don't break, until the offense finally was able to break out in the fourth quarter. But can the Busogans bail themselves out here? They've got a true freshman kicker, Ife Onika, on to take the biggest kick of his life- to win here at Mugisha II Memorial Stadium.

Remember, the Caracals have only won in Herzegovina City twice- ever. Despite last year, this stadium is still known as a house of horrors for many fans of the Islamic University. But Onika has a chance to wipe those with one kick of the boot. The crowd is doing whatever they can, to try and distract the youngster. Players on both sidelines, kneeling. The snap is good, the hold is good. The kick is up, and.... It's hooking... IT"S WIDE RIGHT! WIDE RIGHT! Just BARELY, it was almost perfectly in line with the post, and hooked right at the last second. Six inches in the opposite direction, and Onika is being carried off the field as a hero- but instead, it was too tall an order for the true freshman.

Overtime, baby!

Brutal for the Islamic U and their 18 year old kicker- but ecstasy for the 93,000 in the stadium. Overtime. It was the Islamic U who won the toss, and naturally, who chose to defer. The first overtime, not a ton happened- both teams exchanged field goals. NMU's kicker hit from 41, while Onika hit his from 28. IN the second OT, of course, the Islamic U had the ball first. They got in close, inside the 10- but could not move the ball from there. Onika hit another field goal- 5/6 on the day, but all of them inside 35 yards- gimme range, even for a true freshman, even in college. He might sit up, at night, thinking about the one kick he missed- that would have made him a Caracal legend.

Second possession of the second overtime. Somebody had to call game. And who else?

First play, 6 yard run for Heavenworth. Next play, a 7 yard curl route for Halvor Moe- a first down. 1st & 10 from the 12, you've got Horace Horton on your team- you have got to take your shot. And here, they did. Isolating Horton, and throwing a fade to the far corner of the end zone- for once, a perfectly thrown ball by the Ranorian, Wade Hurley. And Horton leapt up, over his defender, the strong safety, and made a fantastic catch in the corner of the end zone- tiptoeing both feet down before falling out of bounds- showing off for GFLB and RFL scouts, who surely want him on their team on Sundays. But the call was easy- catch. Touchdown. Ball game.

Cougars sprinted onto the field to celebrate the win, while Caracals fans and players were devastated by the loss. Hannah McKendry, the second year coach at NMU, was feeling herself. "Hey- this game showed what Moravica is all about!" She told the reporter in the immediate aftermath. "Northern is BACK- the Celestia, and the NSCF, is on notice! We're putting everybody on notice." And then, she pointed at the screen. "Dennis, your next!"

Wow- a direct callout of Loyola's HC. Unexpected. But hey- it's a great place to be. This is NMU's first 6-2 start or better since NSCF 28, when they started 7-1. That was the last year, of course, NMU both won the Savannah Division, and won the conference. Next up they've got Rosemount U in a tuneup for the game that everybody's got their eyes on- the Whiteout edition of the North v. South Showdown, hosted at the Istria Lightning Yard. Can they build on this win, and make a chase for either the division, or a playoff spot?

by **Busoga Islands** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 2:38 pm

The Lakiska Daily

After brutal loss in Herzegovina City, Caracals must regroup quickly as Loyola-Istria strolls into town for a Week 9 Showdown

HERZEGOVINA CITY, MORAVICA- This past week's game against Northern Moravica lived up to its big game billing. Two strong teams, and they went toe to toe- featured high quality plays, forced turnovers, a goal line stand, a game-tying drive, and a game-winning FG attempt that was just inches right- and that was just in regulation. We even got extra football, spoiled as viewers- not one overtime, but two overtimes, as the two teams battled all the way to the end. But close only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades- and while NMU are high-flying after that win, it was a tough loss for the Islamic University. They had a chance, in their eyes, to essentially clinch the Savannah for the second straight season, and down yet another rival, for their 4th straight win in the rivalry.

They could not quite do that. And while they will rue it- the season marches on. "Look, the loss was tough- but that's how college football is." Coach Aigo told the media. "There was a lot we could have done to win this game- and we have to look deep into ourselves, as players, and as coaches, to see why we lost. But those lessons must be learned quick- the NSCF Commissioner isn't going to pause the season until we've spent 5 weeks digesting this. We have to get up, and keep moving. Our goals are all still in front of us. We went to Herzegovina City in first place in the division, and we left Herzegovina City in first place in the Division- a great place to be. We control our own destiny, from this point forward, to win this division- and our toughest game remaining is our next one."

He is not wrong. A struggling Loyola team is going to come to town in Week 9, sitting at 5-3 in the division. Despite being 5-3 and in third place, however, the Blue Thunder are going to roll in with confidence. Their offense, normally high-flying, has taken a back seat this season, especially in their last two games. Only defeating Rosemount U, at home, by 8 points- and only putting up 24? Also, a tough loss at home, to USC, in Week 7 as well. "Yes, the last couple of weeks they haven't been their normally electric selves- but we know how capable they are." Said the team's defensive coordinator. "There's a lot we can do on defense to slow them down. Sebowa Jawara is definitely one of the better QBs in this competition- although, we go against the best QB in the conference every day in practice." Taking a potshot, of course, at the legacy.

It's a big stakes game- a loss would all but eliminate them from the Savannah Division race, provided that NMU do as expected, and take down a 1 win Rosemount University at home(they are 22.5 point favorites). That's because of tiebreakers- they'd either lose the tiebreaker to Loyola by getting swept, or be behind NMU in the loss column. But a win would shoot their chances up of a second straight trip to Busukuma dramatically- all they would do is need to take down a 1 win Rosemount University, on the road, to return to Busukuma- and lock the Banijan schools out of the Celestia Conference title game for the third straight season. And who wouldn't want that, eh?

by **Valanora** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 2:43 pm

Valanora Times
On The Rise

As the NSCF season starts to wrap up conference play, teams start putting an eye towards the future as well as any sort of holes that they are going to need to fill in the next season with the graduating class set to depart. As this is going on, here in the Empire the Academy League is proceeding as normal and as has been the same way for the past decade or so, it is Magnus Academy that is completely leading the way and whose players are the top talents. Those players are looking to showcase here in the last week of the regular season and then in championship knockouts, and in hopes to help their players reach their highest of heights, Magnus had partnered up once more with a talent evaluation company to provide some profiles on the best prospects on the team who will be looking to garner big time scholarship offers in the coming weeks. While the other academies as well as Magnus will see a number of their players make it to collegiate or NSCF rosters, such as Raynor and Mar Sara Tech's home grown signing window, these top five players are the best and whom the talent scouts believe to have the highest potential to make impacts in the NSCF.

5. WR Nora Fauske, 5'11", 165 lbs - Nora follows a tradition of young women coming through Magnus' system and being a really good slot receiver. She has all the hallmarks of a traditional slot, with a good release off the line of scrimmage and surprising burst of speed, some really sure hands, and an expert level route runner. What holds her back from being a true number one type is a lack of size and that her top end speed is not exactly at the highest, she merely seems to get to it quicker than most. Knowing she is not likely to be playing the sport professional after her time at university, she is looking to attend a school that has good academic standards, with her sights seemingly set on being a botanist after her time in college.

4. SS Even Nærø, 6'2", 202 lbs - This is a hard hit safety who is going to really help whoever picks him up as a run support style safety but has the awareness to be able to fall back into zone coverage as well. Play a bit of cornerback for Magnus but his poor press and man coverage ability really does not seem to translate well to the collegiate game and his skills just shine a lot better as a safety. Seems to be open to just about anywhere but would like to be getting playing time in the first year or two of wherever he lands, fully believing that he has the talent to make an impact. It might be delusions of grandeur or it might be legitimate, the lack of the real limit of his potential is why he is not ranked higher in the list.

