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Speed Volfsball Cup

Speed Volfsball Cup

It was time for one of the most exciting competitions in sport. The Speed Volfsball Cup, this year reduced from first to 11 to just first to seven points. An incredible eight teams turned up to play including the Spartans all the way from Farnborough and Brunel University. The competition was a knockout. Everyone looked on nervously as the names came out of the hat.

Round One Draw

Supermoons v Balham Choke Hazard

Pitshanger Panthers v Tooting Tramsmashers

Kilbonez v Happy Friends

Farnborough Spartans v Brunel University

Supermoons v Balham Choke Hazard

The old rivals from the last two World Championships met yet again. The Choke Hazard had never beaten the Moons in the cup and the frighteningly tall line up of Thom Saunders, James Hunt and Tom Willshere looked like favourites. They were 4-2 up until the Moons own superstar Max Whittle, making his season debut, sunk a Volfsball and gave the Moons the victory. Yet another day with an empty trophy cabinet for Choke Hazard.

Kilbonez v Happy Friends

The normally accurate Gregory Stanier was not on form and a series of misses let the man who only scores Volfsballs Dom Herd in. Bam! 5-0 up Kilbonez. The rest of it was plain sailing as the Kilbonez booked themselves a place in the semis 7-1.

Pitshanger Panthers v Tooting Tramsmashers

The Panthers squad consisting of Ben & Alex Stanier and Roman faced a talented up and coming Tramsmashers squad. The Tramsmashers took an early 2-1 lead, but Ben Stanier’s kicking tactics paid off and two quick three pointers gave the reigning Speed Volfsball champions an 8 – 2 victory.

Farnborough Spartans v Brunel University

Two brand new teams took the field and it was the Farnborough Spartans that took first blood with a point on their first shot. But Arash Sepahi took control with the help of a sterling performance from sub James Hunt and Brunel University scored seven unanswered points to go into the semis.

Semi Finals

Moons vs Panthers

The Moons started with a single, but it was promptly followed by a Volfsball from Roman to give the Panthers control. There was an important rules moment when Roman blocked a pass but landed in the opposition attacking zone. This was not called but should have been a foul and possession given to the Moons. Any time lost to fouls is added on to the clock. Also a new rule is going to be introduced that two fouls in one match will lead to players being sent to the sin bin for one minute.

Anyway back to the game. The Panthers took advantage of their Volfsball and booked their ticket to the finals with an easy 7-1 win.

Kilbonez v Brunel

A very tentative and nervous match as both teams realised what was at stake. But gradually a series of one pointers from the Kilbonez led by John Collins saw them edge ahead. James Hunt went for Volfsballs to bring Brunel back from the brink, but could not hit any and the Kilbonez advanced 7-2.

Final

Kilbonez v Panthers

The Kilbonez faced the heavily favoured reigning champions the Pitshanger Panthers. But the underdogs took an early lead with a point from John Collins, good offensive rebounding from Dom Herd set up John Collins for another shot and he hit a Volfsball under pressure. A 6-0 lead! The Cup was almost in their hands.

Then Alex Stanier picked the best time to score his first Volfsball of the season, 6-5, the Panthers were back in it. Roman recovered the ball after the shot, Alex Stanier hit another single and it was 6-6. The next point would take home the trophy.

The Kilbonez passed it around nervously unwilling to take the big shot until the ball came to Tom Pitts. He went for a looper. It hit! The crowd erupted. An incredible final that the incredible game deserved. It was surely the greatest moment in all of the Kilbonez squad’s lives, they had their first bit of silverware.

Pure joy as all the Kilbonez dreams come true.

All Comers League

Happy Friends v Choke Hazard

The Happy Friends with an average age of 16 faced the physical giants the Choke Hazard whose average age was somewhere in the late thirties. Gregory Stanier was back to his usual dynamic self scoring for the energetic young side, but a Volfsball made the difference for the Choke Hazard as they led 9-4 early on.

