San Diego STS
Sand Diego Convention Center
December 1-2, 2001
By Johnny Blaze
(Pojo Note: I didn't get the images with Johnny's
submission. I think he'll send them ASAP if I know Jonny!~)
We left Friday 11/30/01 to get in a half day at the world famous San Diego Zoo. Above is Fire Fighter 09 with the black hat, my son Nick, and our friend Devon at the airport. Both Nick and Devon won the Massachusetts qualifier in their respective age divisions to win the trip to San Diego. We arrive at the airport rent a car and drive to the Zoo. The Zoo was awesome. The best attraction was the world famous Giant Pandas. We arrive at the regency around 5:00 p.m. and check in. We are both on the 7th floor. Our room view is of the Tent and pool. We leave for some dinner at the Diner down the road and return just in time for the drawing at the Tent. The Regency provided one lucky winner a Game Boy Advance with Pokemon Crystal version. The manager called 2 names and the people were not present. He then called my son’s name and Nick won. What a great start to the weekend! We register and pick up our wristbands and hand in our deck lists for tomorrow’s STS. And the rest of the night we battle and trade trying to get those elusive #40 and #41 promos from Pokemon Center in NY. We found a kid that had multiples of both but was not willing to trade. I even offered a whole page of 9 NEO Revelation holos including Shining Magikarp, Shining Gyarados and Ho-Oh. He would not trade. Later we hit the hot-tub and get some rest for the big day.
Saturday 12/1/01 – We wake up and go to the ballroom for the complementary continental breakfast. We then drive to the convention center and find all the Master Trainers for the gunslinging.
Here is Dark Master Trainer Mike vs. Dvplume, Big Daddy Snorlax is going to face me, my son Nick vs. Steve “Daddy-O” Diamond, and Pokesensei vs. Andres “BioMeister”. So BDS and I decide to play standard as we both have new decks to test out. This is the funny part we both whip out a Blissey/Steel Chansey/Unown N. deck. The main difference is that I am running Slowking with Eco Gym. BDS opted for Super Energy and Energy Removal in his deck over the Slowking line. We set up and it is 3 prizes for the gunslinging event. You get to win 2 Rocket packs. The battle starting out with Both Chanseys Double-Edging for 10 damage a piece. How fun! This went on for a few more turns until I got 4 Slowkings out. I was able to GOW his Unown N and then my Double-Edges are hitting for a mere 40 but BDS was not able to use his Gold Berries and I took the 1st prize. Meanwhile DMTM has already played 5 games! I waited until BDS had a full hand of trainers then I used a Lass. I evolved to Blissey and flipped heads to remove 80 damage on Blissey. Next turn I used Hyper-Devo spray to Double-edge and take another prize. I win the game next turn with another Double-Edge against a baby. BDS realizes that maybe he should try Slowking in his deck. He is nice enough to pull out a few of those Japenese Miji coins and lets me pick one in addition to the 2 booster packs. I pick a Voltorb. Thank you – BDS. Meanwhile my son Nick wins the Lucky Stadium card promo that we are looking for.
Here is my son Nick playing Pokedad for a fun battle before the STS begins. Next to my son, in the black hat, is Alan S. the other qualifier winner from Milford, Mass.
For the tournament I decide to play a Holo-Entei Blaine’s RK9 deck. Here is the decklist:
Pokemon -17
4- Holo Revelation Entei
4- Cleffa
3- Blaine’s Growlithe
3- Blaine’s RK9
3- Magby
Trainers- 18
4- Professor Elm
3- Double Gust
3- Focus Bands
3- Blaine
3- Time Capsule
2- Cinnabar City Gym
Energy- 25
23- Fire
2- Metal
Round I vs. David Simon
This is the exact reason why the 3 byes, or any byes for that matter, are so crucial in going a long way in the STS. I start with a lone Magby with no drawing power. David is running some type of Dark Golduck deck. I don’t see much of it because the game is done by the 4th turn. My flip on Focus Band fails and David’s baby flips are successful.
Record 0-1
Round 2 vs. Graeme Thompson
I don’t remember much of this match or what Graeme played all that I remember is that I beat him in a close match at the end of time limit I drew my last prize.
Record 1-1
Round 3 vs. James Dutch
Remember this name because I played him the 2nd day also. James was playing the ever so popular Riptide Feraligatr. I was able to Howl 4 fire and then Blaine 2 fire next turn on to RK9 to Firestorm his only 2 Pokemon to win.
Record 2-1
Round 4 vs. Ryeland Barnard
Rye was playing a Blaine’s RK9, Rocket’s Scyther, Pichu deck. He started with a Scyther, Blaine’s Growlithe, and Pichu. The match went back and forth with both of us Firestorming each other’s RK9. He did not play anymore Scyther due to weakness. His Pichus were damaging my Entei’s. I drew my last prize by Heat Tackling with a Metal to knock out Pichu.