3. RB Alexander Dokken, 5'9", 181 lbs - Lightning quick, good size to be able to absorb the sort of hits that he is expected to get, and a real can do attitude that has the talent scouts believing that he can be a real special product in a season or two under the right conditions. Would probably need to be part of a rotation system in a first year or so depending upon that development but there is something special here, a real diamond in the rough sort of feeling to his game. Not going to be much help in the passing game but if you can get him out of the edges, that is where he excels. Wants to go to a school that has a good business program, as wants to hedge his bets with an accounting degree if he things do not work out on the gridiron.

2. DT Martin Morken 6'5", 222 lbs - This is perhaps the steal of the program when it comes to the prospects from Magnus, even if he is not getting the highest evaluation by the talent scouts. Morken has the rare combination of power and speed and size that is not something that you typically associate with Vanorian players, particular for those at the highest end of players. Played a bit of edge and linebacker with Magnus but his sheer raw strength, the ability to push back offensive linemen or deftly finesse his way around them makes the scouts think his best spot for development is actually at the tackle position. Regardless if used in the middle or on the edge, Morken is going to be a disruptive force in opponents backfields and seems like a sure lock to eventually make it professional once his university days are behind him.

1. WR Teodor Ramstad, 6'1", 199 lbs - Here we have the cream of the crop and perhaps not surprisingly it is another very dangerous and talented wide receiver, something of a norm when it comes to the very best sort of players that the Empire tends to produce. Teodor is one of those special talents that combines the sort of speed that you could expect from an athlete looking to compete in the Olympiad as well as a some really soft and sure hands that make him a really good target for quarterbacks, as he has the height and jumping reach to go up for jump balls. There is room for him to bulk up with some muscle to prepare for those hard hits you would come to expect in the NSCF and maybe could work a bit more on route running, but the sheer speed and catching ability are of the highest caliber. Has said he would prefer to stay close to home but also wants to play for teams that are more likely than not to contest in the NSCF playoffs year in and year out.

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 3:25 pm

OOC: RP is done with Banija's provision of details.

Songak
Praetorian
News Website of the Decade!

MUTV launches in an effort to challenge Marong-BPTV duopoly in sports broadcasting, even as concerns remain

JEROME-LUC NUSSMEIER
in ISTRIA, BANIJA

The Moravica Universal Televisions [MUTV], was launched yesterday morning, by its parent company, the Quebeco-Banijan joint venture Kambi-Laurinaitis-McInnis Limited, in an effort to shake balance and provide competition to the longtime duopoly presented by the Banijan Public Television and Marong Sports.

The Banijan Public Television and Marong Sports, who have traditionally been the Big Two of the Banijan public broadcasters, have long been able to resist the challenges of domestic competition in the Banijan sports television market, but has been unable to prevent the launch of the new cable channel.

Pierre McInnis Valdes, the chief executive of the KLM Limited, said that the MUTV is looking to provide an all-rounded, comprehensive and sustainable operations for its pay-per-view services.

'We aren't looking for anything fancy or ridiculous that would throw our ambitions out of the window,' McInnis Valdes said on the channel's launch press conference in Istria, Banija, on the grounds of the University of Loyola-Istria campus. 'Ms. Kambi, Mr. Laurinaitis and myself all embrace challenges, but we also have the extensive experience with both the media and the logistics to know that we cannot be unrealistic. Ms. Kambi has been in part of the RTC for so long, Mr. Laurinaitis in both the QBL, and myself taking part in FAS TV and in various ventures across the Quebecois Commonwealth.

'I believe that all of us know what to go after, and will make sure to actualise it to the best of our abilities. That's going to be our goal,' he concluded.

The Kambi-Laurinaitis-McInnis Limited, who have been mentioned over the past year or two as the 'darkhorse' of Banijan sports television, have not been shy about their aggressive efforts to come out with a comprehensive network. Over the past two years, they have steadily bought up the Banijan rights to Milchama-Banija League in baseball, as well as the Quebecois and Ranorian football leagues in gridiron. They have also remained firm in the race for select BCSG and GFLB matches, and have expressed their desires to expand beyond their bread and butter in gridiron and baseball.

The investments, rumoured to total over $1 billion NSD, are expected to continue with the MUTV set to making the channel free for the first month of their respective subscription. It remains to be seen as to whether the Marong Sport, the primary competitor to the MUTV in the launch, would follow similar suit.

As for whether the subscription numbers would follow, more is to be seen on if the MUTV will be able to keep up its strong start. As the rise of pay-per-television channels continue to rise internationally, the recent years have seen telecommunications providers cooperate with the televisors to secure more favourable packages.

MUTV appears to be optimistic in this regard. Last week, the MUTV announced that they had over 800,000 subscribers to the television channel, which will also provide additional content on its streaming outlet, GGMU, as well as on its accounts in both VousTube and RougeTube sites.

On surface, the news appears to be promising, with the channel's trajectory looking much more positive than the past challengers who have failed to secure stable basis. But the question remains to its sustainability as the MUTV lacks a strategic partner on Banija's ever-competitive telecommunications industry, and its competitiveness remains to be seen on the international market where Banijan sports remain a highly-prized amenity but one that's not particularly tapped well in an international sporting world that's increasingly become sectorised.

Pierre Ighalo, the Chief Operating Officer - Strategic Operations to the MUTV, agrees that this is something where they could improve in long-term basis, and that they are waiting to find ways to provide better access. 'It is not just about providing a fresh wave of competition, but also about finding the ways to represent the country,' he said. 'For instance, broadcasting the finest heroics of Horny Horton as a NMU player in the NSCF championship game would no doubt add much-needed glitter to it. We would have to think about our institutions and what their value means to us.'

Ighalo, however, stayed mum on expanding its services to Busoga Islands or Farfadillis. Countries that are firmly in the Banijan sphere of influence, it was left in a slight surprise by the Istria-based broadcaster citing logistical and legal reasons.

(O.O) · by **TJUN-ia** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 4:22 pm

And so, it is back to the Heartland Division we go. When the rematches start up, you know things are about to get serious in this crazy sport we all follow and preach. Both of our teams entered the rematches looking for something, something important to them...the obvious question is, can they get them?

The Trent State Feathercaps were fighting for pride at this point, and that was certainly obvious as kickoff approached. At 2-5 entering this rematch in Niakursk, things were already down bad for this team before they even caught their first glimpse of the Fossas Bowl...but things got worse because of course, they got worse. TSU did manage something from this game, 10 points and another Jessica Daniels TD, but the Caps simply were outclassed by the current class of this division - with Angelo Malone finding Mathew Jenkins for 2 of his 3 TDs on the night. TSU are in freefall, with only the Earth Trophy softening the landing.

As for the Green City Royal Eagles, they were hosting the Kormania Krashing Boars with one aim in their mind...to set up a double-header of destiny in the final two weeks. To witness the turnaround that Ngimphiwe Cele has helped pull off is something entirely...and this game, against the same team that beat us 33-17 on the opening day, felt like the culmination of the 'bedding in' process. Because she fucking cooked in this game, simple as that, was 6 TDs on the day - 5 of them via sisters Bongekile and Celiwe. 41-10. A powerful result to send GCU to 5-3...with Niakursk coming to town next week. Big big game, that is for certain.