The Happy Friends were doing sterling work against a side almost twice their size. Ben Sparrow putting him some great defence. However with seconds left the Choke Hazard were up 19-8 and opted not to defend the Happy Friends final shot. Ben Sparrow hit a Volfsball and Gregory Stanier made a header to give them eight points and make it 19-16. Let’s hope for Choke Hazard points difference doesn’t decide the title.

Farnborough Spartans v Tooting Tramsmashers

The new team led by Ben Saunders had come up from Farnborough to play, surely that deserves a prize in itself. They were up against the Tramsmashers who were quietly making a bid for the league title. The poor Spartans faced a team on fire as Richard Somerville scored Volfsballs with his first two shots, Michael Hannon added another and the Tramsmashers were up 15-2 on record setting pace in one third.

The Spartans played some great stuff but were up against an in form side. 22-4 victory for the Tramsmashers but a fine debut from the Farnborough squad.

Moons v Brunel

James Hunt was subbing in for Brunel and pretty much destroyed the Moons in the first half with a succession of singles. But Correy Larwood got his first points on the board and the Moons stayed within reach 7-4 down.

In the next third the Moons through commissioner Larwood and Max Whittle clawed themselves back to 10-9. Then Larwood hit a Volfsball, and the Moons ended up going in 15-10 up. They ended up winning 17-13.

Tramsmashers v Panthers

A high quality game with two in form sides passing the ball round well and having to resort to tight defending to prevent the other from scoring. A three point kick from Ben Stanier helped edge the Panthers ahead 6-2 after the first third.

It was a very high standard of Volfsball, possibly the best we’ve seen all year. A Michael Hannon Volfsball gave the Tramsmashers a 10-9 lead, only for Roman to reply shortly after as the Panthers got a 14-10 win.

Kilbonez v Choke Hazard

There had been a lot of trash talk on social media between these two sides in the past few weeks and now finally they were going head to head. The Kilbonez were still giddy after their cup success and the Choke Hazard took advantage early on building a 7-1 lead.

The Choke Hazard were playing some low risk looping shot Volfsball with the Kilbonez doing their best to defend. Unfortunately for them John Collins stepped inside the inner circle when blocking a shot, James Hunt hit a Volfsball with the penalty and then an immediate second Volfsball from Thom Saunders gave the Choke Hazard a commanding 23-2 advantage.

Things looked bleak for the Kilbonez but two Volfsballs from last year’s MVP Ryan Howes gave them a chance. But the deficit and the Choke Hazards were just too big to overcome 30-13.

Supermoons v Happy Friends

Jasper Bradley started off on fire for the Happy Friends with three singles putting them into a 3-1 lead, but the ever dangerous Max Whittle scored two great Volfsballs to push the Moons ahead 13 – 4.

Max scored his third Volfsball of the match in the second third and the Moons eased out a 21-12 victory.

London Nobodies v Pitshanger Panthers

The final game in an epic day saw a mish mash of players turn out for the Nobodies against the Panthers. Ben Stanier scored possibly the shot of the season a ‘through the legs’ single and a Volfsball to put the Panthers up 6-3.

Ben Stanier’s Volfsballs made the difference in a 13-11 win.

Speed Volfsball Cup Results

Supermoons 7 v 4 Balham Choke Hazard

Kilbonez 7 v 1  Happy Friends

Pitshanger Panthers 8 v 5 Tooting Tramsmashers

Farnborough Spartans 1 v 7 Brunel University

Semis

Moons 1 v 7 Panthers

Kilbonez 7 v 2 Brunel

Final

Kilbonez 7 – 6 Panthers

All Comers League

Happy Friends 16  v 19 Choke Hazard

Farnborough Spartans 4 v 22 Tooting Tramsmashers

Supermoons 17 v 13 Brunel

Tramsmashers 10 v 14 Panthers

Kilbonez 13 v 30 Choke Hazard

Supermoons 21 v 12 Happy Friends

London Nobodies 11 v 13 Pitshanger Panthers