19 year-old Richard Treadwell hails from Wilson, North Carolina, and is no stranger to the feature match table. He’s thrown down in Metagame-covered matchups three times before, twice in Durham in 2006 and once at the US National Championships. He’s here today duking it out in a bubble match, fighting for a seat in Day 2 with Teleport Dark Armed.
His opponent seems to be one of the few remaining Gladiator Beast players with a shot at the Top 16 — Tim Howell. The 21 year-old college student from New Jersey has managed a 7-1 record with Gladiators here today, and after some rough beats back at Shonen Jump Championship Philadelphia he’s back and gunning for Day 2. He was playing to represent Team Evolution, and dedicating this match to his “boy at home”, Khlil.
The winner here would clinch a seat in the festivities tomorrow, while the loser would have to hope for amazing tiebreakers.
Treadwell opened the match with Reinforcement of the Army, searching his deck for Elemental Hero Stratos and using his effect to get Destiny Hero – Malicious. Treadwell discarded Malicious for Destiny Draw, then set a spell or trap card. “It’s your turn.”
Howell activated Heavy Storm, destroying Treadwell’s set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast. He summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari, special summoned Test Tiger, tributed the Tiger to tag Bestiari out for Gladiator Beast Murmillo, then destroyed Stratos with its effect. Murmillo attacked and tagged out to Gladiator Beast Laquari, which hit the field with 2100 ATK points. Howell set a spell or trap card to finish his turn.
“Cards in hand?” asked Treadwell.
“Two,” replied Howell. Treadwell discarded Destiny Hero – Dasher for another Destiny Draw, drew two, and shuffled his six-card hand. “It’s all you.” Treadwell passed without doing anything. Peculiar.
Howell summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searched out Elemental Hero Prisma from his deck, and attacked for 3900 damage. “I’ll pass.” Play was back to Treadwell.
He topdecked Sangan, and special summoned it in defense mode with Dasher’s graveyard ability. He normal summoned Dark Grepher, discarded D.D. Crow for Grepher’s effect, and sent Breaker the Magical Warrior to his graveyard from his deck. He removed Malicious from his graveyard to bring another up in defense mode from his deck, then special summoned Dark Armed Dragon! He opted not to remove a card from his graveyard with priority, and Howell flipped Torrential Tribute! He’d held back perfectly, drawing out three cards from Treadwell’s available pool.
His Sangan got him Destiny Hero – Fear Monger, and he removed to special summon his third Destiny Hero – Malicious in defense mode. He discarded Fear Monger for Destiny Draw, activated Allure of Darkness, and removed Dark Armed Dragon for its effect. “It’s your turn.” He had no follow-up whatsoever, and that last Malicious was a sitting duck.
Howell summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari to run over Malicious, tagging out to Gladiator Beast Darius at the end of the battle phase. Darius special summoned Laquari from Howell’s graveyard, and he ended his turn.
Treadwell took Darius with Mind Control, then normal summoned Krebons for a Synchro summon. Darius went to the graveyard, so Laquari was sent back to Howell’s deck, and Treadwell summoned Goyo Guardian! Goyo attacked for 2800 damage and Treadwell passed with nothing in his back row.
“Summon Laquari, Brain Control, attack for game?” Howell revealed two of the three cards he’d been holding since much earlier in the match, and Treadwell immediately conceded.
Tim Howell plays the conservative route and devastates Richard Treadwell in a simplified game state, taking the first duel out of nowhere! Both competitors began siding for Game 2.
Treadwell got Game 2 started with Allure of Darkness, removing Destiny Hero – Dasher from his hand. He set two cards to his back row, then activated Prohibition calling Gladiator Beast Bestiari! Howell activated Heavy Storm, lost out to Solemn Judgment, and then set three cards to his back row. Next turn he flipped Trap Dustshoot, revealing two copies of Malicious in Treadwell’s hand! They were his only monsters, and he was forced to send one back.
“That was bad,” remarked Howell.
“Yeah, you just helped me out!” Treadwell grinned, cheerily shuffling back his Malicious so he could special summon it later.
Howell normal summoned Laquari next turn, lost it to Torrential Tribute, but brought it back for a direct attack courtesy of Monster Reborn. Treadwell couldn’t capitalize, and set two more cards to his back row — Howell dropped him to 400 life points next turn with a hit from Laquari. He was stuck with Gladiator Beast Bestiari in hand.
Treadwell played Allure of Darkness next turn, removing his Malicious to desperately dig for a live play. He summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded another Malicious with priority targeting Laquari, and Howell chained Bottomless Trap Hole: both monsters were removed from the field. But Treadwell flipped his face-down Monster Reborn, trying to take Laquari — when it was summoned, Howell flipped Torrential Tribute to clear the field.
That left Treadwell to remove Malicious to special summon his third in defense mode. Howell topdecked Test Tiger next turn, and Treadwell set another spell or trap before passing back. Howell summoned Stratos, Treadwell flipped Solemn Judgment, and Howell flipped his own to keep Stratos on the field!
“I’ll use Stratos’ effect,” he announced, searching Prisma from his deck. Stratos attacked Malicious and Treadwell was the turn player yet again. The pressure was on. He set a monster and ended.
Howell summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari, but lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole. Stratos attacked, and Treadwell’s set monster was Morphing Jar! Both duelists got new hands, and Treadwell set all five cards he had drawn to his back row! It was a dramatic decision that threatened Treadwell’s normal summon for next turn. If he lost his normal summoned monster, only something like an Emergency Teleport would keep him alive.
He activated a second copy of Prohibition, and declared Solemn Judgment for its effect. Howell let it go. He discarded D.D. Crow to remove Bestiari from Howell’s graveyard, and then special summoned Dark Armed Dragon! Howell flipped Royal Oppression, and paid 800 life points to negate the summon. Treadwell was in deep trouble.
Treadwell used Reinforcement of the Army to search his deck for Dark Grepher, then set a monster. “Go.” Howell summoned Sangan, Stratos attacked to destroy Treadwell’s face-down Destiny Hero – Fear Monger, and Sangan attacked for game!
Tim Howell wins the duel, the match, and moves on to a guaranteed spot in Day 2!