NSCF XX - Everything Thread

[Ranoria]

Richardson, Cold Hill Emerge Victorious in Postseason Outings

With Cold Hill coming out 28-20 over Sadeg State, and Richardson easily toppling Clawtown a week ago in he Drawk Bowl 21-0, Ranoria’s schools are 2-0 in the postseason. Granted, the Governor’s victory deserves an asterisk, as they failed to quality for the tournament, but it was a victory nonetheless.

In that one, the Governors got their bowl game record to .500, the shutout victory heavily featuring the team’s two monster running backs, Vice Jackson III and Kuenda Sello. The two went for 21 and 16 carries, respectively, with 94 and 71 yards as a result of their efforts, each hammering in a touchdown run.

But as was the case for much of the season, the passing attack struggled. Against a much less talented team, Ifeatu Chineze was given the reigns early on, with 10 attempts in the first quarter. He managed 5 completions for 57 yards in that stint, but also turned the ball over in the red zone. He would get 7 more chances throughout the game, completing 4 of them for a pedestrian 50 yards. It didn’t matter against this team in particular, Clawtown, a solid team, isn’t considered to be one of the NSCF’s marquee teams. Of course, after missing the playoffs twice in the last three campaigns, Richardson is starting to slip out of that category as well.

Regardless, Chineze’s 9/17, 107 yard outing was just unacceptable. The quarterback was an explosive weapon in the domestic season, even if he was used sparingly. Once he faced top-level international competition, however, he was exposed. Complex coverages and disguised looks doomed this offense from the get go. Because for all Chineze’s arm strength, talent, and accuracy, he has trouble dissecting coverages and identifying what teams are throwing at him.

It’s disappointing, especially after a freshman campaign that saw him fight tooth and nail to wrest the starting job from his competition. Tucker Wolfe, the next in line to take the job rightfully, and Alton McNair. McNair, now at Saguenay, was the fan favorite of the group and the younger brother of Derek McNair, an RFL MVP and the greatest collegiate player ever, most would say.

While many may question whether the coaching staff made the right decision, I think it’s foolish to doubt them. Yes, Chineze has gone through some growing pains now that the best schools from numerous countries have full on him. It’s been painful. But he’s still young. Next year, I’m expecting big things from this offensive unit. There will be a competition at quarterback, but I believe that Chineze has the work ethic, and the talent, to put it all together and turn in a couple of strong campaigns in his junior and senior campaigns. He’ll need to if he wants this Richardson team to get back on track.

As for the rest of the team, Kieran-Kweo Atkinson and Isaiah Bryce, the team’s first two international recruits, have likely played in their last games. Atkinson didn’t produce the way he did last season, but still accounted for the majority of the offense’s production through the air and thoroughly dominated in almost every contest. Well, besides the Rebel Cannon Bowl, where he was almost a complete non-factor. He went out in the bowl game and caught 6 passes for 81 yards to finish his career as a Governor.

And as for Bryce, he was a monster from day 1. In the regular season, he accounted for 110 total stops, 8 TFL, 3 sacks, a pick, and 9 pass deflections. While it doesn’t match his sophomore production, (142 tackles, 14 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PDef), it was still a monster season, especially when accounting for the loss of a ton of defensive talent. Those names include pass rushers Douglas Starling, Emmanuel Miller, and his running mate, NSCF Defensive player of the Year Judas Wolfson. Bryce’s freshman campaign was impressive as well. He racked up 120 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 TFL, forced two fumbles that he recovered, and hauled in an interception. In total, that’s 372 tackles, 12 sacks, 30 TFL, 11 pass deflections, and three interceptions. That’s an unbelievable career for a middle linebacker calling it quits early. He started as a true freshman and immediately solidified the middle of this defense, and was a captain in his final two years.

With that all said though, Cold Hill is going to be our focus here. This will be their 3rd straight trip to the NSCF semifinal game, the last two of which they’ve lost. Those were painful defeats with Thorn Davis at the helm. First, a shutout against Loyola Istria, and then a painful, last-play loss to the Governors when Judas Wolfson took back their attempt at a goal-line run for a defensive score.

