Season 9 Pro World Tournament – Championship Game Preview
After a grueling, season-long series of battles, the Pro World Tournament’s title game is upon us. Two of GLB’s best, the Honolulu Hurricane Warriors of USA Pro and South America’s Santiago Benitos will square off on Tuesday, June 2 (Day 39, 21:00) for the Pro World Tournament's Gold Trophy, and 5000 flex points. Havoc, owner of the Benitos, will be putting the Pro Traveling Trophy on the line in this game as well, adding to the excitement of what was already an outstanding match-up.
This game will pit the top ranked Pro team in all of GLB against arguably the hottest Pro team there has been in the second half of the season. Santiago packs an unbelievable offensive punch and often embarrasses opponents with unrelenting touchdown frenzies. HHW, on the other hand, relies on a smothering defense that earns submission after submission with their dotball sleeper-hold style of play. These two long-time GLB powers can see each other across a 7000 mile span of Pacific Ocean, but have never faced off until now. On Tuesday night, they'll meet in the middle to play on a neutral field and in front of a capacity crowd at the 105,000-seat Estadio Azteca in Mexico City - one of the few buildings in the world large enough to handle this event.
HHW owner, HurricaneWarriors had this comment:
Originally posted by HurricaneWarriors
We really enjoy playing in the PWT as it is one of the best run tournaments in GLB and features the best teams GLB has to offer. It gives us a chance to play some of the top teams outside of USAPL and see where we stack up against other Pro league teams. Going this deep into the tournament is very special since there were quite a few excellent teams that we had to overcome along the way, and it gave us an opportunity to show the rest of GLB that HHW can still compete with the best of them.
We have never played the Santiago before, but we've known Havoc for several seasons. They are one of the best run organizations in GLB and we have nothing but respect for them. It will be a tall order for us to knock them off, but we will try our ass off to give them the best we've got. We remember back in season 5 it was Havoc GMed Parma team that ended our 40 game winning streak, so we would like to return the favor this season.
... and, Havoc's statement:
Originally posted by Havoc
Honolulu wants the precious. I hates Honolulu.
Each team has beaten seven other top Pro teams to get to this Championship Game. Honolulu is tied with Monmouth for the most wins in PWT history (12) and will be playing for USAPL's 85th PWT win overall. Santiago did not take part in Season 8, but is perfect in their PWT run so far and will be playing to push SAPL's cumulative PWT record over .500.
Overall PWT Records by Team:
_7 - 0 … 1.000 … Santiago Benitos ( SAPL Alpha )
12 - 1 … 0.923 … Honolulu Hurricane Warriors ( USAPL West )
12 - 1 … 0.923 … Monmouth Evil Monkeys ( USAPL West )
_6 - 1 … 0.857 … Las Vegas Gamblers ( USAPL East )
11 - 2 … 0.846 … ***Official*** Footballguys ( USAPL East )
11 - 2 … 0.846 … Lincoln Navigators ( USAPL West )
9 - 2 … 0.818 … Marblehead Longhorns ( CPL East )
8 - 2 … 0.800 … Cincinnati Shockers ( USAPL East )
8 - 2 … 0.800 … Minnesota Marauders ( USAPL West )
7 - 3 … 0.700 … Dryden Blues ( CPL East )
7 - 3 … 0.700 … Krazy Monkeys ( SAPL Zeta )
7 - 3 … 0.700 … Mata-Utu Voodoo ( OPL Zeta )
Overall PWT Records by League:
84 - 41 ( 0.672 ) USAPL
46 - 31 ( 0.597 ) CPL
35 - 35 ( 0.500 ) SAPL
32 - 37 ( 0.464 ) OPL
20 - 24 ( 0.455 ) EEPL
15 - 21 ( 0.417 ) APL
10 - 28 ( 0.263 ) SEAPL
10 - 35 ( 0.222 ) WEPL
With two trophies on the line and all of GLB watching, who will be crowned the Season 9 Pro World Tournament Champion?