Record 3-1
Round 5 vs. Jose Eguia
Jose and his son, who won the 10 and under division that day, were both playing Steelix and Dark Blastoise. Luckily for me is that Jose started with a Southern Islands Onix and no draw power. I got a 2nd turn kill with a pumped up Blaine’s RK9 to Firestorm his Onix. Otherwise he probably would have won.
Record 4-1
Round 6 vs. David Oliva
David was playing Feraligatr. You know the same old routine on his turn Wrath, Wrath, Elm, count the water energy and get Croconaw out. Luckily he had all Feraligatrs in his discard and had a hard time replacing my Cinnabar City Gym because all his Healing Fields were in the discard too. I won this match before David was going to deck after I knocked out 2 Croconaws.
Record 5-1
Round 7 vs. Peter Aaun
O.k. up to this point I was feeling pretty good by beating 3 Water type decks with my weakness to win 5 in a row. Then I face another Feraligatr deck! The match was going back and forth when time limit was called and Peter won on prizes 3-2.
Record 5-2
Round 8 vs. Andy Yu
Andy was playing the colorless Ho-Oh with the Jumpluff line. Andy would inflict early status effects while pumping up Ho-Oh with multi-color energy to do 70 damage. Thanks to the dice I rolled heads during confusion flips to help knock myself out. The game went back and forth with RK9 knocking out his Ho-Oh. Unfortunately for me I cannot survive a poison and confused Pokemon and Andy wins by one prize.
Record 5-3
I check with my son before the final round begins and he ends up going 5-3 in the 10 and under with the Wild Growth Meganium deck. Here he is in one of his matches.
Round 9 vs. Robert Darnhofer
After losing my last 2 this is pretty much for fun. Oh no another water deck! Boy did I pick the wrong color to play today. Robert was playing a Water/Trap deck with Misty’s Poliwhirl. He successfully pulled off the Trap combo with Erika, IOR, and Trap. All I had out was a Blaine’s Growlithe. Robert beat me due to weakness and that was that.
Record 5-4
Well at least I broke over .500 on the day. There is always tomorrow.
We leave the Convention Center and eat dinner and return to find that the battles have begun. There is a Booster Draft later that night but I decide to get my son to bed as he is pooped out. Here is a pic of me with TR Cassidy at the Regency. I played her STS deck twice and beat it twice with my BelKrow deck.
Day 2: Sunday 12/2/01
With my success with BelKrow playtesting and gunslinging with the MT’s I decide to enter today’s tourney with it. Here is the decklist for it:
Pokemon- 21
4 – Erika’s Bellsprout 50hp
4 – Erika’s Weepinbell 70hp
3 – Erika’s Victrebeel
4- Cleffa
2- ND Igglybuff
3- NG Murkrow
1- Unown M
Trainers- 22
4 – Professor Elm
4- Gold Berries
3- Warp Point
3- Erika’s Maids
2 – Misty’s Wrath
2 – Nightly Garbage Run
2 – Lowering Resistance Gym
2 – Chaos Gym
Energy – 17
13 – Grass
4 – Dark
Round 1 vs. Duriel Washington
Duriel was playing an odd combination of Blaine’s RK9 and Steelix. I was holding my own against the RK9 with Sleep Poison. Once I found Unown M, I fragranced trap his Steelix then Mean Looked it with a Chaos Gym in play. He canceled my Gym with Cinnabar then Double Gusted and k’od’ one of my Victrebeel’s with RK9. My only chance was to keep his Steelix Mean Looked. I tried about 8 times to Fragrence Trap his Steelix and thanks to the Die they came up all tails. Duriel won by taking all the prizes with RK9.
Record 0-1
Round 2 vs. Wayne Pearson
Wayne was playing a Fire Recharge deck with Blaine’s RK9 and Magcargo. Just my luck I decide to play grass this time around and all I face are fire decks. Wayne was stuck with only Blaine’s Growlithe and no draw power. I had a 2nd turn Sleep Poison going and then on the 3rd turn I Vine Whip for the win. Thank god or else I would of never survived once he got all his fire Pokes charged up.
Record 1-1
Round 3 vs. Ilse Terrazas
Ilse playing fire. Another fire deck! At this point I felt like dropping out and entering the side events. She starts with ND Igglybuff and has a benched Holo Ho-Oh and Charmander. I start with Cleffa and Murkrow and have a Dark energy in my hand. I go first. I attach the Dark to Krow and flip heads for the Mean Look! Yes maybe I do have a chance. She goes and attaches a fire to Ho-Oh. I play an Erika’s Maids and get 2 Bellsprouts. I attach grass to Krow and flip tails on feint attack to Ho-Oh. This goes on for the whole game with me rolling about 75% heads with the Wizards dice. She loads up on her Ho-Oh and a Dark Charmeleon. I have a loaded bench of Victrebeels. We are both down to 3 cards in our deck and I have only 1 prize left. I tell her that I am going to Feint attack the locked Igglybuff and I flip heads for the game. Afterwards I ask her if she has any cards to break a lock. She looks through her remaining 3 cards and the last card is a Super Scoop Up. She only has 1 card to break a lock in her deck.
