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It was a bittersweet moment for this Altadorian yooyuballer, saying goodbye to the only club she's ever played for, Sandy Shores. Just last evening, she announced her new contract with Mystery Island club, Mystery Tombola YT. Though it was previously estimated that her contract would see her earn 40 million neopoints, that figure has now jumped to 50 million. The management at Sandy Shores felt that 40 million was too little and negotiations with Mystery Tombola's managers have taken a long time as well. Our sources tell us that Sandy Shore's manager was pushing for 80 million neopoints, double the original amount. In the end, they had to agree to a 50 million neopoints offer.

It's no secret that Sandy Shores has had their share of troubles. From managerial problems to debt, to loss of sponsors and fans, the club has been rumoured to release their star players from their contracts for quite some time now. As we reported earlier (Transfer Rumours: Who's in & who's on their way out / Jul.11.10), there were a lot of talk surrounding this Lupe defender. As part of the agreement signed between these two teams, Timu will head over to play as the right defender for Mystery Tombola. On the other hand, Dustin Bakins (right defender of Mystery Tombola) will join Sandy Shores. With the addition of Timu on their side, Mystery Tombola will be one of the clubs to look out for when she joins fellow Altador Cup player, Tyrannia's Wila Benne.

After last night's draft, the final rosters for the five Moltaran clubs are announced!

Moltara Vision (2+2)
Mirandah Grelinek, Zax Bannet, Tulah Kisner, Lavarous Hunjer, Spotty Wilumed

Obsidian Armoury (1+3)
Vrom Spindle, The "Miner" Fuentez, Toshi "The Sparkles" Henlil, Lory Shurtz, Mor Gollog

Tanks of Tangor (3+1)
Jene "The Flame", Jefferson, Mikey Bartowsko, Z-4B Goalinator, Raqher Soley

The Lampwyck Lightnings (2+2)
Valka 'Commander' Sparks, Vere Polnicek, Lester Boome, Trek Telect, Meq Relip

The Marlock Cavalry (3+1)
Rosario Teevo, Karla "Cutes" Henter, Soirhe Fimsli, Cinder Gotem, Aldric Beign

The team/player database has been updated.

This year, it seems that most clubs are interested in one thing: playing with what they've got. It's an unusually quiet transfer season, with Timu's departure for Mystery Tombola being the only "big" money switch. Why is this? The manager of King Roo Company may have some ideas,

I s'pose it's the economy. Managers don't want to take a gamble now because it'll cost them double than what it usually does. For me and a lot of coaches, it's about working with your team, not shipping players out because they don't play well. A good team takes time to build and you can't keep on bringing new players in."

Here's the list of all transfers so far:

• Timu leaves Sandy Shores to join Mystery Tombola YT on a long-term, 50 million neopoint contract
• Dustin Bakins is released from his current contract and signs with Mystery Tombola; it is estimated that he will earn 9 million neopoints
• Brains" Mortigan joins Southeast Vampires, signing a contract for 20 million neopoints
• Former Altador Cup player, Relle Felson, joins Kiko Creatures as a free agent. No contract is signed, but he will be paid per month.
• Tiko Tems signs a short-term contract with Happy Happy Valley Citizens, which will see him earn 10 million neopoints
• Free agents: Rosario Teevo, Vrom Spindle, Karla "Cutes" Henter ; it's likely that the majority of these players will head over to the Moltaran league (Update: all three of these free agents have been picked up by Moltaran teams)

It's a special day here at Yooyuball Planet because today we hit the one-year mark! The site has definitely expanded since its inception, going from a single-layout site to including an entire splash page. At least to me, it was a strange coincidence then that as the site began to get nearer to its 1-year mark, my 250+ pages of coding was taking its toll on the petpage capacity and I had to delete a bunch of older articles. However, I'm nostalgic by nature and I couldn't just erase them for the sake of making room on the main layout versions, so I created an archives, where older stories will be placed.

I never thought that I'd be able to keep this place up and running for a month, much less twelve. So many things have happened with the site, and it's crazy to actually sit down and look at all of the things that have happened in Year 1. We got through all 17 leagues, which took up roughly nine months. Sometimes when I'm writing articles, even I didn't know what was going to happen next – whether it's the underdog winning the day and coming out on top, or deciding who takes home the coveted national league title. I remember sitting down and trying to come up with creative names for yooyuball players, and then giving up at times and just taking random words and tried spelling them backwards to see if it worked (ever wonder why Ecaps "The Floater" Rats enjoys playing in Kreludor? Hint: Ecaps and Rats).

Most importantly thanks to you, guest, for visiting! I hope you enjoyed reading the articles and browsing the site. Thanks for your support, encouragement, suggestions, everything! Be sure to continue to stop by once in a while because who knows what will happen this league season, as rivalries heat up and battles break out for the trophy? Yooyuball. Neopia's #1 sport and the force that makes this little 'planet' revolve.

Being 1 year old... that's a great milestone to reach.
...Now, let's aim for Year 2

The transfer season is here and with rumours circling Neopia, Yooyuball Planet's reporters are hard at work separating fact from fiction. Here's our take on the current yooyuball headlines...

A Brightvaler's bright future in jeopardy?
Sure, the Brightvalers were at the head of the table at the end of the season, but that doesn't mean players are completely safe on the team. Though they finished the season on top, the team has been criticized for their lack of cooperation and teamwork. Goalkeeper Orie Dinelle was reportedly displeased with the twins, Jukes V and Jukes C, for their lack of defensive abilities. With all of this infighting, could a change of players bring peace to this BV powerhouse?
Our verdict? Fiction. Why mess with a good thing? The Brightvalers claimed their 10th BV title, so the line-up obviously works. The Jukes twins are indispensible, and bring the much-needed scoring prowess to a side that is more defensively oriented. Also, the Techo twins have made it absolutely clear that if you get rid of one of them, the other will follow. They'll always play for the same club and alongside each other. Right defender, Sybil Deni, was still shaky at times throughout the season, but I don't see any real reason to change the line-up.

Goodbye Grelinek, hello Dubloons?
As the most expensive contract is signed, all eyes were on Mirsha Grelinek as this Gnorbu joined Black Sail Pirates. After her first season with the KI club, it was clear that she did not meet the high expectations and her shaky performance was an obvious hindrance to the team. Though the more outspoken critics would point to her failures as being the ultimate downfall of the team, let me just point out that Grelinek led the KI league in terms of assists (it was her teammate, Zo Junior, which had the most goals scored in the league). Also, she had a high accurate passing rate, with 89%. However, some have speculated that club management would like to release Grelinek from her contract and use the Neopoints to sign on someone new.
Our verdict? Fiction. It'll take more than a slow season to damper this team and Grelinek is a proven scoring machine. The KI playing style is much different than the SK one, so she's still getting used to it.

Let's spend some time to look back at the yooyuball season and remember those moments that we'll never forget...

Faeries of Faerieland: captain Babolino saves the day
An epic rematch between the top two clubs in Faerieland was the headlining match of the day. At the end, it came down to Faeries of Faerieland's dedicated captain, Babolino. With the score tied at 1-1, he managed a last second goal. The most heart-warming moment came at the end of the match, when Babolino was completely surrounded by his teammates as they defeat their rivals, Jhudora's Judgement, 2-1. The captain is an important part of any team. As the leader, their teammates will look to them for inspiration and support. Babolino has been described by his fellow team members as "courageous, selfless, and strong". Look for Live Reactions (May.19.10) to see what happened during the match.

Silver Cutlass Crew: a historic season for all the wrong reasons
Perhaps this is one memorable season that Silver Cutlass Crew would like to forget. The team failed to score a single point in their 8 matches, making it the worst season the club has ever played. Never before have they lost every single game in their season. However, captain and left defender, Nitri Cassale, isn't going to let a last place finishing rain on her parade. Arr, that be the way yooyuball works, I s'pose. You lose some, you win some. Every season, one club will be walkin' the plank, bein' at the bottom o' the table. This season, the Crew was planked. With such a disaster on their hands, many are expecting a few roster changes during the transfer season.

Peasant Peoples United: no longer underdogs?
Based in Meridell, Peasant Peoples United has a long history in yooyuball. Founded by one of the greatest athletes in Neopian history, the club isn't known for its flashy stadium or star athletes. However, this season they fought, they battled, and they defied the critics. Achieving a second place finishing, they were just one point behind league winners, Symol United. Though many felt their faerie-tale ending would have been holding the trophy, goalkeeper "Ol' Reliable" George felt otherwise. To me, placing second is amazing. So many people thought that we'd be 5th, or maybe even 4th. To prove them wrong is one of the best feelings I've ever had. We're a strong team and this is only the beginning."

The Maraqua league: any team could have taken home the trophy!
Usually, there will be a couple of favourites heading into a new season, where certain teams have an obvious advantage over others. This isn't the case in Maraqua, where all 5 teams had a good chance of lifting the trophy at the end. Maraquan Marauders came away with the victory in the end, but what's astonishing is the 3-way tie for second place. Even in last place, Maractite Field was only 3 points behind. This speaks volumes for the talent in Maraqua and hopefully, it'll be the same in their international AC campaign.

Shenkuu Warriors Unite and Sandan Yooyu Squad
The two teams made history as being the first joint-recipient of The Yooyuball Sportsmanship Award. I won't spend too much time talking about it here, but you can check out the article on The Yooyuball Sportsmanship Award to see why they were chosen (Jul.13.10).

At the end of the playing season, the Yooyuball Sportsmanship Award is handed out to a player or team that shows the most dedication, willpower, and above all else, sportsmanship, in the game. As one of the most prestigious awards in the yooyuball world, it was a full house as every reporter around Neopia crammed into the room to await the decision. High-ranking N.I.F.T.Y. official and ex-Meridell yooyuballer, Sir Kalrock the 8th, announced the recipient last evening...

Over the past year, we have watched 17 magnificent leagues compete for their national titles and now, at the end of the playing season, we look back on the great memories. The other officials and I had a difficult time narrowing the field down, but when the time came to choose the recipient, the choice was unanimous.

Shenkuu Warriors Unite show the power of teamwork and determination, something that every club strives for. The yooyuball season in Shenkuu was, without a doubt, one of the most exciting and dramatic ones we've seen in a while. Let me set the stage: Shenkuu Warriors Unite was undefeated, winning match after match. Scoring almost all of their goals so far, left forward "Son of Shenkuu" proved to be an integral part of their team. Their season seemingly took a horrible turn when the young athlete was injured in a match, spraining his ankle. The team was forced to play their next match against Sandan Yooyu Squad with only 4 players. Though S.O.S. was watching from the sidelines, his influence was felt nonetheless. In the end, the match ended in a draw.

So often, there will be players that feel that they are above their teammates and that they deserve more of the spotlight since they perform "better". This is not the case here, since S.O.S. is known for his generosity, his kind-hearted spirit, and his caring nature towards his teammates, friends, family, fans, and even his rivals. The other members of Shenkuu Warriors Unite, Xana Dilanche, Antola Maeir, "Scrap" Taggert, and Mack "25/20", also deserve to be praised, as their passion for the sport propelled them to new heights this season. In a game where they were expected to lose, they held their own and fought for a draw. This draw was crucial, because at the end of the season, they won the championship title one point ahead of the second place finishers.

At the end of the match, the members of Sandan Yooyu Squad, Teya "Teabags" Thomps, Loryan Fonete, Lima Lugilac, Samson Chu, and Doonot Xare, did something that no one expected. They went over to "Son of Shenkuu" and carried him out onto the field so that he could celebrate with his teammates. Though they must have been disappointed with the draw, Sandan Yooyu Squad showed that they were gracious, despite the setback.

This year, history will be made. The Yooyuball Sportsmanship Award does not go to a single player, nor does it go to a single team. Ladies and gentlemen, the recipient of the 2009-2010 Yooyuball Sportsmanship Award goes to the members of Sandan Yooyu Squad and Shenkuu Warriors Unite.

