[div align=\\\"center\\\"]NSFL S(22) POWER RANKINGS Edition 2[/div]
![[Image: 1ue5a5E.png]](https://i.imgur.com/1ue5a5E.png)
Hello and welcome to the second edition of these NSFL power rankings. I am your host Isidore94 and today we got some exciting content to share. Firstly, I would like to apologize to our Honolulu readers for not getting out your team spotlight last week, you can rest assured we have it this week. We will be looking at each and every position of this team and giving our impressions of it. Before we get there, we have an excellent recap of each game that was played in the NSFL this week. There’s lots to get there, but first, we have your updated power rankings to review!
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] METHOD [/div]
1. No method changes. Lots of behind the scenes stuff to make these articles possible!
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Results [/div]
OFFENSIVE POWER RANKINGS
![[Image: UxFrlUY.png]](https://i.imgur.com/UxFrlUY.png)
(number in brackets denotes TPE rankings)
MAX SCORE=3. LOWEST SCORE=0
1. Yellowknife 2.902(6)
2. Colorado 2.857 (2)
3. San Jose 2.766 (9)
4. Philadelphia 2.736 (4)
5. Orange County 2.712 (3)
6. New Orleans 2.585 (5)
7. Baltimore 2.582 (11)
8. Arizona 2.563 (8)
9. Austin 2.429 (1)
10. Honolulu 2.067 (7)
11. Chicago 2.582 (12)
12. Sarasota 1.528 (10)
1.
are our first outlier this week, with a projection of the 6th best offense. They find themselves at #1 after the first 3 games putting up the second most yards and overall points. These totals are boosted by the fact they’ve played both the Butchers and the Sailfish, where they put up 24 and 44 points respectively, with both games occurring at home. They play much tougher competition next week, with 2 road games against conference rivals Liberty and Hawks
2.
are our first accurate prediction, coming in at their projected #2. Coming off a 3-0 week, they put up points against some very good teams in the Liberty and the Wraiths.
3.
are another outlier, with 2/3 games occurring at home against defensively weak Arizona and Honolulu. Next week they play OCO and the Hawks on the road, and the Copperheads at home. If they’re still here next week we can start to have this conversation.
4.
come in at their projected #4 ranking with the most overall points, aided by a 51 point curb stomping of the Butchers.
5.
find themselves at #5 after a few low scoring games against the Copperheads and Second Line. Still managing plenty of yardage and a victory in every game they played last week, OCO looks poised to boost themselves to at least #3 with next week games against the Sabercats, Outlaws and Butchers. OCO will feast.
6.
are our #6 team, 1 behind conference rival Orange County Otters, a trend we will see throughout these rankings. NOLA feasted on both the Outlaws (448 yards) and the Sabercats (394 yards) but we’re absolutely pathetic when faced with competition in the Otters, and a home game at that. NOLA had 3 away games next week, with 2 expansion teams on the menu and a struggling Copperheads team. Look for them to boost themselves to their preseason projection of 5th
7.
are yet another surprise. In fact, they surprised me greatly on both offense and defense, but more on that later. Baltimore, like the Liberty, The Hawks too opportunity to curb stomp the Butchers in what looks to be a weekly occurrence for the Butchers. The Hawks 1-2 record is a bit misleading, as they somehow lost a game against the Sailfish 17-13 in which they put up 402 yards and only allowed 187 yards.
8.
are our #8 team after being involved in a historic tie against the Copperheads, followed by two road losses to the Sabercats and the Second Line. Managing 400+ yards in 2/3 games, the Outlaws seem to be doing fine for where they are at in their rebuild.
9.
are the biggest headscratcher of this entire power rankings. While nearily every team heavily overperformed due to getting to play the Butchers, the Copperheads heavily underperformed for no discernible reason. They were frankly outplayed by Honolulu and the Otters, and only managed to tie the Outlaws, in a game where they were saved by a miracle fumble when the Outlaws were in FG range in OT. Next week doesn’t get any easier with a game against NOLA, a road game against the Sabercats, and then a home game against the Liberty. I do expect Austin to come out 2-1 and for their offense to recover.
10. :hahalua is the other underperforming team, although just barely. 2 sub 300 yard games against the Otters and the Sabercats on the road are big question marks given the strength of their passing game. Look for a strong bounce back against the Outlaws next week
11.
really were the laughing stock of this last week. They really should be in last place if not for the total ineptitude of our last place team when it comes to putting up yards and points
12.
shouldn’t even have 1 win. With 2 sub 300 yard games and a sub 200 yard game in their only win against the Hawks, the sailfish will be locked in a battle this year against the Butchers for the #1 pick
DEFENSIVE POWER RANKINGS
![[Image: mX2duwi.png]](https://i.imgur.com/mX2duwi.png)
(number in brackets denotes TPE rankings)
MAX SCORE=3. LOWEST SCORE=0
1. Baltimore 3.0 (7)
2. Colorado 2.856 (1)
3. Orange County 2.799 (3)
4. Philadelphia 2.856(6)
5. New Orleans 2.337(4)
6. Yellowknife 2.185(2)
7. Honolulu 2.109(10)
8. San Jose 1.918 (9)
9. Sarasota 1.696 (8)
10. Austin 1.604(5)
11. Arizona 1.500 (11)
12. Chicago 1.464 (12)
1. is a big surprise at #1 given their 1-2 record. As mentioned before, they should be 2-1. Regardless, next week they play the #1, #2, and #3 offenses from this week. I guarantee they won’t be #1 next week. Look for them to fall to 4th with a 1-2 record next week.
2. finds themselves at the top, where they ought to be. With 3 games and 3 wins, allowing no more than 14 points in any game, Colorado is good and they’re here to stay. In addition to only having to play the Otters once, from the pool of 3 ASFC teams that I consider to be playoff quality, I’d say Colorado is destined for the #1 defensive ranking and the #1 seed going into the playoffs
3. defense was bulletproof this last week, allowing only 9 points to NOLA and 23 to offensive powerhouse Austin. If the fall, look for this team to climb to #2 with games against the Outlaws and Butchers next week
4. find themselves at #4. Only allowing a max of 17 points in any game, Philly has been putting their offense in good positions to succeed and it shows. They have really improved themselves this last year. Next week isn’t going to be easy with games against the Sailfish, Wraiths and Copperheads. Too tough to call at this time
5. come in at #5, again below their conference rivals Orange County Otters. Their defense kept them in their game against OCO, but ultimately crumbled in the end. They did have two fantastic performances against the Sabercats and the Outlaws, never giving up more than 14 points. That being said I do think this defense underperformed as a whole. Playing all 3 games at home, they only have 3 home games left in the entire season, and 7 on the road. They must play the Copperheads next week on the road, in addition to the Wraiths in week 8, the Sabercats in Week 9, and the Otters in Week 10, all on the road. I had this defense at #4 and they rank #5 here. I do think they’ll maintain their position next week with 2 games against both expansion teams, but I’m not too hopeful looking farther down the road.
6. What I failed to mention in the offensive portion of the Wraiths, was that they played the #1 team, the Colorado Yeti, on the road, and got spanked for a 34-12 loss. This is a big reason why they fell so far from their preseason projection, despite two dominating performances against the Sailfish and the Outlaws. Expect this team to climb back up the rankings next week where they play competition that isn’t the Yeti.
7.
overperformed their ranking just a tad thanks to a 27-14 win against the Copperheads, in which they held my #1 preseason offense to 334 yards. I do think if the Copperheads played to their fullest potential, we would have seen Honolulu farther down this list, but as it stands, credit must be given where credit is due and Honolulu shocked everyone when they got the job done. They have 2 tough games next week against NOLA and YKW, and two winnable games against Arizona and Chicago. I suspect we will see Honolulu fall down to 9-10 next week.
8. are playing at a predictable level. Their success thus far is thanks to their offense. Next week they have some very tough asks with games against OCO, Austin and YKW.
9. Im not even going to say anything. This team has a lot of growth left in them and I won’t shit on them from losses against extremely good teams, on the road. Next week they have 3 home games, including a game against the Butchers.
10. Austin is getting sim screwed, plain and simple. Their offense fell far and their defense here has fallen 5 ranks from their preseason standing. As mentioned, before they play NOLA for their first matchup next week in what feels like an early season do or die game for this struggling Copperheads team.
