World Lacrosse Championships VI: Rosters, RP, Scores

[Sarzonia]

Official Statement
Incorporated Sarzonian Government
Department of Health and Athletics

On behalf of the Sarzonian Lacrosse Commission, the Department of Health and Athletics and the Incorporated Sarzonian Government, it is my distinct honour to welcome all of you to the sixth World Lacrosse Championships.

Sarzonian Lacrosse Commission Chairman Jonathan Moose will serve as your primary point of contact for the tournament. Feel free to direct any concerns or comments regarding the World Lacrosse Championships to him for the duration of this championship.

The tournament shall be organised into two conferences made up of two divisions each. The group stage shall be six matches in duration, and the champions of each group shall automatically clinch a berth in the knockout stages. In addition, the two teams with the best records among non-division winners shall also qualify for the knockout stages.

The champions of each conference shall automatically clinch the top two seeds in the knockout stages, and shall both receive a bye for the quarterfinals. The third best division winner shall face the lower seeded wild card winner, and the fourth best division winner shall face the higher seeded wild card winner in the quarterfinals. The higher remaining seed of those matches shall face the second best conference winner in the semifinals. The lower remaining seed shall face the best conference winner in the semifinals. The losers of the semifinal fixtures shall play a third placed playoff match, which would take place in Portland. The winners of the semifinals fixtures shall play the championship match in our nation's capital, Woodstock.

It is our hope that this World Lacrosse Championships becomes one of the most successful renditions in the sport's history, and that this tournament shall become a model for other sports to follow. Once again, on behalf of President Jay Tyler, First Gentleman Brian Patrick, Lieutenant President Nicole Lewis and Senior Vice President and External Affairs Officer Grant Haffner, I welcome you to the World Lacrosse Championships and hope to see many of you in Sarzonia for the knockout rounds!

Carter Marshall
Vice President for Health and Athletics
Incorporated States of Sarzonia

PORTLAND CONFERENCE
Division A
Qazox
Newmanistan
The Fanboyists
Shavelle

Division B
Taeshan
Cassadaigua
San Giorgio a Cremano
Vedacia

WOODSTOCK CONFERENCE
Division C
Sarzonia
Secristan
The Babbage Islands
Royalsoldiers

Division D
Dancougar
Quintessence of Dust
Delaclava
Sarantonia

Matchday 1:
1 v. 4
2 v. 3
Matchday 2:
3 v. 1
4 v. 2
Matchday 3:
1 v. 2
3 v. 4
Matchday 4:
4 v. 1
3 v. 2
Matchday 5:
1 v. 3
2 v. 4
Matchday 6:
2 v. 1
3 v. 4

The first RP cutoff will take place Monday night, so get your rosters and pre-tournament RPs in! Any questions or concerns may be raised in the World Lacrosse Championships Discussion Thread. Please direct ANY OOC content there unless it's included as part of an IC post. Posts on this thread that are solely OOC in nature shall result in a RP bonus penalty.

[Taeshan]

The world Lacross Championships two Champion, and 2 time Bronze Medalists return for their 6th Championships and look for their second championship.

Position Name # Age
Goalkeeper Greg Fornfelt 79 27
Left Defense Ryan Yelaylee 42 27
Center Defense Zaxle O'Peerson 27 24
Right Defense Chrichenham Baker 19 30
Left Midfield Ollie Richenham 7 29
Center Defense William Kelly 15 27
Right Midfeild Xevenes Hutch 13 26
Left Attack Seth Thatcher 17 25
Center Attack Peirs Fohneger 2 31
Right Attack Rowan Qwarant 14 23
Subs
Goalkeeper Fred Geigar 56 27
Defense Alexander Fwenchie 81 24
Midfeild Derese Sanchez 9 28
Attack Jack Smith 45 29
Utility Miles Beckett 66 27

[Quintessence of Dust]

Lacrosse is one of the more popular summer sports in Quintessence of Dust. However, the national team has not entered the World Lacrosse Championship before because, well, we don't have a national team. Instead, the National Minor Sports Federation has historically fielded a team of ethnic McBorks, in the form of the McBork Nationals. While formally affiliated to the nation of Quintessence of Dust, the McBorks are one of the few distinct ethnic groups in the nation and regard themselves as basically self-governing.

They live on the tiny island of McBorkiana, off the south coast of the Sponsons, and are believed to have descended from a mixture of Swedish and Scottish immigrants. Unlike the rest of the country, they are fiercely religious, being dour Presbyterian types who dress in black and ban all forms of music. While this makes them hugely kitsch among the country's alternative hip-hop community, it's not a compliment. They righteously flail their lacrosse sticks with great skill, however, and play with a frenzy quite out of character with their otherwise sombre pace of life. They can be considered somewhat similar to the Amish in the RL USA, though they do not disdain technology, and infact have the latest carbon fibre lacrosse gear.

The team performed well on their international debut, reaching the WLC 5 quarterfinals before being knocked out by Dancougar, and they built on this to win the Olympic lacrosse tournament (though it was only a demonstration event).

Goalkeepers

1. Sander McHansson
30. Olov McLindholm

Defenders

4. Dylan McSandberg
22. Hannes McÅkesson
28. Haris McJansson
34. Matthias McNyström (captain)
58. Tim McHolmgren

Midfielders

21. Anders McÅberg
32. Elmer McHolmgren
40. Alexander McHansson
42. James McHåkansson
43. Håkan McDahlberg

Attackers

2. Peter McLind
17. Ivar McÖberg
18. Carl McLindberg
33. Frode McSandström
80. Carl McÅström

RP Permissions: Anything. However, my athletes should be RPed as very solemn and introverted until they start playing, and they won't trash talk, fight, or commit many fouls.

Style modifier (if needed): -3. (Or most defensive.) Goals are the Devil's work.

Home matches: Are played on the grassy field behind the local church, on the island of McBorkiana. Even in the summer, it is very cold, and tends to rain a lot. There will be supporters, but they will also be deathly silent. They will be appalled by any rowdy visiting fans.

[The Fanboyists]

Country: The Fanboyists
Team: Volunteers
Coach: Frank McDowell (Age: 34)
Style Modifier: -3 (Most Defensive)
Team Colors: Grey, Blue, Orange
Home Field: Dreichium Railways Stadium (Capacity: 88,000 people)(Normally a Gridiron Stadium)

RP Permissions:
RP Scorers: Yes, but keep in mind team's approach (I know little of lax, so I don't really know what that means for this)
GodMod Scores: Make it interesting.
RP Injuries: Nothing beyond game-ending
GodMod Injuries: Nothing beyond game-ending
GodMod "Other" Events: Only if you do something fun or awesome with it. Boring people will be shot.
Penalize/Eject Players: Yep. Make sure its for a charicteristic penalty, though. Usually roughness-related or somesuch.

Starters are italicized.