This time, they will be again visiting the Istria Lightning Yard, this time with a gunslinger of a quarterback at the helm in Deondre ‘Diamond’ Rhine. Rhine threw for more than 4,000 yards this season, but also turned the ball over 14 times in the regular season, and three more last week despite a 28-20 victory. He has issues with consistent work ethic and as a result doesn’t always know the strengths and weaknesses of defenses. Occasionally he will be confused by a playcall, and this has caused a few miscues in their offense.

That being said, if he doesn’t show up against Istria, it’s going to be ugly. Loyola has no mercy, and while both teams are likely amused at their shared responsibility in knocking Richardson out of the playoffs, Rhine will have very little room for error in this one.

It’s almost a given that he will turn the ball over at least once, but the question is whether or not he can make his turnover worthy plays worth it and produce enough offense to win this football game. If he doesn’t, we’ll likely see Banija’s North v. south Showdown for a sixth time in the last two years, this time in the championship, as Moravica is almost penciled in for a championship berth at this point.

And more than breaking through may be at stake here. With Chris Dale’s continued failures to keep his more unruly players disciplined, the team might look for other options going forward. Incidents include the historic 2016 recruiting class’s many incidents and lack of discipline, Rhine’s continued absence from meetings and the occasional practice, and former pass rusher Angelo Gordon’s fits of rage on school grounds.

That, combined with underperforming in the Ranorian season, plus three straight losses in the semifinal may we’ll do him and this coaching staff in. We’ll see how it plays out Saturday, in Istria, with a trip to the championship game on the line.

[Sinyal]

Hello? Can I join the next NSCF?

[Cosumar]

NSCF 20 Semifinals

_#1Loyola University (BNJ) 21-30 _#4Cold Hill University (RAN)

_#2Northern Moravica University (BNJ) 30-0 _#6The Academy of Space (SPA)

[Cosumar]

And finally, what we've all been waiting for...


NSCF 20 Championship Game

_#2Northern Moravica University (BNJ)
vs.
_#4Cold Hill University (RAN)

@ Karmin-Falce Superdome, Ranoria City, Ranoria

[Sajnur]

Hello? Can I join the next NSCF?

Watch for the NSCF XXI sign up thread in a few months time

[Ranoria]

Stampede in the Lightning Yard! Cold Hill Stuns Loyola-Istria

The Cold Hill Buffalo entering the lighting yard

Without Thorn Davis at the helm, the Buffalo marched in, as a team. The Istria Lightning Yard seemed to spark just with the energy in the crowd, a white-out showing painting the entire crowd in light, and the Blue Thunder, Loyola-Istria’s powerhouse program, looked ready to play.

Last time the Buffalo had come here, it had been nothing short of a slaughter, much like what had been done to their namesake. A shutout victory against one of the strongest teams in program history. 37-0. Isaka Jawara shredded a defense hat featured Angelo Gordon and an upstart Cold Hill squad, while Thorn Davis failed to produce a single point. It was a deja vu for some of the veteran players, as Istria had come out in a whiteout last time, too.

But Deondre Rhine, called Diamond by some, wasn’t Thorn Davis. Some days, that was a curse. But today, his dogged arrogance was a blessing. Rhine had reportedly been early to every meeting this week, and QB coach Elliot Schmitt claimed that they spend hours after practice studying film. He showed up ready for this game.

And on the other side, out of Wild Valley, Omar Jassey has stepped into the shoes of Isaka Jawara and led this offense to its usual success, producing low basketball-tier numbers in almost every game this season on the way to a 12-1 regular season, and a semifinal berth to this point. Undoubtedly, he was the focal point of Cold Hill’s Defensive game plan.

When all was said and done, defensive coordinator Connor Hellsing admitted that the gameplan, essentially, had come after studying Richardson’s victory over Cold Hill in the Rebel Cannon Bowl just over. A year ago. They had used Judas Wolfson, arguably the best player in the NSCF that year, to spy Isaka Jawara, who was really his only competition. This freed up the linebackers, particularly Isaiah Bryce, to make plays. And while Cold Hill didn’t have players as talented as those two, Omar Jassey is no Jawara. His primary concern was allowing Charles Foreman and Earnest Longhorn, the team’s edge rushers, to feel free to unleash their full pass rush arsenal. Without a capable spy, they would be forced to limit their moves to prevent flying upfield. With one, they could take the occasional wash in order to execute their bread-and butter speed rush moves.