And there you have it! This year, two teams will be awarded with this great honour. Congratulations to them both, and to everyone nominated!

The transfer season is here and with rumours circling Neopia, Yooyuball Planet's reporters are hard at work separating fact from fiction. Here's our take on the current yooyuball headlines...

A Lost Desert reunion?
Good friends Vonde Cayle and Sandy Bats were spotted having lunch in Sakhmet City just last week. One Neopet (who wishes to remain anonymous) said, I was sitting right behind them and I heard Vonde try to convince Sandy to join his team, Sakhmet Union! She seemed to like the idea a lot. Whether or not he was joking, I dunno... Cayle is the star forward of Sakhment Union and The Lost Desert, whereas Bats is currently playing forward for Tyrannia's The Niptor Clan. The Korbat was born and raised in Sakhmet City and has stated that she'd like to play for the Union during her career.
Our verdict? Fiction. We have no doubts that the right forward will one day return to LD, but given the timing, it seems unlikely. The current RF of Sahkmet Union, Lady Kendraik, has cemented her position on the team after having a spectacular season last year so she won't be leaving any time soon.

A Mystery Island switch?
It seems that a player switch could be taking place between two teams in Mystery Island. Mystery Tombola YT is reportedly interested in Sandy Shore's right defender, Timu. Their offer includes the transfer of their current right defender, Dustin Bakins, as well as a 40 million Neopoint transfer fee. Timu, who plays internationally for Altador, stated during a press conference that she'd relish a change: I think it's a great time in my career to try something new. Mystery Tombola is an exciting team and I'd love a chance to be a part of their history. While fans of Sandy Shores want Timu to stay, it's not a secret that the club has been suffering in their last few seasons. Placing 5th last year, Sandy Shores has lost a majority of their sponsors and their debt is now climbing. The clubs' officials have said, While we are sad to consider the departure of Timu, we need to think about the long-term effects that our debt will have on us. Mystery Tombola's offering of 40 million Neopoints would help the club substantially.
Our verdict? Fact. While the management at Sandy Shores won't come out and say it, we have no doubt that this switch will take place. The club has won the most national titles thus far, so it's a little upsetting to see them in such a slump but with that amount of money, they can pay off their debts and hopefully attract some new players in the future.

N.I.F.T.Y. (Neopia's International Federation of Terrific Yooyuballers) has recently released their annual power rankings of the 17 leagues. The rankings are based on a variety of different variables, including critics' reviews (CR), fan attendance (FA), yooyuball skill level (SL), and revenue (R). Each category is out of 10 and is the score is the calculated average of votes made by the N.I.F.T.Y. members. Though the final rankings aren't necessarily based on the final scores, they do have an important part to play in the selection at the end. This season, N.I.F.T.Y has awarded the top spot to a new league.

6. Shenkuu / CR: 7.1 / FA: 7.8 / SL: 9.3 / R: 7.3
With the arrival of Luvea Trivon to Stealth of Shenkuu, a legion of the Draik's supporters also followed his career with his new SK club. Ticket sales for all five teams reached a 3-year high, while souvenir shops reported a 128% increase in sales. As always with the SK league, yooyuball skill level is always ranked consistently high, given their high technical skills and strategic plays.

5. Brightvale / CR: 7.5 / FA: 10 / SL: 8.1 / R: 8.2
Entering the top 5 for the first time, the BV league rose through the rankings due to the popularity of the sport in the land. Critics saw a small change, where teams are now employing an entertaining and fast-paced playing style. Tickets were completely sold out for the entire season, something that surprised both the critics and King Hagan. "Well, I, er, guess yooyuball's pretty important to my subjects," the King muttered, "but studying is still the most important thing we should do!"

4. Meridell / CR: 8.2 / FA: 9.7 / SL: 8.9 / R: 7.1
Like some of the smaller leagues, the MD league lacks star-power, with many of the players virtually unknown outside of Meridell. What this league has going for it though is its yooyuball skill level and popularity within the land. Like their neighbours, MD has consistently high fan attendance. In fact, a rating of 9.7 is MD's lowest yet for that category, which indicates just how popular the sport is. Revenue took a dip this year, since less people were purchasing merchandise, preferring home-made fan items instead.

3. The Lost Desert / CR: 9.1 / FA: 9.4 / SL: 9.5 / R: 7.8
Last year's #1 ranking league, LD slips to #3, but only slightly. Though it is still considered one of the richest leagues in Neopia, revenue dipped slightly as shares of LDSC (Lost Desert Scratchcards) dropped. Even the arrival of DC's Layton Vickles couldn't help the LD economy, as the majority of high-priced tickets remained unsold. As always, critic reviews are overwhelmingly positive as many enjoyed watching these technical-oriented teams play.

2. Faerieland / CR: 8.8 / FA: 9.7 / SL: 7.8 / R: 9
FL's revenue rivals that of LD and KI, and this season was no different. Overall, more Neopoints were being spent on tickets, club merchandise and souvenirs. One of the biggest reasons for such an increase in the amount of tickets sold was the fact that all five teams decided to lower the prices. In addition, Jhudora's Judgment acquired the services of HW's Fanetti, making him the second most expensive player in history.

1. Krawk Island / CR: 8.1 / FA: 10 / SL: 8.5 / R: 10
Coming in at #1 is the KI league, which saw the single largest and most expensive transfer in the league to date, as well as in the sport's history. Mirsha Grelinek's move to Black Sail Pirates gave the KI league yet another boost in star power, as well as in island revenue with fans from all around the globe flocking to KI to watch this talented Gnorbu perform for her new club. Fan attendance is scored as a perfect 10, given that all tickets for every single match of the season was sold out.

So that concludes our coverage of N.I.F.T.Y.'s power rankings for the 2009-2010 playing season. Be sure to check out parts I and II as well.

N.I.F.T.Y. (Neopia's International Federation of Terrific Yooyuballers) has recently released their annual power rankings of the 17 leagues. The rankings are based on a variety of different variables, including critics' reviews (CR), fan attendance (FA), yooyuball skill level (SL), and revenue (R). Each category is out of 10 and is the score is the calculated average votes of the N.I.F.T.Y. members. This season, N.I.F.T.Y has awarded the top spot to a new league.

12. Darigan Citadel / CR: 2.8 / FA: 9.8 / SL: 4.2 / R: 4.3
Though fan attendance at matches were generally high throughout the season, that alone couldn't help the DC league to a high power ranking position, though it did save them from being in dead last. As always, critics point out that the majority of the league players (many of whom are from DC) are too rough and needlessly aggressive. Neopoint income levels also dropped, which may have to do with Layton Vickles and his departure to the LD league.

11. Haunted Woods / CR: 7.7 / FA: 4.8 / SL: 6.2 / R: 5.9
This year saw new heroes emerge and old team rivalries heat up as another interesting season passed in HW. Critics enjoyed this season much more than the last, stating the growth of younger players had offered a new depth to the league. However, if it wasn't for fan attendance, HW would probably be a few places higher in the power rankings. Ticket prices aren't high, but Neopoints are hard to come by in HW, seeing as how many people enjoy playing less-than-fair games, like Test Your Strength, and Coconut Shy, leaving less NP in their pockets for YYB games.

10. Altador / CR: 6.1 / FA: 8.9 / SL: 6 / R: 5.3
Regardless of their Altador Cup placement, the AL league itself remains one of the best in Neopia. This season had everything on hand, from veteran playmakers to new and exciting young players. Critics thoroughly enjoyed how the season unfolded, though many complained about the divide between the powerhouse teams and the smaller clubs. Fans flocked out to cheer on their teams in large numbers, which accounts for AL's high standing in the power rankings.

9. Virtupets / CR: 7.6 / FA: 6.5 / SL: 6.2 / R: 7.3
Another successful year, both on the field and in the bank, propelled VP to a top 10 position in the power rankings. Critics felt that this season was exciting, especially with a close finish between the top teams. One negative aspect, as always, was the robotic players. While some feel it's the future of the VP league, others are more old-fashioned. The majority of fans were generally from VP space station themselves, while less than 25% of tickets were sold to those dwelling on Neopia.

8. Maraqua / CR: 8 / FA: 8.7 / SL: 6.9 / R: 7.3
There's the MQ league, and then there's Elon Hughlis, who's pretty much his own little show. Fans of the talented forward were thrilled by his spectacular season with Maraquan Marauders, leading them to yet another title win. After impressing many people in the previous Altador Cup, the MQ league gained new international fans, which accounts for their higher revenue influx.

7. Kreludor / CR: 6.9 / FA: 4.8 / SL: 5.2 / R: 2.3
Though the season in Kreludor was held in high regards from both fans and critics alike, the league still suffered from a sluggish economy and tickets weren't being sold. Seeing the lack of Neopian visitors to KD has prompted the league officials to launch a tourism campaign, aimed at increasing ticket sales. Called "Welcome to Kreludor, Neopia!", this program is expected to bring in at least 100 million Neopoints in ticket and merchandise sales alone.

Be sure to check out Parts I and III.

N.I.F.T.Y. (Neopia's International Federation of Terrific Yooyuballers) has recently released their annual power rankings of the 17 leagues. The rankings are based on a variety of different variables, including critics' reviews (CR), fan attendance (FA), yooyuball skill level (SL), and revenue (R). Each category is out of 10 and is the score is the calculated average votes of the N.I.F.T.Y. members. This season, N.I.F.T.Y has awarded the top spot to a new league.

17. Kiko Lake / CR: 5.8 / FA: 7.6 / SL: 5.8 / R: 4.4
At the very bottom of this year's annual rankings is Kiko Lake, one of the newer yooyuball franchises. In general, critic reviews of this season weren't too kind on this small league, as many berated the lack of precision and depth to their playing style. Fan attendance was relatively high, signalling that yooyuball is indeed popular on this small island. Perhaps KL can manage to deliver a more exciting season next time.

16. Roo Island / CR: 6 / FA: 3.9 / SL: 7.3 / R: 4.4
Although the RI league is predominantly full of home-grown talent, it was criticized for being too "stale" and "low-key", lacking the "pizzazz" that more successful franchises have. In addition, many feel that the lack of star players and international faces have affected match attendance, resulting in ticket sales coming in at an all-time low. It's not to say that the RI league is completely devoid of talented players, especially with athletes like Jair Tollet, Roonaldinho, Gigi Rooffon, and Fenny Vail.

15. Mystery Island / CR: 4.9 / FA: 7.5 / SL: 6.2 / R: 3.9
It's more back-to-back low ranking for the islands. Without playing any inspired yooyuball, MI took a nosedive in the power rankings, with one of this year's lowest critic review scores. Similar to the RI league, MI isn't without star power. Bertie Shurtz, Volgoth, and Jon Pteri make island news day in and day out. The majority of the criticism is in how the game play has evolved, or rather, remained stagnant. No innovations in yooyuball, and too much emphasis on the basics makes a dull league.

14. Terror Mountain / CR: 5.1 / FA: 6.8 / SL: 4.2 / R: 5.9
You can't really blame the clubs of the TM league for their playing style – it's always been slow and sluggish due to the frigid temperatures of the north. However, this year, critics saw a change in youth players that had graduated from the YYB Academy of the North, TM's leading sports school. As one reporter put it, "these new kids on the block? Not only do they have sizeable talent, but they have a fresh playing style, quicker than what we've seen in the TM league. If this is the future of the TM yooyuball, sign me up."

13. Tyrannia / CR: 3.1 / FA: 8 / SL: 6 / R: 4
While critic reviews may be a little harsh on this league, TY has one thing going for it: its well-known defenders and their world-class skills. With three of the five teams using a defensive (1 + 3) formation, TY is known for their defensive capabilities. Sure, critics may not have been thrilled with defensive-styled plays, but the home fans loved every single moment of it. Fan attendance at matches also reached a new high, with over 85% of all tickets sold.

