 |
 |
 |
April 26, 2009
Semi-finals Feature Match:
Jarel Winston Versus Joseph Franzo
Only four Duelists remained in this tournament – three of them would win copies of the new Prize Card “Dark End Dragon.” Joseph Franzo seemed exceptionally confident that he would be one of the Duelists walking out of here with a Dark End. ‘I’m pretty sure you’re playing Lightsworn’ said Franzo, discussing the matchup with his opponent. ‘And I’m pretty sure you can’t kill both a “Blackwing Armor Master” and a “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” so you’ve got about two cards in your Deck.’ Franzo had remained quite humble throughout the tournament up until this point, but seemed to truly feel this match was in the bag. “Blackwing Armor Master” is the bane of Lightsworn, which Franzo was indeed paired off against.
Before the Dueling began it was shoutout time – Winston wanted to shout out famed Lightsworn Duelist Frank Schifano and Team Pro Moves, while Franzo wanted to say hi to his wife – Robin. “I love her!”
Winston opened with “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid,” and sent “Plaguespreader Zombie” and “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to his Graveyard in the End Phase! He Special Summoned Wulf and ended. Franzo had two “Allure of Darkness,” “Dark Eruption,” “Threatening Roar,” “Book of Moon,” and “Reckless Greed.” ‘Oh, it’s one of those hands!’ He Set Roar and “Book of Moon,” and ended. Winston turned Aurkus to defense, attacked with Wulf, and sent “Honest” and Reborn to his Graveyard in the End Phase.
Franzo drew “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn” and Normal Summoned it, sending it to take down Aurkus. “I’m just gonna end my turn.” Wulf attacked Sirocco next turn, Franzo blocked the attack with “Book of Moon,” and Winston Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.” He discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” and Special Summoned Aurkus in Attack Position. He Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, then sent Solar Recharge, Lumina, Wulf, “Charge of the Light Brigade,” and “Solar Recharge” to his Graveyard – and Summoned another Wulf for free!
Franzo Set another card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, and ran over the face-down Wulf with Sirocco. Next turn Winston attacked with Wulf, trying to destroy Sirocco, and Franzo let it through – Winston added “Honest” to the attack, leaving Franzo at 3800 Life Points. Two more attacks dropped Franzo to 1600 Life Points, and in the End Phase Winston sent five more cards off the top of his Deck. Franzo drew “Giant Trunade,” another useless card – he just couldn’t catch any monsters.
Winston tried to attack, but was denied by “Threatening Roar.” He sent five more cards to the Graveyard, including “Necro Gardna.” Franzo finally drew a Dark monster: “Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive.” He activated Allure, drew “D.D. Crow,” and drew another Roar! He removed “Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive,” Set Roar, and ended. “You’re gonna hate me.” Winston tried to attack next turn, was denied by the second Roar, and sent a card back to his Deck to try and bring back “Plaguespreader Zombie.” Franzo discarded “D.D. Crow” to stop him. He lost five more cards off the top of his Deck next turn and Franzo was up.
He drew, then flipped “Reckless Greed,” clearly trying to Deck his opponent at this point. Winston had seven cards left. Franzo had “Dark Eruption,” and used it to take back his “D.D. Crow.” He activated his second “Allure of Darkness,” removed another Dekoichi for it, and had “Giant Trunade,” “Cyber Dragon,” “Swords of Revealing Light,” “Monster Reborn,” Bora, “Book of Moon,” and the Crow. His life in this Duel seemed to hang in the balance of that “D.D. Crow” he’d taken back – he needed to keep “Swords of Revealing Light” on the field to win this, and Crow kept him safe from the threat of “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” being Special Summoned by Lumina’s effect.
Franzo activated “Giant Trunade,” smelling “Beckoning Light.” Sure enough, Winston chained it, and discarded his hand to take back two “Honest,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” and two “Judgment Dragons.” “Well this isn’t looking good” remarked Franzo, that confidence from the pre-Match period now completely evaporated. He activated “Swords of Revealing Light,” Set “Book of Moon,” Special Summoned “Cyber Dragon,” and Set Bora. This one was over.
…In fact it was even more brutal than anticipated – Winston drew “Heavy Storm” and activated it immediately! Franzo conceded the Duel and went for his Side Deck.
Hubris perhaps gets the best of Joseph Franzo, and Jarel Winston is just one win away from a spot in the Finals and a guaranteed copy of “Dark End Dragon”!
Franzo started the second Duel with a hand of Gale, “D.D. Crow,” “Mirror Force,” “Reckless Greed,” Sirocco, and Shura. He Summoned Shura, Set “Mirror Force,” and ended. Winston activated “Solar Recharge,” discarded “Ehren, Lightsworn Monk,” and then sent “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” and another Recharge to his Graveyard. He Summoned “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” attacked, and Franzo flipped “Mirror Force” to keep Shura on the field – Winston passed with an empty field. Not good.
