“NCBB - Season 32
Week 10
National Championship Semifinal

The match everyone had been waiting for was finally here, the elves of U-Dub vs. the Slann from Miami. 40,000 spectators packed into the stands on a beautiful day, primed to see which of these two team would make in on to the final.

Miami kicked the ball mid way into the U-Dub have and immediately blitzed the offense before the ball had a chance to touch down, knocking out a dangerous catcher in the process. The ball bounced into the hands of a nearby Miami blitzer, and it was at this point we learned the regulation ball had been replaced by a spiked ball. Thankfully the Miami player survived the bumbled catch. U-Dub recovered the ball and scurried it away into their own backfield in an attempt to keep it out of reach. Miami then pushed their way through to get to the ball carrier, knocking him down and setting the ball loose. U-Dub's luck chose then to take a disastrous turn for the worse, as an attempt to leap onto the ball to recover turned into a catcher removing himself from the match, and the ball sitting there, uncovered, in the endzone. Miami took a few more shots on U-Dub before collecting the ball to get their first touchdown on the board.

U-Dub answered back hard, laying some big hits and getting a elf into scoring distance. They followed up this play with a long bomb from freak thrower Willy Dissly, right into the hands of a line elf, game tied at 1-all. With only two turns left in the half Miami set up for an frenzied attempt at getting the ball into the endzone, and in the end, found themselves surrounded with the ball in U-Dubs grasp. Miami called upon another miracle play, much like the miracles they had been calling upon all season. The elven catcher was blitzed down, the ball recovered, rushed forward, an on target pass, a catch under coverage, and a leap over a teammate to get into the endzone. Close of the first half: Miami 2, U-Dub 1.

The second half begun with U-Dub kicking the ball off to Miami, and with Miami playing some keep away of their own. As the elves began to advance on the ball Miami made to grind forward, instead opting for a screen along the side of the pitch. Slipping a blitzer into the endzone Miami made an attempt at the quick pass, but the poor throw proved impossible to catch, and the ball was dropped and came to rest in the endzone. U-Dub sent in a catcher who successfully retrieved the ball, but disaster struck again on the attempt to leap clear of the Miami blitzer. Looking to expedite the nail in the coffin, Miami reclaimed the ball and increased their lead, 3-1.

A solid kick from Miami cam to rest in the endzone, putting the pressure on U-Dub to take the ball coast-to-coast. Though U-Dub got the ball into the Miami side of the pitch, all available defenders leapt in and set the ball loose. Not to be outdone U-Dub pulled together an amazing display of blocks, pickups, catches, and a successful leap, regaining the ball and getting another touchdown on the board, bringing Miami's lead to one.

U-Dub kicked the ball, hoping for a way to even the score, but the ball came down, a few blocks were thrown, and the elves found themselves too far away from the ball and the endzone to make a difference. The final whistle blew and Miami had successfully defeated U-Dub, and were now one step closer to becoming National Champions.

This may not have been the prettiest of Miami victories, but it was still a victory. Well played by U-Dub.
Good game.”