Arda Cup Football 2011 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

the phantom · 08-16-2011, 12:20 AM

The falls of Rauros roared on unchanging through the morning and into the afternoon, oblivious to the stir and bustle above and below. Late-arriving fans with reserved tickets and those just showing up to party sailed into the lower docks on the Anduin in the morning hours, and the hydro-powered lifts had them up on lake level in no time.

The spectators already staying in the various inns, condos, and houses around the lake slowly trickled into the heavily built up area surrounding the Coliseum as the day wore on. The pubs and restaurants were overflowing, and spirits were high. The areas bordering the lake were largely dominated by Men and Elves, while the forested slopes climbing up from the south side of the stadium were infested with Orcs, Wights, and Wolves.

In the early evening the great Coliseum bells sounded and the revelers paid their bills and streamed towards one of the six entrances. As the seats filled in, it became clear that Tol In Gaurhoth would own the eastern portion of the arena, but the north and west were dominated by Doriath. The high-climbing southern portion of the arena was a mix of unaffiliated football fans and Doriath supporters.

All the game-goers were united in anticipation, and fans of both sides betrayed an unusual amount of nerves. Throughout the tournament Doriath and Tol In Gaurhoth had crushed every obstacle placed in their path, both of them winning by an average margin of greater than two goals per contest! Such dominant performances had pumped up the already lofty expectations of their supporters, and more confident fans could not be found anywhere.

But now they were meeting head to head- the clash of the titans! Who would cap off one of the greatest runs in the history of the tournament? All of Arda couldn’t wait to find out.

Teams Doriath and Tol In Gaurhoth made their way onto the field to enormous applause from friend and foe alike. Doriath fans were polite in general, so their reaction was expected, but some were surprised by the less than hostile greeting the Wights and Wolves gave Doriath. In this the fans were merely following the lead of their own team- NogWolf and SkipWolf always displayed a level of civility, and the more rowdy members of the squad had reigned in their insults in the various interviews leading up to the match.

In fact the starting TIG goal keeper, ShastaWolf, had admitted to being a longtime fan of both defensive stopper Carcharoth and the expert keeper Huan. “I watch their matches every chance I get. They’re very talented and a thrill to watch, and I love how they play as well. I have great respect for those two.”

Even the most overconfident and insulting member of the squad, PhantomWolf, was somewhat complimentary in the rambling statement he gave reporters on the way into the Coliseum. “They’re good, no doubt. I’ve always thought Turin was great- I mean, I actually developed parts of my game by watching film of him. I’m faster of course, but still… And yeah, their defense has been very sound. Though I think it’s a bit unfair having Melian and Luthien on the team. Come on- what guy can concentrate properly with one of those two jostling him? But thankfully when we’re in WereWight form that sort of thing doesn’t bother us. But of course NerWolf, SallyWolf, and GaladWolf become huge distractions at that point. Like last game, I was about to send it to NogWolf when NerWolf sprinted by, and I completely lost focus. She just has the most perfectly even, gleaming, deadly teeth, and that sleek long tail…. Wait, what was the question?”

The TIG faithful fervently hoped that PhantomWolf and friends would not be distracted on this day, with everything on the line, and as warm ups began TIG definitely looked focused. The WereWolfed Wights went through their usual exercises, wowing those that had never seen the freakish beasts do their pregame routine. Their balance, flexibility, and strength were just inhuman!

But thankfully for Doriath, their players weren’t exactly normal either. Hurin the Steadfast never tires and can never be caught out of position, Beleg Strongboot boots it hard and as accurately as anyone, Eol with his incredible creativity and dexterity, and of course Turin- as agile as any Elf, but stronger.

And then there was the middle of the team- Luthien, swift and bold. Mablung, dependable and hardy. Melian, wise and intuitive, and able to boost the defenders around her with her defensive mental net.

And then at the rear- Beren, determined and athletic. Elwe, tall and intimidating. Carcharoth, fast and physical. And of course the keeper- Huan, lightning quick and battle-tested.

Without a doubt team Doriath was the most diverse and talented squad TIG had faced, and they would not go down easily.

