“Elite SMACK round 2.

Wow. Da Tribe beat the Purple Delvers! On a cointoss after lucking it through the match, but still... It's the SMACK super team! We feel proud! And we're in our 6th elite SMACK final! :-)

Ripper and Grim showed up to play. The Delvers received first, but faced a blitz!!! and got tied down on the LOS, da Tribe stepping right up to let the blocking battle begin. Our blocks were better, and the pressure eventually made way to blitz the Delvers' MA7 ST4 Runner. The ball was popped, but the Delvers recovered and continued moving slowly forward. But they were running out of time, and the Runner was eventually forced to make a desperate dodge. It failed, allowing da Tribe a chance to steal the ball and throw it upfield to a waiting Blitzer. But it was not to be, because coach MadTias got trigger happy with his DP and fouled first, getting sent off for only a stun (that ST4 Runner was really getting on my nerves, but it was a bad call). This allowed the Delvers another chance at a last turn TD, but they were out of RR by then and luckily for da Tribe, they failed. 0-0 at half-time.

On our offense in the 2nd half, the blocking battle was more even. But somewhere the Delvers failed a crucial block and da Tribe could run forward, leaving the slower dorfs out of position and unable to regroup. Goblin Slipp scored 1-0 in T6, so the Delvers had 3 turns to equalize. Da Tribe set up our usual defense, and that proved to be disastrous. The Delvers easily burst through one flank and tied up our important players, and the Runner wasn't even threatened before scoring 1-1. That was humiliating, and well played by the Delvers to take advantage of our poor set-up.

On to OT, with no permanent injuries on either team but with a slight RR advantage for da Tribe. The Delvers got to receive. The blocking battle was more like 1st half again, da Tribe clearly gaining the upper hand, and the Delvers were forced to withdraw back to their own part of the pitch after trying one flank and finding it completely blocked. The Runner instead tried a desperate lonely run down the other flank, but failed a GFI. Ripper ended the last chance for the Delvers to score by taking down the last dorf Blitzer in range. Da Tribe then had a chance to win the match, involving a dodge, some GFI and a short pass, but it was not to be. Instead we got it on the toss.

I feel completely exhausted, Purple is really good and had I not been luckier I would not have won this match. GG PurpleChest, see you around.”