Be sure to check out parts II and III!

With the Altador Cup wrapping up, don't think for a second that international yooyuball is over! The ACV is winding down, but the WAM Celebration Cup is just beginning, bringing together Neopia's best talent in the beautiful game. Layton Vickles, Elon Hughlis, and other famous yooyuball athletes had their moment and now, it's time for the fans to show their skills.

Representatives from each of the lands will face off against each other in an epic showdown. It's a championship open for the best of the best, and this year promises to be action-packed as the competition heats up the stage. Here with us today is Grant, a well-known figure in the Altador Cup world, and he sits down with Yooyuball Planet to tell us more about the WAMCC.

Yooyuball Planet: Thanks for sitting down with Yooyuball Planet, Grant. For those who aren't familiar with you, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Grant: Hello Yooyuball Planet readers, I was technically "recruited" for this since I am a content staffer at The Daily Neopets. I am fourteen years old, and I live in the giant state of Texas. I have been an all-star for Maraqua two years in a row, and I hope to continue having the chance to play in the Cup in the years to come.
YP: Nice, Maraqua's luck to have you then. So, I hear you have some exciting news to share. Something about the WAM Celebration Cup?
G: The WAM Celebration Cup is really like a second Altador Cup, but it holds more similarities to the FIFA World Cup. Really, it is an opportunity for Yooyuball players to prove their individual worth, as opposed to teams as a whole.
YP: I'm sure some of our readers are interested in participating. How can they join?
G: As far as I know, there will be a qualification round. During the qualifiers, there will be a board up on the ACV chat where people can attempt to qualify by sending in five Yooyuball scores within a specified time limit. These five scores should be screenied, and judges will verify them. Forty people will advance to the actual tournament, based on their total goals from those five YYB games. However, I think there are a few restrictions on the forty people (each team can only have 2 representatives, I think, for one thing).
YP: Sounds exciting. We'll be sure to link to a page of official rules just in case our readers want to join in on the fun. How and when did it get started? Tell us more about the history of the event.
G: It started 2-3 years ago and was originally only for WAM members for that first year. Then, it expanded to accommodate all teams, and it has remained the same ever since.
YP: Wow, a truly Neopia-wide event. This tournament brings together a lot of great yooyuball athletes. What has the event been like in previous years?
G: Unfortunately, I have not been present at recent WAM Celebration Cups.
YP: Oh, neither have I! Looks like we have that in common. And finally, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
G: I would like to wish good luck to everyone who tries to qualify. I myself will probably not be participating (unless I am somehow convinced otherwise); I'm just in charge of volunteers, TDN pages, and petpages related to the WAMCC.
YP: Thanks for joining us today, Grant! We hope you enjoy the rest of the Altador Cup V and we look forward to reporting on the WAM Celebration Cup.
G: Thank you for the interview!

So, there you have it folks, our first look at the WAM Celebration Cup! This year, Yooyuball Planet has been given the privilege of bringing you the latest news in this prestigious tournament. Working with us are some guest reporters. You'll be hearing from unknownman14, poooop675567, mrscornflakes, and kewlguy0189, as well as myself and Quem. Working together with the organizers of the event, you'll be getting a behind-the-scenes look at the players and the matches. We've got exclusive interviews with all participants that make it out of the group stages, as well as discussion on group stages and more. Stay tuned!

With the final matches coming to a close in Faerieland, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert, and Virtupets, this signifies the end of another yooyuball season. What a year it's been! We've seen a lot of ups and downs, meltdowns and comebacks, epic displays of skill and at the end, 18 clubs around Neopia are crowned as champions. Seeing how it's the end of the national league playing season, we'd like to take this time to thank some great friends.

A big thanks goes out to...
...to TWERPS, our awesome affiliate!
... the directories that Yooyuball Planet is listed at! A special mention goes out to Soroptimist, the first directory to accept us.
...the great sites that have made us some Link back buttons! They're very spiffy, if I do say so myself.
...everyone who sends in their kind comments and suggestions. As a fairly new site, Yooyuball Planet can only get better from here!
...Quem, our new reporter! Though he hasn't been here for that long, his passion for yooyuball and knowledge of sport makes him an invaluable part of the Yooyuball Planet staff.

But most of all...
The biggest thanks goes to our readers, you! When this site was first started, I never thought it would have the following that it does.

So, from everyone here at Yooyuball Planet, we hope you've enjoyed reading our articles. Thank you for being a part of our site and we hope you continue to support national league yooyuball!

Though the national leagues are over, Yooyuball Planet will still be busy! During the Altador Cup, we'll have a variety of articles for you to check out. If you're a new visitor, why not check out some older articles in the archives? Here are some articles that you can expect to see...
Sites of the Week: we'll be featuring a handful of Altador Cup/yooyuball-related petpages each week. From graphics to prediction pages, stop by and check them out! (Posted weekly)
AC Captain interviews: It doesn't get any more exclusive than this! During the AC, we'll be sitting down with each of the 18 captains. We'll be going alphabetically, so the first week will feature captains from Altador, Brightvale, and Darigan Citadel. If you're got a question you want to ask one of the captains, Neomail them in!

Virtupets
Though the season began with a close race, in the end, it was anything but. Cosmo Supers easily took home the trophy, leaving the other 4 teams in their space dust. Rinok Fitel, center defender of the Supers, hopes to see more of the trophy next season,
*jumps up and down in happiness* "It's a great feeling to win this with your club. My teammates are my closest friends, so it was even more special. We weren't entirely consistent throughout the season as we had a few minor bumps along the way. However, we pulled it off! Yay!"

Star power doesn't necessarily mean you're going to win. Stars of Space found this out the hard way. Though they have some of Neopia's best players in their line-up, it all comes down to whether they can function as a team. Captain Keetra Deile knows that from here, there's only room for improvement,
It was a hard season for us, as we had numerous injuries and Xl Striker 3.8 started malfunctioning halfway through the season. That left a huge gap in our scoring potential and we just couldn't hold off. Yeah, I'm disappointed for sure, but hey! There's always next year!

I think what she means is "there's always next time. Deile will be leading her Virtupets squad in the upcoming Altador Cup. Expect to see great things from this young player.

What about next season?
I wouldn't expect to see too many unfamiliar faces. Most of the clubs in the Virtupets league prefer to work with the players they have. Virtupets Yooyu-Bots will need to get their playing style straight. With two AC veterans on the team, finishing last is unacceptable.

The Lost Desert

It was a story of redemption in The Lost Desert with the powerhouse, Golden Pharaohs, taking the championship title. Failing to capture the gold last time around, the Pharaohs trailed most of the season. Surprisingly, it was Vonde Cayle and his club, Sakhmet Union, that held the top spot of the table for the longest time. However, the Pharaohs, led by captain "Dasher" Soley, defeated them earlier today.

Golden Pharaohs, though they are champions for this year, acknowledges the rising of other clubs. Right defender, Larcy Phu, says that his team has to remain alert to other threats,
It used to be that we [Golden Pharaohs] were always the favourites when the new season started. It is not like this anymore. Other teams are becoming stronger, as well as their players. We must be vigilant. In the words of a wise man, constant vigilance!"

Pharaohs' goalkeeper, Leera Heggle, notes that his fellow international teammate, Vonde Cayle, will be more hungry for trophies,
Vonde Cayle is a very respectful player. He plays his best and every match, he gives his full effort and determination. At the end of the match, knowing that his will finish second, he came up to me and congratulated me. That is the kind of Wocky he is. Respectful. However, underneath, he wants to win. Now, he will have the chance again. Not for club, but for his land. I am happy that he is chosen for the LD squad once again.

What about next season?
After winning last season, Qasala City Club fell to third place, far behind second place finishers. Fans are, understandably, devastated by their horrible season, but hopes that their players stay dedicated to the club. They've even started a petition to keep their roster unchanged going into next season. This comes after a few of their top players have expressed some minor discontent, including Lilo Blumario and Lairah Heggle.

Krawk Island
Heading into the Krawk Island season, all eyes were on Mirsha Grelinek as the new signing for Black Sail Pirates. After signing the most lucrative contract in yooyuball history, Grelinek joins an all-star roster, with names including Zo Junior, Garven Hale, and Wyatt Tuggins. In the epic showdown earlier today, the Pirates faced off against their chief rivals, Scarblade Society. As the two top teams, this match would decide who would become this year's champions. In the end, it was a bitter heartbreak for Grelinek and her side, as Society handed them a loss, earning 3 points and successfully defending their title.

Though Black Sail Pirates held the limelight for most of the season, Scarblade Society were quietly winning matches. Led by captain Foltaggio, Scarblade Society is a force to be reckoned with. Speaking of star power, Scarblade Society has plenty of that. Just check out that line-up! Right defender and Lost Desert international, Lamelle Turow, hopes to add more silverware to his collection,

We didn't mind the fact that the spotlight was off of us. In fact, we welcomed it. Although we're used to playing under pressure, the focus was on the Pirates and I think that helped us. No one was really looking at us anymore, which made our victory even more surprising. I don't think I'm satisfied yet, however. With the Altador Cup coming up, I hope to do my best for The Lost Desert and bring a trophy home for my land."

What about next season?
The transfer season benefited Pawkeet Plunderers, as they signed one of the hot-shot rookies from the KI Yooyuball Academy. Premy "Golden Boots" Deakings failed to live up to expectations, but the club's managers insist that he has yet to show his true potential.

Arr, give the youngin' a break! He be entering the national league for the first time an' playin' fer his first professional club. Good ol' Premy here, he be like a new pirate ship fresh from its makers. Give him time to adjust before you start sinking ships...

It's the finale that yooyuball fans across Neopia have been waiting for. As the Altador Cup excitement heads into overdrive, let's not forget our national leagues as the season comes to an end in Faerieland, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert, and Virtupets. In many cases, the final matches earlier today decided which yooyuball club would be taking home the big prize. So, without any further interruptions, here are your champions!

Faerieland
Defending champs, Faeries of Faerieland, came so close, but in the end, their rivals took home the prize. Losing just one match the entire season, Jhudora's Judgement played one of their best seasons ever. The key to their success this year has been the signing of star goalkeeper and Darigan Citadel international, Fanetti. The experienced yooyuballer, who's only been at this club for one season, has instantly become a fan favourite. There are already fan clubs made in his honour, including Fenetti Fans Forever, and Very Faerie Fanetti.

This is a great moment for me," says Ato Valah, captain of Judgement, "everyday in training, I see the look on my teammates' faces. They want the trophy more than anything.

After staging one of the most exciting comebacks of the season, Faeries of Faerieland's captain, Babolino, expressed some disappointment, but assures fans that the team is still dedicated.

We played out hearts out. In the end, we may not have gone home with the trophy, but we played with honesty, and we played fair. Congrats to Jhudora's Judgement".

The players of Jhudora's Judgement (Fanetti, Tormo "The Terror" Frein, Palia Alback, Ed Wing, Ato Valah) were on hand to accept their award in their home stadium, Jhudora's Courtroom. Legions of fans also made the trip, including a fan from Kreludor.
It's a long trip to get to Faerieland, but it's worth it! I've followed this club ever since I found out about yooyuball. They're fast, action-packed, and amazing to watch. They deserve this!

Also making an appearance is the club's founder, Jhudora herself. Walking into the stadium with a smirk on her face, she was greeted by a loud applause.

What about next season?
Finishing dead last again, is Fyora's Faeries. Earning 1 point, they're the only team in Neopia that has yet to win a national league title. Though their fans know they're a dedicated group of athletes, they want to see a higher placing in the table next time around...