And as top tournament official and referee Boromir88 started the contest, Doriath indeed played as if losing was simply not possible, sending the ball back and forth with astonishing speed, and releasing their forwards in on ShastaWolf within the first two minutes! Only a miraculous save by the keeper kept Doriath off the board. But not for long. Just four minutes into the game Doriath sent the TIG defense into disarray with a blinding series of passes that culminated with Hurin working his way to the end line and sending the ball across the face of the goal where the practiced foot of Eol deflected it in for the early lead!

The eastern portion of the Coliseum fell dead quiet while delighted cheers broke out elsewhere. It was quite loud, but not as much as it could’ve been, as the early score actually seemed to catch the crowd unprepared. But the Doriath supporters slowly found their voices as play continued on, and various support chants popped up all around. Doriath looked as dangerous as ever and continued their fine play, and the Wolves were scrambling to keep up and adjust their strategy on the fly.

After a few near shaves barely staved off by KuruWolf and NilpWolf, Beleg burst through the defense and as if he had a telepathic link he left it back for Turin who took it in stride and struck the ball like Gurthang striking down a troll, and ShastaWolf had no hope of reacting and barely more than twenty minutes in it was Doriath with a two goal lead!

Some TIG supporters merely stared open-mouthed in shock, while others reacted angrily. MithalWight stomped and put a hole in the bench in front of her, Mr. UnderWight fell to his knees and tore his clothing, and A Little Wight cursed loudly and broke her kantele over the head of the Orc sitting next to her. This was not how the game was supposed to go!

On the field things were little better, as nearly every TIG player appeared dazed and unsure of what to do. Predictably it was NogWolf that pulled them together, encouraging them to stick with things. “We knew they’d make a great run this game. They happened to make it early. No big deal.”

But despite the renewed effort things looked quite dire indeed around the 30 minute mark, as Doriath twice nearly added another goal to the tally, once off a free kick and a second time thanks to a ridiculous solo run from Eol.

As the clock ticked towards halftime, however, the Wolves finally began making headway. Doriath was well trained and efficient, but no team is entirely immune to fatigue, and the Doriath offense in particular had been running at a breakneck pace from the very start, and no race can outlast WereWolf Wights. As the clock flipped past 40 minutes, TIG earned their first serious opportunity, but Carcharoth forced NogWolf’s deflection wide. A minute later SkipWolf headed a corner nicely, but Huan was there to gather it in. And then with only seconds left in the half, GwathWolf really made Doriath squirm with a whizzing drive that Huan barely tipped away.

And so it was that despite the two-goal lead Doriath supporters were not quite ready to celebrate as the teams went to the locker rooms to prepare for the second half. The TIG section was still depressing, but not to the level that it was earlier. There was hope. Slim hope, but it was there.

As the second half began, team Tol In Gaurhoth grasped that hope and breathed new life into it. Doriath started the second as they had started the first, but a determined and motivated GaladWolf managed to steal away a pass and immediately sent it forward to PhantomWolf who was ahead of everyone down the right side. As he angled in at the post it was clear that Carcharoth and Melian coming from the middle would be there in time to prevent him from finding a better angle, but PhantomWolf went ahead and forced the issue.

As the pair of defenders was forced to close on him, PhantomWolf whirled between them and heeled the ball forcefully to the other side barely past Beren to a sprinting NerWolf who on one touch sent it perfectly back to the right post and in. Just like that, the lead was down to one goal!

Melian and Elwe called out to their squad, telling them to just continue as they had, and soon Doriath was in possession and looking dangerous again. But this time around they could no longer gain decent shots, as Tol In Gaurhoth had changed up the defense, refusing to chase the ball around and only offering help to defenders when it was Luthien or Eol with the ball, as they were judged to be the biggest threats to make a move to get entirely free of their defender and make a long run. Meanwhile Turin was bracketed by SkipWolf and KuruWolf, and he could find no openings.

As the clock went past 65 minutes the game once again turned in favor of TIG, and Doriath was put to the test. SallyWolf had a chance to chip in an awkward bouncer, but it went off the post, and InzilWolf pinged the crossbar with a header. At 74 minutes NogWolf somehow came free in the middle of the box and turned and shot, but Huan guessed right and smothered it. And then disaster!