Marcell Salley was nothing short of integral to the gameplan. He failed to force a turnover, but the safety secured 7 tackles, one for a loss, a sack, and broke up 3 passes, throughly disrupting the short passing game and neutralizing Omar Jassey’s athletic advantage

And that spy? None other than Marcell Salley. The senior safety has always been a productive player, but he came to the coaching staff in order to secure a larger role for the team after the conference slate. In the last 4 games, he’d secured 4 interceptions and shown that he can be a capable box safety or an overtop blanket.

Their plan wasn’t perfect, of course, but it worked as well as possible. Istria’s offense was a complete dud in the first half, producing just a field goal despite a wayward pass that Deondre Rhine threw right into the hands of Corrin Fairless, who has really come into his own as a lockdown corner this season.

As for the Buffalo, they tore it up in the first two periods, with Deondre Rhine throwing for 139 yards and two scores while Hue Ross, the team’s workhorse, chipped in with 57 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. This early success likely came due to Cold Hill’s lack of relying on a single receiver. While Corrin Fairless capitalized early on the team’s leader in receptions, Karl Kraus, he isn’t the only weapon available. The team has two explosive freshman at wideout in Rodney Blades and Dexter Slaughter, who led the squad in receiving touchdowns and yards, respectively. Kraus was actually third in both yards and scores. As such, despite not having their go-to chain mover, the team’s explosive playmakers were still available.


Deondre Rhine dominated in the first half with two passing touchdowns

But the Blue Thunder changed up their gameplan on both sides of the ball in the second half. Omar Jassey isn’t quite the player that Isaka Jawara was, but he led a furious attempt at a comeback, as he led his offense to rally for a 17-3 run in the second half. Cold Hill changed to a ball-control strategy that nearly let this one slip out of their fingers, as the offense stalled out on all but one drive in the second half. If second string back John Judge hadn’t picked up a third down late in this game, it is very possible that the explosive offense on the other side would have had a shot to win it.

In the end, it was all for naught, but Loyola-Istria QB Omar Jassey nearly led his team to a miracle comeback in the 2nd half

As it is, Cold Hill has brought Ranorian schools’ record against Banijan schools to 1-1 this season. And, as was determined earlier in the day, they will be facing off against Northern Moravica in he NSCF championship, to see which nation will prove more dominant.

This is the 2nd straight title appearance for the Cougars, who knocked off an upstart Richardson squad last year after the Governors stormed past both Istria in the Rebel Cannon Bowl and Cold Hill in the semifinal.

Now, while Cold Hill has firmly established its squad as a contender with three straight semifinals and now a championship appearance, this is a huge game for them. Northern Moravica and Loyola-Istria have dominated the NSCF since NSCF 14. Richardson and Cold Hill came in in 16 and 17 respectively, and have been successful, but a victory here would firmly signal that the two Ranorian schools are ready to take on the world. Between the two, they have 4 seminal appearances and two championship appearances in the past three seasons. And this, to a Governors program that has long dominated domestically and came into the NSCF before Cold Hill, would be the ultimate slap in the face. To see a team that much of the nation still perceived as usurpers to the traditional powerhouses of college football win the NSCF Championship, and crown themselves as the best college football program in the world, would be incredible. Richardson would never live down failing to secure a championship first. This is Cold Hill’s chance to make history. While they’ve garnered national fans in recent years, a championship victory, especially in Ranoria’s Karmin-Falce Superdome, could finally cement them as one of the nation’s most popular, premier programs.

[Banija]

Postgame of the Loyola v. Cold Hill semifinal at the Istria Lightning Yard

The Blue Thunder Head Coach, Alanso Isa, looked up at the clock as the freshman phenom, Rhine, took a knee in the victory formation on the game's final play. He saw the clock ticking down towards quadruple zeroes, the zeroes that would mean the end of the game, and the end of his third season. He looked around the stadium- a third season in a row that would end in disappointment for the Blue Thunder faithful.