9:31 AM:I'm going to take this time to head over to where the members of F.O.F. are sitting. The four members of the team are seated on the bench, while captain Babolino is slowly pacing in front of them. Goalkeeper Valtonous Rea is still devastated and looks ready to burst into tears at any moment. Fabreezy Laft is staring aimlessly into the stands, wondering what would have happened if he had managed to score earlier. It's eerily quiet as most of the fans have left to get snacks before the second half starts. One would think that Babolino would be frustrated with his team's performance, but his face is strangely calm. The young Kacheek stops and looks at his teammates one by one. "Listen," he starts slowly, "we've given up the first goal, and now, in our own home, we're being backed into a corner. Heading into this game, we knew it wasn't going to be easy, but this is more than just a game. Sakhmet Solitaire is a game. Round Table Poker and Meerca Chase are games. Yooyuball is not just a game. It's about more. It's about teamwork, and achieving glory on the field. Players come and go, but it's the team that is remembered. There's a long history between our two teams, and yes, most of the time, they've come out on top. But not today. This time, it's going to be us. Respect them as athletes, but show no mercy. When we head out onto the field, hold your head up high. Don't let the score intimidate you. Don't let their jeers bother you. We will show them – everyone – what it means to play as a team. Give our fans something to cheer for, but most of all, give them something that they'll remember." I head back over to the reporter's box and think to myself, if that's not the best speech I've ever heard, I don't know what is.

9:45 AM:So, the second half is starting now. The home fans are getting really anxious here as they've become quieter. It seems like everyone's holding their breath! The visiting Judgement fans are just as loud as ever, cheering for their players. A draw for them wouldn't be too bad, since they have a ton of points already, but the Faeries desperately need a win...
9:49 AM:Wow, minutes into the second half and Faeries of Faerieland are playing like a totally different team! They're energized and the Judgement fans look worried now. Cheery Nozvack has possession of the yooyu and finds Mae "The Maestro". With open space, Mae charges like an angry Tonu. Judgement's left defender is standing like an Ixi caught in headlights and he's standing there with his mouth wide open, gasping as Mae lets out a battle roar. She swings as hard as she can...GOAL! Goooooooooaaaallll! The Faeries have tied it! The home fans are going insane! Everyone is chanting at the same time, "Faeries unite! Get ready to take flight! Judgement scored first, but we're going to win the fight!"
9:58 AM: The Judgment fans are booing and hissing whenever the Faeries have the yooyu, but it's not dampening their spirits. Pulling up some stats, we have Jhudora's Judgement will only 21% of the yooyu possession, while they've only made 1 measly attempt on goal. The Faeries are fired up!
10:03 AM: 12 minutes left in the game. Anything less than a win will sink the Faeries and Judgement will take the cup. Captain Babolino is shouting as his teammates to maintain their composure. It seems Judgement players are getting rougher, tripping and elbowing the Faeries. There are no penalties so far, but the referee has called 14 fouls against J.J.
10:10 AM: Still 1-1. The fans are vocal once again – I can barely hear myself think! Most of the battles are occurring at mid-field. Judgement had a good scoring chance, but Valtonous Rea made a diving save to keep his side in the game.

10:14 AM: Time is running out – only 60 seconds remain. Laft has the yooyuball but is blocked by Judgement's forward, Valah. Laft cleverly pulls off a feint, and manages to dash into an open area on his left. 40 seconds. Judgement's Frein heavily tackles Laft, snatching the yooyu from the Faeries of Faerieland defender. Cheery Nozvack, however, manages to regain possession by intercepting a long pass. 30 seconds. The Judgement defenders are closing down on Nozvack – she has no choice but to throw long to Babolino. 20 seconds. Babolino charges down the field with newfound strength, no doubt hearing his own speech in his head. 10 seconds. Babolino, with the yooyu, easily runs past the defenders, and heads towards Judgement's end of the field. Goalkeeper Fanetti stares him down. 5 seconds. With the strength of his fans and teammates behind him, Babolino clenches his teeth, throws his arm back and catapults the yooyu. 4...3...2...GOAL!
10:15 AM: It's over! Faeries of Faerieland has beaten Jhudora's Judgement by a score of 2-1! My goodness, I don't think I've ever seen such an intense match! Babolino lets out a cheer as he is immediately swamped by his teammates. The Faerie-Dome has exploded in a wave of cheers as fans are hugging each other, and shouting words of congratulations down to their players. Some are even crying from sheer happiness. Make no mistake – Faeries of Faerieland are not out of the race yet.

8:43 AM: Hey, everyone! It's me, Castlegard, and I'm here at The Faerie-Dome, home stadium to Faeries of Faerieland. Today, they'll be facing off against their huge rivals, Jhudora's Judgment! Now, we all know what happened last time. Judgement beat the Faeries 8-6. It's now or never for F.O.F. They need to win if they even want a chance at winning the trophy. *yawns* Oh, it's so early! Why can't they schedule matches for the afternoon? Well, I'm standing in line to get some food and all I can see are fans wearing glittery Faerie wings that they sell at the souvenir shop. Since I'm not wearing one, people think I'm a Judgement supporter...they're even glaring at me!
8:50 AM: Yum, this Faerie Eclair is very good! I might go get another one during the half time break. The atmosphere is intense! You can definitely tell who's supporting who. I can spot a bunch of Judgement fans. They're all sitting in the north section of the stadium and all of them are wearing purple.
8:56 AM: The players are walking in! Oh, looks like this is going to be a rough match. Already they're exchanging tense words. I'm sitting in the reporter's box near the field, so I can get a pretty good sense of what they're saying...
Tormo "The Terror" Frein: Ready to lose again? *chuckles*
Babolino: We'll see who's laughing. Just remember, you're on our turf now.

9:00 AM: And the match is starting! Here's the roster for both teams:
Faeries of Faerieland: Cheery Nozvack (L.Defender), Mae "The Maestro" (R.Forward), Valtonous Rea (GK), Babolino (L.Forward), Fabreezy Laft (R.Defender)
Jhudora's Judgement: Fanetti (GK), Tormo "The Terror" Frein (R.Defender), Palia Alback (R.Forward), Ed Wing (L.Defender), Ato Valah (L.Forward)
9:04 Babolino has the yooyu and he's assessing his options. Oh no, he wasn't paying attention! Frein was sneaking up from the side and stole the yooyu. Fans around me are groaning and once again, Jhudora's Judgement has possession.
9:12 AM: Things are looking dangerous for the home side. Palia Alback receives a long throw from goalkeeper Fanetti. She quickly swerves the yooyu, hoping to pass to Ato Valah – but it's intercepted! Fabreezy Laft takes the yooyu and speeds off towards the Judgement's end of the field. There's no one there to assist so the Nimmo has to take the shot. He whips one in...so close! He almost scored, but Fanetti's at the top of his game. The goalkeeper saves it and gives Laft a small smirk.
9:19 AM:Most of the action so far has been in the Faeries' end. They're having a lot of trouble keeping possession and they're keeping all of their forwards back for defence. Their fans are trying their best to pump their team up, but I see a few losing hope.

9:22 AM: Alback and Valah are passing the yooyu back and forth, keeping it far away from the Faeries. It seems they're trying to wear down the defence and keep them running for as long as possible. Ato Valah goes towards teammate Alback, handing off the yooyu as she runs. She's blocked by Cheery Nozvack. Heavily outclassed by the smart defender, Alback aims for Valah, who has managed to sneak by the Faerie's defensive line. Alback throws high into the air, something no one was expecting. Valah snatches the yooyu and darts towards the goalkeeper! It's a clear shot and there are no defenders to stop her! She's taking aim....scores! Jhudora's Judgement is up 1-0! The visiting fans are absolutely roaring with excitement as the home fans slump in their seats. The Judgement fans are now cheering, "Order in the court! Order in the court! What your verdict, jury? The Judgement wins!!"
9:30 AM:The first half of the match is over and the score is 1-0 to Jhudora's Judgement. Let me pull up some half-time statistics...wow, it seems Judgement is leading in pretty much every single category. They have about 73% of yooyu possession, and have taken 10 shots on goal. Faeries of Faerieland have only taken 2 shots on goal, but they have far less fouls called against them.

Check out part II of Live Reactions: Faeries of Faerieland (H) vs. Jhudora's Judgement (A)!

A big hello to all the readers of Yooyuball Planet. This is Quem reporting. For the second Rookie Report for the new Moltara League that opens in November.

Following the remarkable batch of early candidates last week is another set of impressive rookies that want to break it into the biz. Starting us off is Agmar Rylave, a junior and part of the Academy Championship team. Rylave is the epitome of intimidation. The big man towers over many Academy students and even most of the current AC players; a tough exterior also adds up to this giant's personality. But the real nature of his game relies on his strength. He bullies his way around the defence and thrusts the yooyu with so much force that sometimes even the net can't stop them. Being the leading scorer of the Championship team, he visualizes himself as a prized possession, the whole enchilada so to speak. This point of view gives him the perception that he should hold the ball the whole game and never be benched. Being with the ever-so generous Lester Boome during that championship season, that team-up did not help contain the ego of Rylave. Although he may seem way over his head, this young man has got some skills and isn't afraid to tell you about it. Watch him become one of the first rookies picked up, and then watch him tell you all about it.

Second up is Meq Relip, a freshman netminder. While many might think that he's not imbibed with the traits of a professional, he is very mature for his age. Although, do not mistake him for a calm, cautious player, as he can be very reckless. Sliding across the sandy floor to catch that groundball or diving in front of the net to save that aerial Faerie Yooyu, the young goaltender is a frequent flyer in the injury list, sidelined for almost half of the season with numerous injuries to his knee and wrists. But when healthy, he is a force to be reckoned. His health remains an issue, but expect great numbers while uninjured. We might see him picked up early, we might not. It all depends on the team owner's guts, but through all the hoopla, he is an overall great player. Team owners, draft at your own risk.

And lastly, we have Soirhe Fimsli, a sophomore left defender. Like Rylave up there, this player towers over others. However, unlike Rylave, this giant is a gentle one. Don't confuse him for someone who lets you run all over him, though. This behemoth specializes in blocking. Whether blocking your shot with his huge hands or blocking your view with this humongous body, this swatter puts the offense to the test. A great defender and a nice personality; a win-win for everyone, except the opponents. Keep an eye on him as he might give the current frontrunners in the draft a run for their money.

Let's take a peek into our 2nd batch of rookies:
Agmar Rylave
Position: Left Forward Strengths: Size, Powerful shot, strength Weaknesses: Speed, teamwork
Meq Relip
Position: Goalkeeper Strengths: speed, reflexes, jumping Weaknesses: injury-prone, inexperience
Lory Renito
Position: Right Defender Strengths: Stealing the ball, passing Weaknesses: Inexperience, strength
Raqher Xraka
Position: Right Forward Strengths: Speed, scoring Weaknesses: Easily fooled, teamwork
Soirhe Fimsli
Position: Left Defender Strengths: Blocking, size Weaknesses: Speed

With this new batch of entrees, the plot of this Moltaran League thickens. Let's continue watching as it unfolds.
Keeping you posted,
~Quem

Posted by staff member: Quem

Hey Yooyuball Planet fans, Quem here with the first ever Moltara League Rookie Report. In this segment, we evaluate the current rookies who have filed as early entry candidates for the upcoming Moltaran League Draft Night that will be taking place later in the summer.

One of the players who have declared himself for the draft is Lester Boome, a fresh-graduate in the Yooyuball academy. After a less than noteworthy three years in the academy, the speedster flourished in his senior season, averaging a 4 goals and a half and 3.1 assists per game. Known mostly for his fast-paced offense and well-timed passes, his defence is mostly underrated. But he hushed critics, averaging 3.8 steals per game. A great catch for any team, I won't be surprised to see him picked up in the top 3.