“What are you at?” asked Franzo. He drew “Threatening Roar,” Normal Summoned Gale, and attacked for 3100 damage – he Set “Threatening Roar” and “Reckless Greed,” ready to go for game next turn. But Winston activated “Soul Exchange”! He targeted Shura, Tributed it for “Mobius the Frost Monarch,” and targeted the Roar and Reckless, a huge move! Franzo chained Reckless, drew Gale, then “Monster Reborn,” and struggled to hide a smile. Winston Set one card to his back row to finish his turn.
Franzo cut Mobius’ ATK in half with Gale, then attacked over it! Winston Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for Lumina’s effect, and lost the targeted Garoth to Franzo’s “D.D. Crow.” He ended his turn and caught nothing of use from Lumina’s effect sending cards to the Graveyard – he sent Celestia, Mobius, and “Beckoning Light” to the Graveyard.
Franzo couldn’t draw this turn due to “Reckless Greed,” but had Sirocco, “Monster Reborn,” and another Gale in hand. He halved Lumina’s ATK with Gale, Tributed Gale for Sirocco, Special Summoned another Gale, halved Lumina’s ATK again, then gave up both of his monsters to Synchro Summon “Stardust Dragon”! “Monster Reborn” got him back Shura the Blue Flame and Winston conceded!
This Match goes to one more Duel, as Franzo successfully struggles to take game 2! Jeff Jones arrived from just winning his Match and a seat in the finals – he clearly wanted Winston to win, as Lightsworn was a far better matchup for him next round than Blackwings.
Winston opened with a single Set monster. Franzo had two “Allure of Darkness,” two Dekoichi, “Sangan,” and “Threatening Roar.” He activated Allure, drew Reborn and Shura, and paid for Allure’s effect with a Dekoichi. He used another Allure, catching “Crush Card Virus” and “Brain Control”! This Match was in the bag! He Set “Crush Card Virus,” Set “Sangan,” and ended. “I got nothing!” It was a weak bluff.
Winston Flip Summoned “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” targeted Franzo’s face-down “Crush Card Virus,” and Franzo chained it. Winston revealed his double “Honest,” double Lumina, “Brain Control,” and “Necro Gardna” in hand. Ryko sent “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” and “Monster Reborn” to the Graveyard! Winston Normal Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded “Necro Gardna” to bring back “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” and attacked for a combined total of 2900 damage. He sent two “Beckonig Light,” “Solar Recharge,” “Crush Card Virus,” and two “Judgment Dragon” to his Graveyard in the End Phase! Brutal.
Franzo drew, holding “Reckless Greed,” “Threatening Roar,” Shura, Gale, “Brain Control,” and Reborn. He Normal Summoned Gale, halved Lyla’s attack, then attacked “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” – Winston let it through. That seemed like a bit of a sketchy decision on Franzo’s behalf, considering he could have gone for Armor Master. Franzo Set two cards to his back row, Winston drew and revealed another “Necro Gardna,” and Lyla targeted Franzo’s “Threatening Roar” – he chained it. Still, Winston activated “Brain Control” to take Gale, Normal Summoned Lumina from his hand, then discarded “Necro Gardna” for her effect to bring back “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.” He tuned Gale to Ryko and Lumina, and Synchro Summoned “Stardust Dragon”! Winston sent Wulf, “Foolish Burial,” Charge, “Torrential Tribute,” Mobius, and finally another Charge to his Graveyard in the End Phase. Franzo was up.
He drew Sirocco, and had “Monster Reborn,” Shura, and “Brain Control” in hand with “Reckless Greed” Set. He activated “Monster Reborn,” brought back Gale, and halved “Stardust Dragon’s” ATK. He Summoned Shura the Blue Flame, Synchro Summoned “Blackwing Armor Master,” and attacked “Stardust Dragon” – Winston removed “Necro Gardna” to negate the attack.
Winston drew and revealed “Solar Recharge” for his last turn under Crush Card. Franzo was massively out-carded, facing a huge field, but Winston just couldn’t get over the Armor Master. He sent six cards to his Graveyard at the end of the turn, including a Celestia and “Plaguespreader Zombie.” With his “Judgment Dragons” gone and one Celestia in the yard, he was in an awful position.
“Dark Eruption” got Franzo back Gale next turn, and he Summoned it. He took Wulf with “Brain Control” and Synchro Summoned another Armor Master! Franzo flipped “Reckless Greed” and caught exactly what he wanted – “Threatening Roar”! Both Armor Masters attacked, and both were stopped by “Necro Gardnas.” Franzo Set Roar, Lyla targeted it next turn, and Franzo chained it. Winston brought back “Plaguespreader Zombie” next turn, discarded to bring back Ryko, and Synchro Summoned for “Dark Strike Fighter!” It wasn’t enough! He Tributed Lyla, Tributed “Stardust Dragon”… but then Normal Summoned “Honest!” He Tributed “Honest,” and finally Tributed the “Dark Strike Fighter” for game!
Jarel Winston just barely squeezes out the win, employing some creative Synchro Summoning to overcome “Blackwing Armor Master!” Blackwings may win a SHONEN JUMP Championship in the future, but that day is not today – for now, it’s Lightsworn versus DARK Skill Drain as Jarel Winston takes on Jeff Jones in the finals!
-Jason Grabher-Meyer