If one thought about it, Alanso Isa certainly had extremely high expectations when he took this job- almost impossibly high. Alastair Jobs did an excellent job at Loyola-Istria, and he finished on such a strong high note, it would be almost impossible to match. In his 3 seasons that he coached in NSCF competition, he never lost a postseason game- going 9-0 all-time in the postseason, winning the Pioneer Bowl in NSCF 13, winning it all in NSCF 14, and doing it again when the Blue Thunder returned to the competition in NSCF 17.

Don't neglect to mention, of course, when Loyola-Istria was pulled out of the competition by the BCSG during NSCF 15 and NSCF 16. They won a national championship in NSCF 15, and in NSCF 16, they lost in the national semifinals. But still- 9-0 all-time postseason record for the head coach. It's a unique record, such a strong one, he will certainly have to go down as one of the greatest big game coaches of all time. And that's why the Olympic Committee hired him away from Loyola-Istria, after that NSCF 17 title, to go and coach the national team. Try to bring the magic to the Serpent Eagles. The jury is still out on that one, though his legacy here is set forever.

Alanso Isa thought about this as he jogged across the field, to shake the hand of the Gatorade soaked Cold Hill head coach Chris Dale. Cold Hill University was reaching their first ever NSCF title game, and it would be on home soil, as well- Isa offered him a big congratulations. And as he walked off the field, he looked into the crowd. The Blue Thunder faithful were never known for being a patient bunch- and with that, he thought back to the fate of his counterpart to the North, his archrival's Athletic Director, Horace Browning.

All those conference titles, all those wins, a great record... And yet, fired, for letting Loyola pass them. And he knew what happened earlier today. Regardless of what happened next, Northern had passed them. And the last three years... Pain. This game, a painful semifinal loss on home soil. Last season, so much pain, with a semifinal loss on their home turf... to their archrival, Northern Moravica, that finally got them over the hump. And then, in NSCF 18, when they lost a stunner to Mar Sara Tech. The best team that Loyola has probably ever had in NSCF competition got blown away at the Stadium of the Restoration, in the nation's capitol, in a huge upset to Mar Sara Tech.

Alanso Isa walked to the locker room, and gave his boys a speech. Looking around the locker room, he saw the exhaustion, he saw the tears. He knew how much effort this team gave, from spring practice, to the effort they put in the classroom, taking 18 credits every spring while taking 6-9 in the fall. The effort they put into the weight room, waking up every day. All that effort, going 12-1 and earning that #1 overall seed, and yet, still falling short. All those countless hours the players put in, the coaching staff put in, that he put in, and falling short for the third season in a row.

He made the long walk to the podium. He knew he was going to face the heat- the Blue Thunder faithful were never patient when they watched their archrivals overtake them, which was certainly happening in the present moment. And another semifinal loss at what Loyola fans, at least, felt was the toughest venue in all of college football? They were going to come after him hard.

"Coach Isa, I'm from the All-Banija Sports Magazine." A short, male reporter yelled from the front. "What happened out there?"

"Well, we started slow." Alanso Isa replied. "Cold Hill came out fast and strong, and while we mounted a comeback, it was too late. Our fans brought the energy, and with everyone wearing white, it had a chance to be a truly electric night. However, their fast start took the wind out of the sails for our fans, which is exactly what you want to do if you're on the road. ANd with a true freshman QB, too. Congrats to them for playing a great game."

"Coach, this is the 3rd year in a row that you lost on home soil deep in the playoffs." Said a reporter from what he thought was the Istria Times. "Are we not capable of winning big games?"

"I think we are certainly capable of doing so." Alanso Isa replied. "Look at what we've done this season- even though it ends two steps shy of our ultimate goal. We won the Celestia for the first time since NSCF 14. We won the Rebel's Cannon Bowl. We beat Northern Moravica. We got the #1 seed. Lots of big games we had to win to get here. We're on the verge here. While we lost today, I'm still confident of our ability to win another championship for this great school once again."

"Coach Isa, I am from the Blue Thunder Review," Said the short female reporter in the front. That was an alumni magazine. "Are you truly capable of filling the shoes of Alastair Jobs?"