11. Oh hey its my team again. My team is very good, or at least we will be in a few seasons. For now, yeah you can burn our secondary for long runs. Enjoy it while it lasts!
12. are giving me early 2010’s Cleveland Brown’s vibes. I’ll leave that for the reader to decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Hint: its not.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] FINAL COMBINED POWER RANKINGS WITH INDEX[/div]
(First bracket number is purely stats/performance. Second number is TPE rankings)
1. Colorado 4.755 (1)(2)
2. Orange County 4.680 (3)(3)
3. Yellowknife 3.966 (4)(6)
4. Philadelphia 3.967 (5)(4)
5. New Orleans 3.106 (6)(5)
6. Baltimore 3.064 (2)(10)
7. San Jose 2.777 (7)(9)
8. Austin 2.45 (9)(1)
9. Sarasota 1.937 (11)(11)
10. Arizona 2.305 (8)(8)
11. Honolulu (10)(7)
12. Chicago 1.522(12)(12)
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] NSFL Weeks 1-3 Review [/div]
Presented by Thiath and Baron 1898
NSFL Week 1
Austin Copperheads @ Arizona Outlaws 24-24:
On paper, this should’ve been an easy win for the Copperheads. However, in some form or fashion, Arizona managed to stay in the game. So much so, the game resulted in a rare tie. Neither team seemed willing to give up. The clear stars in this game were the runningbacks. Ryan Leaf Jr, and Baby Yoda. With a combined 145 all purpose yards Leaf set himself apart as the Copperheads offensive MVP. On the other side of the ball, Yoda put up his own impressive performance with 167 combined all purpose yards. Defensively, Austin had a slight advantage over the Outlaws, though it wasn’t enough to pull them ahead. Both teams had only one interception, but the Copperheads one the turnover battle with an added fumble recovery. While it may have been a surprising result for Austin fans, it’s clear that Arizona will be making a statement this season.
Sarasota Sailfish @ Baltimore Hawks 17-13
What will likely turn out to be the biggest upset this season, Sarasota barely managed to edge out against the Baltimore Hawks. There are two important takeaways that can be gathered from this matchup. We may be simultaneously underestimating Sarasota, and overestimating Baltimore. The Sailfish defense certainly made an early mark on this league holding Baltimore to only 13 points. Though, on the flip side, the Hawks are very clearly missing star quarterback Corvo Harvan. Without Harve, wide receiver Earl Maddox and runningback Apollo Reed saw significant reductions in production. A highlight for Sarasota, Rookie linebacker Haha-Mango Panda has proven he’s ready to make a name for himself at the professional level. Winning the turnover battle is what likely secured the win for the Sailfish. A positive note for Baltimore, their team is still young and has plenty of room to grow.
Yellowknife Wraiths @ Colorado Yeti 12-34
Week one certainly didn’t disappoint on the excitement factor. Following two incredible games, we get another great matchup between the two juggernauts of the NSFC. The former Ultimus runner ups, Yellowknife. Face off against a rising power house in the Colorado Yeti. In a similar vein to the Austin at Arizona game, many expected Yellowknife to walk away with an easy victory here. However, Colorado quickly proved their doubters wrong by holding the Wraiths to a mere 14 points. Colorado has stars shining all over the field, and it certainly seems their patience in growing their team has begun to pay off in a big way. It’s hard to pick a standout star, but the argument could be made for McDummy. 19 for 31 with 255 passing yards and a touchdown is nice enough already. What’s most impressive however, is having 86 yards on the ground and another touchdown to boot.
San Jose Sabercats @ New Orleans Second Line 14-24
This matchup drew the attention of many NSFL fans. As they gathered in the millions to see what would become of the defending Ultimus champions. To the surprise of almost no one, the Second Line was victorious. What was a shock to some, is that this game was nowhere near as one sided as predicted. Throughout the game San Jose fought back in here by inch. Keeping it a close scoring Adair to the end, it’s become apparent the Sabercats refuse to be overlooked this season, and are extremely willing to prove the doubters wrong. The shocking standout for this game was New Orleans tight end, Austin McCormick. Accounting for 136 of Stan Francisco's 209 passing yards.
Honolulu Hahlua @ Orange County Otters 7-17
This was the Hahalua’s “Welcome to the NSFL” moment. A difficult game from the get go, Honolulu struggled to get going. Though the 17-7 box score may suggest otherwise, the Hahalue were outmatched. Corvo Harvan only managed 84 yards in the air. Though that may not be entirely his fault, as the Otters may just become the most fearsome secondary in the league. For now, it certainly seems that way at least. Orange County’s potent defensive attack stopped a hopeful Honolulu squad dead in the water. Though from the outside looking in, Orange county could be wise to streamline their Offensive identity. Relying so heavily on Franklin Armstrong could be detrimental to them in the long run. Armstrong was certainly the standout MVP. 154 yards in the air, and 76 on the ground allowed their defense to be well rested. Though on the bright side, Honolulu won’t have to wait long to begin lighting the league on fire. Offensively at least, the Hahalua certainly seem ready for the future.
Chicago Butchers @ Philadelphia Liberty 10-51
For many, it was no surprise to see the Liberty come out of this game on top. What was surprising was the fashion in which they did so. Originally predicted by most to be a close scoring affair became a massacre. Beating the Butchers 51-10 certainly made a statement to the rest of the league. Philly wasn’t messing around. The team looked well rounded on both sides of the ball. Running back Sam Torenson was by far not only the best player in this game, but the best player in week one. Though his raw rushing numbers are not the most impressive, what truly sets him apart is his efficiency in the red zone. Having three rushing touchdowns allowed the Liberty to walk away with the win comfortably. Chicago meanwhile still looks like Chicago. It will be a while before we see this team reach it’s potential.
NSFL Week 2
Sarasota Sailfish (1-0) @ Yellowknife Wraiths (0-1) , 3-44
Coming off an incredibly upset win in Week 1 on the Baltimore Hawks’ home turf, the wind was taken out of Sarasota’s Sails by a blowout road loss to the Wraiths. The Sailfish started the game with a three and out, and Yellowknife responded with a touchdown drive, which basically sums up the entire game. Sarasota went an atrocious 4/18 on third and fourth downs, including 0/2 on fourth down, giving the Wraiths excellent field position throughout the game that translated into 34 unanswered points after the Sailfish’s only score of the game in the second quarter. The chief culprit for the Sailfish’s woes was Zack Vega, who posted only 14 completions on 33 attempts with an interception and a 47.4 passer rating. This anemic air attack sunk the entire Sarasota offense and contributed to the 4 sacks and 5 tackles for loss nabbed by the staunch Yellowknife defense.
Baltimore Hawks (0-1) @ Chicago Butchers (0-1), 36-3
The second blowout of the night came from the Hawks, who distanced themselves from their embarrassing home opener loss with an away game thrashing of the Chicago Butchers. Baltimore opened the game with 26 straight points through three quarters before Sam Sidekick finally got Chicago onto the board with 6:54 left in the third. The Hawks shined on offense, with a respectable 2 TD passes from rookie Chika Fujiwara and a 5.0 average rushing yardage from Apollo Reed. The star of the show, however, was on special teams, where ForThe Brand made 3/3 extra points and 5/5 field goal attempts, including two from over 40 yards. On the other end of the spectrum, the Butchers only saw 8 first downs over the entire game, went 3/17 on third and fourth down attempts, managed a putrid 3.2 team rushing average, and barely scraped past 200 yards of total offense. A night to forget in the Windy City as Baltimore rebounds in the standings.
Orange County Otters (1-0) @ New Orleans Second Line (1-0), 20-9
The week’s first battle of undefeated teams saw the Otters notch a road victory against the reigning Ultimus champions. It was a relatively muted affair for the first three quarters of the game, with the two teams trading field goals for nearly three and a half quarters. With the score 9-6 in favor of the Second Line with 9:30 left on the game clock, the Otters faced a third and 21 but managed to convert the fourth down and continue onwards for a touchdown, eating up seven minutes in twelve plays to take the lead at 13-9. The final score is inflated by a Kacey Dream pick six on New Orleans’ last real drive, which put it finally up to 20-9. Both Armstrong and Francisco threw no touchdowns and an interception, the latter of which being the aforementioned pick six, but Francisco in particular came away with a putrid 39.1 passer rating. Overall, Orange County’s domination of time of possession and four sacks were the key factors in stifling the Second Line and stealing the road win.