Honolulu Hurricane Warriors (USAPL) v. Santiago Benitos (SAPL) - http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=1509&team2=486
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For a look at how these two teams reached the Season 9 PWT Championship Game, their paths:
Group Round
Each team finished off their Group Round schedule with a perfect 3-0 record and advanced to the 32-team bracket as an “A” seed. As a sign of things to come, the Benitos flexed some offensive muscle in their first three, scoring 80+ twice, while HHW did it with defense, recording the 3rd ever PWT shutout along the way.
.......... Day _7 - Santiago Benitos 81 - Doinitin Djibouti (APL) 37 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=563603
.......... Day 12 - Santiago Benitos 45 - Semarang Red Bulls (SEAPL) 28 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564618
.......... Day 13 - Santiago Benitos 84 - Adriana Lima Beans (CPL) 17 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564700
.......... Day _9 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 45 - Emmaus Fighting Green Hornets (EEPL) 14 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564821
.......... Day 11 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 19 - Paris Dream Bolts (WEPL) 3 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564906
.......... Day 13 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 51 - The Last Gunfighters of Texas (APL) 0 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564950
Round of 32
Entering the bracket, Honolulu was met by CPL’s North Delta Huskies. NDH's opportunistic defense lead the Season 8 PWT with 12 takeaways (in only three games) and had added 11 more to their PWT career totals this season, so it was no surprise to see them swipe the ball 5 times from Honolulu runners in this turnover-laden game. Lucky for HHW, their D was up to the task of matching the thefts with a pile of their own.
The Hurricane Warriors built a 38-10 halftime lead and then sat on it, allowing NDH to collect field goals in the second half, but never challenge for the lead. A 21-point 2nd quarter for HHW made the difference and included a 95-yard TD pass from Stuart Wang to Brandon Jennings, a 31-yard pick-6 by Booger Wang, and a 50-yard TD run by Jamarkus McCrazyfeet.
.......... Day 18 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 41 - North Delta Huskies (CPL) 29 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=566448
Santiago opened bracket play facing a familiar squad, the West Scranton Invaders of OPL. Havoc’s long-time connection to WSI in their recently separated Benitos-Invaders-Parma family and the track records of each (both had been former #1’s in the GLB Pro Rankings) made this game one that many were pointing to as THE game to watch in the bracket’s first round. The two teams did not disappoint.
Like HHW did in their game, Santiago went to the locker room with a sizeable lead at halftime, 28-9, but they couldn’t keep West Scranton from roaring back in the second half. With the Benitos holding on to a 7-point lead and looking to salt the game away, the Invaders came up with a stop on 4th & inches at midfield (as DT Gilligs Mom stuffed HB Declan Sticks at the line of scrimmage) and then quickly drove for the tying score, reaching the end zone with under a minute left in regulation and sending the game to overtime. After a 3-and-out by West Scranton, Santiago’s famed QB Ben Randall converted a long 3rd down pass to set up the game-winning field goal and the Benitos moved on to the Sweet Sixteen with a 36-33 win.
.......... Day 19 - Santiago Benitos 36 - West Scranton Invaders (OPL) 33 (OT) - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=566688
Sweet Sixteen
In the Sweet Sixteen, it was Honolulu's turn to get the big dog opponent. USA Pro's Lincoln Navigators reached the PWT's Championship Game in Season 8 and, though they were off to a rough start in USAPL league play, they had been absolutely crushing their competition in this season's PWT. HHW and Lincoln were due to see each other in a league match-up soon, so they agreed to let that game count for the PWT as well.
The Hurricane Warriors caught a break early in the first quarter when they recovered a fumbled punt return deep in Lincoln territory ... but gave the ball right back two plays later when Stuart Wang's pass to TE Kellen Wang was intercepted. Neither offense could get going, but HHW did manage a pair of field goals before HB Kenton Addai got to the outside on a pitch play mid-way through the 2nd quarter and found his way up the sideline for a 48-yard TD gallop. The two defenses held from there until each team picked up a 4th quarter touchdown. Honolulu never trailed and ended with a 20-13 victory over their conference rival.