Record 2-1
Round 4 vs. Jerry Dominguez
Yes I finally am facing a Gatr deck. Jerry is playing Gatr with Parasect, Elekid and Healing Fields. Jerry goes first and Wrath, Wrath, and Elm to set up his play area. I am stuck with only a Murkrow. He flips heads on playful punch for 20 to my Krow. I play a Gold Berry on Murkrow and play a Chaos Gym. I attach a Dark and flip tails. He goes evolves Totodile into Croconaw and attaches an energy. He flips another heads on Playful Punch which activates my Gold Berry. I decide whether or not it is a good idea to lock in the Elekid or kill it. I decide to Feint attack the Kid and it works. I draw the 1st prize. He picks up and attaches another water energy to Croconaw and does 20 damage. Next turn it is game if I do not draw anything. I draw a ND Igglybuff. I retreat Krow and promote Buff. He attaches an energy to Croconaw and flips heads to kill Buff. Next turn it is game as he knocks out my Murkrow.
Record 2-2
Round 5 vs. David a.ka. Y2Ace from the boards
Hey I finally play someone I know. David is playing Giovanni’s Machamp with Focus Bands. At one point in this match David gets so frustrated that he gets up and walks away from the game area to vent in the walkway. A judge comes over and David sits back down. David is so frustrated with the Wizards dice he switches back and forth between the dice and an electroflip that it doesn’t really matter as he flips tails on both devices. David flips a heads on a Cleffa to attack and then flips 4 tails in a row on Hurricane Punch. I am unsuccessful in Trapping his babies that I play Sleep Poison to kill his Machamp. He gets another Machamp going and I have only 2 cards left in my deck and all my Garbage Runs are in my prizes. David ends up winning when I decked.
Record 2-3
Round 6 vs. Joe Mammano a.k.a. Fire Fighter09
The second person I know that I get to play. This match is for bragging rights back home as Joe plays at a lot of our leagues. Joe is playing a Sabrina’s Alakazam and MP M2 and Rocket’s M2 deck. I figure I have this game while I lock his Rocket’s Mewtwo with Murkrow but he keeps on putting Murkrow to sleep. I can’t wake up for like 5 turns. Meanwhile I am getting my Victrebeels ready. I Fragrance Trap his 50 Hp Pokemon and knock them out in one shot. He has left the M2’s and we go back and forth healing our Pokes with Gold Berries until he runs out and the Vine Whips for 50 a turn and I take my last prize right before time is called.
Record 3-3
Round 7 vs. Jeff Deardoff
I have no idea what deck Jeff is playing as he starts with an Elekid and I start with Cleffa. I Eeeeeeek unsuccessfully for 3 turns and it takes him 2 turns to flip 4 heads on Playful Punch. You gotta love those die.
Record 3-4
Round 8 vs. Tony McKane
This match here will be the deciding match to see if I go above .500 for the second day in a row. Tony is playing a Dark Vaporeon and Dark Blastoise deck with Rocket’s Hideout Gym. Basically all game I knock out his Gyms with my Gyms to decrease the Dark Pokemon’s HP and win by Fragrance Trapping his 50 Hp Pokemon. He does not get Dark Blastoise up and running. It seems every time I would knock out a lower stage Poke that he would draw the 2nd stage.
Record 4-4
Round 9 vs. James Dutch
I am now at .500 and this is the same person that I faced in yesterday’s tournament. James is so frustrated at this point because he thought that he could of done so much better with his Feraligatr deck that just about every word out of his mouth is a curse word. At one point a judge came over and said that if he does not clean up his act that he will forfeit the match. I was able to get my Victrebeels out before his Gatr and I win the game by taking all 6 prizes.
Record 5-4
So between the 2 days I go 10-8. I check on my son and he makes the Top 8 with a Typhlosion Recharge/ Blaine’s RK9 deck. He has 21 points with a Op-Match% 77.5000. So he is in 3rd place going into the finals. His only loss in Swiss was to David Bui who went undeafeted that day with his Feraligatr deck. Before Top 8 started the judges announced that it was David Bui’s 10th Birthday. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to David. The Top 8 was announced and my son Nick is matched up against the 6th seed Jonathon Brooks. Great not only is Johnathon 3 years older but he has 2 medals under his belt and is playing my son’s weakness. The 3 year age difference is huge between a 7 year old and a 10 year old. The match starts and Nick is able to get a Quilava to knock out 2 of Johnathon’s baby Pokemon. Johnathon gets a Croconaw up and running and takes out the Cinnabar City Gym with Healing Fields and proceeds to Sweep away Quilava and Blaine’s RK9 for the win. Johnathon then goes on to face David Bui and loses to his Feraligatr deck with Suicune in it. So I have to say that Feraligatr definately dominated this STS. At least next year David and Johnathon will be in the 11+.
Above is Nick with Johnathon Brooks, Nick with Mr. Bui, and Nick with a.k.a Clefairy Doll, Christine Gerhardt.
Please contact me at AN7710@dfa.state.ny.us