Colorado Yeti (1-0) @ Philadelphia Liberty (1-0), 17-14
The second matchup of undefeated teams again saw the traveling team come away with the victory, this time the Colorado Yeti. In the early fight for division lead, the Yeti started the game off strong with 17 unanswered points late into the second quarter, aided by Lefty Louis missing a 28 yard field goal, a failed fourth down conversion, and a Brock Phoenix interception that all ended chances to put points on the board. The Liberty were able to rally at the end of the second and lead their only touchdown drive of the night. Colorado’s offense underwent a nightmare in the second half, losing two fumbles and two interceptions, yet the Liberty were unable to take advantage aside from a Wayne Howyanow pick six and could not get their offense moving. Philly went 2/14 on third and fourth downs, only scraping 195 total yards of offense, and while Colorado was able to put up 456 yards of offense, primarily through a dominant run game, an awful streak of turnovers and drive-ending sacks kept them off the board in the second half.
Arizona Outlaws (0-0-1) @ San Jose Sabercats (0-1 ), 28-33
In a ASFC thriller, the Sabercats came away with a close home victory to put them on equal footing with Honolulu in the playoff race. San Jose started off strong with 21 unanswered points, increasing their lead to 28-6 shortly after halftime, but second half heroics from Offensive Player of the Game Jay Cue rallied the Outlaws with three straight touchdowns before a safety and field goal gave the Sabercats a five point margin. Cue was nigh unstoppable in the air, going 24/39 for 334 yards and 4 touchdowns. San Jose’s victory can ultimately be pinned on Rando Cardrissian, who rushed for 148 yards on a 5.9 yard clip and pounded in three of Arizona’s touchdowns. Stanislaw Koniecpolski did his best to stiffen up the Outlaws defense in the second half, with a leading 17 tackles to go with a pass deflection and interception. Overall, both teams’ offenses managed to get over 400 total yards, albeit with vastly different rushing/receiving splits.
Austin Copperheads (0-0-1) @ Honolulu Hahalua (0-1) , 14-27
After Sarasota’s victory in Week 1, Honolulu became the newest team in the NSFL to win a game in the Week 2 home victory against the Austin Copperheads. Corvo Havran led an efficient if unspectacular air attack against Austin, throwing for 2 TDs to complement the 199 yards gained on the ground by Honolulu’s backfield. Austin on the other hand found themselves completely incapacitated in the run game, only garnering 62 rushing yards. Although Austin remained competitive throughout most of the game, the Hahalua never fully lost their momentum - after taking a 10-0 lead in the second, they responded after each Copperhead score and pulled away completely in the fourth quarter. As to be expected from their run game disparity, Honolulu controlled time of possession handily, with 37:01 minutes of the game clock in their favor, and secured 21 first downs as opposed to Austin’s 13. Coupled with Austin’s tie in Week 1, the loss sent the expected contenders down to the bottom of the divisional standings and evened out the Hahalua to a 0.500 record.
NSFL WEEK 3
Orange County Otters @ Austin Copperheads 37-23
The Austin Copperheads have not quite lived up to expectations. Though they’re schedule has certainly not been the greatest, many were expecting the team to at least be 1-1 going into week 3. However, as it happens, Austin is 0-2-1. From the outside looking in, it’s not easy to see why. The team has plenty of talent, but the question must then become are they using it effectively? Certainly Orange County isn’t the best place to gauge whether a team is maximizing its full potential, so Austin will need to look for a quick change of fate. Orange County looked much more consistent on offense this week, and it seems they’re quickly putting together a new offense built around Tatsu Nakamura and Jeffrey Phillips. The former of which is this games star player
Philadelphia Liberty @ Baltimore Hawks 19-15
Another shocking performance by the Philadelphia Liberty. The city of brotherly love has quickly cemented itself as the league's premiere defensive powerhouse. Baltimore finds themselves in a difficult position after the first three weeks. What some thought as a potential contender for the NSFC title. They now find themselves tied with Sarasota at 1-2. The loss of Corvo Harvan could potentially become too much for the Hawks to handle. What will certainly become a trend in the weeks to follow. Torenson is once again the star player for this matchup. The unstoppable force that keeps the Liberty going, Torenson has quickly exceeded expectations and then some.
Sarasota Sailfish @ Colorado Yeti 13-25
The Sailfish had one of the toughest schedules going into their first three games of the season. Not only were all three games on the road. They were against very well established teams. It certainly didn’t get easier with their week three matchup against the Yeti. Though something rather surprising came about, for a large part of the game, Sarasota managed to stay competitive. This is due, in no small part to their surprising production on the defensive side of the ball. Especially from rookies Fawn Dilmiballs, Haha-Manga Panda and the player formerly known as Eric Barlow. Though the Fish are currently standing at 1-2, there are some exciting developments ahead for the expansion franchise, as quarterback Zack Vega has unbanked a massive 170 TPE. This could be the spark that starts the fire in Florida. Getting the offense going will be huge for the team, though some fear it won’t be enough. This week's star player goes to kicker Silver Banana.
Arizona Outlaws @ New Orleans Second Line 14-36
While Arizona will likely still be underdogs for a majority of the season. It’s clear they’re not going down without a fight. Though they were unable to contain Stan Francisco, they managed to once again put up a fight on the ground. The Outlaws certainly have a tough schedule ahead of them. It will be interesting to see if they can pull away with an upset in the future. Baby Yoda still has a ways to go before he can be declared a top runningback, though he’s certainly off to an impressive start. On the topic of impressive starts, Stan Francisco three for 245 yards and 3 touchdowns against Arizona. Cementing himself as the star player for this matchup.
Honolulu Hahalua @ San Jose Sabercats 16-28
This was another game chalk full of surprises. Mostly from the likes of the San Jose Sabercats. Though unable to come away with a win in week one against the defending Ultimus champions. San Jose has managed to convincingly win their last two games again Arizona and Honolulu. It seems they’ve taken notes from the aforementioned Second Line by incorporating an offensive style that takes full advantage of having a smothering rushing attack. Tyrucker and Cardissian compliment each other well, and open the field for talented wideout Action Jackson. Having this level of offensive flexibility will certainly put opposing defenses on edge in the weeks to come. This weeks star player is runningback Rando Cardissian. Quickly proving himself to potentially be a premier back, Rando has put a lot on his shoulders.
Chicago Butchers @ Yellowknife Wraiths 14-24
You have to feel for Chicago fans. They’ve yet to have a game this season where they can really prove who they are under new management. Though what seems apparent is that much like Sarasota, the Butchers defense is surprisingly good. If there’s one thing for Chicago fans to be hopeful about, at the very least a foundation has been established. Though with Rose Jenkins retiring, they’ll need to act fast in rebuilding their offense. Yellowknife played well, they could easily make a deep run at the playoffs again this year. Cooter Bigsby has been lightening in a bottle these last two games, it will be interesting to see if they maintain that momentum going forward.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Honolulu Hahalua [/div]
Presented by Baron1898
“Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.”
These words are proudly displayed as the motto of The Luau, the team chat of the Honolulu Hahalua. It’s a reflection both of the Hawaiian culture evident in the team’s branding and of the culture that GMs Raven and ADwyer87 are attempting to build with the second new expansion team of the season.
Along with the Sarasota Sailfish, Honolulu made their debut this season as one of the two new expansion teams in the NSFL. Unlike Sarasota, Honolulu was slotted into the ASFC - a historically dominant division and one chock full of talent, having won the Ultimus the last six seasons in a row and ten of the past eleven. Last week, we took an in-depth look into Sarasota; now it’s time to examine how Honolulu built its team, starting with the roster.
Quarterback
Starter: Corvo Havran (S14) - 1067 TPE. GM player.
Depth: Jim Waters (S22) - 299 TPE. S22 Draft, 109th overall (10.01).
Depth: Luke Skywalker (S22) - 299 TPE. S22 Draft, 61st overall (6.01).