SCHEDULE (MINERAL Conference, Heartland Division + 3 Non-Conf)
Week 1: vs Niakursk (IMP) L 7-19 (0-1)
Week 2: vs Kormania (BRS) W 33-17 (1-1)
Week 3: @Green City (TJU) - Earth Trophy XV L 34-36 (1-2)
Week 4: vs Nowa Kalanianska (UNC) L 23-27 (1-3)
Week 5: @Roane State (KNP) L 29-32 (1-4)
Week 6: @UNSJJSM (UNC) W 29-13 (2-4)
Week 7: vs Columbus-Prairie (DHE) - Homecoming L 15-17 (2-5)
---------------------Mineral Division Rematches---------------------
Week 8: @Niakursk (IMP) L 10-24 (2-6)
Week 9: @Kormania (BRS)
Week 10: vs Green City (TJU) - Earth Trophy XVI
Week 11: Conference Championship Week
---------------------Non-Conference---------------------
Week 12: vs Islamic U (BUS) - Senior Day (provisional)
Week 13: @LeBois Santura (CAD)
Week 14: (vs/@) Silver Coast SC (SAS) (pending confirmation)

SCHEDULE (MINERAL Conference, Heartland Division + 3 Non-Conf)
Week 1: @Kormania (BRS) L 17-33 (0-1)
Week 2: @Niakursk (IMP) L 13-27 (0-2)
Week 3: vs Trent State (TJU) - Earth Trophy XV W 36-34 (1-2)
Week 4: vs UNSJJSM (UNC) W 23-12 (2-2)
Week 5: @Columbus-Prairie (DHE) W 24-23 (3-2)
Week 6: @Nowa Kalanianska (UNC) L 7-37 (3-3)
Week 7: vs Roane State (KNP) - Homecoming W 51-34 (4-3)
---------------------Mineral Division Rematches---------------------
Week 8: vs Kormania (BRS) W 41-10 (5-3)
Week 9: vs Niakursk (IMP)
Week 10: @Trent State (TJU) - Earth Trophy XVI
Week 11: Conference Championship Week
---------------------Non-Conference---------------------
Week 12: @Staramara Tech (CMT)
Week 13: @Mar Sara Tech (VAL)
Week 14: vs Cavsar (DRK) - Senior Day

by **Cardenao** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 8:38 pm

Do you want to win this game or just play it? The game? The Battle of the B, Blue and Orange vs Blue and Silver, LeBois vs Bingham, BSU vs BYU…how much are you willing to sacrifice to win this game?

Pretty easy for Coach Valentine to say, pretty easy for the rest of the team, the starters, to nod along with him. Easy to feel good when you’re out there on the field starting, getting snaps with the fans screaming your name. It was much more difficult when you were sitting some ways down the depth chart. With the way Brett Hannah was slinging the ball, even the quarterbacks ahead of him on the chart were unlikely to see as much as a snap. Michael Monrovia, the QB2? He hadn’t seen the field since week 3 while the third string hadn’t gotten a snap yet this season. So where does that leave the QB4? Way down at the end of the bench, and every week that just pissed off Delbin Kasekende III that much more.

For the lifelong champion and Next Big Thing, Kasekende was used to being the number one option, the first name called, he was used to being the man but now he was the bottom of the totem pole. At first, he got it. He was a true freshman coming in from Busoga, not exactly a known commodity in Cardenaon football so he understood that…but it’s not like he was just some prospect, some random 3 star. No, he was the highest rated recruit from Busoga…ever. Like, ever ever. As in forever. He wasn’t a scrub, so to not get any action, to not even touch the game field, that was really starting to get to him. Sure, LeBois takes pride in their quarterbacks. True, the Broncos were winning. Fine, the Blue and Orange had beaten BYU twice and both Ranorian schools. And yes, Brett Hannah was playing well. But that’s just it, that’s what was pissing Delbin off so much, Brett Hannah had merely been good. Delbin could’ve been great. Would’ve been. It drove him crazy to watch Brett settle for a short option when he had a man open downfield if he had the arm caliber to put the ball where it needed to be, but Brett didn’t…Delbin did though. All of this just infuriated him, the Broncos were winning but they could be so much more. While he didn’t quite have the legendary temper of his father, Delbin still got pretty fucking frustrated at times, especially over this lack of playing time so he channeled it the only way he knew how: playing football.

The thought process was simple enough, if he wasn’t going to get the amount of snaps and throws a starter would, he’d have to create them for himself. It started with one of his favorite drills, one of the earliest his dad had taught him, something he had learned from his own father. What you want to do is, you take the football, focus on the mechanics and the power and launch that puppy as far as you can throw it, then you race on after it and see how close you can get before it touches the ground. Gets you throws, gets you conditioning, and with your shirt off you look good doing it too. That was one factor that had surprisingly weighed in during Delbin’s decision making process, the success of the BSU Broncos had led to a noticeable increase in the babe department and, as a college athlete, he could hardly help himself. So of course, once news spread that the star quarterback, whose grandfather was the president of his home country, was showing off his arm strength and his sprinting speed, while shirtless on the Quad, very quickly led to this training event becoming a public spectacle. It didn’t take long for DK3 to have some makeshift receivers to throw to before the likes of Justice Harmon, Shy Thomas, and Ben Brittian started showing up too. They were also at the end of the bench for the receiver, tight end, and running back positions respectively and they needed to get some action in just to stay ready for that moment, that snap or two where their number was called and they needed to shine. It was a lot of fun, just slinging the ball with the boys while the girls watched, what more could you want as a young buck? Eventually, Kasekende just took to carrying a ball with him as he walked through campus; it seemed like everyone was eager to run some whatever their amateur interpretation of a route was and he was just as happy to figure it out and playfully toss them the ball. It couldn’t hurt right? Get some extra reps in, get to have fun trying to diagnose what complete noobs are going to do, it was actually pretty helpful and led to a notable increase to his completion rate in practice when the play broke down and it was improv time.

Fuck. DK3 missed those times right about now when he was sitting on the bench watching Brett and the Blue Boys run it up. They had just made it 10-30 in LeBois’ favor over the wretched and revolting BYU. Once again Kasekende found himself frustrated watching a great scoreline covering a merely good quarterbacking performance from Brett Hannah…Delbin would’ve done better. A couple minutes gone in the fourth quarter, this game was done and dusted and once more the Broncos would be painting the B over Bingham a delicious Blue and Orange. This was the second time Delbin’s been a part of this game and the second blowout victory but he’d never gotten snaps against the Miners who were now his eternal rival. At least Thomas Romeijnsen, the third string QB had gone inactive this game due to a particularly unfortunate case of The Not Quite Black Plague, he’d be back next week. Shoot if Delbin was a praying man, he’d almost hope for Michael Monrovia to pick up some sort of non-serious knock that would keep him out of the game…well coming out of the 4th quarter transition break, M&M stumbled over some misplaced turf and hurt his toe enough to rule him out of contention. Just like that, Delbin Kasekende III was the backup QB for the Broncos in this must win game.

Reno Thai was playing like an absolute madman, the senior running back already had over 175 combined yards and a pair of touchdowns. Saivion Ware, the senior receiver, made the most of his 8 targets for 99 yards but he got called to the bench for Hodoi White, the running-catching double threat, but still Delbin K was on the bench. 9 minutes left, 8 minutes left, 7 minutes left…and Brett Hannah went down, hard. Hard enough to hurt his shoulder and wave to the bench for relief…he was out for the game.

“Delbin, you’re up!”

Just like that, he had his moment. Everything he had done to prepare on his own time, now he could show it. DK3 got his shoulder pads adjusted just right, he pulled his helmet down, tightened his chin strap, and the Busogan got into the game.

Honestly it was all a bit of a blur for him. The Miners were desperate to throw pressure at him, desperate to make some big plays to give their deflated fans some hope, he had to scramble, he threw the ball, he ran it himself some, he did what he had to do to keep the victory secured. And then, with a little over a minute left, the play broke down and he was right back on the Quad throwing the ball to random players running random routes…and just like on the Quad, Hodoi White was wiiiide open. It took Kasekende a heartbeat to see him, to recognize he was open and to survey the field and realize Hodoi was actually the best option.

So Delbin Kasekende III threw it, he chucked it really, made sure to get his whole back into it and…? Touchdown. 37-10 and the Broncos were painting the B once again. He had played a part, he’d earned the right to paint Bingham’s B that beautiful Blue and Orange.

by **Drawkland** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 8:50 pm

Big Eight & Celestia
Week 9

Will somebody clinch a division title tonight?