Goalkeepers

#2 - Hannah DeVine (5'4", 131lbs, Age: 21)
#11 - Doug McDaniel (5'11", 241lbs, Age: 25)

Defenders

#22 - Joe Sturgis (6'2", 278lbs, Age: 23)(Team Captain)
#29 - Eric Zimmermann (6'4", 282lbs, Age: 24)
#31 - Cally Tolliver (5'11", 152lbs, Age: 27)
#45 - Greg Sommers (5'10", 241lbs, Age: 24)
#41 - John Willems (6'1", 238lbs, Age: 21)

Midfielders

#21 - Art Sturgis (6'2", 281lbs, Age: 22)
#34 - Kathryn Strasbourg (5'11", 178lbs, Age: 22)
#12 - Zak Mueller (6'8", 298lbs, Age: 19)
#38 - Walter Marsh (6'1", 236lbs, Age: 27)
#32 - Ryan O'Bannon (6'2", 245lbs, Age: 24)


Attackers

#20 - Isaak Sturgis (6'2", 280lbs, Age: 19)
#37 - Markus Backstrom (6'4", 261lbs, Age: 24)
#15 - John Dahlgren (6'1", 268lbs, Age: 23)
#28 - Joanna Sommers (5'8", 141lbs, Age: 20)
#17 - Erika Shoenburg (5'4", 137lbs, Age: 19)

Overview:

The Volunteers play the exact same way every Fanboyist team does: physically, rough-and-tough. They are quite likely to receive penalties for undue roughness and possibly stick-checking. All the players on the Volunteers are first-time players. They will be playing in the Portland Conference.

Schedule
MD1: at Newmanistan
MD2: vs. Qazox, @ Dreichium Railways Stadium
MD3: vs. Shavelle, @ Dreichium Railways Stadium
MD4: vs. Newmanistan, @ Dreichium Railways Stadium
MD5: at Qazox
MD6: vs. Shavelle, @ Dreichium Railways Stadium

The toughest opponent should be...well, we don't know enough about Shavelle to know how good they are, the Qazians will probably be their usually frighteningly competent selves, especially with what's starting to turn into a rivalry factoring in, and Newmanistan will likely pound this amateur team into the dirt. All players are first-timers, with varying amounts of experience in the Federation's semi-professional league, which is as close as it gets to a 'proper' lacrosse league in the Federation.

Don't expect loads of success here, people.

~Helena Dyer, Special WLC Writer/Correspondent

[Qazox]

Qazox Quails Roster: (defending 4th place team)
(Bold are starters)

Nelson Justesen GK
Hugh Steffy L Def.
Cody Engram C Def.
Jessie LaConte R Def.
Matthew Reames L Mid.
Matthew Halls C Mid.
Kurt Fijoira R Mid.
Jamie Breck L Forw.
Clinton Tsui C Forw.
Javier Coscia R Forw.

BENCH
Cody Philipps GK
Javier A'bouto DEF
Darryl Cappelli MID
Jessie Hannum FOR
Christian Clark Utility

RP Permissions:
(Style: 0)
Do whatever you want, excpet for injuries and GODMODDING scoring events.

Home stadium: NONE (asks to have all Home games in host nation)

Schedule:
Matchday 1: vs. Shavelle
Matchday 2: @ The Fanboyists
Matchday 3: vs. Newmanistan
Matchday 4: @ Shavelle
Matchday 5: vs. The Fanboyists
Matchday 6: @ Newmanistan

The toughest test would seem to be Newmanistan, whom we upset in the quaterfinals 2 years ago, though the Fanboyists have become quickly a team that Qazox should not under-estimate.

[Cassadaigua]

Here is our roster for World Lacrosse Championships 6.

Starters in Green
Bench players in Red

Coach: Melanie Kaplan, Age: 43

Goalies:
Jennifer Tipton, Age: 32
Stacey Vandenburg, Age: 19

Defense: (all of these players make their WLC debut)
Nicole Ellis, Age: 23
Amber Robinson, Age: 22
Julianne Powers, Age: 20
Brittany Redmond, Age: 21
Heather Starver, Age: 23
Marykate Jurgenson, Age: 22


Midfielders:
Lauren Mineri, Age: 27
Tara Lindfield, Age: 30
Ashley Norville, Age: 27 (Team Captain)
Pamela Alexander, Age: 21
Danielle Royce, Age: 26
Megan Washburn, Age: 18 (WLC debut)

Attack:
Kathleen Lawrence, Age: 21 (first time starter)
Trista Bayliss, Age: 29 (first time starter)
Hannah Levenson, Age: 25
Julie Freier, Age: 30
Sarah McCreedy, Age: 31
Cassie Patterson, Age: 19 (WLC debut)

Style Modifier: +1.6

Home Stadium: The 47,391 seat Grande Mountain Stadium.

If my opponent RPs first, they may:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmode scoring events: Yes
RP injuries: No
Godmode injuries: No
Eject/Penalize players: Yes
Godmode "other" events: Yes, feel free to have fun just don’t kill anyone.

[Dancougar]

"Ah, good ol' Dyson... our home away from home, eh?" Rick slung his bag over his shoulder and headed towards the familiar locker room. It was about time for another one of these, wasn't it? Looking back, this would be his fifth tournament; in fact, that was true for just about everybody. Once he had been a precocious hot shot with a neverending thirst for goals. Now he was close to international retirement. Roy had already done so, joining the team in an advisory role.

The Dyson College field hadn't changed at all. Even though they'd made the championship game of the previous WLC, the team wasn't much of a draw. This field was fine in that case. The bleachers had gone through their periodic repair cycle and the locker rooms had been cleaned up. And it wouldn't be long before the rest of the team started trickling in.

"Good mo~orning, Rick!" A pleasant, high-pitched voice assaulted him from behind and suddenly he felt pair of arms wrap around his torso as a body crashed into him. He stumbled forward but steadied himself quickly. He'd learned, by now, what was coming when he heard that voice.

"Mylene, aren't you getting a little old for that?" he asked, as a teenage girl with bright red hair spun around and came to a rest directly in front of him. She had far too much energy for this early in the morning. Weren't kids supposed to be asleep at this hour if they didn't have school? "You're entering high school soon, aren't you? They'll make fun of you if you hang around with old guys like me."

Mylene grinned mischievously and leaned forward, causing him to take a step back. "Eeeeh, so you aren't happy that you get to see a gorgeous young woman before you're locked into your grueling, backbreaking training?"

"So... I'm guessing your parents are here already?" Rick asked, changing the subject.

Mylene leaned back and put her hands behind her back. Rick was able to straighten up now that she'd decided that teasing him was no longer fun. "Yeah, they're changing into their equipment already." So, Sterling and Molly had beaten him here. "Hey, hey, they said I might be good enough to try out for the team next time! What do you think?"

Rick had a look. She was dressed in a tank top and baggy shorts and hardly looked like an athlete. She'd been playing junior lacrosse and her freakish speed had helped her dominate games despite being at a significant strength disadvantage. She had the right genes, but most of her potential was still waiting to be unleashed. "You'll never last in a full international without some muscle," he said at last. "You need to put on some weight."

