(S24) - PT 4 - Trial by Fire

[Memento Mori]

Brandon Booker's "welcome to the league" moment came in Week 13 of Season 22, the final regular season game of Booker's debut ISFL (or, at the time, NSFL) season. Booker tasted victory in his first and only DSFL season, Booker's Myrtle Beach Buccaneers triumphing 27-10 over the Kansas City Coyotes to win the S21 Ultimini. Philadelphia entered Week 13 with a 6-6 record and a one game lead over the 5-7 Sarasota Sailfish in the fight for the final NSFC playoff spot. Philadelphia had a tough trip to play the 10-2 Yellowknife Wraiths, while Sarasota had a comparatively easy fixture: a home game against the 1-11 Chicago Butchers. Sarasota comfortably dispatched Chicago 38-10, meaning that Philadelphia needed a win against Yellowknife in order to make the playoffs.

Yellowknife scored 17 unanswered points to begin the game, with rookie running back Acura Skyline rushing for one and catching an 8 yard pass for the other. Philadelphia began to put up a fight, with veterans Sam Torenson running for an 8 yard touchdown and Nacho Varga burning the Wraiths defence for a 37 yard touchdown, but it wasn't enough. Yellowknife went on to win 34-21 and Brandon Booker had to wait to make his NSFL/ISFL playoff debut.

Booker did experience the NSFL/ISFL playoffs in his second season, though. In Booker's sophomore season he replicated the three interceptions he accumulated in his rookie season, but this time helped the Liberty to a 9-7 record and the third playoff seed in the NSFC. Booker's playoff debut was a disappointing one in which Philadelphia lost and Booker recorded just two tackles, but losing in the playoffs is far more rewarding than losing a win-and-in regular season game. (284 words)