Joining Boome is the defensive fortress, The "Miner" Fuentez. The Miner, a junior, announced his candidacy recently, much to the dismay of his teammates in the Academy who has counted on him for his clutch blocks and timely catches, nicknamed the Miner for his ability to "mine" around the field and swipe the Yooyu from unsuspecting forwards who tread too close to the net. He has tied an Academy record of 14 steals during the Academy playoffs. A feat only achieved by the Yooyuball greats Poke Cellars and Squeaky Tressif, waaaay back in his Academy days. I see a bright future for this young steal master. Opposing forwards, you have been warned! Do not keep your eyes off this crafty youngster as he might just "mine" away at your chances to score.

And concluding this Rookie report, we have Mirandah Grelinek, sister to the famous Mirsha Grelinek. She declared herself for the draft after only one year at the Academy. But make no mistake; she is far from playing second fiddle to her renowned sister. Mirandah broke several rookie scoring records and finished as the top scorer during the season. She carried her team towards the playoffs, but lost to Lester Boome's team during the semi-finals. However, she made losing look good with her signature move, the Grelinek Feint, a behind-the-back shot to close out the final seconds. Record breaking scoring, a crowd pleaser and great player lineage; watch out for this girl to get drafted as number one.

Let's take a look at the list of early entrants in our draft:
Lester Boome
Position: Right forward; Strengths: Speed, experience, strong instincts; Weaknesses: Endurance, strength

Jefferson
Position: Left forward; Strengths: Power, passing; Weaknesses: Stamina, accuracy

The "Miner" Fuentez
Position: Center defender; Strengths: Stealing the ball, Tenacity, "clutch" performer; Weaknesses: Speed, toughness

Mirandah Grelinek
Position: Left Forward Strengths: Craftiness, scoring Weaknesses: Inexperience

Spotty Wilumed
Position: Goalkeeper Strengths: Quick hands, stamina, strength Weaknesses: Athletic IQ, easily fooled

Lavarous Hunjer
Position: Left Defender Strengths: Guarding, experience, leadership Weaknesses: Speed, accuracy

Mikey Bartowsko
Position: Center forward Strengths: Optimistic, running plays Weaknesses: Strength, size

From the looks of our about-to-be rookies, we can confidently say that this Moltara League will be a hectic one.

Signing off, ~Quem

Posted by staff member: Quem

What's one sign that Yooyuball Planet is growing? The answer is: more staff members! Let's take this time to welcome Quem, our new reporter.

Tloef: Where did you first hear about the site?
Quem: I actually heard about this when Tloef advertised this on the boards and I asked if I could get on board. She sent me details and the rest is history.
T: What's your favourite part of Yooyuball Planet?
Q: The thought process and the article writing, I love that. ;D
T: What will you be doing at Yooyuball Planet?
Q: I mostly deal with the Rookie Report, interviews, trade rumors or just about anything Tloef wants me to do. xD
T: With the AC coming up, who will you be supporting and why?
Q: I've been a BV supporter since ACIV which they didn't play, so I'm excited to join them now in redemption.
T: And finally, do you have any words for our readers?
Q: Hello readers, keep reading YYB planet. Me and Tloef put our heart and sweat into this so I hope you enjoy it!

Remember to check out Quem's first Rookie Report on Monday!

Miss out on any of the games that took place today? Don't worry! Here's some feedback on all of the matches...
Krawk Island
Lagooners (H) 7 – 8 Scarblade Society (A)
Scarblade Society was showing major signs of exhaustion in their latest away game. Forced to play catch-up for most of the match, Scarblade's defensive line of Kiteland Peep and Lamelle Turow was constantly battered by the youthful players of the Lagooners as their attackers launched attack after attack. Left forward of Lagooners, Sahlumo Vaari, felt that her side deserved better. "You know, we went out there, we did our best, but at the end of the match it wasn't good enough. We were so unlucky with our shots, some hitting the crossbar. I don't think Society deserved the 3 points since they weren't playing as well as we were..."

Pawkeet Plunderers (H) 10 – 1 Silver Cutlass Crew (A)
Looks like Premy "Golden Boots" Deakings has finally put on his golden boots, as he scored all 10 of his teams' goals. Pawkeet Plunderers have definitely struggled this season, but the win today was an important step in claiming a higher position on the table. Heading into the new season, there was a lot of pressure on this once prestigious club. With the signing of new players, both fans and critics had high expectations. It's safe to say that in their first few matches, the Plunderers did not look like they were be contenders for the title.

The Lost Desert
Qasala City Club (H) 15 – 3 Pyramid Patriots (A)
The home team decimated their visitors in a very controversial match. Midway through the first half of the game, Lilo Blumario (Qasala forward) fell inside the goalie's zone. Ript Quallint (Pyramid's forward) was then given a warning and the referee gave the home side a penalty shot, much to the dismay and shock of the Pyramid Patriots. Later in the game, Ript thought that Qasala goalkeeper, Lairah Heggle, had intentionally fouled him, but the referee wouldn't listen. In the press conference following the match, Ript would barely contain his anger, "sure, I was near Blumario, but did I trip him? No way! I got morals, yeah? Then, the same thing happens to me, but do we get a penalty call? No! I mean, c'mon. Not everyone from Darigan Citadel plays dirty. I'm straight as an arrow. That referee was too sympathetic to the home fans. It wasn't a fair match."

The Anubis Allegiance (H) 4 – 4 Sakhmet Union (A)
Though it was only a draw, The Anubis Allegiance came away with a victory in the sense that they earned their first point of the season. Center forward, Derbi Azar, was undoubtedly the MVP of the match, scoring 3 goals and 1 assist. The year has been very disappointing for the LD Scorchio. Heading into the new season, there were hopes that the team would be changing to a 2 + 2 formation, in order to provide her with some scoring support. However, the team's formation remained 1 + 3 and she's still the lone forward. On the flip side, Sakhmet Union's title hopes are threatened as they are wary of the strength of Golden Pharaohs. Star forward, Vonde Cayle, says, "we can't afford any more mistakes. It's too costly. Golden Pharaohs is a strong team – just look at their roster! Their strength lies in the fact that they can maintain their concentration and stamina in the second leg of the season. We face them on the final day of the season. It could very well be the deciding game."

Miss out on any of the games that took place today? Don't worry! Here's some feedback on all of the matches...

Faerieland
Cirrus United (H) 0 – 12 Faeries of Faerieland (A)
After demolishing Cirrus United, Faeries of Faerieland hopes to catch up to table-leaders, Jhudora's Judgement. The team knows that their match next week will be crucial. Goalkeeper, Valtonous Rea, warns his fellow yooyuballers to approach their next game with caution, "it's our second and last match against Judgement. The first time we lost 8 to 6. It was a close match, but we felt that the referee was too lenient on them. Hopefully, on our home turf, we can deliver a win for our fans. We need to stay alert and play our game."

Fyora's Faeries (H) 5 – 5 The Alkenore Line-Up (A)
Fyora's Faeries have finally earned themselves their first point of the season! After their first 6 matches, their tie with The Alkenore Line-Up was well received by their fans. "Supporters know they're not the greatest team out there," says Henri Glotinger, a long-time fan of the club, "but we couldn't care less about winning the trophy. We come out to cheer on our favourite club and we let the athletes know that they're not alone on the field. We've got their back!

Virtupets
The Sloth Force United (H) 8 – 0 Virtupets Yooyu-Bots (A)
Even with a win, The Sloth Force United still sits at the bottom of the standings. It was an easy victory for the home team, and the goals delighted the fans. Center defender, Ruiku Samuel, says that his team's success is another reason why Dr.Sloth's legacy will live on. "I know he's out there somewhere! Dr.Sloth, please come and watch our matches! Please?" On another note, Virtupets Yooyu-Bots may have a problem on their hands. Left forward, Qlydae Wegg, has been reportedly unhappy with his team's recent slump. The Kreludan has hinted that he'd like to return to his land and play in the Kreludor league.

Grundo Grunts 5000 (H) 3 – 4 Stars of Space (A)
Stars of Space may have took the win, but their victory was less than convincing. Heading into this season as one of the top two teams, they barely defeated their opponents. Keetra Deile, the Stars' right forward, acknowledges that their last two games will be crucial. "We're still behind Cosmo Supers. I think we started the season too complacent, and whenever things didn't go our way, it hurt our team morale."

Next week, Yooyuball Planet will be sending our reporters to comment live on the matches taking place on Saturaday. Stay tuned!

Yooyuball Planet was granted with unprecedented behind-the-scenes access as the yooyuball league in Moltara begins to be established. As we reported last time, the final 5 clubs for the league have been announced. Our reporters sat down with the head official of the Moltara national league, Lanoit Pexei, for more information.

Yooyuball Planet: Thanks for joining us, Lanoit! I'm sure you have a busy schedule.
Lanoit Pexei: *chuckles* Indeed, I do. I have tons of appointments every day, as well as press conferences.
YP: As the head official of yooyuball in Moltara, what are your duties?
LP: Major decisions regarding Moltara's yooyuball franchise will be directed to me. These issues include the construction of new yooyuball stadiums, holding press conferences, and meeting with international officials.
YP: Yooyuball is a sport that brings the four corners of Neopia together, and as the most popular sport, it really unites people from different lands. What has the atmosphere been like in Moltara, knowing that you will soon be a part of this?
LP: Everyone in Moltara is ecstatic over the fact that our yooyuball league will be a part of the official N.I.F.T.Y. federation. Even if you're not a sports fan, you can't help but feel a sense of pride and joy.
YP: Speaking of N.I.F.T.Y., did they approach you? Or did you bring your ideas of a yooyuball league to them?
LP: When our doors opened to Neopia, we had a lot of visitors come into Moltara, including a N.I.F.T.Y. official. Of course, we've never heard of this sport before, but once she and I sat down to discuss the possibility of expanding the yooyuball franchise, I found out that it wasn't different from one of the games that we currently play here.
YP: *nods* I see. So the introduction of yooyuball into Moltara culture wasn't a big shock?
LP: Absolutely not. Even down here, we Moltarans like sport! In fact, our sport, called molta-ball, and it's very similar to yooyuball in that there are two teams and they try to score in the other team's net. The only major difference is that yooyuball is played with 5 people, whereas molta-ball is played with 10.
YP: Will the difference in team size have an impact?
LP: It will definitely make a difference. Since only 5 teams can compete in the league, it is restricted to 25 players, much less than molta-ball. Fewer athletes will get a chance to complete at a higher level, but at the same time, those who do get to compete will become local heroes and legends. They'll be able to travel around Neopia to face off against teams who have a much older history than them in the sport.
YP: A lot of people were surprised that a yooyuball league is already being established here. Some feel that it's too early, and that waiting a year or two will increase the quality of the yooyuball here. What are your comments about this?
LP: Well, like I mentioned, yooyuball isn't that much of a difference from molta-ball. Most of the five clubs have a deep history of sport, so it's not like we're just creating clubs out of thin air. These players are also very talented as well. I do think that there's a misconception that everything is new and created solely because we are now creating a yooyuball league. The fact is, some of these teams have been around for a long time. A lot of these stadiums have been here a while as well. Before people write us off as novices, let me say one thing. The sporting tradition in Moltara is extremely strong!

Be sure to check in for Part II of our exclusive interview, which will be posted in a few days.

In Part II of my interview with Moltara's head official of yooyuball, Lanoit Pexei, we move away from the from the logistics and the organization of the league, and talk more about the players and clubs themselves.