"Seeeeriously?" she moaned, rolling her eyes. "Why don't you just give me the same training that Mister Roy gave you when you were my age?" Mylene continued to pester him as he waited for someone to come save him. At this rate, he was almost looking forward to the expected spat between Isamu and Gordon to blow up into something big.

* * * * * * * * * *

Kingdom of Dancougar National Lacrosse Team
WLC VI: "Lacrosse Plus Special Edition"

Starters
GK Kai-Fu Linn
D Sally LaClaudia
D Kamjin Kravshera
D Layla Laplamiz
M Gordon Bowman
M Isamu Dyson
M Molly Fallyna-Jenius
F Sterling Jenius
F Rick Gatherer
F Lisa Hayase

Reserves
D Chang Newman
M Ben Zakikaki
F Lucille Mifflin
Plus redshirts

Staff
Coach: Bruno Worldly
Assistant: Roy de Havilland
Assistant: Beck Sedol

The style modifier can be +1, somewhat attacking. As for RP permissions... meh, if you RP before me, you dictate the flow of the game. Pick my scorers. You can injure named players as long as you let me determine severity. You can godmod the redshirts however you want. Although if you do know which franchise I'm ripping off for all of my lacrosse RPs -- yes, it's been the same one since I started -- you may godmod the named characters if you know who they're supposed to be.

[Newmanistan]

In Newmanistan, Lacrosse isn’t a “smaller” or a “niche” sport. It is in fact, one of the most popular sports in the country, and stadiums fill to capacity with just as many people as their would be at baseball or football games. Due to this, the Empire expects nothing less then to win a championship.

Style Modifier: + 1.5

RP Permissions:
Choose my goalscorers: Y
Godmode scoring events: Y
RP injuries: Y, only in saying they are hurt. I’ll take it from there.
Godmode injuries: N
Eject/Penalize players: Y
Godmode "other" events: N

Manager: Matt Knight
Age: 39
Team: Putnam Lake Eagles
Bio: The team had previously been coached by then Prince Michael, but now with him becoming Emperor, we hear there are more important things he has to worry about now, so a replacement has been named. Knight has international experience as a player, starting as a middie from WLC 1 through 4.

Player: Kevin Moreno
Position: G
Age: 24
Team: North Charlotte Wildcats
Bio: Is he a prodigy? Moreno’s agility is simply stunning. He relies on his reflexes which often leads to highlight reel saves that were actually fairly routine for him. The only knock, if there is one, on him, is that he can get rattled easily by a “bad goal”, that it throws him off for a while and he needs to be settled back down. This was a problem in WLC 5, where he debuted, so if it happens again in Sarzonia, this might be his last chance.

Player: Pete Buckley
Position: LD
Age: 32
Number: 8
Team: Hastings Crusaders
Bio: Reads and anticipates the play as good as you could possibly want. He’s got average height, but Buckley is bulked up quite well. This gives him great strength to overpower attackers in nearly every situation. Pete knows this, and uses it on every possible chance he gets.

Player: Max Drayton
Position: CD
Age: 22
Number: 4
Team: South Tier Seagulls
Bio: Drayton, a defensive specialist who makes the conservative play nearly all the time, is an international rookie with this team.

Player: Michael Leahey
Position: RD
Age: 31
Number: 3
Team: Pocono City Capitals
Bio: A very intelligent and physical defender. This may deceive those who are not as familiar with him, because Leahey’s physical frame doesn’t immediately strike you as someone who can hurt you. But once they’ve been hit a few times, they’ll become a believer. Though there is much more to him then that. Michael will completely take the person he is assigned to out of the game by smothering him with great defensive skills, especially in terms of knocking the ball lose and intercepting passes. Plus he has a great shot.

Player: Michael Kinser
Position: LM
Age: 24
Number: 13
Team: North Charlotte Wildcats
Bio: Debuted in WLC 3 after having a stellar first two seasons in the NLL. After winning Rookie of the Year four years ago, and on an up-and-coming team in North Charlotte, Kinser has only gotten better. He is the type of player who will make those better around him.

Player: Chris Roberts
Position: CM
Age: 25
Number: 16
Team: Stroudsbourg Panthers
Bio: While Roberts can get the ball in the net, look for him to be more of a defensive minded middie. He won’t be the most feared player on the team, but you can’t completely forget about him.

Player: Dave McCarthy
Position: RM
Age: 21
Number: 19
Team: Loudon Leopards
Bio: Making his debut in WLC 6, McCarthy is a sniper in every sense of the word. Deadly accurate from the wing, he will often sneak in behind one of the forwards, and the team will opt to use them as a decoy at times to free space up for McCarthy.

Player: Jason Green
Position: LA
Age: 29
Number: 28
Team: Olympia Gladiators
Bio: Green, who plays in the shadows of Taylor and Farrell’s excellence in the NLL, loves getting these opportunities to play with them on the international team, and they enjoy his presence as well. This will be the fourth WLC where these three have played as a unit, so that will be bad news for the opposition.

Player: Keith Taylor
Position: CA
Age: 31
Number: 14
Team: Pocono City Capitals
Bio: A complete playmaker. Taylor is one of the greatest players in the world, as he is, already, a six time NLL MVP, with more trophies likely to come. He can find the back of the net with a level of accuracy that should be among the best in this tournament. Everything you could possibly ask for in an attacker is something in which Taylor excels in.

Player: Curt Farrell
Position: RA
Age: 31
Number: 10
Team: Pocono City Capitals
Bio: Taylor to Farrell or Farrell to Taylor are among the most frequently uses phrases within the Empire. These two have played together for the longest time, and will know where the other is on the field without even looking at them. This leads to a lot of razzle-dazzle finesse type plays between the two of them, and when they play some of the weaker teams in the tournament, look for them to deliberately try to put on a show, as they enjoy doing this. Farrell, himself, has two NLL MVP’s award to his credit, including the most recent one. They are referred to as the “Capital Connection.”

Bench:
– Darrell Pittman- G (22, Brighton Bulls)
– James Lyons- D (31, Southport Tigers)
– Aaron Applegate- D (30, Tundra Falls Mariners)
– Steve Harrington- M (23, South Tier Seagulls)
– Daniel Cooper- M (21, Centralia Cougars)
– Matthew Ellerby- A (24, Loudon Leopards)
– Kyle Williams- A (23, Dover City Mountaineers)
– Edward Davis- Utility (20, Loudon Leopards)

[Sarzonia]

The roster for the two-time champion Stars is as follows:

If my opponent RPs first, they may:
Choose my goalscorers: Y
Godmode scoring events: N
RP injuries: Y (I'll determine severity)
Godmode injuries: N
Eject/Penalize players: Y
Godmode "other" events: N
OOC: I RP using real time in most of my RPs, so the players have only aged the few months it's been IRL since the last World Lacrosse Championships.