Huan sent it over to Beren and he took off with it up the side until a defender found him at which time he sent it up and over to Luthien who controlled the ball beautifully out of the air and split right through her surprised defenders. SkipWolf looked to leave Turin and challenge her, but a motion of Luthien’s foot stopped him, thinking she was sending it to Turin in his absence. Finally NilpWolf caught up to her and forced her to give it up, and Luthien with a lovely piece of footwork lofted the ball to Turin’s head. But no! It was too high for Turin, as he well knew when he leaped up pretending to make a play on the ball, and the move froze TIG just long enough for Beleg to run in behind Turin and kick the ball out of the air on its way down! ShastaWolf guessed correctly and gave his best leap, but Beleg’s ball was the definition of perfection, scraping both the side and cross bar on its way into the net!

The Doriath portion of the stadium erupted with screams of joy! Their beloved team was up by two goals with 25 minutes left! “This isn’t over!” called several of the TIG players, attempting to encourage their fellows, but Melian put her troops into lockdown mode and TIG was frustrated again and again as time trickled away.

And then, agonizingly, it began to sink in that it was too late. The Wolves and Wights sank lower and lower in their seats, and the Orcs turned in disgust and streamed out. After they were turned away on a last minute corner, NogWolf and company conceded defeat on the field, and as they made their way to shake hands (or paws) with their opponents, Boromir88 blew the final whistle.

Arda Cup 2011 was at an end! Doriath had achieved immortality, cementing their name alongside all past Arda Cup champions, and in dominating fashion! The only thing left undecided was how high the experts would place them on the list of all-time great champions.

Doriath 3-1 Tol In Gaurhoth
tot shots 21-19
on target 9-8
GOALS:
*4, 1-0 Eol (Hurin)
*22, 2-0 Turin (Beleg)
*49, 2-1 NerWolf (PhantomWolf)
*74, 3-1 Beleg (Luthien)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Elwe, Beleg
*TIG- KuruWolf, GwathWolf