"Well, Alastair Jobs had an unprecedented amount of success." Isa replied. "What a run he had at the helm. All that postseason success? All those NSCF titles? When you take a job like this, you understand, the expectations are high, and the bar is extremely high. We are meeting them- we can meet them here. The pressure of succeeding a titan of this university has not gotten to me." And he faced questions like that for quite a while, before they turned into him giving tributes to his senior class. It was going to be quite the offseason for him at Loyola-Istria.

[Banija]

All eyes on Ranoria City as Northern Moravica prepare to take on Cold Hill University in the NSCF XX Championship Game


Chae Heung-Kim throws a pass in the NSCF Semifinal

HERZEGOVINA CITY, MORAVICA- Banija and Ranoria, at least at the current moment, have currently and presently established themselves as the twin hubs of college football. Of course, that’s not a permanent, as it was elsewhere before, and in the future, it will go elsewhere- dynasties don’t last forever. But from the days of Mytanija and Osarius dominating the sport, to Cosumar, and now, to Banija and Ranoria. This is the second straight season that these two nations have paired to give us our final participants. In fact, 7 of the last 8 semifinalists have been from Ranoria and Banija, with just the Academy of Space crashing the party this year, as Richardson University could not make the playoffs, thanks to an end of the season loss to their rivals in the Rebel’s Cannon Bowl, the University of Loyola-Istria. Banija and Ranoria, at least at the current moment, have currently and presently established themselves as the twin hubs of college football. Of course, that’s not a permanent, as it was elsewhere before, and in the future, it will go elsewhere- dynasties don’t last forever. But from the days of Mytanija and Osarius dominating the sport, to Cosumar, and now, to Banija and Ranoria. This is the second straight season that these two nations have paired to give us our final participants. In fact, 7 of the last 8 semifinalists have been from Ranoria and Banija, with just the Academy of Space crashing the party this year, as Richardson University could not make the playoffs, thanks to an end of the season loss to their rivals in the Rebel’s Cannon Bowl, the University of Loyola-Istria.

While the relationships between the two countries in this sport is, understandably, fixated on the fierce Rebel’s Cannon Bowl rivalry between Loyola and Richardson, there is certainly much history outside of that to give Ranorian fans and Banijan fans plenty of reasons to get excited about their matchups with each other. Look at the pair of playoff matchups between Loyola-Istria and Cold Hill University, where each have beaten each other in a NSCF semifinal at the Istria Lightning Yard. And then, of course, there’s Northern’s history with both schools. Northern Moravica scheduled Cold Hill University for week 1 of non-conference play last season, where they got walloped on their own field, by a score of 30-16, by Cold Hill University. That, of course, will loom large for both teams before the coming matchup at the Superdome in Ranoria City.

What will not be forgotten about, of course, is the championship matchup last season- Northern Moravica v. Richardson. The first foray into the championship game for both schools, Northern Moravica won that matchup. And now, Ranoria’s second NSCF institution is making their maiden foray into the institution. While Northern Moravica has had its best NSCF regular season to date, as they finished 11-2 and as the #2 seed heading into the playoffs, Cold Hill, of course, beating Northern last season in Herzegovina City. Northern may have a gaudy seed, and may be the defending champions, but Cold Hill beat them in their lone matchup, at Northern, in Northern’s championship season. There will be no fear on either side in what is certainly bound to be a heavyweight fight.

The history of big and meaningful games between Ranorian and Banijan schools is long. But the connections grow longer than that. We spoke about this last season, when analyzing the Rebel’s Cannon Bowl as a rivalry. But all four schools compete fiercely for talent, and in each other’s countries- and have been doing so for years. Ranorians are contributing all over the field for Northern and Loyola-Istria. This Northern Moravica team has three Ranorian starters on it. Both DT Edmund Harris and linebacker Sean Morgan-Horne are true freshmen, reflecting on the quality of talent development in Ranoria. And, of course, Northern’s #2 wideout is Kalen Rhodes.