BIG EIGHT
University of Delumisia (SHR) 10–23 Cold Hill University (RAN)
Richardson University (RAN) 19–17 Mantabolo Tech (USN)
Utah State University (UTA) 0–10 LeBois Santura University (CAD)
Alexandria University (CAD) 37–31 Bingham Young University (UTA)

# Everless Division                Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
2 Cold Hill University (RAN)         9    7   2   288  184 +104
4 Richardson University (RAN)        9    6   3   197  148  +49
5 Mantabolo Tech (USN)               9    5   4   258  209  +49
8 University of Delumisia (SHR)      9    0   9    95  294 −199


# Evermore Division                Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 LeBois Santura University (CAD)    9    8   1   287  118 +169
3 Alexandria University (CAD)        9    7   2   286  219  +67
6 Bingham Young University (UTA)     9    2   7   208  278  −70
7 Utah State University (UTA)        9    1   8   113  282 −169

CELESTIA
Islamic University of Busoga (BUS) 29–19 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)
Northern Moravica University (BNJ) 10–0 Rosemount University (DKA)
Osenku University (NKK) 0–23 Université du Saguenay (QUE)
Université St. Croix (QUE) 46–6 Steicesve Strava (SCH)

# Savannah Division                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Islamic University of Busoga (BUS)    9    7   2   287  156 +131
2 Northern Moravica University (BNJ)    9    7   2   209  150  +59
5 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)     9    5   4   240  192  +48
7 Rosemount University (DKA)            9    1   8   115  260 −145


# Sequoia Division                    Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
3 Université du Saguenay (QUE)          9    6   3   221  217   +4
4 Université St. Croix (QUE)            9    6   3   206  116  +90
6 Steicesve Strava (SCH)                9    3   6   163  212  −49
8 Osenku University (NKK)               9    1   8    84  222 −138

by **Dhemixia** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 9:55 pm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Columbus Dominion(Est.1873)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jays win on last-second heroics, look to clinch division

Once again, the Jays have reached a point where they could clinch the division, and Craig Kelly is just along for the ride. Playing the team that is the only one still remaining in the division, UC-Prairie has a chance to clinch the division with a win and still have a game to play. How they got there, however, was chaotic to say the least. Beating SJJ by 2 points on a walkoff field goal (shoutout Sam Gustafsson) to propel them to 6-2, before having Nowa Kalanianska smoke Roane State by 14 to stay alive and stay legit vs. UCP is exactly the kind of consistency that Kelly does not want.

The actual game was even wilder. QBs and RBs trading touchdowns, negative defense, and RB bailouts. Atkinson made it 17 on the season, one each to Kabe Heaton and Dante Conner. The run game was also establised by Alex Reynolds, adding another TD, and the leg of Sam Gustafsson, adding
9 more points to a game that desperately needed him, including the 3 that won the Jays the game. However, there is one man with a better overall performance than anyone here combined. Mario Joseph. You have to have some kind of dog in you to have three kick/punt returns in the same year, and that's exactly why Craig Kelly put him there.

In week 9, the Jays play host to the Aztecs of Nowa Kalanianska in what might actually be the biggest game of the year. Kelly and the Jays absolutely have to win this game if they want any chance at competing in the playoffs. Beating them before 25-0, there definitely is potential to beat them like that again, but it all depends on what Kelly preaches, "the individuals who win their battles are the ones who make the big plays in the game). Will we see an Aztec upset, or will we see Craig Kelly heading to the MinCon title game for the third year in a row? We'll just have to find out.

Schedule_

*blue indicates home games
Week 1: @ Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer W 41-30
Week 2: @ Nowa Kalanianska W 25-0
Week 3: VS. Roane State W 30-16
Week 4: @ Kormania W 15-9
Week 5: VS. Green City L 23-24
Week 6: VS. Niakursk L 9-17
Week 7: @ Trent State W 17-15
Week 8: VS. Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer W 36-34
Week 9: VS. Nowa Kalanianska
Week 10: @ Roane State
------------
Non-conference play
Week 11: @ Raynor
Week 12: VS. Cold Hill
Week 13: @ BYU (SPIT Bowl)

by **Quebec and Shingoryeo** » Thu Dec 12, 2024 10:44 pm

Mineral and Zephyr Conference - Week 9

Cutoff.

Mineral Conference:

Green City University (TJU) 23–13 Niakursk University (IMP)
Kormania University (BRS) 53–57 Trent State University (TJU)
University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE) 36–34 Uniwersytet Nowa Kalanianska (UNC)
Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer (UNC) 29–24 Roane State University (KNP)

# Heartland Division                                        Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Niakursk University (IMP)                                   9    6   3   183  163  +20
2 Green City University (TJU)                                 9    6   3   235  223  +12
3 Trent State University (TJU)                                9    3   6   237  238   −1
4 Kormania University (BRS)                                   9    2   7   215  278  −63
# Boreal Division                                           Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE)                        9    7   2   232  179  +53
2 Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer (UNC)    9    5   4   246  239   +7
3 Uniwersytet Nowa Kalanianska (UNC)                          9    5   4   212  174  +38
4 Roane State University (KNP)                                9    2   7   207  273  −66

Zephyr Conference:

University of Mancodas (PFA) 13–14 Thereisnogodistan Community College (NGD)
Vikramandayu University (VAI) 34–20 Maximus Rochester Institute (PFA)
University of Roco (CRA) 3–23 Raynor University (VAL)
Mar Sara Tech (VAL) 33–10 Bowerstone University (ATH)

# Legends Division                           Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD
1 University of Mancodas (PFA)                 9    4   5   110  163  −53
2 Vikramandayu University (VAI)                9    4   5   232  168  +64
3 Thereisnogodistan Community College (NGD)    9    3   6   183  315 −132
4 Maximus Rochester Institute (PFA)            9    2   7   192  259  −67
# Celestial Division                         Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Mar Sara Tech (VAL)                          9    8   1   359  151 +208
2 Raynor University (VAL)                      9    8   1   271  145 +126
3 Bowerstone University (ATH)                  9    6   3   249  182  +67
4 University of Roco (CRA)                     9    1   8   155  368 −213

by **Imporia** » Fri Dec 13, 2024 1:48 am

ImporSportsGridiron - NSCF
Home > Competitions > NSCF 32

The NationStates College Football, shortened to NSCF, is NationStates' Premier college football competition.

Editor's Note
Hello ladies and gentleman and welcome back again to Imporsports! We are once again back with the results of the NSCF! This time, we'll be talking about all that happened as we countered other teams of the Mineral Conference. The Boreal division has all of the tougher and better-trained divisions. And now that the cross-divisional is fully in, we will get to see the results of the Fossas in this deathmatch against the far superior teams. Without further ado, let's begin!

MD5: OH come on!
Instead of a huge W, MD5 started more with a straight-up humiliation.
Uniwersytet Nowa Kalanianska (UNC) 31–10 Niakursk University (IMP)
The Nowa Kalanianska Aztecs received us at their home, Urszula Piotrowska. The match had a very disapointing start, with 3 TD's and a Field goal from the Aztecs. The 3rd and 4th quarter still went horribly bad for the Fossas, with us only scoring a Field Goal and a Touchdown in the end. Maybe we'll get better luck next time...
Stats - MD5
# Team                                                 Pld  W  L  PF  PA   PD Evolution
1 Alexandria University (CAD)                          5    5  0  185 120 +65 ▲