.......... Day 24 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors (USAPL) 20 - Lincoln Navigators (USAPL) 13 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=473754
Following their win over West Scranton, Santiago expected to have to get through CPL's Drinkin Hellraisers in the Sweet Sixteen, but that match didn't materialize. Drinkin, one of the favorites to go deep into the tourney, was upset by the Buenos Aires Barracudas in the Round of 32.
BAB, Santiago's SAPL-mates, proved to be more than a speedbump as they frustrated Santiago's explosive offense and took a 13-3 lead into the 4th quarter before tacking on still another field goal to stretch their advantage. Unfortunately for the Barracudas, that was the end of their fun. Santiago's quick strike offense shifted into gear and took over the game with an amazing display of offensive efficiency, scoring long TD's on their next four possessions ... on a total of 6 plays from scrimmage. When the smoke settled, BAB's late 16-3 lead had dissolved into a 34-19 win for Santiago.
.......... Day 25 - Santiago Benitos 34 - Buenos Aires Barracudas (SAPL) 19 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=567271
Elite Eight
By advancing to the Elite Eight, Honolulu joined the Official Footballguys as the only teams to get that far in the PWT in both seasons. Waiting for them were the Krazy Monkeys from SAPL. The Monkeys were also undefeated in the tourney to this point and were fresh off of bracket wins over USAPL's Over the Rhine Red Dots and CPL's San Francisco Sucka Frees. Always playing second-fiddle to Santiago in league play, Krazy was on a mission to outlast their SAPL rivals here in the PWT, but HHW's defense got in the way.
Honolulu linebackers Jon and Mike Wang combined for 12 tackles and 3 forced fumbles (including one on the opening kickoff of the game) to lead the defense that allowed just 241 yards of Krazy Monkey offense and took the ball away a total of four times. A 14-0 halftime lead set the stage for Honolulu's eventual win and the fifth time in six games that HHW's D would hold the opposition to 14 points or less.
.......... Day 27 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 27 - Krazy Monkeys (SAPL) 6 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=567962
Outside of their PWT bracket run, Santiago was given the opportunity to challenge Hazy's Las Vegas Gamblers for the Pro Traveling Trophy. The Benitos responded by handing LVG a 62-26 drubbing. Electing to immediately defend their shiny new trophy, the Benitos gave the Emmaus Fighting Green Hornets, Eastern Europe's champs, a shot at it in their SAPL v. EEPL regional challenge game. In another laugher, Santiago walked away with a 96-16 win. Believing the Traveling Trophy holder should be defending it every time they face a quality opponent, Havoc offered the Benitos' Elite Eight foe, the Mata-Utu Voodoo of OPL the chance in their PWT match-up.
After trading body blows in the 1st quarter, Mata-Utu went for the kill in the 2nd. A flurry of MUV TD's - including a long TD run, a long TD pass, a kick return and a long pick-6 - had the Benitos on their heels and down 35-17 at the half. I doubt Mata-Utu relaxed at this point because they had seen what Santiago can do when sufficiently riled, but something was different when they took the field to open the 3rd. Santiago not only matched the 35 points that Mata had laid on them, but added another 41 in the 4th. Yep 35 and then 41 more. They scored touchdowns on 11 consecutive possessions, held on to the Traveling Trophy, and wrapped up the game 93-45 (with over 800 yards of total offense) on their way to the Final Four.
.......... Day 29 - Santiago Benitos 93 - Mata-Utu Voodoo (OPL) 45 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=567951
Final Four
Only Santiago and the Monmouth Evil Monkeys were more popular picks in the PWT Bracket Challenge than the Dryden Blues. Asheme's gang from CPL had dismantled DDL and MEM and outlasted the ***O*** on their way to this collision with Honolulu in the Final Four. Their HB, and Season 9 poster boy, Garrett Dooley, was putting up insane numbers along the way and had to be the target for HHW's D to focus on.
