Prism Wardens Make Debut

August  27th Volfsball

Almost a month after the World Cup, Volfsball was back in action, but with severely depleted numbers. The Supermoons were unable to field a team for only the second time in Volfsball history. Meanwhile the Stonehewers were in full force, the Kongs had David Reed and Martin Cavanagh, and Natalie Wood was given special dispensation to field a new team (the Prism Wardens) with the aid of substitutes as she had travelled all the way down from Wakefield. Also another sports inventor Patrick Laing  inventor of Buffalo ball turned up to give the game a go.

Prism Wardens Logo

Stonehewers vs Kongs

The Stonehewers were back on the pitch after the shock of finishing bottom of the World Cup round robin. However they were back to their old form of passing it around and rebounding shots. Volfsball Commissioner, Marek Larwood, was forced to sub in for the Moons mortal foes the Kongs, who without the reliable John Reed didn’t hit many ones and soon fell behind 6-2.

Cavanagh took the bulk of the shots for the Kongs, but was blocked four times by Ben Stanier, who was back to his MVP form as the Stonehewers surged into an 8-3 lead.

The Kongs fought back to 12-8 (correct score actually 12-7), giving them a chance for a last second Volfsball, a feat still yet to be achieved in the game. David Reed’s shot went long and the Stonhewers were back to winning ways.

Stonehewers vs Kongs

It was time for the debut of Natalie Wood’s team the Prism Wardens. Patrick Laing, another sports inventor who has been watching from a distance joined the team for their inaugural game, with Cavanagh, Larwood and Reed subbing in each quarter as the third player.

It was a pretty unfair start for the Prism Wardens as they fielded a brand new player in a team that hadn’t played together before. The Stonehewers took full advantage of errant shooting and defensive gaps and went into a 7-0 lead.

Things got better for the Stonehewers and worse for the Prism Wardens. Larwood scored the Wardens first point to make it 11-1. But the Wardens were making the mistake of shooting immediately after the throw in, handing the Stonehewers plenty of possession. Gregory Stanier hit a Volfsball, then Ben followed up with another, 26-2, the Stonehewers on record setting pace.

It was even worse for the Prism Wardens in the final third, after Natalie Wood hit a point to make it 26-3 the Stonehewers went into Volfsball overdrive. Ben Stanier hitting a further two and Gregory Stanier hitting one. A record equalling five Volfsballs, the highest score ever and the biggest win 41-4.

Prism Wardens shoot against the London Nobodies

Kongs v Wardens

This looked to be a more even match up, the Kongs Reed and Cavanagh joined by Larwood, with the red hot Ben Stanier playing alongside Wood and Laing.

A much more even game, but David Reed hit a Volfsball to put the Kings 6-1 up, but the lead was short lived as Ben Stanier got one back for the Wardens. They led 7-6 after the first third.

Natalie Wood and Patrick Laing got on the scoreboard early helping to push the Wardens into 12-8 lead. But good blocking from Larwood saw the Kongs back to within 12-10 with three minutes to go.

The Kongs rallied at the top of the third, hitting quick ones to equalise 13-13. But Laing was improving by the second and the reliable Stanier was hitting the ones. The Wardens pulled away and their first victory was in the books 17-13.

London Nobodies v Prism Wardens

In what was almost an exhibition match the players split to represent the London Nobodies and the Prism Wardens. Larwood, Gregory & Alex Stanier and sub David Reed for the Nobodies. Ben Stanier, Natalie Wood and Martin Cavanagh for the Wardens. The Nobodies used the first third to go after the elusive first headed points and three minutes of awful shooting from all sides left the game at 1-1.

The inaccuracy continued for most of the second third as the scores were 3-3 with three minutes left. You’ll be hard pressed to find another sentence with as many threes in it as that.

Alex Stanier came back on for the Nobodies and gave them some much needed shooting accuracy and  rebounding as they edged 5-3 ahead. Then Ben Stanier scored his fourth Volfsball of the day for the Wardens an 8-5 lead. Larwood and Alex Stanier scored three between them to make it 8-8. Then in a controversial moment the ball looked to have gone out, David Reed passed it into to Larwood who scored to make it 9-8. A decision could not be made as to whether the point counted so it was decided to call it an 8-8 draw.

Stonehewers 12 v 7 Kongs

Stonehewers 41 v 4 Wardens

Wardens 17 v 13 Kongs

Nobodies 8 – 8 Wardens

		P	W	D	L	F	A	VB's/DB's	Pts
	Stonehewers	25	23	0	2	450	231	24	71
	Muswell Hill Supermoons	18	6	1	11	215	236	9	31
	Harringay Choppers	8	5	0	3	88	89	3	18
	West Wirral Snakehips	7	2	1	4	81	95	3	12
	Balham Choke Hazard	7	2	0	5	57	85	1	11
	Camden Kongs	8	1	0	7	82	113	2	10
	Prism Wardens	3	1	1	1	29	62	2	6
	Waltham Forest Detectives	4	1	0	3	34	79	2	6
	Rhein Ruhr Germinators	3	1	0	2	33	40	1	5
	London Nobodies	4	0	1	3	30	49	1	5
	Stoke Newington Irish	3	1	0	2	31	53	0	5

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