2 Université du Saguenay (QUE)                         5    5  0  158 103 +55 ▲

3 Silver Coast State College (SAS)                     5    5  0  102 64  +38 ▲

4 Mar Sara Tech (VAL)                                  5    4  1  195 98  +97 ▲

5 LeBois Santura University (CAD)                      5    4  1  190 99  +91 ▲

6 Islamic University of Busoga (BUS)                   5    4  1  153 74  +79 ▲

7 Raynor University (VAL)                              5    4  1  186 108 +78 ▲

8 University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE)                 5    4  1  134 79  +55 ▼

9 Bowerstone University (ATH)                          5    4  1  163 119 +44 ▲

10 Niakursk University (IMP)                           5    4  1  106 84  +22 ▼

11 Vikramandayu University (VAI)                       5    3  2  159 69  +90 ▼

12 Cold Hill University (RAN)                          5    3  2  158 105 +53 ▼

13 Staramara Tech University (CMT)                     5    3  2  133 95  +38 ▲

14 Richardson University (RAN)                         5    3  2  108 83  +25 ▼

15 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)                   5    3  2  143 122 +21 ▼

16 Mantabolo Tech (USN)                                5    3  2  137 122 +15 ▼
Code: Select all
# Team Pld W L PF PA PD Evolution 1 Alexandria University (CAD) 5 5 0 185 120 +65▲ 2 Université du Saguenay (QUE) 5 5 0 158 103 +55▲ 3 Silver Coast State College (SAS) 5 5 0 102 64 +38▲ 4 Mar Sara Tech (VAL) 5 4 1 195 98 +97▲ 5 LeBois Santura University (CAD) 5 4 1 190 99 +91▲ 6 Islamic University of Busoga (BUS) 5 4 1 153 74 +79▲ 7 Raynor University (VAL) 5 4 1 186 108 +78▲ 8 University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE) 5 4 1 134 79 +55▼ 9 Bowerstone University (ATH) 5 4 1 163 119 +44▲ 10 Niakursk University (IMP) 5 4 1 106 84 +22▼ 11 Vikramandayu University (VAI) 5 3 2 159 69 +90▼ 12 Cold Hill University (RAN) 5 3 2 158 105 +53▼ 13 Staramara Tech University (CMT) 5 3 2 133 95 +38▲ 14 Richardson University (RAN) 5 3 2 108 83 +25▼ 15 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ) 5 3 2 143 122 +21▼ 16 Mantabolo Tech (USN) 5 3 2 137 122 +15▼

MD6: Let's Go!!!!
MD6 was a total surprise: those we expected to destroy us were destroyed.
University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE) 9–17 Niakursk University (IMP)
This game was tough. We started and went ahead, thanks to Malone's TD, 0-8 first quarter. The second was with a fabulous and honestly very classy Touchdown from the Blue Jays. 3rd and 4th quarter went pretty smooth, with a Field Goal and a Touchdown. The Champions of the Boreal Division have fallen to the Heartland.
Post-Match press conference of Angelo Malone
Reporter: Are you going to stay with the Fossas next year or will you move to Grieunstatd University?
Malone: I don't know for sure. I've been offered a lot of, you know... to move there.
R: The rumors say they've offered you $4 Million to move there. What do you have to say about this?
M: Can we just move to another question?
R: No. We need to know for the mass med-
Coach: *whispering to Malone* We should leave now.

R: This compromising press conference tells a lot about the rumored ongoing financial crisis of the University. They have cut a lot of the sports budget reently as they might be in debt from the new upgrades and standardization of the stadium to international norms. For now, we don't know more than this.

MD7: Points in flames, but stil standing.
The fossas had a tough game against SJJSM, a team that is 10 times better prepared and has learned from Nowa Kalanianska by changing their QB last minute. We started strong with a Field Goal but the Toucans immediately had a TD and later a FG to counter our move. The 2nd quarter was less unfair as we both scored a TD and a Field Goal. Schultz' beautiful FG was the final touch before the disaster. The 3rd and 4th were a nightmare as we scored only a FG and TD while they not only countered but had a truly classy Touchdown at the end.
Niakursk University (IMP) 23–37 Université nationale de Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer (UNC)
23-37. Remember this score as the worst disaster for Fossas in NSCF history, at least for now.

Leaked™ Conversation between Coach, Financial Advisor and Schultz, sometime after MD7
Financial Advisor: Thanks for coming, Schultz. We need to have real talk between you, me and Coach.
Schultz: Ok, what do you have to say?
F: I and Coach have thought that one player leaving the team for some extra-
S: Stop. There is no way that...
Jared Kim: There is always a way, my little friend.
S: Well, what is your offer?
F: 2 Mil
S: To move where?
J: That's just not your problem.
S: Where?
J: It is NOT you who decides here.
S: Maybe, but I get to choose where I go for 2 Mil.
F: You will got to Gri-
J: Shut it!
S: Grieunstatd? There is no way. They have no stadium, poor hygiene, no heating during winter and some of the most severe Professors. I've already been there and there is NO way, you heard me, NO way I'm going back there. At least here I can take a bath everyday, train in a good, heated stadium and not get hit by a metal ruler each time I can't remember the first 10 digits of pi.
J: Well, we have no choice but to...
S: To?
J: Nevermind. You can leave.

Leaks from other conversations of the coach talk about "Using the most extreme solutions" to save the finances of the club. For now, these leaks have made a ton of buzz in Imporia.

MD8: Back to bully- uhh playing TJUN-ia
Well, this has been a very normal cross division with absolutely No™ disasters suffered by the Fossas. Surely we won't have anything crazy happening in the last day, right?
For now, we have MD8, back to Heartland home.
Niakursk University (IMP) 24–10 Trent State University (TJU)
Very great game for the fossas, upping their A-game with an all-star night. The Prime Minister himsel attended the game, creating a wave of hype surely helping the Fossas. Unexpectedly, it also led to the Northeastern quarter of the Fossas Bowl to be filled with men in black suits, curious...
Out of the 3 TD's of this game, Malone found Mathew on 2 of them. TSU has, and is always, a breeze to the Fossas.

Leaked™ Conversation between a man in a black suit and Jared Kim, holding a suitcase full of money...
Man in black: No Losses, No Leaks, No corruption: Fossas
Jared Kim: No deals, No Disaster, No bad decisions: Fossas
M: This verification phrase is so stupid. I wonder who wrote it...
J: Spare me your comments, we have serious talk here. How is the "Operation" going?
M: Very well, the relatives have been kidnapped.
J: Here is your "gift", from the University's administration. You had a perfect execution. Where are they held?
M: In an old basement of an abandoned hospital.
J: Very nice. Make sure to keep them alive for as long as possible, I will try to ransom Malone to get my money back. Last, do you have some fake passports & stuff like that?
M: A car full. How much do you need?
J: A visa for western Imporia and a very nice passport.
M: Ok, I can get that for you.*
J: Ok bye.

Reporter: This is more than enough criminal proof for Jared Kim. At the time of release, the DHS is chasing him down.

(Almost) Final Day!
It is final day -1, and chances of entering the next stage are bigger than ever... Or are they? (OOC: Big Vsauce moment)
Anyways, we counter Green City and this time, we learn a big, very big life lesson: Never underestimate ~~your opponent~~ how unpredictable can the NSCF be. Seriously, anything can happen, and this is a pretty good example.
Green City University (TJU) 23–13 Niakursk University (IMP)
This match was ~~almost~~ a disaster. Thankfully, we managed to stay calm and score goals. The 1st Quarter was pretty chill with us marking a TD at first. Little did we know, it would be our last. The 2nd quarter got things going with 2 TD's from the enemy QB, a beautiful comeback from the Royal Eagles, I have to say. The 3rd quarter, we both scored a nice field goal and things weren't looking good for us. Finaly, the 4th quarter saw the Feathercaps scoring Two FG's and us scoring one from 60+ yards. Sadly, it wasn't enough and the final score was more than deceipting.
Police makes daring raid of Jared Kim's Villa: National Breaking News
This is maybe the news of the year for Imporian Football: Jared Kim's $2 Million villa was raided by the SPF elite, the finest of the 3m+ Imporian Soldiers and policeman. The commando elite broke in at around 4AM. Jared Kim and the financial advisor of the Grieunstatd University Plovers have been arrested. The "man in black" that went viral on national news and on social media was apparently the advisor of the renowned Plovers. 12 other arrests have been made. Relatives of football players Angelo Malone, Martin Terrance and Christian Schultz have been found in the basement of the abandoned Children's Hospital of Grieune City. The relatives were kidnapped a few weeks before the raid and are in poor health and physical state, 2 are in life-threatening condition and 4 are wounded by gunshots. The investigating continues.

