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1. 1. A.P.E., Season 1, Round 1

Rain promised to make both sides handle the ball like mere humans, and that played a key part in both the low score and the winner.

Apes chose to receive, and a deep kick to the 2 mostly negated a weak Blitz! result. But while the Apes fell back Turn 1 and still had to go the length of the field, the Frogs had zero dice luck, as first an early block and then a first block quad'ed out with Skulls/Both Down, burning 2 RR and letting the Apes waltz their cage and more through the Frog lines and across the LoS. Turn 3, facing a complete breakthrough, the Frogs tried to blitz some players free to respond - the Blitz was only a Push, which meant a 3+ dodge was needed - and it failed thru RR before any other players could be safely moved. Turn 4 the Apes advanced a half-cage screen to the 2 yard line, and it was the best the Frogs could do to pressure the score, moving several players to the 7 & 6, within movement of the ballcarrier, but not before burning their last RR on saving(!) another Both-Down block. After some internal debate, the Apes chose to stall Turn 5, forming a 3-man cage with their back to a corner of the field.

And that, with no RR on either side, was when the Frogs started to not completely fail, and the Apes started to. The Frogs pulled off a 3+ leap to 1D the ballcarrier, and found a Both Down to drop him. Turn 6 the Apes cleared the one marker from the ball, but failed the 3+ pickup for the walk-in score. Some back-and-forth yielded nothing but moe players on both sides marking the ball and a lineman on each side BH’ing themself via 1D skull. But the Apes had left themselves out of position, and 2 surfs and a Pow later 3 more lineapes were BH’d, no score, 0-0.

That meant that 10 Frogs were receiving, and only 7 Apes, a Silverback, 2 Gorillas, a Chimp, a Thro-rangutan, and 2 Lineapes (inc. 1 journeyman) were facing them. That proved enough to pressure and pop the ball loose Turn 2, and the Rain (and more Both-Down blocks) kept the issue in doubt for 2 more Turns, but the numbers started to take their toll on the position game, and 2 more KO’s Turn 5 spelt the end of any ability to challenge the score.

With a mind to a possible defensive score, the Frogs scored Turn 6 (if a little late for any real hope), but the final Turns became a ruck for the ball at midfield, game over, 1-0.

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