Knotted 6-6 at halftime, each team was waiting for that one big play to break the game open. Naturally, that play came from Dooley - he got loose on a 69 yard TD run in the middle of the 3rd quarter and the game changed ... the previously tight, no-mistakes game turned in to a back-and-forth, giveaway-takeaway slopfest that included one play in which HHW's QB Stuart Wang completed a pass to WR Urban Legend, who had the ball knocked loose by Dryden CB Mush Morton and intercepted by LB Tanon Renarka, who promptly fumbled it back to HHW. Dooley followed his long TD with a fumble on Dryden's next possession and then, as the 3rd quarter closed, Honolulu CB Phillip Wang intercepted a Lex Arthur pass, broke an attempted Dooley tackle and raced 65 yards for the score that put HHW in front to stay.
Honolulu added a pair of 4th quarter TD's on their way to a 30-13 victory and just like that, the team no one picked to win it all was going to the title game.
.......... Day 31 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 30 - Dryden Blues (CPL) 13 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=568187
Just eleven days after Santiago swiped the Pro Traveling Trophy from LVG, they met again. This time in the PWT Final Four. Hazy had recently announced that his Gamblers would be closing up shop after this season - an incredible run for the defending USAPL Champs that included strong showings in all three major Pro tourneys and a short hold on the PTT. LVG earned a chance to avenge their previous loss to Santiago by beating Emmaus, Lake Opeta, and Graz in their corner of the bracket.
Santiago came out committed to the run game and bullied their way to a 24-6 halftime lead, controlling possession and chewing up clock. It was looking like a repeat of their first match was on the way, but with Santiago using a methodical, turf-grinding gameplan, they were unable to gain further separation and Las Vegas began chipping away. The Gamblers found some holes in the Benitos' pass defense in the second half. A Las Vegas TD pass from QB Tony Blithell to WR Clara Barton was balanced by a short TD run by Declan Sticks for Santiago, but Hazy's gang opened up and struck quickly for a pair of late scores to close the gap to 31-27. Time was not on LVG's side though and Santiago was able to run out the final few minutes and squash any chance for the Gamblers to finish their comeback.
.......... Day 34 - Santiago Benitos 31 - Las Vegas Gamblers (USAPL) 27 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=574057
After a grueling, season-long series of battles, the Pro World Tournament’s title game is upon us. Two of GLB’s best, the Honolulu Hurricane Warriors of USA Pro and South America’s Santiago Benitos will square off on Tuesday, June 2 (Day 39, 21:00) for the Pro World Tournament's Gold Trophy, and 5000 flex points. Havoc, owner of the Benitos, will be putting the Pro Traveling Trophy on the line in this game as well, adding to the excitement of what was already an outstanding match-up.
This game will pit the top ranked Pro team in all of GLB against arguably the hottest Pro team there has been in the second half of the season. Santiago packs an unbelievable offensive punch and often embarrasses opponents with unrelenting touchdown frenzies. HHW, on the other hand, relies on a smothering defense that earns submission after submission with their dotball sleeper-hold style of play. These two long-time GLB powers can see each other across a 7000 mile span of Pacific Ocean, but have never faced off until now. On Tuesday night, they'll meet in the middle to play on a neutral field and in front of a capacity crowd at the 105,000-seat Estadio Azteca in Mexico City - one of the few buildings in the world large enough to handle this event.
HHW owner, HurricaneWarriors had this comment:
Originally posted by HurricaneWarriors
We really enjoy playing in the PWT as it is one of the best run tournaments in GLB and features the best teams GLB has to offer. It gives us a chance to play some of the top teams outside of USAPL and see where we stack up against other Pro league teams. Going this deep into the tournament is very special since there were quite a few excellent teams that we had to overcome along the way, and it gave us an opportunity to show the rest of GLB that HHW can still compete with the best of them.
We have never played the Santiago before, but we've known Havoc for several seasons. They are one of the best run organizations in GLB and we have nothing but respect for them. It will be a tall order for us to knock them off, but we will try our ass off to give them the best we've got. We remember back in season 5 it was Havoc GMed Parma team that ended our 40 game winning streak, so we would like to return the favor this season.
... and, Havoc's statement:
Originally posted by Havoc
Honolulu wants the precious. I hates Honolulu.
Each team has beaten seven other top Pro teams to get to this Championship Game. Honolulu is tied with Monmouth for the most wins in PWT history (12) and will be playing for USAPL's 85th PWT win overall. Santiago did not take part in Season 8, but is perfect in their PWT run so far and will be playing to push SAPL's cumulative PWT record over .500.