MD9 Stats
# Team                                                 Pld  W  L  PF  PA   PD  Ev. Qualified?
1 Mar Sara Tech (VAL)                                  9    8  1  359 151 +208 ▲   ✔                                    
2 LeBois Santura University (CAD)                      9    8  1  287 118 +169 ▲   ✔                                   
3 Raynor University (VAL)                              9    8  1  271 145 +126 ▲   ✔                
4 Islamic University of Busoga (BUS)                   9    7  2  287 156 +131 ▲   ✔                 
5 Cold Hill University (RAN)                           9    7  2  288 184 +104 ▲   ✔                 
6 Alexandria University (CAD)                          9    7  2  286 219 +67  ▼   ✔                
7 Northern Moravica University (BNJ)                   9    7  2  209 150 +59  ▲   ✔                
8 University of Columbus-Prairie (DHE)                 9    7  2  232 179 +53  =   ✔                
9 Silver Coast State College (SAS)                     9    7  2  188 179 +9   ▼   ✔                                                                                   
10 Université St. Croix (QUE)                          9    6  3  206 116 +90  ▲   ✔                
11 Bowerstone University (ATH)                         9    6  3  249 182 +67  ▼   ✔              
12 Richardson University (RAN)                         9    6  3  197 148 +49  ▲   ✔            
13 Felswyr State University (CMT)                      9    6  3  187 140 +47  ▲   ✖                 
14 Niakursk University (IMP)                           9    6  3  183 163 +20  ▼   ✖             
15 Green City University (TJU)                         9    6  3  235 223 +12  ▲   ✖               
16 Université du Saguenay (QUE)                        9    6  3  221 217 +4   ▼   ✖

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by **Grand Exultia** » Fri Dec 13, 2024 7:07 am

Phoenixes Rout Cadets in big upset, 47-9
By the Phoenixes Sports Desk, Vaelis Brightsong

The Phoenixes dominated the Cadets in their return fixture within the division, a spectacular and commanding performance saw their offensive firepower trully spark to life and the ever present defensive resilience suffocate the Cadets to a remarkable scoreline against the division champions.

At the John K. Randall memorial field both teams took to the field knowing the division was a foregone conclusion with the Cadets getting in some more practice before the conference game and that the Phoenixes only playing for pride, but pride did they play for. Doubts over a number of starting positions, including the QB, after strong performances from the freshmen against the Dinosaurs led a lot of confusion given the calibre of the opposition this week and it was proven that Windrider was settling for more of his senior heads for the opening drive. Stormheart, leading out the offense after recovering from a shoulder injury that was less severe than initially expected, started the opening drive with gusto connecting with Hearthsong on a 42 yard deep pass from the Phoenix 30. A small number of successful plays later saw Goldheart power through for a 6 yard touchdown run as Duskblade secured the extra point putting Phoenixes up 7-0. Unsurprisingly the Cadets responded immediately, setting up a field goal after stalling at the Phoenix 30 yard thanks to the Pheonix defence led by the ever-dominant Nightingale. 7-3. A battle of defences ensued as neither team could gain any territory of note sending the ball deep into the opponents territory only for it to come back just as deep a few minutes later.

It was the Phoenix offense who took the initiative in the second quarter with an impressive run from Shadowheart showcasing their power on the ground for a 15 yard gain breaking multiple tackles to break into the Cadets half, a mix of run and pass plays setting up a 12 yard touchdown pass as Stormheart finds Goldenwing, extending the lead to 14-3 after Duskblades extra point. A well placed kick-off forced the Cadets to start from their own 3 yard line started the perfect storm as a poorly executed snap provided the platform for the blitzing Phoenix offense to pressure the Cadet QB Randall as they spin out the pocket to avoid the charging Nightingale only to be caught by the edge rusher Cloverleaf in the Cadet endzone, safety called by the officials, 16-3. Receiving the ball and capitalizing on the momentum the Phoenix offense came marauding forward again, Shadowheart powering through for another 20 yard run to force the Phoenix into the Cadets red zone as Stormheart reads the play and fires into the path of Laughingleaf for another touchdown, clean kick from Duskblade stretching the Phoenix lead to 20 points, 23-3.

A commanding lead at half time and a clear confidence in his team as Windrider made a couple of changes sending out the fresher faces from his roster interspersed with his favourite dependable senior players. The cadets started the half with more aggression firing a couple of risky passes that built the confidence in the home team and perked up the home crowd but the drive stalled near mid field and a turnover was forced, a poor return from Cobaltheart found the Phoenix on the back foot and the Cadets defence, spurred on, harried the freshman QB Jackalope forcing another turnover as Braverain kicked long to force the Cadets back into their half. Some more aggressive passing from Randall undone as Hawthorne intercepts the deep pass running up the field and out of bounds at the Silver Coast 30 yard. Jackalope handing off to Goldheart for a 23 yard gain, as he burst from the pocket finding open ground in front of him, set up Jackalope to find TE Goldenwing for another touchdown, Duskblade reliable as ever and the score was 30-3, a truly remarkable scoreline given the divisional standings. The Cadets not a team to be written off started another drive moving down the field, struggling to penetrate the Phoenix defence consistently appeared to be faltering at the Phoenix 40 yard until Randall let fly a deep pass, as the offense came blitzing, allowing Holt to collect and run on for an easy touchdown. The Cadets needing something special line up to go for the two, but all options are covered, and Randall is held as he tries to stretch into the end zone.

The Phoenixes weren’t done yet as the fourth quarter starts explosively with Shadowheart breaking tackles and powering his way down the field for a 45 yard run before being brought down agonisingly close on the 1 yard line, a quick shotgun play saw the ball handed off to Bearclaw to dive into the endzone for his first touchdown of the game, 37-9. Another reception for the Cadets hammered by the Phoenix defence left Michael Royals the Cadet head coach a tough call, go for the 4th and 2 or play it safe, clearly deciding the damage was done as they attempt to turn their fortunes around, not to be as Tommy Lugg bounces off the blockade of the meeting lineman and is held short. The Phoenixes making use of the easily gained field position fire run after run at the Cadet defence alternating between Goldheart and Bearclaw for carries as both churn up the field moving the unstoppable machine into the red zone, a simple pass to Hearthsong for a 6 yard touchdown extends the lead even further, 44-9. Another Cadet drive started and another Cadet drive stopped by the Phoenix defence who are shining this year as a rookie defence. The Phoenixes receive the ball with less than five minutes to play and utilise the backs to great effect gaining an average of 4 yards a run until the drive faltered just inside the Cadet half, 4th down and Windrider decides to rub salt in the wounds as the Phoenix line up to kick for 3, a 65 year field goal attempt that under normal circumstance you have to assume Windrider would never dream of attempting but they line up with less than 30 seconds on the clock, a quick read of the wind from Duskblade as he marks out his run up, and Duskblade heaves his boot through the ball sending it tumbling end over end through the air, audible prayers coming from the family members as the ball starts to fall, has it got the legs? Yes it has, the 3 points are good and the Phoenixes are 47-9 up, they kick off again and the Cadets all but beaten run two plays and that is the end of the game.

An absolute rout from the Phoenixes in response to the 1 point loss earlier in the season breaking a number of individual and team records as the defence is still the third best in all the conferences letting up just 118 points so far this season.

Another game with no post game interviews as Windrider maintains a media blackout turning around the losses and leaving the players to focus on their game, you can’t argue with the results currently.