Coach: Harold Price (56). Named the inaugural coach of the Wilmington Sharks, he guided the team to playoff appearances in each of the league's three seasons, culminating in their 11-6 win over the Portland Thorns in the ILL championship game.
Defensive Coordinator: Rob Davies (43). Davies was named the Thorns head coach after five years as Joe Gibbs University's head coach. He brought a stifling defensive system from the college game that translated to the Thorns improving from the league's worst defence to the league's best.
Goaltenders Coach: Dave Peeters (46). Serves in the same role for the Thorns. He was the only coach on the Thorns staff retained by Davies after tapes showed the defence leaked like a sieve.

Roster: (No., Name, Team, Height, Weight. Starters in BOLD.)

Goalkeepers
1 Craig Larrabie (Portland Thorns) 6-foot-1, 175 pounds. Larrabie, 32, led the league in goals against average (7.03) and wins (14) en route to a championship. He has also backstopped the Stars to two world championships.
18 Mark Tomscik, (Woodstock Wave), 5-foot-10, 165 pounds. Tomsick, 24, makes up for his lack of height with quick reflexes and strong athleticism. He was second in the league with 13 victories and sported a 7.79 goals against average.

Defence
2 Dane Tarrabba (Wilmington Sharks) 5-foot-11, 157 pounds. Tarraba, 27, is one of the more tenacious defenders on the Sarzonia roster. He led the Sharks to a championship victory previously and led his team to the semifinals this time.
5 Paul Landry (Nicksia Nighthawks) 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. Landry's 25 years old and fast, but he's also very physical. He's often matched up against the opposing team's best attackman and often dispenses beatings.
7 Tom Swensen (Saugerties Sounders) 6-foot, 180 pounds. At 35 years old, Swensen is the oldest player on the Slash's roster. He's also the most savvy defender. He may not have the athleticism to keep up with the fastest attackmen, but he makes up for it by being able to read their tendencies and make timely checks.
8 Bill Harbour (Rypien Rough Riders) 5-10, 155 pounds. Perhaps the best all-around athlete on the Slash, Harbour often gives up height to his opponents, but never gives up heart. He's 28 years old.
9 Clay Cantner (Portsmouth Pirates) 6-foot-1, 172 pounds. This 34-year-old relies on positioning and his size to keep attackmen from dominating the crease. He also serves as the emergency third-string goalie.
12 Spencer Wallingford (Portland) 5-foot-8, 168 pounds. Considered a pest by many of his opponents, the 30-year-old can get under the skin of many a midfielder or attackman with his aggressive play.

Midfielders
6 Carter Whitlock (Wilmington) 6-foot-1, 170 pounds. Left-handed shot who has blazing speed and great endurance, this 28-year-old scored 27 goals, a league high for midfielders. He was named the team's captain after willing the Stars to two world championships.
10 Dwayne Dyer (Lexington Leopards) 5-foot-11, 177 pounds. A master of the faceoff, the 32-year-old Dyer can organise the offence like few other players in the league. He played for Price until a midseason trade brought him to Lexington.
11 Pat Wade (Portland) 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. Better known for his endurance and his defensive play, Wade, 26, still scored 11 goals before a midseason injury. He was eligible to come back for the playoffs, but the team held him out to get fully healed.
13 Jesse Barkley (Woodstock) 6-foot, 185 pounds. This 28-year-old shows ability to play both ways for the Wave with great endurance and solid speed.
14 Howie Cooper (Nicksia) 5-foot-9, 150 pounds. Elusive and quick, but does not possess blinding speed. The 25-year-old shows an ability to play on either flank, but doesn't do as well at center midfield.
15 Mike Nelson (Wilmington), 5-foot-11, 165 pounds. Nelson, 27 can play either forward or midfield and has played both because of injuries to the Sharks attackmen. He is long on speed, but relatively short on stamina.

Attackmen
16 Tim Cole (Portland), 6-foot-1, 180 pounds. Cole, 33, has a nose for the goal, scoring a league-leading 52 goals on the season. Depends on solid service and his size for positioning in front of opposing goalies.
17 Robbie Fernando (Lexington), 5-foot-11, 170 pounds. Fernando, 29, is arguably the best forward in the league at creating his own shot. Led the team in scoring with 27 goals in 10 games played. Missed the first four games due to appendicitis.
20 Nate Longley (Wilmington), 6-foot-175 pounds. Longley, 23, is a promising youngster who is more mature than his age suggests. He has the best stamina and speed combination of any player on the team, owing to his youth and a cross country background in secondary school.
22 Fred Williams (Nicksia), 6-foot-3, 162 pounds. Tall and gangly, Williams, 25, has been instructed by his coaching staff to put on muscle. He still has a knack for putting the ball in the net, scoring 20 goals in seven games.
23 Matt Cornwall (Woodstock), 5-foot-8, 142 pounds. Fast and elusive, Cornwall, 26, is a guy who can not only slip between defenders and score on unsuspecting goalies, he can also duck a vicious hit. He scored 39 goals to lead the Wave in scoring.
27 Ben Christian (Rypien), 6-foot-2, 175 pounds. Christian, 27, led the Rough Riders with 29 goals in 14 games, using a combination of size and strength to overpower smaller defenders and surprising speed to get away from those equally as large as he is.

[Quintessence of Dust]

The New Cleethorpes Enquirer
Sceptics criticise lacrosse team

Quintessence of Dust's oldest civil society organization, Pissed Up Sceptics, has been sharply critical of the decision to allow the McBork Nationals to once again represent the nation at the World Lacrosse Championships, even going so far as to argue it violates the Constitution. "Its rigid adherence to secularism may well be Quintessence of Dust's most evident quality to outside observers, and the seeming departure in allowing a team of fiercely devout Best In Prayer Church members to represent the nation is a scandal," slurred spokesperson James Turner, before loudly insisting that they play "that one about cats" on the jukebox.

Pissed Up Sceptics is the most famous civil society group in the country, and in fact predates the nation's 1848 founding by some years. It has long informally lobbied for separation of church and state, and karaoke nights on Saturdays. Meeting every week in such famous haunts as The Vision Impaired Economically Disadvantaged Person and The Preludin Lounge, Pissed Up Sceptics discuss wide ranging issues of domestic and international policy, philosophy and science, and are known for being fiercely adversarial to religious believers, believers in psychics and supernatural phenomena, and people who don't tie their peanut packets up in neat little bows once they're done.

Turner says that once he recovers from tomorrow morning's inevitable blinding hangover, he fully intends to file for an injunction to prevent Quintessence of Dust playing their home games at McBorkiana. "At the very least, we should not be playing host to this monstrous debasement of the principles our founders fought for," he said. While hosts Sarzonia have already indicated a willingness teams to play 'home games away from home' at their facilities, such a move would no doubt prove unsettling for the Olympic champions. "And that's another thing, will you please shut about the bloody Olympics," said Turner. "No one cares. Unlike I do. About your mum."

[Sarzonia]

RP cutoff for Matchday one T-minus ... NOW!