Overall PWT Records by Team:
_7 - 0 … 1.000 … Santiago Benitos ( SAPL Alpha )
12 - 1 … 0.923 … Honolulu Hurricane Warriors ( USAPL West )
12 - 1 … 0.923 … Monmouth Evil Monkeys ( USAPL West )
_6 - 1 … 0.857 … Las Vegas Gamblers ( USAPL East )
11 - 2 … 0.846 … ***Official*** Footballguys ( USAPL East )
11 - 2 … 0.846 … Lincoln Navigators ( USAPL West )
9 - 2 … 0.818 … Marblehead Longhorns ( CPL East )
8 - 2 … 0.800 … Cincinnati Shockers ( USAPL East )
8 - 2 … 0.800 … Minnesota Marauders ( USAPL West )
7 - 3 … 0.700 … Dryden Blues ( CPL East )
7 - 3 … 0.700 … Krazy Monkeys ( SAPL Zeta )
7 - 3 … 0.700 … Mata-Utu Voodoo ( OPL Zeta )
Overall PWT Records by League:
84 - 41 ( 0.672 ) USAPL
46 - 31 ( 0.597 ) CPL
35 - 35 ( 0.500 ) SAPL
32 - 37 ( 0.464 ) OPL
20 - 24 ( 0.455 ) EEPL
15 - 21 ( 0.417 ) APL
10 - 28 ( 0.263 ) SEAPL
10 - 35 ( 0.222 ) WEPL
With two trophies on the line and all of GLB watching, who will be crowned the Season 9 Pro World Tournament Champion?
Honolulu Hurricane Warriors (USAPL) v. Santiago Benitos (SAPL) - http://goallineblitz.com/game/compare_teams.pl?team1=1509&team2=486
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For a look at how these two teams reached the Season 9 PWT Championship Game, their paths:
Group Round
Each team finished off their Group Round schedule with a perfect 3-0 record and advanced to the 32-team bracket as an “A” seed. As a sign of things to come, the Benitos flexed some offensive muscle in their first three, scoring 80+ twice, while HHW did it with defense, recording the 3rd ever PWT shutout along the way.
.......... Day _7 - Santiago Benitos 81 - Doinitin Djibouti (APL) 37 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=563603
.......... Day 12 - Santiago Benitos 45 - Semarang Red Bulls (SEAPL) 28 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564618
.......... Day 13 - Santiago Benitos 84 - Adriana Lima Beans (CPL) 17 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564700
.......... Day _9 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 45 - Emmaus Fighting Green Hornets (EEPL) 14 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564821
.......... Day 11 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 19 - Paris Dream Bolts (WEPL) 3 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564906
.......... Day 13 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 51 - The Last Gunfighters of Texas (APL) 0 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=564950
Round of 32
Entering the bracket, Honolulu was met by CPL’s North Delta Huskies. NDH's opportunistic defense lead the Season 8 PWT with 12 takeaways (in only three games) and had added 11 more to their PWT career totals this season, so it was no surprise to see them swipe the ball 5 times from Honolulu runners in this turnover-laden game. Lucky for HHW, their D was up to the task of matching the thefts with a pile of their own.
The Hurricane Warriors built a 38-10 halftime lead and then sat on it, allowing NDH to collect field goals in the second half, but never challenge for the lead. A 21-point 2nd quarter for HHW made the difference and included a 95-yard TD pass from Stuart Wang to Brandon Jennings, a 31-yard pick-6 by Booger Wang, and a 50-yard TD run by Jamarkus McCrazyfeet.
.......... Day 18 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 41 - North Delta Huskies (CPL) 29 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=566448
Santiago opened bracket play facing a familiar squad, the West Scranton Invaders of OPL. Havoc’s long-time connection to WSI in their recently separated Benitos-Invaders-Parma family and the track records of each (both had been former #1’s in the GLB Pro Rankings) made this game one that many were pointing to as THE game to watch in the bracket’s first round. The two teams did not disappoint.
