Frank Schifano made waves when he took a Lightsworn deck to the Day 2 tables of the US National Championships. It was Schifano’s first big showing at a major event, but he’s a well-known duelist in the New York area. He’s here reprising his role from US Nats, once again armed with Lightsworn, and he’s probably one of the best Lightsworn players in the country.
His opponent though, is a little better-known. Dale Bellido is a Shonen Jump Champion and has made Day 2 more often than he, or I, can count. He’s playing Gladiator Beasts today, which is ironic given the fact that Schifano’s Lightsworn build is heavily borrowed from Bellido’s own Saint Louis version.
Game 1
Bellido won the roll and opened with two set spell or trap cards and Gladiator Beast Darius. He flipped Trap Dustshoot on Schifano’s turn: Schifano had Honest, Wulf, Lightsworn Beast, Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress, Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner, Monster Reincarnation, and Heavy Storm. Bellido sent Honest back to his deck, and he summoned Lyla. He activated her effect to destroy Bellido’s set Solemn Judgment, then sent Ehren, Lightsworn Monk, Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner, and Judgment Dragon to the graveyard in the end phase.
Darius attacked into Lyla, and tagged out for Gladiator Beast Bestiari. He set Gladiator Beast Secutor in main phase 2, contact Fused for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus and ended. Schifano was up.
“I’ll summon Lumina, then discard Wulf to power Lumina’s ability.” That let him bring up Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress, and in his end phase he sent a self-described “whole pile of nothing” to the graveyard. Rough. He’d played into relatively good odds on Wulf but hadn’t scored much save another Lightsworn or two. Still, he was holding Judgment Dragon, and Gyzarus was going to send at least one more Lightsworn to the graveyard. Schifano seemed to be playing that up, bluffing as if he didn’t have Judgment Dragon.
Gyzarus attacked Lumina, and then tagged out for Murmillo and Laquari. “You’re blowing up your own guy, right?” asked Schifano, joking.
“No,” laughed Bellido. “Destroying Lyla. Go.”
Schifano activated Monster Reincarnation next turn, but lost out to D.D. Crow. He special summoned his other copy of Judgment Dragon from his hand though (Schifano termed the Dragon “his royal fatness”), and wiped the field. 3000 damage later, he managed to send Wulf, Lightsworn Beast to the graveyard. He special summoned it and ended.
Smashing Ground destroyed the Judgment Dragon, but Bellido couldn’t capitalize; he set a card to each zone to end his turn. Solar Recharge got Schifano two more cards at the cost of his Jain, Lightsworn Paladin, and he tributed Wulf for Celestia. He sent four cards including another Wulf to his graveyard, targeted Bellido’s face-down Secutor and Book of Moon, and Celestia went face down off the Book. Wulf hit for another 2100 damage though and Dale was down to 2900 life points.
Bellido drew and set both of his back row cards, but they were both bluffs. Schifano flip summoned Celestia, attacked with both her and Wulf, and it was over!
Frank Schifano takes the first duel with authority, digging his way out of a rough early game scenario to take the win! Both competitors went to their side decks and began changing cards. Game 2 began moments later.
Game 2
Bellido summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searched out Elemental Hero Prisma with his effect, and ended. Hmm. That didn’t bode well for Bellido’s hand. Schifano punished him for it next turn, summoning Jain and swinging over Stratos before sending Ryko and Gold Sarcophagus to the graveyard. Ouch. Sarcophagus is so good in Lightsworn since it auto-picks Judgment Dragon and shapes the game from there, but Schifano just couldn’t draw it.
Bellido summoned Prisma, sent Bestiari to the graveyard with its effect, then contact Fused for Gyzarus. Gyzarus cleared the field, attacked, then tagged out for two Laquari! “Go ahead.” Bellido must’ve been sitting on a ton of monsters in-hand.
Schifano played Premature Burial himself, bringing back Jain and then normal summoning Lyla. Jain attacked Laquari to trade off in battle, and Lyla attacked the other Laquari backed by Honest to destroy the Gladiator Beast. Schifano ended his turn, and sent Reinforcement of the Army, Royal Decree, and Solar Recharge to the graveyard to end.
“He’s looking for a Gardna,” remarked Bellido.
“I’m actually looking for anything not green!” laughed Schifano.
Bellido summoned another Prisma, and again sent Bestiari to the graveyard for its effect. This time he had Test Tiger, and he tributed it to send away Prisma, tagged out to Gladiator Beast Darius, then brought back Bestiari for the contact Fusion. Gyzarus took down Lyla and then tagged out for Darius and Murmillo. Darius brought back Laquari, Murmillo destroyed itself (that’s how many monsters Bellido had in-hand), and he set Reinforcement of the Army to end his turn.
Monster Reborn let Schifano get back Lyla, and he used her effect to destroy Reinforcement of the Army. With the path now cleared, he tributed Lyla for Celestia to destroy Darius and Laquari, and Celestia made a direct attack for game!
Frank Schifano makes a 2-0 sweep with Lightsworn, wiping out the deck’s progenitorial master and moving on undefeated!