THE ALL-PRO (69 page)

He would win it for himself.

From
Galaxy Sports Magazine

by
YOLANDA DAVENPORT

WABASH, FORTRESS, TOWER REPUBLIC — It was experience versus youth and experience won out. With a 35-14 first-round win over the Ionath Krakens, the Wabash Wolfpack moved one step closer to defending their GFL title and becoming the first team to repeat as champions since the Jupiter Jacks did it in ’75 and ’76.

Wolfpack QB Rich Bennett posted a career day, going 22-for-30 for 285 yards and four touchdowns. Bennett is known more as a game manager than a top-flight quarterback, but on Sunday he was at his best.

“My receivers just got open,” Bennett said. “All I had to do was stay on my feet and complete passes. Ionath’s secondary is a little banged up and it showed.”

Wolfpack fullback Ralph Schmeer had the team’s only rushing touchdown, scoring on a 3-yard scamper.

Ionath quarterback Quentin Barnes, on the other hand, struggled in his first Tier One playoff game. Barnes threw for one touchdown but also three interceptions on 18-of-31 passing.

“I guess the pressure got to me,” Barnes said. “I didn’t play well at all. We weren’t ready for the intensity of playoff football and it showed. We’ll be back next year and trust me — we’ll be ready.”

Earlier this year, Barnes and teammate Ju Tweedy were cleared of any wrongdoing in the murder of Grace McDermot, a resident of OS1. McDermot’s real killer was arrested. The GFL absolved Barnes and Tweedy of any responsibility for, or related to, the murder.

The Themala Dreadnaughts won a 22-20 thriller over the To Pirates, locking up the game on a 56-yard field goal from kicker Michael Bowen as time expired. Themala now travels to Wabash for the Solar Division title and a trip to Galaxy Bowl XXVI on the Planet Yall in the Sklorno Dynasty.

In the Solar Division, the Neptune Scarlet Fliers manhandled the Bartel Water Bugs 23-17. The game wasn’t as close as the score would indicate, with the Fliers racking up 482 yards of total offense compared to the Bugs 156. Bartel scored their final touchdown with just 17 seconds to play. Neptune recovered the following onsides kick, ending the game.

Also in the Solar Division, the Jupiter Jacks outlasted the Vik Vanguard in a thriller that saw the lead change hands five times. Jacks quarterback Shriaz Zia played like a Human possessed, throwing for 320 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

“Everything just clicked today,” Zia said. “Some days you have it, some days you don’t. Today I had it. Quite frankly, if we play this well offensively in the next two games I think we can go ahead and be fitted for a new ring.”

The Vanguard managed to completely shut down wide receiver Denver, who had no catches on the game. Jupiter rookies New Delhi and Beaverdam filled the void, however. New Delhi had eight catches for 212 yards and a touchdown, while Beaverdam snagged six passes for 78 yards and one score. Denver’s output inexplicably dropped off in the last three games of the regular season, all losses for Jupiter.

“If we play this well offensively in the next two games I think we can go ahead and be fitted for a new ring.”

—
SHRIAZ ZIA, JUPITER JACKS

In the second round, Jupiter travels to their archrival Neptune. This is the third year in a row that the Jacks and the Fliers meet in the playoffs. Last year, Neptune won 14-10 in the opening round. In 2682, the Jacks won 21-10 en route to the GFL title.

The winner of Jupiter/Neptune will face the winner of Themala/Wabash for the 2684 GFL title. ■

THE MORNING AFTER THE GAME
, the Krakens gathered in the dining deck. Not only the entire team of fifty-three players, also Captain Kate, her flight crew and several Krakens administration staffers.

Coach Hokor had something to say.

It seemed almost strange to see everyone in street clothes. A few orange and black T-shirts and sweatshirts stood out, but most sentients wore the clothes they might wear at home, for any nonfootball function.

No need for uniforms. As of yesterday, the season was over.

Even now, after so much time together, the Krakens players gathered in species-specific groups. They sat in their species-defined areas. Starcher and Tara the Freak stood off to the side, a strange group all to themselves, a friendship forged by their common outcast status. That status was fading, however — Tara had earned the respect of his teammates and George’s gloomy nature had mostly vanished. Next year, Tara and George would join Hawick, Milford and Halawa to give Quentin the best receiving corps in the league. Add in a certain All-Pro fullback who could catch spit in the wind, a veteran offensive line that had gelled into a dominant unit and the best running back in the game and Quentin knew no one could stop Ionath’s offensive attack.

Quentin chose not to sit with the Human players. Instead, he walked to the Quyth Warrior section. A token gesture for forcing them to accept Tara. Choto, Shayat the Thick and Kopor the Climber welcomed him. Virak the Mean just glared. Had Quentin made an enemy of the dangerous linebacker/bodyguard? Only time would tell.

Conversation died down as Hokor entered, walking side by side with Gredok the Splithead.

As would be expected, Gredok spoke first.

“Krakens, I wish to salute you on an exceptional season. We did not win the Galaxy Bowl, something that must be rectified. However, you won eight games, the most since our 9-3 season of 2675, nine years ago. It has also been nine years since we were in the playoffs at all, something else for which you deserve accolades. And, most importantly, you defeated the Wabash Wolfpack. I am not pleased you lost to
them
in the playoffs, but I can finally say that my team defeated Gloria Ogawa. For this, you shall be rewarded. I will allow you to be pleased and proud of yourselves. Next year, I will accept
nothing less
than the Galaxy Bowl.”