Note: Home teams are on the left. Tables possibly coming Matchday 2 if I can format them correctly so they don't look like ass.

PORTLAND CONFERENCE
Division A
Qazox 11-13 Shavelle (Note: Match played at Portland Lacrosse Centre, capacity 20,900)
Newmanistan 11-13 The Fanboyists

Division B
Taeshan 13-8 Vedacia
Cassadaigua 17-12 San Giorgio a Cremano

WOODSTOCK CONFERENCE
Division C
Sarzonia 15-12 Royal Soldiers
Secristan 11-8 The Babbage Islands

Division D
Dancougar 17-9 Sarantonia
Quintessence of Dust 18-14 Delaclava

(OOC note: Since Commerce Heights has a city named Portland, any dispatches from that city should probably be listed as Portland, Sarzonia. If you want to use the state Portland is in as part of the dateline for the city, you would write Portland, Somerset, Sarzonia. The postal abbreviation for Somerset is SM.)

[The Fanboyists]

Dreichium Daily to Fire Reporters after Typo Fiasco

The special correspondents sent to Newmanistan to cover the Volunteer Lacrosse Team's first game will likely be fired on their return home for their rather grievous typos and mis-reporting.

A few hours ago, the Dreichium Daily's editor, Todd Jefferson, recieved an e-mail stating that the Volunteers had beaten their first opponent, the two-time champion Newmanistan Rockets, the home team, as well, 13-11.

Due to the simple fact that this can't possibly be correct, Jefferson published the article. The date was marked "April 1st, 2013."

More on this situation as events warrant.

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

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

WAIT, WHAT??

Pocono City- The Fanboyists 13, Newmanistan 11. No, this is not an April’s Fools joke that you will hear in three years, but it was in fact the final score of the Rockets opening game in Pocono City. What happened to our lacrosse dominance? Our mojo? Our swagger? Ok, losses to Secristan, Taeshan, or Sarzonia we can take. Dancougar or Cassadaigua? I suppose we can tolerate that. But The Fanboyists? Are you serious?

After watching the Volunteers get the two goal victory, and let’s not take anything away from Frank McDowell’s team (no relation to Newmanistan’s national basketball team coach Phil McDowell, that we know of anyway) because they played a strong game, most of Newmanistan is in shock. This is our game. We accept that a few other countries do it well, but The Fanboyists simply are not one of them. Maybe they will be. After the premature exit of the Rockets in the last World Lacrosse Championships, we’re left to wonder: have the Rockets slipped or has the rest of the world caught up? Newmanistan made a few changes to their roster for this tournament, but have this group begun to get complacent and is it time to send another batch of players to the national side? Only a few nations have a domestic lacrosse league that’s at an even par to their football, gridiron, or baseball leagues, and we are one of them. Lord knows, we can changeover this roster and still have a dominant team. Is it time? Perhaps this will just be one loss, and the team will get the message and play lights out for the rest of the tournament. Perhaps they needed a little bit of a time to get accustomed to new coach Matt Knight since former coach, then Prince Michael, and now the Emperor of Newmanistan has bigger things to worry about (supposedly). Perhaps the Volunteers are real good, a la Land de Wood in the first World Lacrosse Championships, or present host Sarzonia when they joined in the 3rd championship.

Whatever it is, the final score accurately reflects the game that we witnessed. The Fanboyists were better tonight, jumping out to a 5-2 lead after the first quarter. Goalie Kevin Moreno, who is on the hot seat to begin with seemed ill-prepared for the shooting accuracy of Markus Backstrom and Isaak Sturgis. Eventually, Newmanistan began to match the goals of the Volunteers, but they could never come closer then one goal down, which was at 12-11 in the fourth quarter. With 2:58 remaining in the game, it looked like some sky blue magic was going to pull this one out after all when Keith Taylor scored his third of the game, but the Volunteers held off the efforts to tie the game with outstanding defense, and put the match away with 26 seconds remaining. At 0-1, the Rockets will next play Shavelle. And yeah, they better win after this.

[Sarzonia]

[OOC: Just a note to The Fanboyists, Sarzonia is currently the only team with two World Lacrosse Championships. And the Stars are the current defending champions.]

Woodstock Daily Mail

The Lax Digest

By Noelle Langham
Daily Mail Staff Writer

If Jonathan Moose wanted thrills for the first World Lacrosse Championship to be formally organised and hosted by Sarzonia, he certainly got them.

The defending champion Stars began play with a 15-12 victory over Royalsoldiers to kick off the sixth World Lacrosse Championships in front of 25,900 at the Chip Moose Lacrosse Complex. The day began with a ring ceremony honouring the Stars for becoming the first team to capture two world championships in the history of the competition.

Division A in the Portland Conference got off to an interesting start. Of course, for the two group favourites, that probably means "interesting" in the ancient curse sense as both Qazox and Newmanistan went down to 13-11 defeats at the hands of lacrosse newcomers.

Newmanistan's loss at the Tundra Falls Proving Grounds was to The Fanboyists, a nation that has made a name for itself in other sporting endeavours. However, a nation that prides itself on having one of the premier lacrosse programmes in the world is unlikely to view an opening defeat at their hallowed sporting grounds very fondly.

Qazox's defeat to Shavelle is less surprising in some ways. The Quails don't have a home field per se, so they are playing their three "home" matches at the Portland Lacrosse Centre. They played their group stage matches in Newmanistan during the fifth World Lacrosse Championships, a fact the Stars remember well since they played Qazox there during the group stage last time out. However, with the Quails advancing to the semifinals in the previous championships, it still qualifies as a stunner.

In the rest of the brackets, the expected teams all won. That included Taeshan providing a defensive beatdown of newcomer nation Vedacia 13-8 and Cassadaigua getting its offence in high gear with a 17-12 victory over San Giorgio a Cremano, also making its World Lacrosse Championship debut in Division B.

In the other Woodstock Conference Division C matchup, Secristan held off The Babbage Islands with an 11-8 victory that likely had coin jar-wielding Millionaires fans rather anxious over the team's struggles to put the Bumblebees away. As for Division D, defending runners up Dancougar made a statement with a powerful 17-9 triumph over Sarantonia, while Quintessence of Dust and Delaclava combined for the most goals of any opening match with 32 in the Quodites 18-14 triumph.

"We seemed to have a little trouble getting on track," said Stars manager Harold Price of his team's see saw battle against Royalsoldiers. "Give Carter Whitlock credit." The newly-named Stars captain lived up to his billing, almost single-handedly willing his team to victory for the 13th consecutive match.

The last time the Stars tasted defeat, Secristan dealt them a 15-12 setback in the fourth World Lacrosse Championships. That defeat still lingers in the minds of several Stars players.

"They're the only team we have a losing record against in our history," Whitlock said. To wit: Sarzonia is 1-2 against the Millionaires and has a current two-match losing streak to one of their two biggest rivals in the sport. The only other team to have a victory over Sarzonia in a match is Dancougar, who beat Sarzonia in the Stars final group stage match of the fourth World Lacrosse Championships. The Stars have a 2-1 lifetime record against the Black Wings. Against everyone else in lacrosse, the Stars are a combined 26-0.