Yooyuball Planet: Very little information has been released, and I know our Yooyuball Planet readers are anxious for any news about Moltara.
Lanoit Pexei: *laughs* I'll bet! It's so hard keeping these secrets! The other officials and I have agreed that we will be releasing the majority of the information in one press conference, but let's see what I can give you...hmm...
YP: Are there any confirmed players so far? If so, what can you tell us about them?
LP: Yes, there are! One such player is The "Miner". He's never told his real name to anyone and he's a bit of a mysterious character. He'll be a defender for Obsidian Armoury, which is a club that his great-grandmother founded!
YP: Ah, nice to see some connections between a player and their club. Speaking of which, what can you tell us about Obsidian Armoury or any of the other clubs?
LP: Obsidian Armoury is a very defensive team, with a 1 + 3 formation. They're the only club in the Moltara league to use that formation. Two clubs use 2 + 2, and the other two uses 3 + 1. Out of the five teams, The Lampwyck Lightnings are the newest. As you probably know, they were founded by Lampwyck, who owns a shop here in Moltara. From what I've seen, the players are definitely living up to their name. They move around the field with amazing speed!
YP: Can you spare some more information, pretty please?
LP: *laughs* Sure! One of the key players for The Lampwyck Lightnings is Obbe Langsturm, who's a right forward. He's really taken the rest of the team under his wings, as he's the oldest member. Langsturm has a lot of experience with yooyuball. Previously, he played in the Tyrannian league but he's come out of retirement to enter the Moltaran league.
YP: If we look at different lands, we can see innovations in playing styles. For example, clubs in Virtupets stress the importance of random decision making on the field, in order to combat the predicting abilities of robotic players. The playing style in Terror Mountain is much slower, focusing on analyzing the situation. What do you think Moltara can contribute to the game of yooyuball?
LP: I think the playing style for yooyuball will be heavily influenced by how we played molta-ball. First and foremost, it's a team sport, so there's never talk about getting the yooyu to one player so they can score. It's about how the team scores.
YP: Thanks for speaking with Yooyuball Planet, Lanoit!
LP: My pleasure! I hope you enjoy yooyuball in Moltara!
YP: And as a reminder to yooyuball fans across Neopia, the Moltara league will be playing during the months of November and December. Be sure to check in this Saturday as we highlight the matches that day.

With the Altador Cup V just weeks away, our reporters headed over to the new ACV Neoboards to check in with yooyuball fans. We received responses from 16 users and teams represented include Krawk Island (3), Shenkuu (3), Moltara (2), Lost Desert (2), Mystery Island (2), Haunted Woods (1), Kreludor (1), Darigan Citadel (1), and 1 undecided. This week, we asked the following questions...
1) Who are you supporting in the ACV?
2) Describe your team in 3 words.
3) Who's your favourite player and why?
4) What's your favourite part of the AC?
So, what did these sports fans have to say?

Gemellare, an avid supporter of last year's champs (Krawk Island), says that her team is "hard working, loyal, and very competitive". Without a doubt, her favourite player is the captain, "Dasher" Soley. Spinkzy, another big KI supporter, is also a Dasher fan, "just because he's awesome". In fact, when it came down to the favourite players, all three of our KI supporters put Dasher as their favourite yooyuballer, a testament to his skill and sportsmanship. Krawk Island's players have a strong sense of loyalty, something that can be mirrored in their fans as well. Neon3003 enjoys "the camaraderie on the boards", particularly with K.I.L.L (Krawk Island Living Legends), a KI fan group. Teamwork is an important factor for many people, as Volcanic says she loves "working alongside [her] teammates for a common goal" and Spinkzy enjoys "chatting with friends".

Since we're on the topic of favourite players, let's run through some of the responses, shall we? Ghostgirl159's favourite yooyuball player is Krell Vitor, "because he looks so huggable". When asked if he could comment on that, Vitor replied (looking quite flustered), "oh! Uh...er...I...thanks!" Both Sharkymoose and Hlywoodgirl5 are fans of Bertie Shurtz, center forward for MI. Also playing for The Island Yooyu Troop, Shurtz may not have had the best national league season, with her team finishing 4th. However, Mystery Island is always a big contender in the AC. Bertie says she's raring to go and that fans of the team should expect great things from them. "We've been putting in extra training sessions," Shurtz commented during a press conference, "I think our team is stronger than we were last time around."

Determination" is the key to success. Volcanic, mazda_man_10, s4ir4, and a bunch of others described their team as being "determined", "hard working", and "driven". When it comes to the Altador Cup, everyone is giving their all in order to help their team achieve victory. On the other hand, some exercised their creative license and decided to use their 3-word limit in sentence format. Roddy1999 thinks DC is "the awesomest team", while neoparrot_8_8_8 describes SK as "amazing pwnful ninjas". Herdow couldn't contain his excitement, and shouted that MI was "UBERLY AMAZINGLY AWESOMESAUCE!" Clevebrownsfan, who will be supporting Moltara, believes they "will be dominant".

Suspense, drama, action! That's what most of the answers to #4 were all about. A wise man once said, the suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last. A lot of yooyuball fans, including hardyboyz_rule01, enjoy watching the finals. With the most coveted yooyuball trophy up for grabs, the finals are always intense and every year, there are lots of surprises for everyone. Overall, the favourite part of the Altador Cup is the results! For SK's Goc1991, it's all about "the final minutes before the results are shown every day. Oh the suspense!" The sentiment is similar for aerox__. His favourite part is "waiting to see the results from each match. I love the anticipation".

Sometimes, it's the beginning of the tournament that gets us energized. LD's Mazda_man_10 not only likes the final, but also the "first 3 days", where "the cup excitement is still wearing in". By the way, if "Dirty" Navers is reading this, you've still got a fan in Mazda_man_10! On other occasions, it's the victories of the day that we remember. Roddy1999 and Spinkzy both enjoy winning. Who wouldn't? The road to the golden trophy is paved with success. Herdow's (MI) favourite part of the AC would be playing YYB and beating Shenkuu. If you're on SK, watch out! It seems Herdow will be putting in some extra effort against you!

So, whether you're serving slushies for the "skilled" Shenkuu, scoring yooyus for the "united" Kreludor, cheering for your favourite team, the "unpredictable" Mystery Island, or relaxing with your friends at "fun-loving" Haunted Woods, one thing's certain. The ACV promises to be one of the best sporting events in Neopia history.

A big thanks to roddy1999, spinkzy, herdow, mazda_man_10, hardyboyz_rule01, neoparrot_8_8_8, aerox__, s4ir4, ghostgirl159, hlywoodgirl5, neon3002, sharkymoose, volcanic, clevebrownsfan, gemellare, and goc1991 for participating! Note: Usernames are included with permission.

Thanks to our reporters' snooping skills, we've managed to uncover some exciting news! Back in November of 2009, there were reports of a possible yooyuball league expansion, with Moltara in the headlines. The Rule's Committee had met with N.I.F.T.Y (Neopia's International Federation of Terrific Yooyuballers) to discuss this issue, and it seems an agreement has been reached. Starting in the new yooyuball season, the Moltara league will take place during the months of November and December, alongside Maraqua, Kiko Lake and Kreludor.

That's not all, though! We've got permission from the officials of the Moltara league themselves to publish the final roster of teams that will be headlining their new competition. Yooyuball fans, say hello to...

Obsidian Armoury
The Lampwyck Lightnings
Moltara Vision
Tanks of Tangor
The Marlock Cavalry

This is exciting news for the yooyuball franchise, as it'll open doors for many new and young promising players. Though we don't have any more in-depth information on the teams or the names of their players, we'll do our best to keep you up to date with all of the latest news coming out of Moltara.

Scores for today's matches have been posted and standings are now up to date!

Congratulations go out to Kiko Lake's Kiko Crew, Kreludor's Kreludan Adventurers and Maraqua's Maraquan Marauders for being this season's champions!

Kiko Crew
Although they have the least amount of national championship titles to their name, Kiko Crew has shown us that they're a force to be reckoned with. Many fans are praising the new management and board of directors for reaching out to the likes of Holbie Pinnock, an Altador Cup veteran. Increased funding meant more summer signings and you can bet that this is just the beginning of their new revolutionary change.

Kreludan Adventurers
With outstanding performances by defender Montecito and captain Salazar Monetara, it's no surprise that the Adventurers rose to the top of the table early on in the season. They were untouchable as they had secured the championship title with a match to go. While fans may be disappointed with a loss today, they can celebrate their 30th title win!

Maraquan Marauders
Though the Marauders are known for their drama and headline-making scandals, teammates Elon Hughlis and Ubatron Metrodora were able to put aside their differences and keep the momentum of their game going. However, many critics feel that this is the last straw for the Hughlis-Metrodora pairing, as the two forwards just cannot work together without squabbling. It's possible that one of them could be making a change in clubs sometime soon.

Well, that brings us to the end of the season in Kiko Lake, Kreludor and Maraqua. We hope you enjoyed this season just as much as we did. As the celebrations begin around Neopia, we hope you have a great New Years! We'll see you again in 2010, when teams in Roo Island, Terror Mountain and Darigan Citadel begin the battle for their own national title. Cheers!

Be sure to bundle up – it's chilly out there! As the yooyuball season in KL, KD and MQ come to a close, let's take some time to enjoy the holiday spirit! I'm sure those athletes must be quite excited. Not only do they get to open their presents tomorrow, but they'll also be playing their final matches on the 26th!

We all hope that you enjoy what we do here at Yooyuball Planet. It's hard work but at the end of the day, it's extremely rewarding, not to mention, extremely fun. Besides, who else will report on yooyuball news around Neopia? Let's look forward to 2010 – a new year, the start of a new season in RI, TM and DC, and of course, another Altador Cup!

The yooyuball season in Kiko Lake, Kreludor and Maraqua comes to an end as the final matches will be played next Saturday (December 26). Which teams look poised to take the trophy and which clubs need some help for next season?

Kiko Lake

The race for Kiko Lake's national yooyuball title comes down to two clubs: Kiko Crew (16 points) and Lake Stars (13 points), both playing their final matches next week. The Crew has a goal difference of +5, whereas the Stars have +11. Should Kiko Crew lose and remain at 16 points and Lake Stars win their match, the trophy will to the team with the higher goal difference: Lake Stars. Kiko Crew need at least a draw in order to become champions for the 4th time. Will they be able to hang on? Find out next week!

Kreludor

Unless you're a fan of Kreludan Adventurers, you probably won't have a lot to celebrate next week, or this week in fact. Sitting on 15 points with one game to go, the Adventurers have managed to clinch this year's trophy in Kreludor. With such a huge gap between them and the rest of the field, they are untouchable and early celebrations can begin on Neopia's moon.

Maraqua

The situation is similar in Maraqua, as the Maraquan Marauders have given their all, starting the season with spectacular flair. No one can catch up to them now, as rivals and second place team, Kelp United, only have 10 points. Even if they win their final game, they'll only have 13 overall. After the Marauders' win today over Arkmite Attackers, fans all over Neopia are celebrating their back-to-back championship title. Regardless of who wins or loses next week, this season's trophy belongs to Maraquan Marauders.

The transfer season is still far away, but our reporters are already hard at work separating fact from fiction when it comes to rumours. Here's our take on the current yooyuball headlines...

Could the Rockwood brother & sister duo be split apart?
Maay and Tanny Rockwood, defenders for HW's The Candy Corn Crew, may be playing at separate clubs next season. Rumours are flying around that Maay has been offered a short-term contract with Ice Cream Screamers, a yooyuball team based in Terror Mountain. When asked whether or not this was true, her brother Tanny replied, Absolutely not. We're a team and we're sticking with the Crew. Besides, she'd have told me whether or not another team approached her. Regardless, the young Shoyru did not look particularly confident when he said that.
Our verdict? Fiction. It'll take a better offer than a "short-term contract" to separate these two.

The return of the Dubloon?
Right defender "5 Dubloon" Devlin has been linked with a move to KI's Lagooners. He currently plays for Grundo Grunts 5000, one of the less successful teams in the Virtupets yooyuball league. Though many have called him out on his inexperience, the coach of the Lagooners has expressed his interest in the defender, saying, Aye, Devlin be a small tadpole n' the pond but give me some time. I'll make him a world-class player faster than a pirate chasin' the smell o' treasure. The Lagooners are known for having a young squad, so it seems that Devlin would fit right in. Our verdict? Fact. It seems making the move to outer space was a bit too far from home for this pirate Quiggle.