In the present day, Havran is the undisputed starter of the team. As a GM player and a seasoned veteran of the Baltimore Hawks, Havran’s peak may be behind him but he is still capable of fighting regression at an elite level and stands ready at the wheel to hold the offense down until a rookie can get in shape. Speaking of rookies, the Hahalua may have the best secured QB situation in the league. They snagged not one, but two, potential starters of the future from the draft in Waters and Skywalker, who are neck and neck in TPE and could both stand to inherit the reigns from Havran when the time comes. Which one will end up at the top? Only time will tell.
Running Back
Starter: Ruff Ruff (S18) - 500 TPE. Expansion Draft, 11th overall.
Starter: Ke’oke’o Kane-Maika’i (S22) - 356 TPE. S22 Draft, 13th overall (2.01).
At running back, Honolulu presents a dual threat. Inactive speed back Ruff Ruff was added first in the expansion draft and serves as the team’s primary rusher, narrowly leading the league in rushing yards after the end of Week 3. But rising fast to take his place is Ke’oke’o Kane-Maika’i, a physically dominant receiving back. He was actually known as White Goodman when he became the highest drafted running back in the S22 class, and the name change says volumes about how rookies have already bought into the team culture. For now, Kane-Maika’i primarily spells Ruff on third downs and in passing situations.
Wide Receiver
Starter: Jed Podolak (S19) - 649 TPE. Expansion Draft, 3rd overall.
Starter: Jacoby Clay (S20) - 407 TPE. Expansion Draft, 7th overall.
Starter: William Alexander (S22) - 323 TPE. S22 Draft, 49th overall (5.01).
Depth: Daymond Brooks (S22) - 154 TPE. S22 Draft, 91th overall (8.07).
Honolulu has a trio of young receivers for Havran to throw to. Podolak leads the pack as the fastest and the most seasoned of the three, with Clay serving as the offense’s WR2. Both were selected high in the expansion draft, and although the Hahalua passing attack currently ranks near the bottom of the league, the receivers all have many years to grow and become elite before they hit regression. This is especially true of S22 rookie William Alexander, a fantastic selection in the 5th round, whose TPE ranks in the top three of his receiving class. A year or two more of continued development could see this core reach near the best of the league.
Tight End
Starter: None
Yes, that’s right - Honolulu does not carry a single tight end on their roster. They do carry three inactive DSFL players - Montgomery Mantooth, Tristan Hex, and Max McClure - but barring an incredibly spontaneous reemergence by one of these three, the Hahalua do not currently have anyone slated to fill the tight end role on the depth chart. The future at tight end will likely come in drafts to come.
Offensive Line
Starters: Mystery Machine Bots (S22) - 550 TPE. Dwyer’s pocketbooks.
Honolulu is not in the business of giving fair rubs, if for no other reason than that the current roster is barebones enough already and could hardly afford to spend significant draft capital at the position while also trying to build a defense. The only offensive linemen currently employed by the team are lower league inactives, meaning that similarly to tight end, offensive line will have to be bolstered by future capital.
Defensive End
Starter: Jayson Kearse (S19) - 465 TPE. Expansion Draft, 6th overall.
Starter: Logan Noble Jr. (S21) - 471 TPE. Free agency.
The defensive side of the ball is a bit bare for Honolulu, with a lack of any viable send downs across the entire defensive line. However, unlike the linebacker corps, the defensive trenches are currently captained by younger players. Kearse was a high pick in the expansion draft, and while his TPE is not elite, it doesn’t need to be in order to provide effective pressure. Noble Jr. is both younger and slightly higher earning, having switched away from running back before joining the team in free agency.
Defensive Tackle
Starter: Momona Keiki-K?ne (S22) - 343 TPE. S22 Draft, 7th overall (1.07).
Starter: Reggie Culbertson (S20) - 298 TPE. Free agency.
The interior line is cemented by the beefy Momona Keiki-K?ne, formerly known as Phat Boi, the first pick of the Honolulu draft class. His TPE earning is near the top of his class, and coupled with an incredibly vocal locker room presence and team spirit, Keiki-K?ne looms large in the team’s future both literally and figuratively. His partner in crime is Reggie Culbertson, the first free agent to sign for Honolulu. Slower but stronger than Keiki-K?ne, Culbertson solidifies the starting four lineup of the defensive line and - as is the common theme - has many years left in the tank.
Linebacker
Starter: Alex Selich (S11) - 369 TPE. Free agency.
Starter: Mack Arianlacher (S19) - 606 TPE. Expansion Draft, 2nd overall.
Starter: Jaylen Storm (S16) - 531 TPE. Expansion Draft, 18th overall.
Depth: Jack Banks (S22) - 238 TPE. S22 Draft, 55th overall (5.07).
Depth: Mark Radson (S22) - 157 TPE. S22 Draft, 104th overall (9.08).
Here’s a position group dominated by old guys. Alex Selich is a living league legend and knocking on the door of the all-time tackles record, but Father Time comes for everyone eventually, and Selich is playing his 12th and possibly last season in the pros. Joining him in the retirement home will be Jaylen Storm, a far younger player but one who has already announced his impending retirement at the end of the S22 season. The exception to the rule is Arianlacher, valued highly in the expansion draft, who both leads the linebacking corps in TPE and also is far younger of a player than the above two. Still, this area of the defense could use a serious infusion of youth and talent. Honolulu has to hope in the continued development of Jack Banks and Mark Radson, but regardless likely needs to invest future resources into either free agency or the draft.
Cornerback
Starter: Victor Moreno (S20) - 328 TPE. Expansion Draft, 10th overall.
Starter: Emondov Emoji (S15) - 920 TPE. Expansion Draft, 15th overall.
Depth: Bayden Brosley (S22) - 234 TPE. S22 Draft, 73rd overall (7.01).
Depth: Ozamataz Buckshank (S22) - 116 TPE. S22 Draft, 97th overall (9.01).
Both starters in the cornerback depth chart were poached in the expansion draft, and both are inactive. Emoji is the second highest TPE member of the team, behind only Havran, but he has already hit regression and the impact will only continue to accumulate. Moreno has many years until regression, but at only 328 TPE, he isn’t a viable permanent plan for the future. As with linebacker and safety, the team has two significant active rookies on the sidelines. Bayden Brosley is the superior of the two, and may take over from Moreno as soon as next season if he continues to earn well, while Buckshank is a development prospect Honolulu is hoping to coax into further improvement.
Safety
Starter: Joseph Wozniak (S18) - 345 TPE. Expansion Draft, 19th overall.
Starter: Sandip “Sandy” Bakshi (S14) - 390 TPE. Expansion Draft, 23rd overall.
Depth: Buck Thornton (S22) - 321 TPE. S22 Draft, 25th overall (3.01).
Depth: Shawn Dawkins (S22) - 278 TPE. S22 Draft, 37th overall (4.01).
There’s actually only one real safety on the roster with Joseph Wozniak, an inactive expansion draft pickup with unimpressive measurables and a few good seasons before regression. The other inactive starter is Sandip “Sandy” Bakshi, who is actually a linebacker, and who like the other linebackers is rather long in the tooth. Honolulu didn’t spend significant capital on the safety position in the expansion draft, but did spend a third and a fourth rounder in the actual draft to get their future starters. Both Buck Thornton and Shawn Dawkins are very active send down prospects who stand to take over the starting spots as soon as next season. If their earning pace continues, this duo could be a nightmare in the backfield.
Kicker/Punter
GOAT: Venus Powers (S20) - 653 TPE. Expansion Draft, 14th overall.
With a need for depth across nearly every position, the very definition of a luxury pick for the Honolulu Hahalua is taking a kicker reasonably high in the expansion draft, but Powers is a significant contributor both on the field and in the locker room.
Overview
Honolulu was ranked 7th of 12 teams in the NSFL Preseason Power Rankings and currently sits at a 1-2 record three weeks into the season, about expected given their significant shortcomings on defense and in the passing game. The skeleton crew of Hahalua may make some noise this season, and I predict that they’ll end with a better record than the Sarasota Sailfish, but at the end of the day this team is still a raw collection of castoffs and youth that still needs time to geld on the field. Off the field, however, it’s hard to ignore the incredible work Raven and Dwyer have done in immediately creating a positive, fun, and supportive team culture. Players and users want to stay in Honolulu, with a number of expansion draftees having signed contract extensions many seasons into the future. It’s going to be a couple seasons before this Hahalua team enters their prime, but the window is fast approaching.
