“It's a disgruntled team that enters the pitch in Rotenbach. Needing 4 Points in the remaining four matches, Cascade management had hoped for 2 against Grizzlies and then the remaining 2 against the 49ers. Grizzlies did well in Carroburg, though and got off with both points in a 0-1 victory. This means that Cascade must beat either Vikings or Razorbacks, or draw against both! Anders, as usual, assures us that can be done, but Blood Bowl being Blood Bowl...

Fans are coming in droves, almost 17.000, but Razorbacks have assembled even more of them, almost 20.000. Thus, at 37.000, the gate is the largest the Cascade has ever played in front of. Razorbacks looses the coin toss, and Cascade choose to start receiving. At least they have a full squad, while Razorbacks are missing promising catcher Tim Brown.

The game is on, and the Razorbacks The kick is short, almost at the midline, and Inga decides that rookie blitzer Janine should try a pass, which fails... Inga grabs the ball herself instead, and waits behind the inconclusive struggle going on at the LOS... Nothing much is happening there as the teams push each other around, until Sternberg sends leaping catcher Vann Barhtolomeu off badly hurt. Cascade moves to their right side, but Inga has poor protection and with some dodging, Hayward sets up a blitz attempt on Inga by Artie Fairbanks. Inga fends it off, though, and with help from several Cascade players, she advances the ball over the midline and up the right flank. The advance grounds to a halt as Brandon Taylor stuns Thorwald Hessel and Rannveig fails to foul him out of the game. Crawford and Rice combines to set up a surf of Latimer. Then, as Hughes boneheads, Cascade must give up advancing on that flank, and Inga brings the ball back to the middle. Razorbacks concentrate on the foremost blitzers of Cascade, Ballard and Sternberg, but cannot get a good hit in, even though they get Ballard down. On the right flank, Hughes boneheads again, but Billy Winn kills veteran catcher Jerry Rice, and the apo is needed to revive him, which succeeds. Thus, when Thorwald blitzes Taylor out of the way, Cascade makes a desperate attempt to advance up the flank, as Inga runs into range. However, even though Razorbacks can't get to Inga herself, they suceeds in blitzing and seriously injuring Rannveig and packs tightly around Inga with Crawford, Haldenhoff, Taylor and Fairbanks. Little chance for Inga to get out of that, and a Ballard blitz on Taylor fails to improve the situaton. Last chance is for Thorwald to dodge to the end zone, and Inga to do the long pass. Inga's pass is accurate and not intercepted, but Thorwald can't hold on to it, and the half ends scoreless.

Even though they didn't score, Cascade management still has hope. They cut deeply into Razorbacks catcher ranks with the casualties on Bartholomeu and Rice, and even though Rice is back after some apo treatment, Razorbacks can still field only two catchers, and neither Hayward nor Rice have extra agility. Neither has the Razorbacks Quarterback Bastian von Rijn. In addition, Cascade moves quickly and shifts their line before kick-off (PD), stopping the Razorbacks right-flank offense cold. Another ineffective struggle develops on the LOS until Inga succeeds in fouling Brandon Taylor and sending him off KO'd. Razorbacks won't get through on their left flank, but successfully commits their resources to the right instead. Hayward is the ballcarrier, protected by Crawford, van Houten and Freeman. Cascade is quickly there with 8 players, however, creating tremendous pressure, so Hayward cannot stall but must run in the TD and less than half of the half has gone by. It will be another defensive battle. Still, Razorbacks are ahead 1-0.

Cascade puts TJ on the Field and sets up for a fast score, but Razorbacks blitzes surpringsly, and suddenly it's all Cascade can do to defend themselves. They manage to KO Agagla on the LOS, but Rice marks down Inga and refuses to be dislodged from his task, even though Sternberg and Inga tries to knock him out. Instead, it's Crawford with the blitz which stuns Inga and the ball is loose. They cannot get to it, though, but the fight around the ball grows wicious as Hayward sends Mitchell off seriously injured with a smashed ankle and Turbin KO's Rice. Sternberg finally gets control, of the ball, and runs through a gap in the Razorbacks line but fails a GFI in an attempt to do a hand-off to TJ. Hayward returns to pick up the ball, and the only Cascade tackle player Close by is Hughes. He blitzes, but cannot bring Hayward down. Hayward has no Razorback in scoring position, though, and retreats back and fails to complete a pass to Freeman. The ball is well protected though, and a frustrated Inga ends the game by failing to put the boot to Taylor.

Razorbacks triumphs in the uphill Battle (840 vs 1240), and frustrated Cascade players mill around. To add injury to insult, Dagfinnsdottirs knee is found to be too badly damaged and she is sent back to Norsca. Arend Wiechmants, a Marienburger rookie, will get the chance in the final two games of the season. Also, mid-season acquisition Charles Mitchell was seriously injured and will miss the next game against the Vikings. This is not looking good for the Cascade's chances to get a play-off spot!

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