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June 4, 2005
Playoffs
Conference Championships
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Stranglers Survive, Cliffs Crash AgainA hard-luck streak had to end, here. Neither team had ever made it to the Hyperbowl. Boston finally made it, but after knocking off Manhattan last week, they not only routed the best team in the Eastern Conference, but they extended one of the worst futility streaks of all: Montgomery has not won a conference championship in 7 tries, including a streak of 4 from 1993 to '96. Despite being upstaged by Manhattan and Montgomery in the regular season, many thought Boston still had the best line-up in the East, and they certainly looked it against the Cliffs. Tyrone Shoelaces will finally go to the Hyperbowl in his illustrious career (there are rumors it will end it), and after a big game against the Maniacs, he was the MVP here. Boston TE Marky DeSade was also a good candidate, with 6 catches for 118 yards and a TD, but it was Shoelace's 104 yards from scrimmage with TDs both rushing and receiving, including the 14-yard burst on 3rd and 10 that opened the scoring, that cinched it. WR Luke St. Everything, who had the monster game against Manhattan, didn't upstage his illustrious counterpart, Montgomery's Noah Mittens, this time, but he still had 8 catches for 95 yards. And Boston held the best passer in the league this season, Montgomery QB Boris Toutierse, to just 161 yards, and intercepted him twice. |
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Sinners Black JacksWhen Monterey beat Las Vegas 24-21 on April 30, it capsized the Western Conference picture: Vegas had been cruising, dominating opponents, in an apparent campaign to return to the Hyperbowl. Suddenly, Monterey was on top of the division, Vegas fell beneath even Wichita and was even in danger of being overtaken for a wildcard spot. A week later, Monterey lost to Wichita, then when Vegas beat Wichita, the Sinners took back the division. Monterey avenged their loss over Wichita in the wildcard game, and now the circle is complete. With less than 2 minutes remaining, Vegas QB Andy Christ found WR Gus Tawend in the end zone for a 1-yard TD pass. This was on a drive to follow Monterey's to tie the game. Monterey had just avoided a Vegas comeback on April 30, and Vegas had late heroics from Christ and WR Jason Rainbows to overtake Wichita. It was on the basis of that Wichita game many thought Rainbows won the West MVP award. And who else but Rainbows comes through for the Western Conference title and another trip to the Hyperbowl? This was, remarkably, Las Vegas's 7th straight trip to the Western Championship, but only now do they come out ahead, having lost 3 straight before returning to the Hyperbowl last year. They split two straight Hyperbowls with Flint in 1999 and 2000, and now they bid to become the 5th team to win 3 Hyperbowls. Flagstaff, Chattanooga, Monterey and Flint are the others who have done it. Vegas postponed a bid by division rival Monterey to become the first 4-Hyperbowl winner. |
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