Words=6376
Please pay Forty Jordy 10%, Baron1898 40%, Thiath 25%, and Isidore94 25%
Hello and welcome to the second edition of these NSFL power rankings. I am your host Isidore94 and today we got some exciting content to share. Firstly, I would like to apologize to our Honolulu readers for not getting out your team spotlight last week, you can rest assured we have it this week. We will be looking at each and every position of this team and giving our impressions of it. Before we get there, we have an excellent recap of each game that was played in the NSFL this week. There’s lots to get there, but first, we have your updated power rankings to review!
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] METHOD [/div]
1. No method changes. Lots of behind the scenes stuff to make these articles possible!
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Results [/div]
OFFENSIVE POWER RANKINGS
(number in brackets denotes TPE rankings)
MAX SCORE=3. LOWEST SCORE=0
1. Yellowknife 2.902(6)
2. Colorado 2.857 (2)
3. San Jose 2.766 (9)
4. Philadelphia 2.736 (4)
5. Orange County 2.712 (3)
6. New Orleans 2.585 (5)
7. Baltimore 2.582 (11)
8. Arizona 2.563 (8)
9. Austin 2.429 (1)
10. Honolulu 2.067 (7)
11. Chicago 2.582 (12)
12. Sarasota 1.528 (10)
1.
are our first outlier this week, with a projection of the 6th best offense. They find themselves at #1 after the first 3 games putting up the second most yards and overall points. These totals are boosted by the fact they’ve played both the Butchers and the Sailfish, where they put up 24 and 44 points respectively, with both games occurring at home. They play much tougher competition next week, with 2 road games against conference rivals Liberty and Hawks2.
are our first accurate prediction, coming in at their projected #2. Coming off a 3-0 week, they put up points against some very good teams in the Liberty and the Wraiths.3.
are another outlier, with 2/3 games occurring at home against defensively weak Arizona and Honolulu. Next week they play OCO and the Hawks on the road, and the Copperheads at home. If they’re still here next week we can start to have this conversation. 4.
come in at their projected #4 ranking with the most overall points, aided by a 51 point curb stomping of the Butchers. 5.
find themselves at #5 after a few low scoring games against the Copperheads and Second Line. Still managing plenty of yardage and a victory in every game they played last week, OCO looks poised to boost themselves to at least #3 with next week games against the Sabercats, Outlaws and Butchers. OCO will feast. 6.
are our #6 team, 1 behind conference rival Orange County Otters, a trend we will see throughout these rankings. NOLA feasted on both the Outlaws (448 yards) and the Sabercats (394 yards) but we’re absolutely pathetic when faced with competition in the Otters, and a home game at that. NOLA had 3 away games next week, with 2 expansion teams on the menu and a struggling Copperheads team. Look for them to boost themselves to their preseason projection of 5th 7.
are yet another surprise. In fact, they surprised me greatly on both offense and defense, but more on that later. Baltimore, like the Liberty, The Hawks too opportunity to curb stomp the Butchers in what looks to be a weekly occurrence for the Butchers. The Hawks 1-2 record is a bit misleading, as they somehow lost a game against the Sailfish 17-13 in which they put up 402 yards and only allowed 187 yards. 8.
are our #8 team after being involved in a historic tie against the Copperheads, followed by two road losses to the Sabercats and the Second Line. Managing 400+ yards in 2/3 games, the Outlaws seem to be doing fine for where they are at in their rebuild.9.
are the biggest headscratcher of this entire power rankings. While nearily every team heavily overperformed due to getting to play the Butchers, the Copperheads heavily underperformed for no discernible reason. They were frankly outplayed by Honolulu and the Otters, and only managed to tie the Outlaws, in a game where they were saved by a miracle fumble when the Outlaws were in FG range in OT. Next week doesn’t get any easier with a game against NOLA, a road game against the Sabercats, and then a home game against the Liberty. I do expect Austin to come out 2-1 and for their offense to recover. 10. :hahalua is the other underperforming team, although just barely. 2 sub 300 yard games against the Otters and the Sabercats on the road are big question marks given the strength of their passing game. Look for a strong bounce back against the Outlaws next week
11.
really were the laughing stock of this last week. They really should be in last place if not for the total ineptitude of our last place team when it comes to putting up yards and points12.
shouldn’t even have 1 win. With 2 sub 300 yard games and a sub 200 yard game in their only win against the Hawks, the sailfish will be locked in a battle this year against the Butchers for the #1 pickDEFENSIVE POWER RANKINGS
(number in brackets denotes TPE rankings)
MAX SCORE=3. LOWEST SCORE=0
1. Baltimore 3.0 (7)
2. Colorado 2.856 (1)
3. Orange County 2.799 (3)
4. Philadelphia 2.856(6)
5. New Orleans 2.337(4)
6. Yellowknife 2.185(2)
7. Honolulu 2.109(10)
8. San Jose 1.918 (9)
9. Sarasota 1.696 (8)
10. Austin 1.604(5)
11. Arizona 1.500 (11)
12. Chicago 1.464 (12)
1.
is a big surprise at #1 given their 1-2 record. As mentioned before, they should be 2-1. Regardless, next week they play the #1, #2, and #3 offenses from this week. I guarantee they won’t be #1 next week. Look for them to fall to 4th with a 1-2 record next week.2.
finds themselves at the top, where they ought to be. With 3 games and 3 wins, allowing no more than 14 points in any game, Colorado is good and they’re here to stay. In addition to only having to play the Otters once, from the pool of 3 ASFC teams that I consider to be playoff quality, I’d say Colorado is destined for the #1 defensive ranking and the #1 seed going into the playoffs 3.
defense was bulletproof this last week, allowing only 9 points to NOLA and 23 to offensive powerhouse Austin. If the fall, look for this team to climb to #2 with games against the Outlaws and Butchers next week4.
find themselves at #4. Only allowing a max of 17 points in any game, Philly has been putting their offense in good positions to succeed and it shows. They have really improved themselves this last year. Next week isn’t going to be easy with games against the Sailfish, Wraiths and Copperheads. Too tough to call at this time5.
come in at #5, again below their conference rivals Orange County Otters. Their defense kept them in their game against OCO, but ultimately crumbled in the end. They did have two fantastic performances against the Sabercats and the Outlaws, never giving up more than 14 points. That being said I do think this defense underperformed as a whole. Playing all 3 games at home, they only have 3 home games left in the entire season, and 7 on the road. They must play the Copperheads next week on the road, in addition to the Wraiths in week 8, the Sabercats in Week 9, and the Otters in Week 10, all on the road. I had this defense at #4 and they rank #5 here. I do think they’ll maintain their position next week with 2 games against both expansion teams, but I’m not too hopeful looking farther down the road. 6.
What I failed to mention in the offensive portion of the Wraiths, was that they played the #1 team, the Colorado Yeti, on the road, and got spanked for a 34-12 loss. This is a big reason why they fell so far from their preseason projection, despite two dominating performances against the Sailfish and the Outlaws. Expect this team to climb back up the rankings next week where they play competition that isn’t the Yeti. 7.
overperformed their ranking just a tad thanks to a 27-14 win against the Copperheads, in which they held my #1 preseason offense to 334 yards. I do think if the Copperheads played to their fullest potential, we would have seen Honolulu farther down this list, but as it stands, credit must be given where credit is due and Honolulu shocked everyone when they got the job done. They have 2 tough games next week against NOLA and YKW, and two winnable games against Arizona and Chicago. I suspect we will see Honolulu fall down to 9-10 next week. 8.
are playing at a predictable level. Their success thus far is thanks to their offense. Next week they have some very tough asks with games against OCO, Austin and YKW. 9.
Im not even going to say anything. This team has a lot of growth left in them and I won’t shit on them from losses against extremely good teams, on the road. Next week they have 3 home games, including a game against the Butchers. 10.
Austin is getting sim screwed, plain and simple. Their offense fell far and their defense here has fallen 5 ranks from their preseason standing. As mentioned, before they play NOLA for their first matchup next week in what feels like an early season do or die game for this struggling Copperheads team. 11.
