Hyperbowl 35

Ghosts Shuck Jersies

Long Comes Back to Haunt

The Casper Ghosts didn't exactly stop New Jersies QB Upton O'Good and TE Bud Ugly, but somehow they managed to make this their kind of game, at least their kind for these 2009 playoffs. Just as with L.A. and Wichita before, Casper mired their opponent, in particular this time into several missed scoring opportunities, then despite the irrepressible New Jersies offense of this playoffs once again taking control of the game, the Ghosts hung on to win.

Casper stole this one from the defending league champion New Jersies on their home field, preventing back-to-back titles, while the Ghosts added a third Hyperbowl to their franchise, having won two as the Cheyenne Goats in 1977 and 1989.

And it was Casper WR I.B. Long, MVP, who got the last word in this battle of league-class stars. Long, who arrived in 2002 a Demetrius-Award winner from the SCAB and top draft pick, began his career with a bang, becoming a league-leading receiver in his first few seasons. But he had since dwindled to a less conspicuous figure statistically, overshadowed not only by such offensive giants as O'Good and Ugly, but even by the arrival of RB Jock Kitsch on his own team. After all the talk leading up to this game of how O'Good, Ugly and Kitsch were the driving forces of their teams, it was Long who was the hero, the go-to guy for the Ghosts, his two TD receptions posting a 14-0 lead in the first half the Jersies' for all their O'Good-Ugly power could not overcome.

But Kitsch landed the first big punch in the game. After the two teams exchanged punts, Casper started on its own 32-yard line, and on a third down and seven, Kitsch bullied his way for 18 yards, then caught a pass for an 11-yard gain. Casper QB Peter Andy Woolf reminded everyone that O'Good wasn't the only dangerous dual threat QB, when he burst for 25 yards on the next play. Two plays later, it was an 11-yard strike from Woolf to Long, and it was Casper jumping out on the Jersies.

The Jersies began to dominate the game right after that, in the next three exchanges going into the second quarter, forcing two Casper three-and-outs and a blocked punt, while they put together longer drives. The Ghost defense bent, but didn't break, forcing a turnover on downs, a missed field goal and a punt. Then with about six minutes left in the half, Casper threw another big punch, this one a sneaky one: WR Johann Diskold, more unlikely, had a 35-yard gain on a reverse. Long himself had a 10-yard pass that set up his 4-yard TD catch on the next play. At the half, Casper had a two-touchdown lead on the New Jersies team that had plowed through their Eastern conference opponents

The Ghosts' spell on the New Jersies continued right from the start of the second half. After a 31-yard pass play from O'Good to RB Hyam D. Wahlroos, the Jersies were moving again. They got to the Casper 31 on a 10-yard pass play to RB Juan Moorehead. But on the next play, a first down, O'Good was looking for Moorehead across the middle near the end zone, but Long himself closed on the ball and made another fantastic reception, this one from the other quarterback.

After punting again, Casper gave up a 32-yard pass play to Ugly, and let the New Jersies drive to first and goal from their 10. But they held the Jersies on downs, first trapping Wahlroos for a 6-yard loss, and after an 8-yard rush by Moorehead, allowed him only 5 yards on a reception on the 4th down play, stopping him short on the two-yard line.

After another three-and-out of their own, Casper would not stop the New Jersies on their next drive. O'Good skillfully picked Casper apart with other targets and his precision passing, on a 58-yard drive in just five plays, finding Wahlroos again for a 25-yard pass play, and WR Shelby Cummin-Roundemounten in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass. The New Jersies seemed to be in control of the game despite being in a hole.

The Ghosts asserted themselves offensively again, and marched down the field, just when they needed to take back momentum. Long had receptions of 7, 28 and 11 yards, Kitsch had gains of 6, 8 and 2, though he began the drive with a one-yard loss. They drove to the New Jersies 12, but this time it was the Jersies who made the stand, allowing a 2-yard Kitsch run and forcing three incomplete passes.

But the Ghosts haunted. The Jersies netted -3 yards in three plays and, having to punt from their own 9, got a badly shanked one from hurried K Franco File that was picked up by Casper's Otto Pilate and returned to the New Jersies 4. It took Casper all four tries again, but this time on fourth down, Kitsch got in for the 21-7 lead.

The New Jersies responded to this with an even more incredible strike of their own, again going to surprise players to counter Casper's defense of the main ones like Ugly. Starting from their own 39 after the kickoff return, the Jersies struck in four plays, including a 23-yard pass to Cummin-Roundemounten, and a 36-yard run by RB Albee Dam, off the bench, to the Casper 2-yard line. O'Good took it in himself on the next play.

The New Jersies gave up one first down to Casper on the next possession, then the Ghosts got a little risky, deciding to go for it on a fourth and three from their own 43. Considering how quickly the New Jersies could and did strike, it may have been the safer option, but Woolf was tackled for a one-yard loss, and the Jersies had the ball again, a chance for some more of their potent attack to turn this game into their story.

But Casper's defense got the last word. They stalled the Jersies on the Casper 26 where the Jersies made a risky call of their own. With a fourth and four, rather than risk turning it over to Casper there for a first down or a shot at a touchdown, the Jersies brought on File, who kicked a 43-yard field goal, then tried an onsides kick. Casper recovered and ran out the clock.