After being decimated 16 – 0 by Front Shore United, the players of Kiko Crew are still in shock. News of their unprecedented defeat made headlines around Neopia, with the most watched sports channel in Neopia Central, Neopets News, making comments on how they've never lost by such a large margin before in their entire club history. Newspapers in Krawk Island (notably Pirates Tabloid and The Weekly Dubloon) berated the Crew's performance, with most of the blame placed on the captain, Moni Vyshan, a former member of the international KL Altador Cup team. Popular radio stations (such as Kreludan Classic Music 106.7, Very Faeries Rock Channel and Smooth MI Jazz) have also made comments on the match.

There are reports that Vyshan shouted at her fellow players after the match, slamming their performance then left the stadium in a rage.

The captain and right forward of Kiko Crew, Moni Vyshan, had this to say:

It's completely embarrassing. Whenever you lose a critical match, it's hard to take, but 16-0...it's just horrible. I lost my temper and I truly apologize for it. I wasn't the only one that lost – we all did.

The Island Kiko has been under immense criticism as of late, with many pointing to her inexperience as a yooyuball player and her inability to lead. There are even rumours that her captaincy will be removed and given to the veteran, Ama Vureezon. Teammate and left forward, Holbie Pinnock, defended his captain, stating,

Was it bad? Yeah, it was. The worst loss in my entire career. I don't blame anyone in particular, and I don't think anyone else should either. It's not just Moni. We're all held responsible for this defeat since we were outplayed. United was the better team today.

What are the reactions like from the fans? Well, half of them are absolutely devastated that their team lost by such a large margin. The other half are completely furious. One fan said, "I can't believe that we didn't even score a single yooyu! I mean, we were so sloppy and wasted so many good opportunities. The defenders couldn't defend, the forwards couldn't score and we might as well have had an empty net since the goalkeeper couldn't do anything either!"

Whether you lose 16-0 or 1-0, the result is still the same – you won't be getting any points. However, let's hope that the team can turn things around for next time and give their fans some good news.

Have no clue on what we're talking about? Well, yooyuball matches take place on one day per week. Most of the time, it'll be on a Saturday. For example, Kiko Lake, Kreludor and Maraqua played on November 28. Today, however, is another match day. Phew, must be tiring without having proper time to rest! When two match days are scheduled closely together, the second day is usually referred to as "Sucker Punch" day (or sometimes as "sucker punch" matches). The name refers to how teams have little time to regroup after their previous matches and if they're not prepared...well, you get the picture. This is usually the point in a team's season where they'll either start to fade due to exhaustion or they'll continue their battle for the championship title. So, how did clubs in KL, KD and MQ perform on Sucker Punch day?

KL
Front Shore United seems like the team to beat as they swept Kiko Karpenters Guild aside, winning 10 – 1. With this, they're firmly at the top of the table. Lake Stars earned a full 3 points as well with a victory over Kiko Creatures, though their performance was shaky at times. This win keeps them within reach of United.

KD
In the battle of the titans, the home crowd could only watch and hold back their tears as D-Fying Gravity fell short, defeated by their rivals Kreludan Adventurers. The Adventurers currently sit at the top of the leader board, having a giant 6-point lead on the second place team!

MQ
Maraquan Marauder fans have less and less to cheer about as the season continues. It was rumoured that bitter teammates, Elon Hughlis and Ubatron Metrodora, had (another) falling out, leaving their teammates scrabbling to make up for their lack of communication on the field. Though the team managed to earn 1 point for a draw with Maractite Field, the competition is heating up. Underwater Revolution narrowly defeated Kelp United. The Marauders and Revolution are currently both in first place with 7 points from 4 matches.

On a side note...
Yooyuball Planet is 5 months old! A big thank you goes out to all of our readers and visitors!

What an exciting week it's been for yooyuball fans all over Neopia! Let us get you caught up on the action and drama that took place...

Kiko Lake A whopping 25 yooyus were scored today in Kiko Lake! Kiko Crew managed to cruise to a comfortable victory over Kiko Karpenters Guild with a final score of 8 – 3. Much of their heavy-lifting came from left forward, Holbie Pinnock, who had a hat trick and two additional assist. In the other match, Kiko Creatures just couldn't contain Front Shore United, as it ended in a devastating 9 – 5 for the home team. United fans might not have much to celebrate though. Right defender Kivu was tangled up in a nasty challenge late in the game and could possibly be out of action for a few weeks. The coaches are hoping it's just a minor sprain, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Kreludor Though Spacebounded won the season last year, many critics are quick to say that it was due to pure luck. However, they pulled off an astounding win against Kreludor Meteorites. All 3 goals came from center forward, Mr. Astro, a player that has shown consistency throughout the season. In other high-scoring news, Kreludan Adventurers squeezed by the Galactic Yooyus, claiming the full 3 points with a score of 11 – 10. Fans of the Galactics were obviously devastated as they seemed to be controlling the game from the start.

Maraqua It was a somewhat disappointing day in the deep oceans of Neopia as both teams in Maraqua tied, 0 – 0 and 7 – 7. The heavyweights, Kelp United and Maraquan Marauders faced off against each other, hoping to earn some points though in the end, each side could only claim 1 point for the draw. The match between Arkmite Attackers and Maractite Field was a bit on the dull side, with no yooyus scored. Let's hope there's some definitive action next week in Maraqua.

You've heard what the critics had to say about the current yooyuball seasons in Kiko Lake, Kreludor and Maraqua. Now hear what the fans have the say! Our reporters are all over Neopia today to get live reactions from the fans themselves! Here's what they have to say...

Lake Stars (H) 7 – 7 Kiko Crew (A)
Jenny Horfife: Ughh, the Stars are definitely not shining this year! I mean, the season's half over and they're not even at 10 points! I'm surprised since Winberto Seliz (center forward) said that he and his team were heading into this competition feeling confident. They need to start scoring more and since they have a 1 + 3 formation, it's all down to the Altador international – Seliz!
Benson Jikle: Wow, what an amazing turnaround from last season for Kiko Crew! They may have finished fourth last year, but we're currently in first place! I'm glad that we managed to tie Lake Stars because they're a fierce team! Keep it going Crew!

Kiko Creatures (H) 0 - 3 Front Shore United (A)
Lucky Hedry: ...ok, so last year we finished dead last and again, we're dead last. Kiko Creatures is my favourite team but c'mon! Give us fans something to cheer about! In today's match, the defence had more holes in it than a sponge and our forwards gave the yooyu to the opposition more than their own teammates. Here's what I say: fire the current coach and hire a new one!
Sor Eua:It's just what every fan fears. After winning the cup last season, the team is in a slump this time around. Sure, Front Shore won today, but it was only because the other team was careless. If Front Shore want to be champions again, goalkeeper Erli Quinnock will have to be on her toes.

Galactic Yooyus (H) 2 – 0 Spacebounded (A)
Sir Podei the 5th: The Galactic Yooyus' performance today was flawless. Sure, they didn't score a lot, but the two they managed to put into the net were perfect goals – absolutely breathtaking! I'm glad I made the journey from Meridell to see them win a home match! If they keep up their energy throughout the season, I'm sure they'll place in the top two.
Frawnsworth: Ahhh, Spacebounded just couldn't keep up. The players seemed a little tired. They've been doing a lot of press conferences, so who can blame them? However, they need to keep their feet on the ground. While the press may like writing stories about the underdogs winning twice in a row, Xyler Spyck and the rest of his teammates better earn some points!

Kreludan Adventurers (H) 8 – 4 D-Fying Gravity (A)
Gungsom Pluori: With a defence consisting of Derlyn Fonnet and Montecito, I'm surprised Gravity even scored at all! These two defenders are key players for the Adventurers and if they are able to hold back the opposition, the team will definitely place higher than 4th this year.
Gecego Uyti: While D-Fying Gravity may have the only pure attacking (3 + 1) formation in Kreludor, they couldn't score enough to keep up with the other team. One thing that was frustrating for fans is the lack of communication between the players! This resulted in poor passes and unsynchronized plays.

Underwater Revolution (H) 2 – 1 Maraquan Marauders (A)
Zickly Jinn: *cheers* The little guy finally took out the titan! Just when everybody though the Marauders were untouchable, the Revolution wipes them out! Here's hoping that the rest of our season can be like this! Yay!
Fran Opmoir:Well...they had to lose sometime. The only goal came from Metrodora and boy, let me tell ya, that Peophin can score! Personally, I feel she's capable of scoring goals that the "other" forward can't. I think most Marauder fans are tired of Elon Hughlis' antics. Just pass the yooyu to your teammates! They're open!

Arkmite Attackers (H) 4 – 11 Kelp United (A)
Lady Dratigy: *sobs* Oh, my poor Arkmite Attackers! They were handed a cruel defeat! The goalkeeper, Bareet, looked absolutely confused most of the time. I mean, it's simple, isn't it? Don't let the yooyu get in the net. *sigh* The poor Buzz gets so easily distracted...
Cramer: Kelp United definitely needed this win in order to keep up with the current leaders. Overall, the team's performance was solid. The center forward, Silvakuras, scored 8 out of the 11 goals! That's one talented Grarrl if you ask me.

With the latest discovery of Moltara City, many fans are speculating whether a yooyuball franchise will appear in the new land. In the past, many newly discovered lands have been quickly incorporated into the professional yooyuball league. Most notable are Kiko Lake and Maraqua.

We have confirmed reports that The Rule's Committee (notable for their work during the Altador Cup) met with N.I.F.T.Y. (Neopia's International Federation of Terrific Yooyuballers) this past week to hold a brief meeting. Although this took place behind closed doors, our reporters managed to squeeze a little bit of information out of one of the board members as they were leaving. Here's what she had to say,

Of course there's always the possibility of expanding the franchise. We want yooyuball to be an international sport. Indeed, it is already an intergalactic phenomenon, with Kreludor and Virtupets. However, even if both parties [the officials of Moltara City and N.I.F.T.Y.] are interested in a yooyuball expansion, it probably won't happen for the time being. They're still getting used to visitors from the surface world and we want to give them time to adjust.

So, what are the chances that an expansion will take place? At our own little meeting, the reporters of Yooyuball Planet held an informal debate on this very topic. Our result? 52% in favour of a yooyuball franchise expansion in Moltara City. Hmm, that's still kind of vague. We'll be sure to keep our eyes and ears open for any news on Moltara City...

There was soft flute music playing in the background but I couldn't really tell where it came from. Suddenly, I heard a shout coming from the pitch, "WATCH OUT!!

BAM! The Darigan yooyuball bangs into my head and I thought I heard it chuckle. My papers go flying into different directions and while I'm down on the ground, the yooyu lands on its feet with a smirk. Xana Dilanche, Shenkuu Warriors Unite's goalkeeper, rushes over, along with teammate and left defender, Antola Maeir. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I've been trying the Darigan yooyu," Maeir explained, "I'm still so bad at it!" I laughed and insisted I was fine, much to the displeasure of the Darigan yooyu. The two of them returned to the pitch and continued their training. Dilanche was practising saving penalty shots and Maeir was helping by hurling as many yooyus as she could at the goalkeeper. I decided that the Darigan yooyu had it in for me, so I made my way towards the other practice pitch.

Scrap" Taggert, Mack "25/20" and "Son of Shenkuu" were on the other side of the arena. Though I'm not allowed to talk about their training methods, I have to admit, it is quite ingenious. Let's just say that if they played yooyuball in a completely dark room, they'd have no problem. The team's management will let me divulge this detail: they are trained to know exactly what's happening on the field at all times (even if they can't see it). Watching them throw the Fire yooyu to each other while blindfolded was shocking, seeing how accurate they were.