There are Ranorian starters on Loyola-Istria, as well. Khalil Hauptmann, who is expected to be Loyola’s #1 wideout next season, is a very talented playmaker on Loyola-Istria. Their lockdown cornerback, Corrin Fairless, is from Ranoria. Frederick Hans and Daron Dempsey, Loyola’s starting middle and left outside linebackers, respectively, are from Ranoria. And on the other side, plenty of Banijans play in both places. But, of course, this isn’t a matchup between Banija and Ranoria- this is a matchup between Northern Moravica and Cold Hill University. This is a chance for Northern to become just the second team ever to repeat with this trophy, a feat accomplished by Ramusok Capital University, of Cosumar, in NSCF 15 & 16.


What are the keys to the final hurdle for Northern? Well, of course, the game being in Ranoria City, they’re going to be well outnumbered in the stands. While Northern Moravica has easily sold out its 40,000 ticket allocation, and NSCF officials are estimating that about 60 to 65,000 fans, including ticket holders, will make the trip to Ranoria City, they will be well supported by a strong travelling contingent- even if that number will be dwarfed by the Cold Hill fans inside the city, and the stadium. We imagine that the other 80,000+ fans within the stadium will be Ranoria fans.

Now, of course, it will be quite the experience for Banijan fans. Loyola fans went here in NSCF 17, where the Blue Thunder won the title for the second time, and Northern Moravica will hope to get that same feeling out of the game this year. It will be a fun experience for Northern fans in the city. One of the highlights is the massive public pool, the opportunity for fans to swim in a massive, freshwater artificial lake. Expect to see plenty of red Ns at that pool. We imagine, since there will be about 20 to 25,000 Northern fans there without tickets, that there will be at least a couple of bars that, for a day, will turn into impromptu Northern Moravica fan bars. Which ones are they? Eh, tough to say- we don’t do travel guides at this magazine. We can only imagine how many Cold Hill fans will be making the journey south, and we can only imagine how much Cold Hill fervor has swept Ranoria City, much how like it swept Busukuma in NSCF 18.

But what an experience it will be. But will they be able to witness what they came here for- a second NSCF championship for Northern Moravica? It will be difficult. Rhine, the freshman quarterback, plays with no fear for Cold Hill. He just went to the Istria Lightning Yard, the NSCF’s most intimidating home venue, stared down the Loyola whiteout and the experienced Loyola side, and beat them at their home stadium. And now, 2/3s of the fans will be behind him. But what a stage this is- the final. If he wins, he’ll be lauded as a Cold Hill legend, like Jawara is for Loyola-Istria.

HE’s just a freshman, but in football terms, he’s wise beyond his years. The pressure doesn’t get to him, the stage doesn’t get to him. The crowd will be at his back, and the stage of a semifinal does not get to him. He’s not somebody who’s going to be rattled, mentally, even though, as just a freshman, it is something that you think could happen. No, they’re going to have to beat him, straight up. Lance Kabuye said so himself. “Rhine has quite a head on that shoulders.” Said Kabuye in a press conference. “His sense of self-belief is undeniable- we’ve played quite a few good quarterbacks, but in my time as a coach, I’ve never seen a true freshman who is as poised as him. He’s a big dude, as well- 6’6, 265. While I’m obviously not going to reveal my gameplan, you don’t want to let him extend a play. He’ll kill you like that. And look at their two freshman wideouts, Slaughter and Blades. They’re too quick, too fast, for our secondary to leave them on islands. We’re going to have to do well to disguise our defense, thrown Rhine looks that he hasn’t seen before, and keep the pressure on.”

But will it be the Northern fans celebrating into the night in Ranoria City, or will it be Cold Hill bringing home their first NSCF championship? It’ll be a hard one to predict- these pair of squads, this year, are evenly matched. It’ll be tighter than their NSCF 19 matchup, that’s for sure. If Northern stays disciplined, and plays mistake free, with confidence, and show their experience, then they can win this. If not? Then the locals will celebrate into the night. We’ll see what happens on the field, at the Karmin-Falce Superdome, on Sunday night.

[Cosumar]

The biggest day of the college football year is upon us. It's Championship Sunday Tuesday!

Game on from the Karmin-Falce Superdome in Ranoria City.


NSCF 20 Championship Game

_#2Northern Moravica University (BNJ) 0-26 _#4Cold Hill University (RAN)

Congratulations to the NSCF 20 champions, and to all the schools who competed with heart this year.