08-16-2011, 12:20 AM	#21
the phantom Beloved Shadow Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Stadium Posts: 5,971	The Championship! The falls of Rauros roared on unchanging through the morning and into the afternoon, oblivious to the stir and bustle above and below. Late-arriving fans with reserved tickets and those just showing up to party sailed into the lower docks on the Anduin in the morning hours, and the hydro-powered lifts had them up on lake level in no time. The spectators already staying in the various inns, condos, and houses around the lake slowly trickled into the heavily built up area surrounding the Coliseum as the day wore on. The pubs and restaurants were overflowing, and spirits were high. The areas bordering the lake were largely dominated by Men and Elves, while the forested slopes climbing up from the south side of the stadium were infested with Orcs, Wights, and Wolves. In the early evening the great Coliseum bells sounded and the revelers paid their bills and streamed towards one of the six entrances. As the seats filled in, it became clear that Tol In Gaurhoth would own the eastern portion of the arena, but the north and west were dominated by Doriath. The high-climbing southern portion of the arena was a mix of unaffiliated football fans and Doriath supporters. All the game-goers were united in anticipation, and fans of both sides betrayed an unusual amount of nerves. Throughout the tournament Doriath and Tol In Gaurhoth had crushed every obstacle placed in their path, both of them winning by an average margin of greater than two goals per contest! Such dominant performances had pumped up the already lofty expectations of their supporters, and more confident fans could not be found anywhere. But now they were meeting head to head- the clash of the titans! Who would cap off one of the greatest runs in the history of the tournament? All of Arda couldn’t wait to find out. Teams Doriath and Tol In Gaurhoth made their way onto the field to enormous applause from friend and foe alike. Doriath fans were polite in general, so their reaction was expected, but some were surprised by the less than hostile greeting the Wights and Wolves gave Doriath. In this the fans were merely following the lead of their own team- NogWolf and SkipWolf always displayed a level of civility, and the more rowdy members of the squad had reigned in their insults in the various interviews leading up to the match. In fact the starting TIG goal keeper, ShastaWolf, had admitted to being a longtime fan of both defensive stopper Carcharoth and the expert keeper Huan. “I watch their matches every chance I get. They’re very talented and a thrill to watch, and I love how they play as well. I have great respect for those two.” Even the most overconfident and insulting member of the squad, PhantomWolf, was somewhat complimentary in the rambling statement he gave reporters on the way into the Coliseum. “They’re good, no doubt. I’ve always thought Turin was great- I mean, I actually developed parts of my game by watching film of him. I’m faster of course, but still… And yeah, their defense has been very sound. Though I think it’s a bit unfair having Melian and Luthien on the team. Come on- what guy can concentrate properly with one of those two jostling him? But thankfully when we’re in WereWight form that sort of thing doesn’t bother us. But of course NerWolf, SallyWolf, and GaladWolf become huge distractions at that point. Like last game, I was about to send it to NogWolf when NerWolf sprinted by, and I completely lost focus. She just has the most perfectly even, gleaming, deadly teeth, and that sleek long tail…. Wait, what was the question?” The TIG faithful fervently hoped that PhantomWolf and friends would not be distracted on this day, with everything on the line, and as warm ups began TIG definitely looked focused. The WereWolfed Wights went through their usual exercises, wowing those that had never seen the freakish beasts do their pregame routine. Their balance, flexibility, and strength were just inhuman! But thankfully for Doriath, their players weren’t exactly normal either. Hurin the Steadfast never tires and can never be caught out of position, Beleg Strongboot boots it hard and as accurately as anyone, Eol with his incredible creativity and dexterity, and of course Turin- as agile as any Elf, but stronger. And then there was the middle of the team- Luthien, swift and bold. Mablung, dependable and hardy. Melian, wise and intuitive, and able to boost the defenders around her with her defensive mental net. And then at the rear- Beren, determined and athletic. Elwe, tall and intimidating. Carcharoth, fast and physical. And of course the keeper- Huan, lightning quick and battle-tested. Without a doubt team Doriath was the most diverse and talented squad TIG had faced, and they would not go down easily. And as top tournament official and referee Boromir88 started the contest, Doriath indeed played as if losing was simply not possible, sending the ball back and forth with astonishing speed, and releasing their forwards in on ShastaWolf within the first two minutes! Only a miraculous save by the keeper kept Doriath off the board. But not for long. Just four minutes into the game Doriath sent the TIG defense into disarray with a blinding series of passes that culminated with Hurin working his way to the end line and sending the ball across the face of the goal where the practiced foot of Eol deflected it in for the early lead! The eastern portion of the Coliseum fell dead quiet while delighted cheers broke out elsewhere. It was quite loud, but not as much as it could’ve been, as the early score actually seemed to catch the crowd unprepared. But the Doriath supporters slowly found their voices as play continued on, and various support chants popped up all around. Doriath looked as dangerous as ever and continued their fine play, and the Wolves were scrambling to keep up and adjust their strategy on the fly. After a few near shaves barely staved off by KuruWolf and