Oh hey its my team again. My team is very good, or at least we will be in a few seasons. For now, yeah you can burn our secondary for long runs. Enjoy it while it lasts!12.
are giving me early 2010’s Cleveland Brown’s vibes. I’ll leave that for the reader to decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Hint: its not.[div align=\\\"center\\\"] FINAL COMBINED POWER RANKINGS WITH INDEX[/div]
(First bracket number is purely stats/performance. Second number is TPE rankings)
1. Colorado 4.755 (1)(2)
2. Orange County 4.680 (3)(3)
3. Yellowknife 3.966 (4)(6)
4. Philadelphia 3.967 (5)(4)
5. New Orleans 3.106 (6)(5)
6. Baltimore 3.064 (2)(10)
7. San Jose 2.777 (7)(9)
8. Austin 2.45 (9)(1)
9. Sarasota 1.937 (11)(11)
10. Arizona 2.305 (8)(8)
11. Honolulu (10)(7)
12. Chicago 1.522(12)(12)
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] NSFL Weeks 1-3 Review [/div]
Presented by Thiath and Baron 1898
NSFL Week 1
Austin Copperheads @ Arizona Outlaws 24-24:
On paper, this should’ve been an easy win for the Copperheads. However, in some form or fashion, Arizona managed to stay in the game. So much so, the game resulted in a rare tie. Neither team seemed willing to give up. The clear stars in this game were the runningbacks. Ryan Leaf Jr, and Baby Yoda. With a combined 145 all purpose yards Leaf set himself apart as the Copperheads offensive MVP. On the other side of the ball, Yoda put up his own impressive performance with 167 combined all purpose yards. Defensively, Austin had a slight advantage over the Outlaws, though it wasn’t enough to pull them ahead. Both teams had only one interception, but the Copperheads one the turnover battle with an added fumble recovery. While it may have been a surprising result for Austin fans, it’s clear that Arizona will be making a statement this season.
Sarasota Sailfish @ Baltimore Hawks 17-13
What will likely turn out to be the biggest upset this season, Sarasota barely managed to edge out against the Baltimore Hawks. There are two important takeaways that can be gathered from this matchup. We may be simultaneously underestimating Sarasota, and overestimating Baltimore. The Sailfish defense certainly made an early mark on this league holding Baltimore to only 13 points. Though, on the flip side, the Hawks are very clearly missing star quarterback Corvo Harvan. Without Harve, wide receiver Earl Maddox and runningback Apollo Reed saw significant reductions in production. A highlight for Sarasota, Rookie linebacker Haha-Mango Panda has proven he’s ready to make a name for himself at the professional level. Winning the turnover battle is what likely secured the win for the Sailfish. A positive note for Baltimore, their team is still young and has plenty of room to grow.
Yellowknife Wraiths @ Colorado Yeti 12-34
Week one certainly didn’t disappoint on the excitement factor. Following two incredible games, we get another great matchup between the two juggernauts of the NSFC. The former Ultimus runner ups, Yellowknife. Face off against a rising power house in the Colorado Yeti. In a similar vein to the Austin at Arizona game, many expected Yellowknife to walk away with an easy victory here. However, Colorado quickly proved their doubters wrong by holding the Wraiths to a mere 14 points. Colorado has stars shining all over the field, and it certainly seems their patience in growing their team has begun to pay off in a big way. It’s hard to pick a standout star, but the argument could be made for McDummy. 19 for 31 with 255 passing yards and a touchdown is nice enough already. What’s most impressive however, is having 86 yards on the ground and another touchdown to boot.
San Jose Sabercats @ New Orleans Second Line 14-24
This matchup drew the attention of many NSFL fans. As they gathered in the millions to see what would become of the defending Ultimus champions. To the surprise of almost no one, the Second Line was victorious. What was a shock to some, is that this game was nowhere near as one sided as predicted. Throughout the game San Jose fought back in here by inch. Keeping it a close scoring Adair to the end, it’s become apparent the Sabercats refuse to be overlooked this season, and are extremely willing to prove the doubters wrong. The shocking standout for this game was New Orleans tight end, Austin McCormick. Accounting for 136 of Stan Francisco's 209 passing yards.
Honolulu Hahlua @ Orange County Otters 7-17
This was the Hahalua’s “Welcome to the NSFL” moment. A difficult game from the get go, Honolulu struggled to get going. Though the 17-7 box score may suggest otherwise, the Hahalue were outmatched. Corvo Harvan only managed 84 yards in the air. Though that may not be entirely his fault, as the Otters may just become the most fearsome secondary in the league. For now, it certainly seems that way at least. Orange County’s potent defensive attack stopped a hopeful Honolulu squad dead in the water. Though from the outside looking in, Orange county could be wise to streamline their Offensive identity. Relying so heavily on Franklin Armstrong could be detrimental to them in the long run. Armstrong was certainly the standout MVP. 154 yards in the air, and 76 on the ground allowed their defense to be well rested. Though on the bright side, Honolulu won’t have to wait long to begin lighting the league on fire. Offensively at least, the Hahalua certainly seem ready for the future.
Chicago Butchers @ Philadelphia Liberty 10-51
For many, it was no surprise to see the Liberty come out of this game on top. What was surprising was the fashion in which they did so. Originally predicted by most to be a close scoring affair became a massacre. Beating the Butchers 51-10 certainly made a statement to the rest of the league. Philly wasn’t messing around. The team looked well rounded on both sides of the ball. Running back Sam Torenson was by far not only the best player in this game, but the best player in week one. Though his raw rushing numbers are not the most impressive, what truly sets him apart is his efficiency in the red zone. Having three rushing touchdowns allowed the Liberty to walk away with the win comfortably. Chicago meanwhile still looks like Chicago. It will be a while before we see this team reach it’s potential.
NSFL Week 2
Sarasota Sailfish (1-0) @ Yellowknife Wraiths (0-1) , 3-44
Coming off an incredibly upset win in Week 1 on the Baltimore Hawks’ home turf, the wind was taken out of Sarasota’s Sails by a blowout road loss to the Wraiths. The Sailfish started the game with a three and out, and Yellowknife responded with a touchdown drive, which basically sums up the entire game. Sarasota went an atrocious 4/18 on third and fourth downs, including 0/2 on fourth down, giving the Wraiths excellent field position throughout the game that translated into 34 unanswered points after the Sailfish’s only score of the game in the second quarter. The chief culprit for the Sailfish’s woes was Zack Vega, who posted only 14 completions on 33 attempts with an interception and a 47.4 passer rating. This anemic air attack sunk the entire Sarasota offense and contributed to the 4 sacks and 5 tackles for loss nabbed by the staunch Yellowknife defense.
Baltimore Hawks (0-1) @ Chicago Butchers (0-1), 36-3
The second blowout of the night came from the Hawks, who distanced themselves from their embarrassing home opener loss with an away game thrashing of the Chicago Butchers. Baltimore opened the game with 26 straight points through three quarters before Sam Sidekick finally got Chicago onto the board with 6:54 left in the third. The Hawks shined on offense, with a respectable 2 TD passes from rookie Chika Fujiwara and a 5.0 average rushing yardage from Apollo Reed. The star of the show, however, was on special teams, where ForThe Brand made 3/3 extra points and 5/5 field goal attempts, including two from over 40 yards. On the other end of the spectrum, the Butchers only saw 8 first downs over the entire game, went 3/17 on third and fourth down attempts, managed a putrid 3.2 team rushing average, and barely scraped past 200 yards of total offense. A night to forget in the Windy City as Baltimore rebounds in the standings.
Orange County Otters (1-0) @ New Orleans Second Line (1-0), 20-9
The week’s first battle of undefeated teams saw the Otters notch a road victory against the reigning Ultimus champions. It was a relatively muted affair for the first three quarters of the game, with the two teams trading field goals for nearly three and a half quarters. With the score 9-6 in favor of the Second Line with 9:30 left on the game clock, the Otters faced a third and 21 but managed to convert the fourth down and continue onwards for a touchdown, eating up seven minutes in twelve plays to take the lead at 13-9. The final score is inflated by a Kacey Dream pick six on New Orleans’ last real drive, which put it finally up to 20-9. Both Armstrong and Francisco threw no touchdowns and an interception, the latter of which being the aforementioned pick six, but Francisco in particular came away with a putrid 39.1 passer rating. Overall, Orange County’s domination of time of possession and four sacks were the key factors in stifling the Second Line and stealing the road win.