"Don't ask me to explain it; I have no idea," Price said.

[Qazox]

A stunning 13-11 loss to newcomers Shavelle, along with Newmanistan's stunning loss ealier in the day sets the Quails up for a do-or-die match at Newmanistan on Thursday. Playing at the Portland Lacrosse Centre in Sarzonia, as the Quails still haven't found a home field to use in Qazox; the Qualis jumped out to an early 4-1 lead after the first quarter. But the Shavelle's offense opened it up int eh 2nd scoring 6 times as they took the lead 7-5. Wihle both team traded goals in the 2nd half, that 6-goal outburst was enough to secure the win.

Shavelle  1 6 3 3  13
Qazox     4 1 4 2  11

[Secristan]

Those mildly familiar with us in the competitions that we have taken part in to date probably know that Secristan does not choose its team by talent, but instead awards positions to the highest bidders (meeting criteria, of course). In lacrosse, this is not the case. The players in which Secristan is sending to the World Lacrosse Championships are indeed the best, and most talented players in the country.

Modifier: +1.3

If my opponent RPs first, they may:
Choose my goalscorers: Y
Godmode scoring events: Y
RP injuries: Y in only saying they are hurt
Godmode injuries: N
Eject/Penalize players: Y
Godmode "other" events: N

Home Stadium: Monopoly Stadium in Amherst

Coach: Steve Cameron, 51, East Penthoria Marlins
– Cameron likes to emphasize speed in all components in of the game. On the national team, the attackers will be the quickest, but even the middies and defense run very well. So while the Millionaires will be explosive, they will be better defensively then you may think.

STARTING LINEUP:

GK: Patrick Kearney, 27, Bridgefield Warlords

LD: Adam Watanabe, 25, Amherst Tycoons

CD: Robert Petrie, 24, Amherst Tycoons

RD: Justin Lackey, 26, Sunderland Accountants

LM: Shane Ellis, 32, Manchester Panthers

CM: Scott Pierce, 22, Amherst Tycoons

RM: Tim Pozniak, 31, Bridgefield Warlords

LA: Eric Hopkins, 30, Lakeland Sea Wolves

CA: Scott Cushman, 31, Manchester Panthers (Team Captain)

RA: Tom Sutterby, 32, Kleric City Mustangs


BENCH
G- Mark Hurland, 24, East Penthoria Marlins
D- Eddie White, 25, Stockton Firebirds
D- Jacob Patten, 22, Dearborn Stockbrokers
M - Aaron Proctor, 27, East Penthoria Marlins
M - Mike Vincelli, 33, Cloverfield Hurricanes
A- Heath Barton, 21, Lakeland Sea Wolves
A- Michael Stark, 28, Ocala Sun Devils

[Secristan]

CUSHMAN READY FOR MORE

Scott Cushman’s outstanding performance in World Lacrosse Championships 4 so far rates as one of the best individual efforts a Secristani has had in an international tournament. He was ready for the beginning, guaranteeing that Secristan would win the championship at the start of the tournament or else he would retire from international play forever. Such a brash boast by a player is unheard of, but he backed it up, leading the Millionaires to their first and so far the only championship that they have won in lacrosse. He had a lower profile in the last event, and refused to make such a guarantee again for the 6th World Lacrosse Championship. Despite that refusal, he wants to make sure that everyone is aware that he is confident in his team and that they can win this championship and he promises to not rest on his riches and go for it. The roster that Secristan brings is similar to the last one but not identical, with the most changes happening on defense. Adam Watanabe and Robert Petrie, both bench players last time out now start and there is a pair of rookies now in their place on the bench. The third defensemen, Justin Lackey of the Sunderland Accountants makes his first appearance. Once again, the Secristan Department of Sports has chosen to name the best players in the country, which is the conventional way that most nations choose their roster, as opposed to holding auctions for the highest bidder. Middie Scott Pierce is also a rookie, and the rest of the roster is the same. Cushman will lead the way up front by Eric Hopkins and Tom Sutterby remain dangerous.

One game is in the books already, and it saw the Millionaires defeat Royalsoliders 15-12 at Monopoly Field. Cushman was outstanding, scoring six goals in the contest and assisting on three others. Secristan had led 13-7 after three, and in playing the backups for the duration of the fourth quarter, the margin closed up a bit even though the victory was never in doubt. It was a sound beating and we are sure that Royalsoliders wanted to insert an army of puppets to help absorb the pain. The other opposition from Group C will be One Big Island rival The Babbage Islands and then Sarzonia. Secristan being in the same group as the Stars means that the winners of the last three championships are in the same group. Expect both to advance to Sarzonia, and for the Millionaires to be the targets of boos as they are the only team in the world to boast a winning record against the hosts of World Lacrosse Championships 6.

[The Fanboyists]

OOC: Gotcha, Sarz. My bad.

Dreichium Daily's Editor to be fired in firing fiasco!

There were several things wrong with the last article, apparently, and editor Todd Jefferson will likely be fired for firing reporters for a (incorrect) typo (incorrect, because it wasn't actually a typo), and for mis-reporting that Newmanistan won the World Championship twice and were the defending champs. They have won it once. And not this past time. But they're still good.

Which makes the revelation that the Volunteers actually did pull off the win (no, it wasn't a typo) still pretty surprising: normally, on the first run in a sport, Fanboyist teams have been hard-pressed to even break even, much less knock off anybody good.

But apparently Isaak Sturgis and Markus Backstrom were both apparently up to the task of getting through Newmanistan's imposing defence (imposing everything, really), and with Hannah DeVine making key saves at the end with the help of the rest of the defense, the Vols managed to hang on and put a good start to their first appearance in the WLC.

The youngest of the Sturgis brothers (yes, they're all related) had a big day, scoring no less than seven times. Backstrom managed five scores, and John Dahlgren had one.

The game started with the Vols managing to bolt to an early 5-2 lead, catching the Rockets by surprise. However, Newmanistan wasn't out, not by a long-shot; they managed to claw their way back, playing as tenaciously as any opponent any Fanboyist team has faced anywhere, until they were only down by a single goal, and the momentum seemed poised to make Newmanistan the winner of this one after a comeback surge. But such was not to be, as Joe Sturgis managed to knock the ball lose from Rockets' attacker Curt Farrel, and Eric Zimmermann managed to send it back to Dahlgren, who shot one in to put the game away with less than 30 seconds remaining (26 seconds, to be exact), leaving the Volunteers the suprise victors here.

The Vols next match will be played at Dreichium Railways Stadium against the country's international rival, Qazox, with the Quails coming off their own embarassing upset by Shavelle. A strong turnout is expected (unusually so, for the experience of our band of semi-pro's), especially now with early indications that Division A in Portland Conference will be an interesting one to watch. Get your grey on, folks!

Go Vols!