NilpWolf, Beleg burst through the defense and as if he had a telepathic link he left it back for Turin who took it in stride and struck the ball like Gurthang striking down a troll, and ShastaWolf had no hope of reacting and barely more than twenty minutes in it was Doriath with a two goal lead! Some TIG supporters merely stared open-mouthed in shock, while others reacted angrily. MithalWight stomped and put a hole in the bench in front of her, Mr. UnderWight fell to his knees and tore his clothing, and A Little Wight cursed loudly and broke her kantele over the head of the Orc sitting next to her. This was not how the game was supposed to go! On the field things were little better, as nearly every TIG player appeared dazed and unsure of what to do. Predictably it was NogWolf that pulled them together, encouraging them to stick with things. “We knew they’d make a great run this game. They happened to make it early. No big deal.” But despite the renewed effort things looked quite dire indeed around the 30 minute mark, as Doriath twice nearly added another goal to the tally, once off a free kick and a second time thanks to a ridiculous solo run from Eol. As the clock ticked towards halftime, however, the Wolves finally began making headway. Doriath was well trained and efficient, but no team is entirely immune to fatigue, and the Doriath offense in particular had been running at a breakneck pace from the very start, and no race can outlast WereWolf Wights. As the clock flipped past 40 minutes, TIG earned their first serious opportunity, but Carcharoth forced NogWolf’s deflection wide. A minute later SkipWolf headed a corner nicely, but Huan was there to gather it in. And then with only seconds left in the half, GwathWolf really made Doriath squirm with a whizzing drive that Huan barely tipped away. And so it was that despite the two-goal lead Doriath supporters were not quite ready to celebrate as the teams went to the locker rooms to prepare for the second half. The TIG section was still depressing, but not to the level that it was earlier. There was hope. Slim hope, but it was there. As the second half began, team Tol In Gaurhoth grasped that hope and breathed new life into it. Doriath started the second as they had started the first, but a determined and motivated GaladWolf managed to steal away a pass and immediately sent it forward to PhantomWolf who was ahead of everyone down the right side. As he angled in at the post it was clear that Carcharoth and Melian coming from the middle would be there in time to prevent him from finding a better angle, but PhantomWolf went ahead and forced the issue. As the pair of defenders was forced to close on him, PhantomWolf whirled between them and heeled the ball forcefully to the other side barely past Beren to a sprinting NerWolf who on one touch sent it perfectly back to the right post and in. Just like that, the lead was down to one goal! Melian and Elwe called out to their squad, telling them to just continue as they had, and soon Doriath was in possession and looking dangerous again. But this time around they could no longer gain decent shots, as Tol In Gaurhoth had changed up the defense, refusing to chase the ball around and only offering help to defenders when it was Luthien or Eol with the ball, as they were judged to be the biggest threats to make a move to get entirely free of their defender and make a long run. Meanwhile Turin was bracketed by SkipWolf and KuruWolf, and he could find no openings. As the clock went past 65 minutes the game once again turned in favor of TIG, and Doriath was put to the test. SallyWolf had a chance to chip in an awkward bouncer, but it went off the post, and InzilWolf pinged the crossbar with a header. At 74 minutes NogWolf somehow came free in the middle of the box and turned and shot, but Huan guessed right and smothered it. And then disaster! Huan sent it over to Beren and he took off with it up the side until a defender found him at which time he sent it up and over to Luthien who controlled the ball beautifully out of the air and split right through her surprised defenders. SkipWolf looked to leave Turin and challenge her, but a motion of Luthien’s foot stopped him, thinking she was sending it to Turin in his absence. Finally NilpWolf caught up to her and forced her to give it up, and Luthien with a lovely piece of footwork lofted the ball to Turin’s head. But no! It was too high for Turin, as he well knew when he leaped up pretending to make a play on the ball, and the move froze TIG just long enough for Beleg to run in behind Turin and kick the ball out of the air on its way down! ShastaWolf guessed correctly and gave his best leap, but Beleg’s ball was the definition of perfection, scraping both the side and cross bar on its way into the net! The Doriath portion of the stadium erupted with screams of joy! Their beloved team was up by two goals with 25 minutes left! “This isn’t over!” called several of the TIG players, attempting to encourage their fellows, but Melian put her troops into lockdown mode and TIG was frustrated again and again as time trickled away. And then, agonizingly, it began to sink in that it was too late. The Wolves and Wights sank lower and lower in their seats, and the Orcs turned in disgust and streamed out. After they were turned away on a last minute corner, NogWolf and company conceded defeat on the field, and as they made their way to shake hands (or paws) with their opponents, Boromir88 blew the final whistle. Arda Cup 2011 was at an end! Doriath had achieved immortality, cementing their name alongside all past Arda Cup champions, and in dominating fashion! The only thing left undecided was how high the experts would place them on the list of all-time great champions. Doriath 3-1 Tol In Gaurhoth tot shots 21-19 on target 9-8 GOALS: 4, 1-0 Eol (Hurin) 22, 2-0 Turin (Beleg) 49, 2-1 NerWolf (PhantomWolf) 74, 3-1 Beleg (Luthien) YELLOW CARDS: Doriath- Elwe, Beleg TIG- KuruWolf, GwathWolf __________________ the phantom has posted. This thread is now important.