Like HHW did in their game, Santiago went to the locker room with a sizeable lead at halftime, 28-9, but they couldn’t keep West Scranton from roaring back in the second half. With the Benitos holding on to a 7-point lead and looking to salt the game away, the Invaders came up with a stop on 4th & inches at midfield (as DT Gilligs Mom stuffed HB Declan Sticks at the line of scrimmage) and then quickly drove for the tying score, reaching the end zone with under a minute left in regulation and sending the game to overtime. After a 3-and-out by West Scranton, Santiago’s famed QB Ben Randall converted a long 3rd down pass to set up the game-winning field goal and the Benitos moved on to the Sweet Sixteen with a 36-33 win.
.......... Day 19 - Santiago Benitos 36 - West Scranton Invaders (OPL) 33 (OT) - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=566688
Sweet Sixteen
In the Sweet Sixteen, it was Honolulu's turn to get the big dog opponent. USA Pro's Lincoln Navigators reached the PWT's Championship Game in Season 8 and, though they were off to a rough start in USAPL league play, they had been absolutely crushing their competition in this season's PWT. HHW and Lincoln were due to see each other in a league match-up soon, so they agreed to let that game count for the PWT as well.
The Hurricane Warriors caught a break early in the first quarter when they recovered a fumbled punt return deep in Lincoln territory ... but gave the ball right back two plays later when Stuart Wang's pass to TE Kellen Wang was intercepted. Neither offense could get going, but HHW did manage a pair of field goals before HB Kenton Addai got to the outside on a pitch play mid-way through the 2nd quarter and found his way up the sideline for a 48-yard TD gallop. The two defenses held from there until each team picked up a 4th quarter touchdown. Honolulu never trailed and ended with a 20-13 victory over their conference rival.
.......... Day 24 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors (USAPL) 20 - Lincoln Navigators (USAPL) 13 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=473754
Following their win over West Scranton, Santiago expected to have to get through CPL's Drinkin Hellraisers in the Sweet Sixteen, but that match didn't materialize. Drinkin, one of the favorites to go deep into the tourney, was upset by the Buenos Aires Barracudas in the Round of 32.
BAB, Santiago's SAPL-mates, proved to be more than a speedbump as they frustrated Santiago's explosive offense and took a 13-3 lead into the 4th quarter before tacking on still another field goal to stretch their advantage. Unfortunately for the Barracudas, that was the end of their fun. Santiago's quick strike offense shifted into gear and took over the game with an amazing display of offensive efficiency, scoring long TD's on their next four possessions ... on a total of 6 plays from scrimmage. When the smoke settled, BAB's late 16-3 lead had dissolved into a 34-19 win for Santiago.
.......... Day 25 - Santiago Benitos 34 - Buenos Aires Barracudas (SAPL) 19 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=567271
Elite Eight
By advancing to the Elite Eight, Honolulu joined the Official Footballguys as the only teams to get that far in the PWT in both seasons. Waiting for them were the Krazy Monkeys from SAPL. The Monkeys were also undefeated in the tourney to this point and were fresh off of bracket wins over USAPL's Over the Rhine Red Dots and CPL's San Francisco Sucka Frees. Always playing second-fiddle to Santiago in league play, Krazy was on a mission to outlast their SAPL rivals here in the PWT, but HHW's defense got in the way.
Honolulu linebackers Jon and Mike Wang combined for 12 tackles and 3 forced fumbles (including one on the opening kickoff of the game) to lead the defense that allowed just 241 yards of Krazy Monkey offense and took the ball away a total of four times. A 14-0 halftime lead set the stage for Honolulu's eventual win and the fifth time in six games that HHW's D would hold the opposition to 14 points or less.
.......... Day 27 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 27 - Krazy Monkeys (SAPL) 6 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=567962
Outside of their PWT bracket run, Santiago was given the opportunity to challenge Hazy's Las Vegas Gamblers for the Pro Traveling Trophy. The Benitos responded by handing LVG a 62-26 drubbing. Electing to immediately defend their shiny new trophy, the Benitos gave the Emmaus Fighting Green Hornets, Eastern Europe's champs, a shot at it in their SAPL v. EEPL regional challenge game. In another laugher, Santiago walked away with a 96-16 win. Believing the Traveling Trophy holder should be defending it every time they face a quality opponent, Havoc offered the Benitos' Elite Eight foe, the Mata-Utu Voodoo of OPL the chance in their PWT match-up.