[Taeshan]

X Island Inquirer

And the Flaming Falcons have opened the 6th Lacross World Championships with a nice 13-8 victory over the Vedacian National team on opening night. It was a very interesting game, thouhg int he end the much far talented national team won the game. The Falcons were led by Rowan Qwarant with 5 goals on the day, nad 4 goals from Piers Fohneger.

[Sarzonia]

Portland Press-Herald

Estrella Motor Cars offers $35 million to build stadium

By Jonah Simpson
Press-Herald Staff Writer

Estrella Motor Cars is offering Qazoxian lacrosse officials $35 million to sponsor the construction of a 20,000-seat lacrosse-specific stadium in Qazox City to serve as the home field for the Qazoxian national team.

With the Qazoxian national lacrosse team not having a home field of its own, the Quails are playing their "home" matches at the Portland Lacrosse Centre. In the previous World Lacrosse Championships, Qazox played its home matches in host nation Newmanistan.

"We feel it's time that a quality lacrosse side gets a stadium complex to call its own," said Estrella Motor Cars president and chief executive officer Nolan Clampett. "It's true that we would appreciate the opportunity to extend our brand recognition, but that is really of secondary concern for us."

A press packet outlining the proposed stadium complex, tentatively named Quails Park, includes the stadium itself, an adjacent practice facility with a locker room, team offices and a conference centre with a state-of-the-art video projection system. The stadium complex also would include four parking lots and two parking garages, Clampett said he would be willing to have the stadium named Estrella Motor Cars Field, but left that up to Qazoxian lacrosse and Qazox City elected officials and voters to decide.

"Our offer has nothing to do with a sponsorship deal," he said. "It has to do with building a stadium and allowing 20 young men and women an opportunity to sleep in their own beds in future competitions."

The money also includes funding for road construction required to allow access from any freeways in the city itself. Clampett added that the offer would be increased to $45 million to allow for additional public transit routes to the stadium.

"We are very much cognizant of the need for greener alternatives to driving to the stadium," Clampett said. "We take economic stewardship very seriously in Sarzonia."

[Sarzonia]

What happens to a bar patron who's had too much to drink and he goes up to a responsible bartender?

He gets cut off, like your RPs for Matchday 2 are being cut off!

PORTLAND CONFERENCE
Division A

The Fanboyists 13-7 Qazox
Shavelle 11-17 Newmanistan

Pos  Team                       W   L   Pct.  GF   GA   GD
  1  The Fanboyists                  2   0   1.000  26   18    8
  2  Newmanistan                   1   1     .500   28   24    4
  3  Shavelle                          1   1     .500   24    28  -4
  4  Qazox                             0   2     .000   18    26  -8

Division B

San Giorgio a Cremano 14-7 Taeshan
Vedacia 12-7 Cassadaigua

Pos  Team                       W   L   Pct.  GF   GA   GD
  1  San Giorgio a Cremano      1   1    .500  26    24    2  
  2  Vedacia                            1   1    .500  20    20    0
  3  Cassadaigua                      1   1   .500   24    24     0
  4  Taeshan                            1   1   .500   20    22   -2

NOTE: Four-way tie sorted by goal difference except for Vedacia-Cassadaigua, which was sorted by head-to-head result.

Group C

The Babbage Islands 13-8 Sarzonia
Royalsoldiers 10-18 Secristan

Pos  Team                       W   L   Pct.    GF   GA   GD
   1  Secristan                          2   0   1.000  29    18    11
   2  The Babbage Islands         1   1     .500  21    19     2
   3  Sarzonia                          1   1     .500  23    25    -2
   4  Royalsoldiers                   0   2     .000  22    33   -11

Note: The Babbage Islands is ahead of Sarzonia on head-to-head result.

Group D
Delaclava 14-10 Dancougar
Sarantonia 9-10 Quintessence of Dust

Pos  Team                       W   L   Pct.    GF   GA   GD
   1  Quintessence of Dust         2   0   1.000  28   23      5
   2  Delaclava                         1   1     .500  28   28      0
   3  Dancougar                        1   1     .500  27   23     4
   4  Sarantonia                       0   2      .000  18   27    -9

Note: Delaclava is ahead of Dancougar on head-to-head result

[The Fanboyists]

Vols add upset of Qazox to list, take lead of Division A, Portland Conference in 13-7 rout of Quails

Who would have ever thought the lacrosse players of the Federation would be the most initially successful Fanboyist team to ever take the field for the first time in a sport?

Yet that's just what they are, after routing the Qazox Quails 13-7 in front of a 34,000-strong home crowd (turnout was high after their first win) after coming off of a surprise win over Newmanistan the previous match; they took the lead of the Division with a 2-0 record. However, its worth note that there are still four more match days remaining, and if the Volunteers lose their momentum, it could be a long four games.

But, getting a visit from the Volunteers gridiron team on their BYE week was a benefit, and possibly a motivation, to match their feat of defeating Qazox in their own sport.

The game started off fairly close, with the lead after the first quarter at 3-3. However, the Volunteers broke away quickly, and gained the lead, extending it through the second and third quarters to 9-4 with strong shooting performances by Isaak Sturgis and John Dahlgren, and some help from Markus Backstrom, who made four, three, and two goals respectively, and with strong performances by defensemen Joe Sturgis and Cally Tolliver, as well as goalkeeper Hannah DeVine.

With the third quarter underway, the Quails scored three goals in rapid succession, but their comeback-hopes faltered after a catch by Joe Sturgis to prevent DeVine from having to make the save, and, uncharicteristically, rushed foward to score his first goal. Kathryn Strasbourg also scored three times on the day, her last one putting comeback hopes away.

Many are likely to be aghast at the newcoming Volunteers' early success, but Coach Frank McDowell has been careful to say "Let's not get to drinkin' the Kool-Aid, everyone. There's still four more games to play. We can celebrate when we've won a championship. Not a moment earlier." Truely big words. Hopefully, the Vols will be able to live up to them and the expectations that are even now being inflated for them.

Notable is that people actually tuned in to watch this game, rather than simply waiting to hear about it in the newspapers the next morning.

Their next game is also at home, against Shavelle, who also scored a victory over Qazox in their first game.

Get your grey on, folks!

Go Vols!

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

ROCKETS REBOUND IN SHAVELLE

Shavelle- After a disheartening loss to The Fanboyists in the opening game of the tournament, Newmanistan was faced with a “no excuses” match with Shavelle, and they were not about to allow this relatively unknown nation to come up with an upset victory. Many media outlets blasted the Rockets conservative 2-2-2 offense at the start of the match, calling it “boring and unimaginative” as well as “what an overconfident and cocky team does when they feel they are superior to their opponent”. The Volunteers exploited this at the start of the match to jump out to their lead, and by the time the Rockets made the adjustments, they had dug themselves in too deep of a whole.