The final game of the group stage comes up next week as the Phoenixes host the Generals and will definitely be looking to finish the season strong with a hopeful win over arguably the weakest opponent in the division. Stay tuned, as this team is ready to soar once more.

by **Ranoria** » Fri Dec 13, 2024 9:03 am

It's A Young Man's Game!
Richardson's Freshmen Show Up In The Fourth Quarter To Rip The Golden Knights' Hearts Out

It would be true freshman and last year's top recruit Landon Rayne sealing the deal in a must-win game against Mantabolo Tech

Kasen Harrowitz is known as a defensive mastermind. Not that Richardson is ever lacking in talent - he's won two NSCF championships in five full seasons - but this past offseason was one of the most brilliant recruiting efforts in the sport. Snagging the top recruits of both Ranoria and Banija, almost indisputably the foremost gridiron nations in the world, was nothing short of unheard of. And it counted in Richardson's rematch against Mantabolo Tech.

The Golden Knights announced their arrival with a bang in week two, hanging 41 points on a team that perennially fields one of the dominant defenses in the sport to easily come away with a win. You want to shake up the Big 8? Come into the Everless division and knock off one of the Ranorian teams who have been guaranteed a spot in the conference championship practically since its inception. And largely thanks to that win, the Golden Knights were still in the running for a Big 8 title berth coming into week 9 - but Saturday was a do-or-die showing for both squads, and the Governors weren't about to be caught off guard again. They were hosting a team that had already beaten them, then gone 3-1 against the Evermore before coming back around.

But prepared or not, it took everything they had just to keep up. The Golden Knights aren't a team that's going to get pushed around when they're on their game, and they gave the Governors all they wanted. Tyriq Vaugn knew how he was going to have to play this game - avoid turnovers, don't give the Governors extra possessions by way of Vilde Lauritzen or Landon Rayne, and trust his defense to contain Dex Banka and Malik Starcevich on the Governors side.

The plan didn't work super well early - Starcevich was hot to start the game and Jaidon Blackwell Jr. got absolutely blasted on a second down run from just outside the red zone. Sometimes, it only takes one missed tackle, and this was one of those moments. Starcevich made it twelve rushing scores on the season and drew first blood in this one. He pounded his chest and help up two fingers to his own sideline - he was feeling himself and Kasen Harrowitz wasn't about to turn that down.

Unfortunately, the Tech front four was ready to meet the challenge, completely stalemating the Richardson offensive line and givning the power back no chance of breaking the plane. Six-zip was still a good way to start the game though.

Richardson clung onto the lead for most of the game. The Golden Kings front four wreaked absolute havoc, making it nearly impossible to pass the ball downfield and largely limiting Starcevich's big runs. And they needed it - between a raucous crowd of Richardson faithful and one of the sport's best defenses, Tyriq Vaugn and co weren't having anywhere near the success they'd seen in week two. But they did find some - clawing their way back and getting closer and closer. And late in the fourth, that resilience was rewarded. With Alexander Eisenberg and Juneau Carter breathing down his neck, Vaugn had the wherewithal to step up and try to scramble, managing to prevent a loss at least on third down. Jamila Scott just managed to get the ball over the crossbar, and that gave the Golden Knights their first lead of the game at 17-16.

Finally having ceded any semblance of momentum, the Governors offense flatlined. Starcevich was stuffed on first and second down, and Sincerity Matombo ended the drive, beating senior Lee Maverick off the edge and burying Dex Banka before he even finished up his drop. No choice but to punt.

Everyone in the stadium was fooled when Vaugn kept the ball on a play action for a quick first down - they were in full ball control mode. But Rashad Muhammad had been the center of attention for a reason, and ripped off six yards on first down. He was ready to close this thing down. Fortunately for Richardson, Lyn Dairon is a helluva playmaker. Sure, she doesn't have the size of the monstrous Kerron Nicholas who manned the center of this defense for so long, but when you have monstrous defensive tackles up front, they can soak up blockers and let her work. She brought down Muhammad for a loss on second down, forcing Vaugn to drop back, and this time they were ready.

Some players step up when their backs are against the wall, and Landon Rayne appeared to be one of those guys. Ranoria's top recruit last season read Holloway-James's slant like a book and jumped it - he got two hands on the ball, but Holloway-James was able to knock it out with his own attempt at reeling that in. Rayne threw his arms out wide in a classic 'no fly zone' to celebrate - and all of a sudden his offense got their second chance.

And out came Dex Banka with the division on the line.

Jack Archer took the handoff on the first play of the drive - he's been playing much better since adding a visor a week ago - and ripped off an eleven yard carry to make things easy on the young quarterback. That monstrous Tech front four was starting to get fatigued - that'll happen when you face literally forty one handoffs to that point in the game. Even Sincerity Matombo, despite the sack on the last drive, seemed to be getting stuck at the line now. Helped that two-hundred-seventy pound tight end Hezekiah Thomas's "chip" on the next snap was a straight up pancake, and Banka had all the time he needed to step up and hit Clay Jacksinson for another first down.

The clock was winding down, but not enough that they could just rip it down the field and get a surefire game winner, so the Governors tried to mix in the run game. They had just gotten into field goal range when disaster struck.

This time it would be Anwar Kumalo making the play, the big defensive tackle taking Starcevich down for a loss, and Matambo followed it up by drawing a hold on the next play. All of a sudden it was second and forever, and the defensive line could finally pin their ears back with a little gas thanks to the brief break they got thanks to the penalty.

Banka could only avoid making the situation worse on the next snap when Quashawn Granger nearly buried him, just managing to send the ball sailing over the head of wideout Lukas Müller.

It was a sixty yard field goal from hear - out of range for consideration for Tom Hargrave III. Above average for a Ranorian or not, the guy had whiffed on plenty of kicks this season.

Dex Banka took a deep breath and stepped back to survey the defense. He couldn't quite place it, but his gut was telling him there was an opening there. He silently cursed himself, blaming the Tuesday night crash out when he fell asleep watching film, and extended his hands.

"Hut!"

He got the ball and looked to his first read - Hezekiah Thomas wasn't going anywhere, with Matambo returning the favor with a chip. He drifted to the left in the pocket, glanced to Müller, and then the alarm bells started going off in his head. Banka stepped up just as Granger sailed by, and started to tuck the ball - but that's when it clicked. That little extra glance was all he'd needed to find the gap. Classic cover two shell - and Clay Jackinson had just gotten done settling into the gap between the zones. His corner couldn't recover quick enough, and Banka launched the ball at him just before it would've been illegal.

He held a fist in front of him, not quite confident enough to celebrate yet, then pumped a fist whne Jackinson reeled it in, only to start to shout when Amarion Reeves blasted him from behind. Fortunately he didn't get out whatever slur was coming - Matambo finally caught up with him and blasted the freshman quarterback.

Everything flashed white for a second and Banka lost complete control of his body, skidding through the near-frozen grass. The imperfections felt like punches all over his body as he slid over them and the cold only amplified the impact. It took him a minute to get up, spots distracting his focus, but when he stood up he saw the officials making the signal for a catch. Fourth and two - chip shot field goal.

With Banka rifling in a twenty yard toss to get things closer, Tommy Hargrave knocked in what would be a game winning forty yard field goal. That made it 19-17 good guys.

The Golden Knights still had their shot on offense, but it didn't last long.

The capacity crowd was insatiable. The Governors ran out a full pass rush set, subbing out one of their defensive tackles to put Alexander Eisenberg at three tech. And all of a sudden, Tyriq Vaugn was under more pressure than he'd seen all season. But he did his job, completing three straight passes to pick up nearly thirty yards on their march. And with thirty seconds left, they were pushing field goal range.

Then the other freshman star had his moment. Landon Rayne may not have gotten the pick last time, but running the slant at him again proved costly - the corner beat the bigger Holloway-James on the press, and with a lethal first step, literally ran his own route a step ahead of him, reeling the pass in against his chest and immedietely sliding down rather than let the much larger receiver try and punch the ball out.

Less than thirty seconds left and the Golden Kings had just one timeout? That's a wrap.

