Frank Schifano is a Chemistry teacher from Bayonne, New Jersey, not far off from Jersey City and has made it here today in the Top 8 with a Lightsworn deck. Finally! We have a Lightsworn deck in the Top 8! Teriq Williams is from Scotch Plains, New Jersey and he’s here in the Top 8 with Gladiator Beasts, the deck to beat this format.

Both players could now breathe a little, having earned an invitation to the National Championship for 2009. They weren’t going to take it easy however as they both thirsted for the title of Shonen Jump Champion!

Some small friendly talk ensued about New Jersey and even Judge Aaron Rubinstein was getting in on the conversation with these two players! Head Judge Franklin DeBrito had issued 20 more minutes to time and both players had 60 minutes to complete their match. Play began with Frank.

Game 1

Frank opened with Solar Recharge discarding Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress to draw two then lost two off the deck. He did it again, this time discarding Celestia, Lightsworn Angel! He set a monster and ended his turn. Teriq set a back row and that concluded his turn as play was back on Frank. He summoned Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior and then flipped Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter targeting Teriq’s face down but he chained Mind Crush calling Judgment Dragon and Frank had one! A Wulf, Lightsworn Beast was lost off the deck and it was special summoned to the field! Frank then played Gold Sarcophagus to remove Judgment Dragon and attacked with all monsters for 4150! He ended with no back row and 3 cards in hand as Teriq started his move.

He summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari and attacked over the Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter but Necro Gardna negated the attack! Teriq set 3 back row cards and ended. Frank drew and simply attacked, but ran into a Mirror Force! Could there be a possible mistake on Frank for not shifting his Ryko into defense? In main phase 2, Frank played Foolish Burial to dump Wulf, Lightsworn Beast and he was special summoned via effect. Teriq responded however with Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Dust Tornado to spin Wulf back to the top! Frank wasn’t finished though as he played Premature Burial to bring Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress to the field. He activated Monster Reincarnation discarding Honest to obtain Celestia! He used Lyla’s effect to take out Teriq’s Solemn Judgment, then tributed her for Celestia! Celestia used her effect to knock four off the deck and destroy Teriq’s Bestiari! A Wulf was found via Celestia and it came to the field! Frank ended and when Teriq looked at his next draw, he scooped up knowing that he couldn’t stop Judgment Dragon coming next turn!

Frank Schifano takes the first duel with authority and played like a man possessed to swipe duel #1!

Game 2

Both players sided with a leisurely conversation about the duel and Teriq opted to go first. He started his move with a set back row once again and ended his turn. Frank was up and started with Foolish Burial to dump Wulf, but, when his effect was activated, D.D. Crow kept him off the field! Frank played Solar Recharge to discard Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter to draw two then lost two off the deck. He set a monster and ended. Teriq’s turn was up and he summoned Gladiator Beast Darius and attacked over the face-down Necro Gardna. He then tagged out for Gladiator Beast Laquari and set one more back row to end his turn. Frank was up and he played Heavy Storm! It destroyed Bottomless Trap Hole and Dust Tornado and Monster Reborn was played to special summon Garoth! He attacked Laquari and played Honest in the damage step! He took out the Beast and that concluded his turn. Teriq was back up now and had four cards in hand. He summoned Gladiator Beast Murmillo and special summoned Test Tiger! He recycled Murmillo with Test Tiger to take out Garoth but when he attacked, Necro Gardna negated it! Teriq set a back row and ended his turn.

Frank drew and pondered his move. He simply set a monster and play was back on Teriq. He attacked with Murmillo into Frank’s Necro Gardna and took 500 damage! He did however get to tag out Murmillo into Laquari and end his turn.

It was 8000-5650 in favor of Frank and he contemplated his move with a shrug and passed! Laquari attacked into Gardna. Teriq set one back row and ended. On Frank’s draw phase, Teriq played Trap Dustshoot! He shuffled back in Phantom of Chaos! Teriq summoned Bestiari, played Monster Reborn another Laquari attacked with all as Frank opted not to use Necro Gardna’s effect! Teriq opted not to tag out and passed. Frank drew and set a monster for his turn. Teriq drew and played Light-Imprisoning Mirror! He then attacked with the boosted Laquari onto Frank’s Honest and Bestiari hit but Laquari’s attack was face-palmed and negated by Necro Gardna! Frank was barely holding on and needed a miracle to gain control! He summoned Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress and tried to attack into Bestiari but Mirror Force was flipped! Frank looked into the mirror and saw his fate! He scooped up his cards and this match was going into game 3!

Both players sided quickly and Frank opted to go first in this final duel of possibly epic proportions!

Game 3

“No Solar Recharges?” asked Teriq.

“Nope . . .”

He set one to each row and ended. Teriq started his move. He summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari and attacked but Frank activated Crush Card Virus! Phantom of Chaos was tributed but Teriq lost nothing else aside from the Bestiari! He set two back row cards and ended. Frank drew and played Heavy Storm, wiping out Bottomless Trap Hole and Light-Imprisoning Mirror! Frank played Foolish Burial to dump Wulf but it fell victim to the vicious claws of D.D. Crow! Frank then summoned Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner and simply attacked for 1000 and ended. Lumina knocked some cards off the deck but no Necro Gardnas or Wulf, Lightsworn Beast for Frank. Teriq drew Mind Crush and summoned Darius to attack for 600 over the Lumina and then tagged in Laquari! He set two more back row cards and ended. Jain came down for Frank and rammed into Laquari. He ended. Teriq played Premature Burial on Bestiari, attacked for 1500, then tagged into Laquari. Frank drew and set My Body as a Shield to end but that got hit with a Dust Tornado! Teriq’s turn was up and he summoned Bestiari with a hard slap down to the field! Both monsters attacked and Frank took them both; he went down to 100 life points as Teriq was at a healthy 6200! He then tagged out Bestiari to bring in Darius and that special summoned a Bestiari! Were we going to see a Gladiator Beast Heraklinos?

“I’m just going to save you the trouble . . .” Frank flashed the set Royal Decree and just scooped his cards!

Teriq survives Crush Card Virus! Frank could not gain control and Teriq was moving on to the Top 4, now in contention for that Doomcaliber Knight!