Matt Knight promised there would be changes and delivered them by aligning the Rockets in a 2-3-1 triangle at the start of the match and emphasizing the rotation of the middies. “I probably erred in my preparation for the first match in not doing this. I wasn’t convinced that we had the midfield speed to get proper rotation, because when this doesn’t work, you can become very vulnerable to the fast break. Shavelle was a good team to practice this against.” said Knight who also was well aware of the fact that Shavelle defeated Qazox in their opener. Knowing that they would be hungry to carry that into this game and sensing the Rockets could be vulnerable, it was important for Newmanistan to strike early, and the team was able to that, getting three goals in the first six minutes of the game. The nature in which the goals were scored went against the way Shavelle may have scouted the team given that two were by Dave McCarthy and the other by Michael Kinser. “Dave really stepped up for us tonight,” said Knight. After allowing a goal, Newmanistan scored the next three as well to go up 6-1, and each of these goals were scored by the three attackers. With better ball movement, the team was looking like the Rockets of old, comfortably taking a 7-3 lead into halftime.

Newmanistan could have been more conservative to start the second half, but that was not the case, and the team remained in the same formation in the third quarter, and got a goal from each of the Capital Connection. It wasn’t until the Rockets had pulled ahead by the score of 13-6 in the third quarter did Knight slow down the offense, dropping into a laid back 1-3-2 zone. He allowed the starters to continue to play for the rest of the third and in the early minutes of the fourth just so they could gather some experience in protecting the lead until the backups were eventually put in. They helped secure a 17-11 victory in which saw eight different players score a goal. It is the kind of balance that you are looking for, and the Rockets leave Shavelle feeling good, but it will mean nothing if it doesn’t carry over into the match with Qazox.

[Dancougar]

If he was going to go out in this tournament, Rick wanted it to be with a bang. They were runners up in the last two, but with an abbreviated group stage this time around, there was little margin for error. He tried to rally his team to start fast against Sarantonia, because he knew just how quickly a newcomer could make an impact in world lacrosse. Dancougar, after all had been one such team.

An upset? Banish the though. The two-odd thousand fans who gathered at Dyson College watched Dancougar run up a 10-3 halftime lead in which they dominated in all areas of the field. Kamjin was happily knocking bodies around in the back, which was one of the reasons why Sarantonia couldn't get many clean looks at goal. Molly had been coming forward to join Sterling in the attack, and they demonstrated a strong understanding with quick passing. That was only natural, Rick figured, for husband and wife. And fortunately, both Isamu and Gordon had been behaving themselves in the midfield.

It was the third quarter, now, and Rick was back on the attack. He already had four goals courtesy of the Daedalus Attack. Sarantonia had apparently missed the memo on that one. A forward rush of midfielders created a clump formation which escorted the ballcarrier towards the goal, and whenever the defense committed, they could take the play in whatever direction yielded the best scoring chance. On this occasion, Lisa slipped into the open field and Rick lobbed a pass her way. She brought it down and whipped it in for 11-2.

She high-fived Rick as the jogged back upfield. "You're looking good today, old man," she teased.

"Oh, don't you start on that, too," Rick replied with a smile. With such a comfortable lead, it was hard to keep a straight face. The entire team was feeling energetic. "Don't make me point out that you're older than I am."

"What do you mean? I've been eighteen this whole time, and you never realized that?" Lisa returned.

"Well, excuse me, then!" Rick said.

As usual, they were getting along in the field. Sarantonia scored two unanswered goals, but Dancouga paid them back double as both Gordon and Isamu picked up a brace to really put the game out of reach. It finished 17-9, and it was hardly that close. Some redshirts had entered the game at the end just to pick up some experience, and with Worldly's chagrin, they'd been outscored 5-2 in a little under a quarter of work, confirming that the Wings' depth was thin as always.

In the locker room, Worldly tried to make it clear that while the win was nice, the tape session was still scheduled for 8:00 AM the next day, and there would be a light afternoon practice after that. "We don't exactly have an easy group, you know," Worldly said.

"The Delaclavans will want revenge for the beatings we gave them in the last tournament," reported Beck. "We don't have any information about the current team, so we can only assume the worst-case scenario. A complete overhaul."

"Come on, man, you're worrying too much," moaned Isamu. "We killed these guys today. You seriously think Delaclava is going to be able to stop our Daedalus Attack?"

* * * * * * * * * *

"I can't believe they frigging stopped the Daedalus Attack," muttered Isamu, tossing his helmet into his locker with a loud clang. Delaclava had gotten their vengeance, all right, to the tune of 14-10. The Wings had kept it close throughout, but in the fourth quarter, the offense finally broke down, and Delaclava outscored them 4-1 to pull away. It was a mirror of the previous game's final stanza, only the disturbing thing this time was that the regulars had been the ones taking a beating.

"That's why we have to take things seriously," said Gordon.

"Dude, I ran for the last three days just like you," Isamu replied. "And if they're going to all overrun my side, somebody has to come over and help. Unlike the great Gordo here, I can't guard three guys by myself."

"I didn't say all that," said Gordon. He was trying to hold back his frustration as Isamu blatantly snapped at him.

"Look, we're all to blame, all right?" Rick interrupted, eager to prevent a flare-up. "There were things we could have done differently, should have done. I missed some shots I normally hit. We were a little lax getting back on defense."

"I get it, I get it," Isamu said at last, calming down. "You know what, though? This might be a good thing after all. Because now I'm angry. And I'm gonna take it out on some Quods."

The team climbed on the bus to head back to the hotel. Their flight back home left in the morning. Rick couldn't wait to get some sleep, and was about to doze off in his bus seat when he felt a tap on his head. He looked up. Lisa was leaning over his seat.

"We need to think up something new," she said.

"Someth-- what?" Rick was half asleep where he sat, but he shifted in the seat so he could face her more easily. "What are you talking about?"

"Our set plays, I mean," she answered. "The Daedalus Attack is pretty old by now. Just about everybody's seen it. I mean, you saw what happened today."

"I'm not going to argue with you, but can it wait?" Rick asked. "I'm too tired to discuss this now..." The bus had pulled up to the hotel and they were preparing to disembark. "We can talk on the plane tomorrow morn---"

"But they're fresh in my mind now," she insisted, grabbing his arm. "Come on, I'll make you some coffee and we'll chat. You can sleep on the plane." Rick decided it was best not to argue and just let himself get dragged into the elevator.

Behind the pack, Roy watched them with a devious smile. "Oh~ho~ho, so that's her plan this time," he said. "I suppose the time is coming when we must bring down the curtain. Ah, but how shall it end for our heroes?"

Sally punched him in the ribs, and Roy winced. "I have no idea what you're doing all by yourself over here, but it's creeping me out..."

[Qazox]

Another dissapointment as the Quails once again allowed 6 goals int eh 2nd quarter on the way to a 13-7 loss to The Fanboyists, dropping the squad to 0-2 with but 4 matches left. With Newmanistan's win, Qazox needs to beat Newmanistan, or they will be all but eliminated after three matches.

Qazox       3 1 3 0  7
Fanboyists  3 6 2 2  13