Rayne sprinted off the field with the rest of the defense behind him, ball held aloft in the air as the crowd seemed somehow even more energized. The young buck jumped up onto one of the benches, arms out wide, and screamed into the crowd to match their enthusiasm as Scott Yadav came out to run victory formation.

Richardson had earned themselves a dance with Cold Hill with the Everless on the line, and this fanbase couldn't be happier.

It took a bit for the reporters to try and wrangle up Landon Rayne and Dex Banka - but to no avail. Kasen Harrowitz has a policy against true freshmen talking to the media, so it was big Hezekiah Thomas who gave the postgame "interview" if you can call it that - because he completely ignored whatever the hell the question was.

"We got 'em fellas! Thanks to our fans for getting us over the hump today. Cold Hill, you best be ready, because we're bringing the heat to the Tundra, knocking you on your soft ass, and getting back to the conference championship! Book it!" The monstrous tight end tossed the mic back to the reporter and chucked up a peace sign to the camera as he walked away - and that about sums it up. The Everless is on the line Saturday night, and both of these teams are desperate to get a chance at bringing the Big 8 trophy back to Ranoria.

Notes:
- Kasen Harrowitz said that Banka is being looked at for a potential concussion out of an "abundance of caution", and that's why Yadav took the final snap. Banka is expected to be available for the week ten showdown against the Buffalo
- Jack Archer has now posted over fifty total yards in each of the last two games - helmet confidence is a real thing, and the visor is making a difference
- Landon Rayne has now recorded four interceptions in nine games. Alexander Eisenberg adn Terrance Savage - both true freshmen getting significant snaps - have cleared five sacks apiece from the defensive end position.

by **Chromatika** » Sat Dec 14, 2024 11:59 pm

Viktor Karras, Jr. Faces Legal Challenge from "The Other Six" as CCGC Aims to Join NSCF

CHROMIA, CAPITAL DISTRICT, CHROMATIKA - The Ninth Superior Court, based out of Chromia - the second highest court in the land below the Chromatik Supreme Court - threw out the Chromatik Football Federation's attempt to dismiss the suit filed by the Chromatik Collegiate Gridiron Conference for aiming to "unlawfully and willingly conspire to keep out the colleges from within the Chromatik Collegiate Gridiron Conference (CCGC) from having a fair and equal shot at joining the NationStates College Football (NSCF)", with Judge Amber Johnsson stating in her official statement that "it bears discussing whether or not the Chromatik Football Federation's relationship(s) with both Felswyr State University (FSU) and Staramara Tech University (STU) is based out of pure merit or some other source that could have swayed their decision. With the landscape of collegiate gridiron football changing, it is worth contemplating whether or not other colleges from within the country - especially those who are good enough to contend in the CCGC - should have the option of playing for the rights to go to the NSCF. No university should be given preferential treatment to face the best competition, have access to the most prominent recruits, and have the opportunity to gain international renown like FSU and STU has."

Judge Johnsson did strike down the notion filed from the plaintiffs that any other university with the opportunities of FSU and STU from Chromatika would have put up the same results, saying that "the unique combination of the mindset, the personnel, and the circumstances that led to FSU and STU's success cannot be duplicated. To think that any other university from Chromatika would have had the exact same success is ridiculous. Although it can't be proven that they would not have been successful, it is as equally preposterous to believe that the likes of Sarai Gwenderyn, Alessandra Mio, Kadesh Odika, Lisa Bonsoon, and Naia Curentino were the primary actors of Chromatika's success in the NSCF".

Now, the suit will go forward in the next year to see if Viktor Karras, Jr. and the Chromatik Football Federation will be allowed to keep FSU and STU as the only two colleges with access to the NSCF, or if the CCGC - which comprises of Chromia Central College University, Lanar University, Sanar University, University of Myana, Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology, and Alnio University of the Arts - will have a chance at the NSCF pie as well. There have already been discussion about how that would take place - whether FSU and STU would have to partake in Chromatik domestic gridiron football at the collegiate level, whether the top two teams from the CCGC would play the two teams in the NSCF to see which teams would represent Chromatika in the NSCF, or if Chromatika would try to field three teams at the NSCF level - but to see the CFF lose a suit in Chromatika at all would be a landmark moment that changes the outlook of Chromatik sports at a fundamental level.

Viktor Karras, Jr. refused to comment on the decision. A spokesperson from the CFF stated that they were "extremely disappointed at the passage of events, but optimistic that the reasons behind why the CFF chose FSU and STU to represent Chromatika would be enough to sway the court".

Public opinion on the issue remains as hotly contested as ever. FSU and STU fans state that their schools are the best in the country, and therefore should have no opposition when it comes to the NSCF - while the fans of the other six colleges say that the only reason that FSU and STU are better than them is because those two schools have access to the best players in Chromatika and from abroad. The other six say that if they had the same playing field, they also would have the ability to shine.

Will the Chromatik Football Federation's grip on Chromatik sports be nearing its end? Will the Lava and the Firehawks have to defend their spots in the NSCF in the near future? What will granting access to the other teams do to the landscape of gridiron football in the country? The CCGC has always been a tier below the play of FSU and STU - but if the universities are told that improvement could lead to participation at the international level, that could lead to better facilities, more money spent in recruiting, and a focus toward collegiate gridiron that has not been present below the NSCF level.

It is expected that the lawsuit will be concluded by the start of NSCF 33, with effects from the lawsuit being instituted by NSCF 34. How this will impact recruiting, staffing, and the like, remains to be seen; the colleges have to be mindful of what is going on without letting it impact on field play too much - thankfully, this is more of the work that the bigwigs do, not coaches and their players.

A quote from one of the greats of Chromatik collegiate football comes to mind. The one time that Sarai Michelle Bradwyn Gwenderyn was asked about the beginning of the CCGC, the Quarterback stated that "Competition only ever drives everything forward. It sifts the chaff, brings forward only the best in us, and ensures that we are not complacent in where we are, but striving to be more than we thought possible. While this is true, needless competition that isn't needed to prove anything can also be a sign of folly. We must know how to thread the needle - to shine when needed, but only when needed, to not waste our time when nothing needs to be proven. Pick your battles, know when to engage in them, and should you decide that something is worth your time, don't lose."

Whether it was her intent or not, Amber Johnsson has put herself at the center of this very controversial, fascinating, and tense topic. What she and her retinue of five judges decide in the next year will have a profound impact on not only gridiron football but Chromatik society.

What is the right decision here, truly?

by **Valanora** » Sun Dec 15, 2024 11:49 am

Horizon Conference - Week 10

Cutoff.

Starlight Division
Staramara Tech University (CMT) 48–10 Felswyr State University (CMT)
Cavsar University (DRK) 23–20 Sadeg State University (DRK)

P                                                    Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Staramara Tech University (CMT)                     10    6   4   283  191  +92
2 Felswyr State University (CMT)                      10    6   4   197  188   +9
3 Sadeg State University (DRK)                        10    5   5   228  219   +9
4 Cavsar University (DRK)                             10    5   5   252  253   −1

Equinox Division
Palæontological-Centred Research University (NTN) 17–0 Silver Coast State College (SAS)
Lithrelir University (GEX) 38–0 Gerthos State (SDT)

P                                                    Pld    W   L    GF   GA   GD 
1 Silver Coast State College (SAS)                    10    7   3   188  196   −8
2 Lithrelir University (GEX)                          10    5   5   210  123  +87
3 Palæontological-Centred Research University (NTN)   10    4   6   156  180  −24
4 Gerthos State (SDT)                                 10    2   8   133  297 −164

Championship Game
Staramara Tech University (CMT) vs Silver Coast State College (SAS)

NSCF 32 - Everything Thread

Big Eight, Celestia: MD8

Brooklyn Beck (S4:E5)

NSCF: Crunch Time

Big Eight, Celestia: MD9

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