[Sinyal]

Yay! Now I just have to wait a few months to join the next NSCF

[Ranoria]

Cold Hill Routs Cougars, Secures Ranoria’s First NSCF Title

Karmin-Falce Superdome, Ranoria City, Ranoria

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it sounded like a storm within the super dome. The Banijan fans were there, and many bars in Ranoria were flooded with Northern Moravica supporters. The city was loud, it was coursing with energy, and it was ready for a football game. Ready to see a Ranorian team, even if it wasn’t a blue-blood program, take the throne as the best football program in the world.

News coverage had been studying star players with microscope all week long. Reports said that Deondre Rhine had been spending more time studying film than he had in his entire career, high school or college. And hell, that may not have been saying much, but it showed.

Northern Moravica, right out of the gate, was put on their back foot with a deep touchdown pass on the first drive of play, WR Dexter Slaughter lining up in the slot and bursting through coverage. Later, Rhine would claim that it was something they’d seen on film, a defensive formation that Moravica liked to open up the game with. And after that, it was domination for four quarters.

After jumping out to a 14-0 lead by midway through the second quarter, it was evident that Cougars QB Chae Heung-Kim was in for a rough outing, already having sustained a pair of sacks and numerous hits throughout the contest. With the ball at the end of the second quarter, however, came Moravica’s best drive of the game. Kim routinely found wide receiver Kalen Rhodes, a Ranorian native, routinely on the drive.

With just seven seconds remaining on the eleven yard line, rather than take three points that would still mean a two score game, Lance Kabuye elected to go for broke, electing to fire off a quick vertical to top wideout Kutobo Colley. Unfortunately, covered by star corner Clarence von Arris, the ball was tipped up and knocked out of bounds. Their second attempt went just as poorly, with Rhodes failing to secure a catch in the end zone as time expired.

Cougar WR Kalen Rhodes was forced to step up, as Clarence von Arris locked down #1 WR Kutobo Colley

Perhaps the decision to go for it right there killed what little hope the team had, or perhaps it was an aggressive coach trying to buy back momentum in a game where his team, at least tonight, appeared overmatched. Regardless, it was the last time the offense got within scoring range.

In the second half, Deondre Rhine only three the ball three times, as Hue Ross took over the game in the final two periods. With 21 carries and 101 yards in that half alone, the stud back eclipsed the century and a half mark on the night, sapping the will from a tough Cougar defense. To their credit, however, Cold Hill never once managed to get into the red zone in the second half, settling for four field goals that would put the game at an unreachable 26-0 by the end of it.

Hue Ross went off in his final game as. Buffalo, tallying 157 rushing yards on he night

And Deondre Rhine, as those clocks hit double zeroes, stood there in absolute shock. The crowd’s roar echoed off the top of the largest stadium in Ranoria, a stadium that had practically given them home field advantage in this game. Hell, he couldn’t even hear himself think. He watched as the linemen dunked their head coach, Chris Dale, in gatorade. A man who’s job security had been in question was now on top of the football world.

And Rhine? Rhine would be hailed as the hero who took Cold Hill to heights that legends like Thorn Davis and Angelo Gordon had never been able to. He had helped the last few remnants of that historic recruiting class in 2016 to secure their destiny, to complete one of the most epic turnarounds in college football history. And he’d been the backbone of it all.

For an 18 year old with so much controversy, self inflicted or otherwise, it was almost too much to handle, as Earnest Longhorn hoisted that trophy above the heads of a swarm of his teammates.

Outside linebacker Earnest Longhorn, safety Marcell Salley, corner Clara North, halfback Hue Ross, Tackle Kevin Eakin, and kicker/punter Barry Chlorid. They were the remnants of that group. The class that had taken Cold Hill from a mediocre squad to an annual championship contender. And, now? The best program in collegiate football. They’d knocked off the #1 seed Loyola-Istria, and then dragged down Northern Moravica, the defending champions.

Oh, and of course, they’d done it before rival Richardson managed to secure an NSCF championship. We’ll see how that blows over with the old guard of fans rooting for one of the better teams in Ranorian history.