After trading body blows in the 1st quarter, Mata-Utu went for the kill in the 2nd. A flurry of MUV TD's - including a long TD run, a long TD pass, a kick return and a long pick-6 - had the Benitos on their heels and down 35-17 at the half. I doubt Mata-Utu relaxed at this point because they had seen what Santiago can do when sufficiently riled, but something was different when they took the field to open the 3rd. Santiago not only matched the 35 points that Mata had laid on them, but added another 41 in the 4th. Yep 35 and then 41 more. They scored touchdowns on 11 consecutive possessions, held on to the Traveling Trophy, and wrapped up the game 93-45 (with over 800 yards of total offense) on their way to the Final Four.
.......... Day 29 - Santiago Benitos 93 - Mata-Utu Voodoo (OPL) 45 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=567951
Final Four
Only Santiago and the Monmouth Evil Monkeys were more popular picks in the PWT Bracket Challenge than the Dryden Blues. Asheme's gang from CPL had dismantled DDL and MEM and outlasted the ***O*** on their way to this collision with Honolulu in the Final Four. Their HB, and Season 9 poster boy, Garrett Dooley, was putting up insane numbers along the way and had to be the target for HHW's D to focus on.
Knotted 6-6 at halftime, each team was waiting for that one big play to break the game open. Naturally, that play came from Dooley - he got loose on a 69 yard TD run in the middle of the 3rd quarter and the game changed ... the previously tight, no-mistakes game turned in to a back-and-forth, giveaway-takeaway slopfest that included one play in which HHW's QB Stuart Wang completed a pass to WR Urban Legend, who had the ball knocked loose by Dryden CB Mush Morton and intercepted by LB Tanon Renarka, who promptly fumbled it back to HHW. Dooley followed his long TD with a fumble on Dryden's next possession and then, as the 3rd quarter closed, Honolulu CB Phillip Wang intercepted a Lex Arthur pass, broke an attempted Dooley tackle and raced 65 yards for the score that put HHW in front to stay.
Honolulu added a pair of 4th quarter TD's on their way to a 30-13 victory and just like that, the team no one picked to win it all was going to the title game.
.......... Day 31 - Honolulu Hurricane Warriors 30 - Dryden Blues (CPL) 13 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=568187
Just eleven days after Santiago swiped the Pro Traveling Trophy from LVG, they met again. This time in the PWT Final Four. Hazy had recently announced that his Gamblers would be closing up shop after this season - an incredible run for the defending USAPL Champs that included strong showings in all three major Pro tourneys and a short hold on the PTT. LVG earned a chance to avenge their previous loss to Santiago by beating Emmaus, Lake Opeta, and Graz in their corner of the bracket.
Santiago came out committed to the run game and bullied their way to a 24-6 halftime lead, controlling possession and chewing up clock. It was looking like a repeat of their first match was on the way, but with Santiago using a methodical, turf-grinding gameplan, they were unable to gain further separation and Las Vegas began chipping away. The Gamblers found some holes in the Benitos' pass defense in the second half. A Las Vegas TD pass from QB Tony Blithell to WR Clara Barton was balanced by a short TD run by Declan Sticks for Santiago, but Hazy's gang opened up and struck quickly for a pair of late scores to close the gap to 31-27. Time was not on LVG's side though and Santiago was able to run out the final few minutes and squash any chance for the Gamblers to finish their comeback.
.......... Day 34 - Santiago Benitos 31 - Las Vegas Gamblers (USAPL) 27 - http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=574057
Edited by turnit643 on Jun 1, 2009 20:42:43
Edited by turnit643 on Jun 1, 2009 20:42:02
Edited by turnit643 on Jun 1, 2009 20:41:36
Edited by turnit643 on Jun 1, 2009 20:13:18
