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April 25, 2009
Round 8 Feature Match:
Jason Holloway Versus Joseph Franzo
Good news! We found yet another undefeated Blackwing Deck! Joseph Franzo traveled here from North Hollywood this weekend, and is packing yet another top-ranked Blackwing build – turns out the Blackwing Duelists are just the shy types at this tournament. His opponent is Jason Holloway, SHONEN JUMP Champion and veteran of this tournament circuit. Holloway is playing Lightsworn – we’ve seen this matchup once already, but there might be a different outcome this time around.
Franzo opened with “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn,” “Icarus Attack,” “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind,” two “Book of Moon,” and “Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive.” He Set Dekoichi, Set “Book of Moon,” and ended. “Go ahead.” Holloway discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for “Solar Recharge,” drew two, and sent “Judgment Dragon” and “Crush Card Virus” to the Graveyard. He Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded “Plaguespreader Zombie” for Lumina’s effect, Special Summoned “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” and ended. Franzo turned Lumina face-down with “Book of Moon” in the End Phase, shutting Holloway out from his Garoth draw tricks.
Franzo drew “Blackwing – Bora the Spear,” and Flip Summoned Dekoichi to get “Brain Control”! He started to run numbers: Bora could punch through Lumina, “Brain Control” would take Garoth… Could he make game?
He Tribute Summoned Sirocco, Special Summoned Gale, then Bora, and activated “Brain Control” to take Garoth! Bora pierced through Lumina, dropping Holloway to 7300 damage. Gale attacked for 1300 damage, Sirocco attacked for 2000, and Garoth attacked to drop Holloway to 2150 Life Points. Franzo Synchro Summoned “Dark Strike Fighter” and Holloway immediately scooped!
Joseph Franzo makes short work of Jason Holloway in the first Duel of the match! Both Duelists went for their Side Decks and started rotating cards.
“Adam Corn says ‘good luck’!” shouted Corn from the sidelines. “I want that in the feature match!” The one-time American Champion laughed, cheering his apparent friend Franzo on from the sidelines.
Holloway opened with two Set cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, then Set a third to start Game 2. “Go.”
Franzo had “Icarus Attack,” two “Bottomless Trap Hole,” two “Allure of Darkness,” and Sirocco. He activated Allure, drew two, and removed Sirocco – his only monster. He Set “Threatening Roar,” Set “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and ended.
Holloway Summoned “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior”: Franzo flipped “Bottomless Trap Hole” and Holloway ended. Franzo Set two more cards to his back row and ended. “We’ve both got nothing, or…?” Franzo let the question hang, as Holloway Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.” He attacked with her, and Franzo flipped “Mirror Force” to destroy her. He passed his next turn. Holloway Set a card to each Zone and Franzo drew “Black Salvo” – not much good when your Graveyard has zero total monsters in it. “Go ahead.”
Holloway Flip Summoned “Necro Gardna,” attacked, and ended. Franzo drew Sirocco, Set it in Defense Position, and Holloway turned his “Necro Gardna” to Defense Position. He pressed with “Honest” instead, Summoning it and trying to attack – Franzo responded with “Icarus Attack,” Tributing his Sirocco and targeting two of Holloway’s face-down Spell or Trap Cards.
One was “Crush Card Virus” – he chained it, Tributing “Necro Gardna” and destroying nothing of Franzo’s. He lost “Solemn Judgment” to “Icarus Attack” as it resolved, then returned his “Honest” to his hand. “Go.”
Franzo revealed his draw – “Sangan.” He Summoned it, attacked for 1000 damage, and Holloway was up. He Set a monster, Set a Spell or Trap, and Franzo drew and revealed another Dekoichi. He Set it, Holloway Normal Summoned “Card Trooper,” and sent “Malevolent Catastrophe,” “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” and “Beckoning Light” off the top of his Deck to boost the Trooper’s ATK. Trooper attacked Franzo’s Dekoichi and it got him another copy with its Flip Effect!
“Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame” hit Franzo’s hand! No longer under Crush, he was free to simplify the Duel and get things moving. He Summoned “Black Salvo,” trying to Summon Dekoichi with Salvo’s effect, but Holloway flipped “Royal Oppression” and paid 800 Life Points to stop the Special Summon! Franzo sent “Sangan” to attack “Card Trooper,” but Holloway responded by removing “Necro Gardna” to negate the attack. “Yyyyyyyeah. Go ahead.”
Holloway sent “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” “Judgment Dragon,” and “Beckoning Light” off his Deck to boost up “Card Trooper” with its effect. “Charge of the Light Brigade” sent Wulf to the Graveyard, but Franzo paid 800 Life Points to negate the Special Summon. Holloway grabbed “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” from his Deck to complete Charge’s effect.
He followed up by Flip Summoning “Honest,” attacking with “Card Trooper,” and forcing Franzo to search his Deck for Blackwing – Gale with “Sangan’s” effect. He attacked with “Honest” for another 1100 damage, returned “Honest” to his hand, then Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” – Franzo responded with “Bottomless Trap Hole” to remove her from the field.
Franzo drew, and activated “Allure of Darkness”: he had two “Reckless Greed,” “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” Gale, Bora, Dekoichi, “Monster Reborn,” and Shura. He removed Dekoichi for Allure, then Normal Summoned Shura. Shura attacked into “Mirror Force,” Franzo Set both “Reckless Greed” and “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” and play was back to Holloway.
He sent Lumina, Charge, and “Necro Gardna” off the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with “Card Trooper’s” effect. Trooper attacked for 1900 damage, Franzo dropped to 1600 Life Points, and Holloway Set a monster. “Go ahead.”
Franzo drew for his turn, flipped both copies of Reckless, and drew four more cards. That left him with “Heavy Storm,” Shura, Black Salvo, two Gales, “Swords of Revealing Light,” Bora, and “Monster Reborn.” He activated “Heavy Storm”! Holloway chained “Solemn Judgment,” dropping to 3100 Life Points – enough to negate only three Special Summons with “Royal Oppression’s” effect. Franzo could Special Summon at least five times this turn if permitted – Holloway couldn’t stop them all.
He Normal Summoned Shura, then Special Summoned Bora the Spear – Holloway didn’t negate Bora’s Summon. Franzo activated “Monster Reborn,” targeted Sirocco, and Holloway paid to negate it. Franzo Special Summoned Gale, halved the ATK of “Card Trooper,” and Holloway had no response. Franzo Special Summoned another Gale – there was nothing Holloway could do. As soon as he was out of Life Points to pay for Oppression, Franzo was going to Synchro Summon “Dark Strike Fighter” and end the Duel.
He paid to negate the Summon of the second Gale. He was down to 1500 Life Points. Franzo sent Bora to attack over “Card Trooper,” extended his hand, and Holloway paused a moment, then gave him the handshake.
Joseph Franzo moves on with an 8-0 record, undefeated with Blackwings! Day 2 was just one win away!
-Jason Grabher-Meyer