Colorado Yeti (1-0) @ Philadelphia Liberty (1-0), 17-14
The second matchup of undefeated teams again saw the traveling team come away with the victory, this time the Colorado Yeti. In the early fight for division lead, the Yeti started the game off strong with 17 unanswered points late into the second quarter, aided by Lefty Louis missing a 28 yard field goal, a failed fourth down conversion, and a Brock Phoenix interception that all ended chances to put points on the board. The Liberty were able to rally at the end of the second and lead their only touchdown drive of the night. Colorado’s offense underwent a nightmare in the second half, losing two fumbles and two interceptions, yet the Liberty were unable to take advantage aside from a Wayne Howyanow pick six and could not get their offense moving. Philly went 2/14 on third and fourth downs, only scraping 195 total yards of offense, and while Colorado was able to put up 456 yards of offense, primarily through a dominant run game, an awful streak of turnovers and drive-ending sacks kept them off the board in the second half.
Arizona Outlaws (0-0-1) @ San Jose Sabercats (0-1 ), 28-33
In a ASFC thriller, the Sabercats came away with a close home victory to put them on equal footing with Honolulu in the playoff race. San Jose started off strong with 21 unanswered points, increasing their lead to 28-6 shortly after halftime, but second half heroics from Offensive Player of the Game Jay Cue rallied the Outlaws with three straight touchdowns before a safety and field goal gave the Sabercats a five point margin. Cue was nigh unstoppable in the air, going 24/39 for 334 yards and 4 touchdowns. San Jose’s victory can ultimately be pinned on Rando Cardrissian, who rushed for 148 yards on a 5.9 yard clip and pounded in three of Arizona’s touchdowns. Stanislaw Koniecpolski did his best to stiffen up the Outlaws defense in the second half, with a leading 17 tackles to go with a pass deflection and interception. Overall, both teams’ offenses managed to get over 400 total yards, albeit with vastly different rushing/receiving splits.
Austin Copperheads (0-0-1) @ Honolulu Hahalua (0-1) , 14-27
After Sarasota’s victory in Week 1, Honolulu became the newest team in the NSFL to win a game in the Week 2 home victory against the Austin Copperheads. Corvo Havran led an efficient if unspectacular air attack against Austin, throwing for 2 TDs to complement the 199 yards gained on the ground by Honolulu’s backfield. Austin on the other hand found themselves completely incapacitated in the run game, only garnering 62 rushing yards. Although Austin remained competitive throughout most of the game, the Hahalua never fully lost their momentum - after taking a 10-0 lead in the second, they responded after each Copperhead score and pulled away completely in the fourth quarter. As to be expected from their run game disparity, Honolulu controlled time of possession handily, with 37:01 minutes of the game clock in their favor, and secured 21 first downs as opposed to Austin’s 13. Coupled with Austin’s tie in Week 1, the loss sent the expected contenders down to the bottom of the divisional standings and evened out the Hahalua to a 0.500 record.
NSFL WEEK 3
Orange County Otters @ Austin Copperheads 37-23
The Austin Copperheads have not quite lived up to expectations. Though they’re schedule has certainly not been the greatest, many were expecting the team to at least be 1-1 going into week 3. However, as it happens, Austin is 0-2-1. From the outside looking in, it’s not easy to see why. The team has plenty of talent, but the question must then become are they using it effectively? Certainly Orange County isn’t the best place to gauge whether a team is maximizing its full potential, so Austin will need to look for a quick change of fate. Orange County looked much more consistent on offense this week, and it seems they’re quickly putting together a new offense built around Tatsu Nakamura and Jeffrey Phillips. The former of which is this games star player
Philadelphia Liberty @ Baltimore Hawks 19-15
Another shocking performance by the Philadelphia Liberty. The city of brotherly love has quickly cemented itself as the league's premiere defensive powerhouse. Baltimore finds themselves in a difficult position after the first three weeks. What some thought as a potential contender for the NSFC title. They now find themselves tied with Sarasota at 1-2. The loss of Corvo Harvan could potentially become too much for the Hawks to handle. What will certainly become a trend in the weeks to follow. Torenson is once again the star player for this matchup. The unstoppable force that keeps the Liberty going, Torenson has quickly exceeded expectations and then some.
Sarasota Sailfish @ Colorado Yeti 13-25
The Sailfish had one of the toughest schedules going into their first three games of the season. Not only were all three games on the road. They were against very well established teams. It certainly didn’t get easier with their week three matchup against the Yeti. Though something rather surprising came about, for a large part of the game, Sarasota managed to stay competitive. This is due, in no small part to their surprising production on the defensive side of the ball. Especially from rookies Fawn Dilmiballs, Haha-Manga Panda and the player formerly known as Eric Barlow. Though the Fish are currently standing at 1-2, there are some exciting developments ahead for the expansion franchise, as quarterback Zack Vega has unbanked a massive 170 TPE. This could be the spark that starts the fire in Florida. Getting the offense going will be huge for the team, though some fear it won’t be enough. This week's star player goes to kicker Silver Banana.
Arizona Outlaws @ New Orleans Second Line 14-36
While Arizona will likely still be underdogs for a majority of the season. It’s clear they’re not going down without a fight. Though they were unable to contain Stan Francisco, they managed to once again put up a fight on the ground. The Outlaws certainly have a tough schedule ahead of them. It will be interesting to see if they can pull away with an upset in the future. Baby Yoda still has a ways to go before he can be declared a top runningback, though he’s certainly off to an impressive start. On the topic of impressive starts, Stan Francisco three for 245 yards and 3 touchdowns against Arizona. Cementing himself as the star player for this matchup.
Honolulu Hahalua @ San Jose Sabercats 16-28
This was another game chalk full of surprises. Mostly from the likes of the San Jose Sabercats. Though unable to come away with a win in week one against the defending Ultimus champions. San Jose has managed to convincingly win their last two games again Arizona and Honolulu. It seems they’ve taken notes from the aforementioned Second Line by incorporating an offensive style that takes full advantage of having a smothering rushing attack. Tyrucker and Cardissian compliment each other well, and open the field for talented wideout Action Jackson. Having this level of offensive flexibility will certainly put opposing defenses on edge in the weeks to come. This weeks star player is runningback Rando Cardissian. Quickly proving himself to potentially be a premier back, Rando has put a lot on his shoulders.
Chicago Butchers @ Yellowknife Wraiths 14-24
You have to feel for Chicago fans. They’ve yet to have a game this season where they can really prove who they are under new management. Though what seems apparent is that much like Sarasota, the Butchers defense is surprisingly good. If there’s one thing for Chicago fans to be hopeful about, at the very least a foundation has been established. Though with Rose Jenkins retiring, they’ll need to act fast in rebuilding their offense. Yellowknife played well, they could easily make a deep run at the playoffs again this year. Cooter Bigsby has been lightening in a bottle these last two games, it will be interesting to see if they maintain that momentum going forward.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"] Honolulu Hahalua [/div]
Presented by Baron1898
“Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.”
These words are proudly displayed as the motto of The Luau, the team chat of the Honolulu Hahalua. It’s a reflection both of the Hawaiian culture evident in the team’s branding and of the culture that GMs Raven and ADwyer87 are attempting to build with the second new expansion team of the season.
Along with the Sarasota Sailfish, Honolulu made their debut this season as one of the two new expansion teams in the NSFL. Unlike Sarasota, Honolulu was slotted into the ASFC - a historically dominant division and one chock full of talent, having won the Ultimus the last six seasons in a row and ten of the past eleven. Last week, we took an in-depth look into Sarasota; now it’s time to examine how Honolulu built its team, starting with the roster.
Quarterback
Starter: Corvo Havran (S14) - 1067 TPE. GM player.
Depth: Jim Waters (S22) - 299 TPE. S22 Draft, 109th overall (10.01).
Depth: Luke Skywalker (S22) - 299 TPE. S22 Draft, 61st overall (6.01).