Gredok paused, scanning the room, practically daring anyone to contradict him. No one did. The team believed as he believed, that next year in 2685, a Tier One title was theirs for the taking.

“Galaxy Bowl,” he said again. “And to that effect, I turn things over to Coach Hokor. I must leave you now, Krakens. Know that Hokor has my full confidence and support. Do as he says. I depart to take care of some unfinished business.”

Gredok turned and walked out. Quentin wondered if that
unfinished business
involved Frederico. Hopefully, the disguise-happy detective could stay hidden for awhile longer.

At least until Quentin got his revenge on Gredok.

“Krakens, attention,” Hokor said. “I will also give you credit for an excellent season. We were not prepared for playoff football. We were not used to a fourteenth week of practice. We were not mentally ready for the intensity. To help us prepare for next year, I will tell you now that our current season is
not
over.”

He let the words sink in. The Krakens players looked at each other, confused. Quentin didn’t bother to look around — he already understood what Hokor was doing and he approved.

“It would be a five-day trip home,” Hokor said. “Today is Monday. We would not arrive until Friday. The Wolfpack play the Dreadnaughts on Sunday, right here, on the planet Fortress far below our feet. Had we defeated the Wolfpack, we would be practicing
right now
. All week. And if we had defeated the Dreadnaughts in the second round, we would practice the week after that as well. That is exactly what we are going to do — we are going to practice as if we were moving on to the second round.”

Quentin felt an unexpected thrill. He didn’t have to leave the
Touchback
yet. He could keep playing, keep practicing. Some of his teammates didn’t feel the same, as evidenced by moans and curses.

“You all
stay here
,” Hokor said. “No exceptions. We will not practice full-contact, but we will practice every day as if we were still in the playoffs. We will travel down to Wabash stadium together, exactly as we would if we were playing. We will sit in the stands, together, we will talk to each other about what the teams are doing right, what we have to do right next year to be down on the field. And after Sunday, we will all stay on the
Touchback
and practice until it is time to travel to Yall, as if
we
were playing in the Galaxy Bowl. Again, we’ll go down to the surface of Yall
together,
just like we would for the real thing. We will watch the championship together. This will help us learn how to deal with the fatigue of an extra three weeks of playoff football. At this time next year, we will be ready.”

The groaning continued. Players wanted to go home, see their families.

Quentin stood. The moaning stopped.

“This is a good plan,” he said to the team. “Coach is right. We lost to Wabash because we weren’t ready. For the next two weeks, you will all think of what it would feel like to still be playing, to be headed to the championship game. It’s two more weeks. And you better get used to a longer season, because next year?” He looked around the room, staring at each player for just a moment, using a long pause to catch every eye.

“Next year, we’ll be ready. Next year, this will be for real. For now, we’ll practice,
as a team
. We’ll watch Wabash play Themala, as a team. And as a team, we’ll travel to the Galaxy Bowl on Yall ...
together
. We’ll watch that game ...
together
.”

He looked back to Hokor, then sat, silently turning control back to the coach.

“Thank you, Barnes,” Hokor said. “Krakens, go suit up, no pads today. Report to the practice field in thirty minutes.”

From
LeeKee Galaxy Times

by
KELP BRINGER

WABASH, FORTRESS, TOWER REPUBLIC — A shockingly dominant defensive performance pushed Themala into the GFL title game. In Wabash, the Dreadnaughts didn’t give up a single touchdown en route to a 24-7 upset over the defending champion Wolfpack. Wabash’s only score came on an interception return by safety Mississauga late in the third quarter.

“We soundly defeated their offense,” said Themala linebacker Tibi the Unkempt. “Our game plan worked well. They could not run. They could not pass. Therefore, we won the game.”

In an inexplicable offensive meltdown, Wabash picked up only six first downs the entire game. The Wolfpack failed to convert a single third-down opportunity.

“Our punter was our star player,” said Wolfpack coach Alan Roark. “Anytime you say that, you’re in trouble and doubly so in the playoffs. We’re going to have to watch the game-holo and figure out why we couldn’t make anything happen. We got whipped today and that’s that.”

For the 2684 title, the Dreadnaughts face off against the Jupiter Jacks. Jupiter defeated archrival Neptune in a 36-33 double-overtime thriller.

In what proved to be the longest game in GFL history, the Jacks finally won on a 17-yard field goal by kicker Jack Burrill, which was set up on a 42-yard pass from quarterback Shriaz Zia to wide receiver Denver. Denver was shut down for most of the game. She caught only two passes on the day, the other being for just one yard early in the second quarter. Denver has been under fire in the media as of late following her poor performances in the last three games of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.

“She got open when it mattered,” Zia said. “We snuck out of Neptune with a win and we’re headed to the Galaxy Bowl.”

This will be Jupiter’s fifth appearance in the championship game. The Jacks have three GFL titles.

This is Themala’s first-ever trip to the title game. The Dreadnaughts and the Wolfpack also met in last year’s Planet Division finals, a game Wabash won 17-7 en route to claiming the GFL title.