The road to World Bowl XXIV is now clear and the Portland Storm will play the New Jersey Generals for the championship. Portland will be trying for the franchise's 4th World Bowl title in as many tries, but the first under Warthog. The Storm won World Bowls XVI, XVIII, and XX under setherick. This will be the 8th World Bowl appearance for New Jersey but in the big game, the Generals often end up like the Washington Generals when they play the Harlem Globetrotters. This game will break a tie with Houston for most World Bowls, and New Jersey is looking for their 3rd trophy. The Generals won World Bowls VIII and X, while losing in World Bowls VI, IX, XI, XIII, and XXIII.
New Jersey has the league's top ranked offense while Portland was 2nd. Both teams can play some defense as well, with Portland boasting the top ranked unit and New Jersey was 6th. It should be a good game, will it be the one to finally break the American Conference winning streak? That New Jersey World Bowl X victory was the last time a National Conference team won the big game.
So how did they get there?
Portland Storm 27 Michigan Panthers 3
Michigan was seeking their first ever World Bowl appearance but it seems a case of nerves and some opportunistic defense from Portland caused 7 turnovers which destroyed any chance of winning. In version 4.5 this would probably have been a 51-3 game but 4.6 often equalizes turnovers. Portland's Emanuel Fugate threw 3 INTs, just 1 less than the 4 by Will Allison, but the difference was fumbles. Michigan fumbled 3 times, losing all 3 while Portland recovered both of their own fumbles, including the final TD, when Jose Moses scooped up his own fumble and took it in the end zone.
Michigan did get 299 offensive yards when they weren't turning it over and they stayed within 14 points for most of the game but they just couldn't stop the turnovers. Portland WR Richard Robinson caught 6 passes for 149 yards and a TD, which I believe is the first 100 yard receiving game in the playoffs, though I could be wrong.
The touchdowns: Emanuel Fugate to Richard Robinson for 46 yards to make the score 10-0 Portland. Rigoberto Swanson's 10 yard run made the score 17-3 and the final TD's highlight is in the first paragraph.
New Jersey Generals 24 Shreveport Steamer 16
Shreveport got the ball first and had to punt, pinning New Jersey at their own 8. It only took 4 plays for the Generals to get in the red zone, but the Steamer defense kept them off the scoreboard thanks to Felipe Pascal intercepting a Don Ferguson pass. On Shreveport's ensuing drive, Hank Hill intercepted a George Marcil pass, but he was flagged for pass interference, allowing the Steamer to keep the ball. Three plays later Francisco Dement's 4 yard TD gave Shreveport a 7-0 lead. Early in the 2nd, George Marcil found David Shafer for an apparent 9 yard TD pass but a holding penalty took it off the board. They would get a FG on the drive for a 10-0 lead. David Koresh took over the next drive for New Jersey, touching the ball on all 5 plays of a 75 yard TD drive. The first 3 were runs, then he caught a pair of passes, the 2nd going for a 52 yard TD to cut the lead to 10-7. That would be the score at the half.
New Jersey got the ball to start the second half and Ferguson led an 11 play, 75 yard TD drive, capping it off with a 1 yard TD pass to Redd Foxx to take their first lead 14-10. Toward the end of the 3rd, Francisco Dement was involved again. He scored Shreveport's TD so far but he also had the holding penalty that took the TD off the board in the first half. Here, he fumbled after a 6 yard gain and Fox Mulder grabbed the loose ball and took it in the end zone, extending the New Jersey lead to 21-10. Early in the 4th it looked like New Jersey was about to put the game away as they entered the red zone but Ferguson was sacked, lost a fumble, and Allen Greear returned it 15 yards. That led to a George Marcil 3 yard TD pass to Richard Wise, making the score 21-16. They went for 2 points and failed, then a couple of punts and a New Jersey FG inside the 2 minute warning made the score 24-16. Marcil got Shreveport down the field into the red zone, but Brian Dunn came up with a huge sack on 3rd down and 1 play later, the Steamer turned it over on downs and New Jersey holds on for a trip to the World Bowl.