In the present day, Havran is the undisputed starter of the team. As a GM player and a seasoned veteran of the Baltimore Hawks, Havran’s peak may be behind him but he is still capable of fighting regression at an elite level and stands ready at the wheel to hold the offense down until a rookie can get in shape. Speaking of rookies, the Hahalua may have the best secured QB situation in the league. They snagged not one, but two, potential starters of the future from the draft in Waters and Skywalker, who are neck and neck in TPE and could both stand to inherit the reigns from Havran when the time comes. Which one will end up at the top? Only time will tell.
Running Back
Starter: Ruff Ruff (S18) - 500 TPE. Expansion Draft, 11th overall.
Starter: Ke’oke’o Kane-Maika’i (S22) - 356 TPE. S22 Draft, 13th overall (2.01).
At running back, Honolulu presents a dual threat. Inactive speed back Ruff Ruff was added first in the expansion draft and serves as the team’s primary rusher, narrowly leading the league in rushing yards after the end of Week 3. But rising fast to take his place is Ke’oke’o Kane-Maika’i, a physically dominant receiving back. He was actually known as White Goodman when he became the highest drafted running back in the S22 class, and the name change says volumes about how rookies have already bought into the team culture. For now, Kane-Maika’i primarily spells Ruff on third downs and in passing situations.
Wide Receiver
Starter: Jed Podolak (S19) - 649 TPE. Expansion Draft, 3rd overall.
Starter: Jacoby Clay (S20) - 407 TPE. Expansion Draft, 7th overall.
Starter: William Alexander (S22) - 323 TPE. S22 Draft, 49th overall (5.01).
Depth: Daymond Brooks (S22) - 154 TPE. S22 Draft, 91th overall (8.07).
Honolulu has a trio of young receivers for Havran to throw to. Podolak leads the pack as the fastest and the most seasoned of the three, with Clay serving as the offense’s WR2. Both were selected high in the expansion draft, and although the Hahalua passing attack currently ranks near the bottom of the league, the receivers all have many years to grow and become elite before they hit regression. This is especially true of S22 rookie William Alexander, a fantastic selection in the 5th round, whose TPE ranks in the top three of his receiving class. A year or two more of continued development could see this core reach near the best of the league.
Tight End
Starter: None
Yes, that’s right - Honolulu does not carry a single tight end on their roster. They do carry three inactive DSFL players - Montgomery Mantooth, Tristan Hex, and Max McClure - but barring an incredibly spontaneous reemergence by one of these three, the Hahalua do not currently have anyone slated to fill the tight end role on the depth chart. The future at tight end will likely come in drafts to come.
Offensive Line
Starters: Mystery Machine Bots (S22) - 550 TPE. Dwyer’s pocketbooks.
Honolulu is not in the business of giving fair rubs, if for no other reason than that the current roster is barebones enough already and could hardly afford to spend significant draft capital at the position while also trying to build a defense. The only offensive linemen currently employed by the team are lower league inactives, meaning that similarly to tight end, offensive line will have to be bolstered by future capital.
Defensive End
Starter: Jayson Kearse (S19) - 465 TPE. Expansion Draft, 6th overall.
Starter: Logan Noble Jr. (S21) - 471 TPE. Free agency.
The defensive side of the ball is a bit bare for Honolulu, with a lack of any viable send downs across the entire defensive line. However, unlike the linebacker corps, the defensive trenches are currently captained by younger players. Kearse was a high pick in the expansion draft, and while his TPE is not elite, it doesn’t need to be in order to provide effective pressure. Noble Jr. is both younger and slightly higher earning, having switched away from running back before joining the team in free agency.
Defensive Tackle
Starter: Momona Keiki-K?ne (S22) - 343 TPE. S22 Draft, 7th overall (1.07).
Starter: Reggie Culbertson (S20) - 298 TPE. Free agency.
The interior line is cemented by the beefy Momona Keiki-K?ne, formerly known as Phat Boi, the first pick of the Honolulu draft class. His TPE earning is near the top of his class, and coupled with an incredibly vocal locker room presence and team spirit, Keiki-K?ne looms large in the team’s future both literally and figuratively. His partner in crime is Reggie Culbertson, the first free agent to sign for Honolulu. Slower but stronger than Keiki-K?ne, Culbertson solidifies the starting four lineup of the defensive line and - as is the common theme - has many years left in the tank.
Linebacker
Starter: Alex Selich (S11) - 369 TPE. Free agency.
Starter: Mack Arianlacher (S19) - 606 TPE. Expansion Draft, 2nd overall.
Starter: Jaylen Storm (S16) - 531 TPE. Expansion Draft, 18th overall.
Depth: Jack Banks (S22) - 238 TPE. S22 Draft, 55th overall (5.07).
Depth: Mark Radson (S22) - 157 TPE. S22 Draft, 104th overall (9.08).
Here’s a position group dominated by old guys. Alex Selich is a living league legend and knocking on the door of the all-time tackles record, but Father Time comes for everyone eventually, and Selich is playing his 12th and possibly last season in the pros. Joining him in the retirement home will be Jaylen Storm, a far younger player but one who has already announced his impending retirement at the end of the S22 season. The exception to the rule is Arianlacher, valued highly in the expansion draft, who both leads the linebacking corps in TPE and also is far younger of a player than the above two. Still, this area of the defense could use a serious infusion of youth and talent. Honolulu has to hope in the continued development of Jack Banks and Mark Radson, but regardless likely needs to invest future resources into either free agency or the draft.
Cornerback
Starter: Victor Moreno (S20) - 328 TPE. Expansion Draft, 10th overall.
Starter: Emondov Emoji (S15) - 920 TPE. Expansion Draft, 15th overall.
Depth: Bayden Brosley (S22) - 234 TPE. S22 Draft, 73rd overall (7.01).
Depth: Ozamataz Buckshank (S22) - 116 TPE. S22 Draft, 97th overall (9.01).
Both starters in the cornerback depth chart were poached in the expansion draft, and both are inactive. Emoji is the second highest TPE member of the team, behind only Havran, but he has already hit regression and the impact will only continue to accumulate. Moreno has many years until regression, but at only 328 TPE, he isn’t a viable permanent plan for the future. As with linebacker and safety, the team has two significant active rookies on the sidelines. Bayden Brosley is the superior of the two, and may take over from Moreno as soon as next season if he continues to earn well, while Buckshank is a development prospect Honolulu is hoping to coax into further improvement.
Safety
Starter: Joseph Wozniak (S18) - 345 TPE. Expansion Draft, 19th overall.
Starter: Sandip “Sandy” Bakshi (S14) - 390 TPE. Expansion Draft, 23rd overall.
Depth: Buck Thornton (S22) - 321 TPE. S22 Draft, 25th overall (3.01).
Depth: Shawn Dawkins (S22) - 278 TPE. S22 Draft, 37th overall (4.01).
There’s actually only one real safety on the roster with Joseph Wozniak, an inactive expansion draft pickup with unimpressive measurables and a few good seasons before regression. The other inactive starter is Sandip “Sandy” Bakshi, who is actually a linebacker, and who like the other linebackers is rather long in the tooth. Honolulu didn’t spend significant capital on the safety position in the expansion draft, but did spend a third and a fourth rounder in the actual draft to get their future starters. Both Buck Thornton and Shawn Dawkins are very active send down prospects who stand to take over the starting spots as soon as next season. If their earning pace continues, this duo could be a nightmare in the backfield.
Kicker/Punter
GOAT: Venus Powers (S20) - 653 TPE. Expansion Draft, 14th overall.
With a need for depth across nearly every position, the very definition of a luxury pick for the Honolulu Hahalua is taking a kicker reasonably high in the expansion draft, but Powers is a significant contributor both on the field and in the locker room.
Overview
Honolulu was ranked 7th of 12 teams in the NSFL Preseason Power Rankings and currently sits at a 1-2 record three weeks into the season, about expected given their significant shortcomings on defense and in the passing game. The skeleton crew of Hahalua may make some noise this season, and I predict that they’ll end with a better record than the Sarasota Sailfish, but at the end of the day this team is still a raw collection of castoffs and youth that still needs time to geld on the field. Off the field, however, it’s hard to ignore the incredible work Raven and Dwyer have done in immediately creating a positive, fun, and supportive team culture. Players and users want to stay in Honolulu, with a number of expansion draftees having signed contract extensions many seasons into the future. It’s going to be a couple seasons before this Hahalua team enters their prime, but the window is fast approaching.
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