“NCBB - Season 32
Week 5

The inevitable showdown for FBC supremacy had finally arrived as Miami and Duke met on the pitch. Both teams were coming off of hard fought ties, and were anxious to get back to winning matches.

Duke won the coin toss and elected to kick; the moment the ball was up, the 18,000 Duke fans that accompanied them to the game that day elected to riot. Miami was able to secure the ball out of range, but Duke begun laying some heavy hits, opening up lanes for their Skink players to put pressure on the ball. Rather than get trapped deep in the backfield, Miami attempted to break out, throwing the ball to an open blitzer in the Duke half. Unable to provide any coverage the blitzer was taken down and Duke recovered the loose ball, progressing towards midfield. Miami answered back by knocking the ball-carrying Skink unconscious. Duke did not care for this, so they made sure that by the end of their following turn they once again controlled the ball, and were outnumbering Miami, 10-to-7. Time was drifting by, so Miami choose this moment to leap into a cage and set the ball free, but the ball came to rest still covered by Duke. Duke regained the ball again and advanced forward, but Miami was able to put a final stop to keep Duke from scoring, closing the first half 0-all.

Start of the second half saw Miami blitzing Duke on the kickoff, leaping over the Duke front line and catching the kickoff. Understanding the need to get a touchdown on the board, over-committing was deemed the correct choice. Duke made the choice to remove three Miami players from the match. Fighting back, hunting down Skinks, Miami caused an injury and a turnover, applying coverage to the downed ball. A scrum erupted in which Duke systematically contained and punished any Miami player in the vicinity before taking the ball and racing towards the endzone. Miami gave chase but fell flat. Duke stalled out the next several turns playing a mix of keep away and grinding the dwindling Miami players via blocks and fouls. Blitzer Drakensberg Fields attempted an all-star blitz to stop the score, dodging into three tackle zones before leaping over Phil Asack, the Duke Kroxigor, but was tripped by Phil's tail after the landing. Duke walked in the touchdown, taking the lead, 1-0. Miami set up to receive the kickoff, but it was too late, as Duke had secured victory for this week.

There were a lot of plays which could have had different outcomes, but the ultimate truth is Duke wisely preyed on Miami's weaknesses, putting them in uncomfortable positions every turn. Well played, Duke.

Good game.”