The team trains about six hours a day and as the new season approaches, they have plans to increase this number. SWU (Shenkuu Warriors Unite) is known for playing consistently throughout the entire season while many of the other teams tire from the busy schedule. Just what is their secret? Xana Dilanche tells me, "we eat healthy foods and drink lots of tea. With our daily meditating, we just don't feel stressed at all!"

The training session passed by quickly and I definitely had a better understanding of how the Warriors were as good as they are. They are definitely focussed on what they do, but there's also time for fun as well. "Scrap" Taggert is known for being a prankster and everyone is always on their toes, hoping they won't be his next victim. Unfortunately, today was Son of Shenkuu's turn. Instead of having his name (S.O.S. or "Son of Shenkuu") on the back of his jersey, during training I noticed that it said "Hello, my name is Bob". I don't think he even noticed!

The sun is setting and another day has ended in Shenkuu. Everyone is getting ready to head home and as I said my farewells to each of the players, I just know they're going to be major contenders this year. I picked up my bag but as I was getting ready to exit the stadium, I felt someone tap my shoulder. "Are you in a hurry?" said Son of Shenkuu.

In the final episode of Shenkuu Stories, I will be conducting an exclusive interview with "Son of Shenkuu". The article will be featured in the "Sit Down With..." section.

You know the Ixi and Grarrl commentators for the Altador Cup? Oh boy, what are their names...well, moving on, they've been posting their predictions on the KL, KD and MQ seasons so far. It's quite an interesting read (even if I've forgotten their names!). Kiko Lake
The Ixi: Kiko Lake's yooyuball league is fairly new, but it should be an appealing league to watch. You've got Kiko Creatures who have excellent defenders and then there's Front Shore United, known for making great comebacks.
The Grarrl I would definitely say that Kiko Lake is an entertaining league to watch, solely because of the diversity of the teams. Last season was an eye-opener for the rest of Neopia and without doubt, I think some of the teams have a great chance in the All-Neopia Champion's league.
I:So, Front Shore United were the champs last season. Are they still contenders or do you pick a different team to win?
G:Well, it's hard to say. They played horrendously against Kiko Crew, losing 10-0. They just didn't seem to be able to get into the game and they had very few scoring chances. On the other hand, Kiko Crew looked solid. The defenders were doing their jobs, the forwards were scoring and of course, Auture Joki, the goalkeeper, was a commanding figure at the net.
I: Now, the other match was between Lake Stars and Kiko Karpenters. The Stars won but only by one goal. Should they be celebrating this win or should they be worried?
G:Oh, both! I think they'll take the 3 points happily but when the players and coaches step back and take a closer look at the match, they'll see that a lot of mistakes were being made – rookie mistakes.
I:So for Kiko Lake, how do you think it'll rank up in the end?
G: I'm going to say that the two main contenders are Lake Stars and Front Shore United. Kiko Crew also have a great chance if they continue playing like they did on the opening day. Kiko Creatures have yet to play, but I think they need to focus on scoring more if they want to pressure the top teams.

Kreludor
I: Last season was a bit of a shocker with lowly Spacebounded taking the national title away from heavy favourites Galactic Yooyus.
G:Yeah, as many of the readers probably remember there was a lot of controversy because a lot of the players on other teams were injured. However, my hat goes off to the players of Spacebounded who were able to remain fit and maintain their stamina throughout the season.
I:What can fans expect from the Kreludor yooyuball season?
G:For one thing, Galactic Yooyus will be back with a vengeance! The team's star-player, Zayle Sufhaux (who plays internationally for Krawk Island), has stated that he's trying his best to keep healthy and injury-free. They've got a great line-up with Xila Kitae (former Kreludor international player) in net.
I: Can we expect more surprises in Kreludor?
G: *chuckles* Well, the yooyuball in Kreludor has always been a bit of a mystery. One thing's for sure, I think we can expect a lot of fantastic yooyuball, especially from D-Fying Gravity. They've been testing out new formations and Coco Metrone and Jurin T. have both stated that we can expect a "brand new Gravity".

Maraqua
I: There's a lot of gossip coming out from Maraqua, especially concerning last year's champions, Maraquan Maraquders.
G: *nods* Hmm, there were reports that Elon "The Black Hole" Hughlis and Ubatron Metrodora weren't getting along during training. Hughlis is known for hogging the yooyu but he makes up for that by being a powerhouse when it comes to scoring. Metrodora previously played for Underwater Revolution, a team that stresses the importance of accurate passing and teamwork. I know that fans are both frustrated by Hughlis' lack of respect for his teammates but they also admire his tenacity and skill.
I: If you could choose a team to take down the Marauders, who will it be?
G: Kelp United has been chosen as the favourites heading into the new season and I certainly agree. They've got Tonie Plessix and Oten Runeu who both play for Maraqua's international team. They're absolute giants, both in sheer size and strength.
I: And finally, any room for the underdogs? I always like the underdog stories!
G: *chuckles* Maractite Field is the team that have been constantly labelled as the underdogs. A lot of that has to do with the fact that they have limited funds, meaning they can't sign big-name players. In order to be a major challenger, they'll need to focus on creating a unified team, because they're known for having a mix of talented athletes who play poorly together.

While Shenkuu's yooyuball season is still months away, Shenkuu Warriors Unite are already hard at work creating new strategies and increasing their training schedule. I had the rare opportunity to sit in on one of their training sessions and was granted an interview with one of the most mysterious yooyuball players in the land, their left forward, "Son of Shenkuu".

My day got off to an early start as I was told that the team would be arriving at the practice pitch at 5:00 AM. I don't think I was completely awake by the time I got to their stadium, The Sixth United, but to my surprise, a small group of fans had already assembled in front of the doors, hoping to catch a glimpse of the players. Shenkuu Warriors Unite is a team that is notorious for their secrecy, opting to train behind closed doors in order to protect their strategies. In fact, I had to sign a document that stated I couldn't discuss their main training regimen with anyone. My final article even had to be approved by the team's management.

Making my way past many envious eyes, I entered the stadium after showing the security my Yooyuball Planet All-Access Reporter badge. I was quickly ushered in and was amazed at my surroundings. Walking into the stadium was like entering a different world. Shenkuu is known for its beautiful landscape, but inside, it seemed almost magical. On both sides of the entrance were gigantic waterfalls and the mist coming from the water seemed to make everything sparkle.

In the main lobby, I was greeted by each of the players – Xana Dilanche, Antola Maeir, "Scrap" Taggert, Mack "25/20" and finally, "Son of Shenkuu" himself. Dilanche smiled sweetly and said, "I think you'll have great time here. To begin each day, we start in the meditating room. It is there that we – well - meditate! [Laughs] Let us make our way there now." The meditating room is located on the second floor and has gigantic glass windows on three sides, making the scenery of Shenkuu a part of the stadium. We all sat next to each other on a row and stared out the window in silence. I must admit, I was still a bit groggy at this point and I had to fight back the urge to yawn. Eventually though, the sun rose and filled the room with a soft light which helped wake me up a bit. Maeir spoke softly, "we start each day by coming to this room to watch the sunrise. We reflect on what we think is important and what is important.

Well, let us go," said Taggert, "it is breakfast time!" I looked at my watch and though I didn't feel as if I sat there long, a whole hour had passed. Much to my embarrassment, my stomach growled loudly and everyone laughed. "Son of Shenkuu" poked my arm, "ah, you are not accustomed to waking up so early! Laughs]

The cafeteria is in the public area of the stadium, which was already beginning to fill up. The group of fans I saw in the morning was there and when they saw the players, one of them squealed and almost tripped. A young Kacheek and her friends rushed towards the players to ask for autographs. The players were all very friendly and even invited the group to join us for breakfast. Shenkuu Warriors Unite has always had a reputation of being a very "fan-friendly" club. "A part of our success is due to our supporters. We, in turn, must support them," Dilanche explained. We all sat down, ordered our food (Spicy Cabbage Pancakes with Bamboo Tea for me) and chatted away. It's nice to see that even though these players are famous worldwide, they are still down-to-earth. I was definitely looking forward to the rest of the day.

Stay tuned for the next episode of Shenkuu Stories: A day with the Warriors.

During November and December, three leagues will be playing: MQ, KL and KD. Here are some quotes from the players themselves after the matches, giving us their thoughts on the new season:

Zooka Book, center defender of Kiko Creatures: Our first game today ended in a draw, which is a bit of a disappointment. After finishing 5th in the last season, we are desperately hoping for a higher standing this year. We need to step it up... *sighs*

Poke Cellers, left defender of Front Shore United: Last season, everything went our way. I felt there was a lot of luck involved, what with many players on other teams being injured. There was a lot of criticism because many felt that we didn't earn our trophy. Well, we'll show them! Our win over our rivals, Lake Stars, proves it.

Derlyn Fonnet, left defender of Kreludan Adventurers: Just an absolute shock! I can't believe we lost to Spacebounded! This must be the upset of the century – no, millennia!!

Zamm Bott, left forward of D-Fying Gravity: *beep* *boop* *beep* *whirrrr* *beeps*
Translation of the Robot Ixi's comments: I will defeat. I will win. D-Fying Gravity will take the championship.

Pellis Silvakuras, center forward of Kelp United YT: *sniff* I...c-can't believe we lost that badly.... *sniff* I wish I could have done more... *sniff*

Barit Jowes, center defender of Arkmite Attackers: I gained a lot of experience playing for Maraqua in the Altador Cup so I hope I can give some tips to my teammates. We played a solid game today, but I felt we could be better...no offense Benzin Bareet...

Well, there you have it. For some, the season got off to a great start but for others, the first match ended in tears. But fear not, yooyuball fans! The end of the season is still a long way away!

Yooyuball Planet has sent out all of our reporters to see how the champions are spending their day. With various festivals happening in and around Neopia, these were the places to be...

_Castlegard_ at Brightvale Wow, wow, wow! When Tloef told me I would be travelling to Brightvale to write an article about the Brightvalers, I was so excited! *sighs* I love my job...oh, ahem. Er, let me continue.
The members of Brightvalers include Orie Dinelle, Sybil Deni, "Squeaky" Tressif, Jukes V. and his brother, Jukes C. They're considered major celebrities in Brightvale so of course, I expected a huge crowd but this is insane! I mean, there are literally thousands of people here all hoping to catch a glimpse of the players. Not only are the Brightvalers here, but all of the other teams are here as well (Hagan Supreme, Knowledge United, Motes of Brightvale and The Scholars). The champion's ceremony isn't as fancy as other places. It's just a special time to celebrate the end of another season with a hearty dinner and some music. King Hagan is here, though he looks a little upset that Hagan Supreme didn't win.

There are rows and rows of tables lined up and so much food here that I don't think I'll be able to eat again in my life! Let's see... Marrow and Rice Sundae, Veggie Deluxe Stuffed Pepper and Royal Cheese Bread. Looks like the organizers of this year's dinner spared no expense! Oh, I think I spot the Brightvalers! Let me see if they'll give me a quick interview...

Castlegard: A big congratulations to you guys! You're all absolutely awesome!
Sybil Deni: *blushes* Aww, thanks Mr. Yooyuball Planet reporter.
Orie Dinelle: We're all so proud of each other! We all played our hardest and gave our 100% effort and it paid off.
Castlegard: So, what are your plans for the rest of the evening?
Jukes C: Well, I'm definitely staying behind for the light show.
Jukes V: Yeah, definitely. Fireworks and such.
Squeaky" Tressif: I'm going to be stuffing my face...I'm starving!
Castlegard: *laughs* I'll leave you to it, then! Again, congrats!

I'm definitely enjoying my time here, but I'm sure I'll have a massive stomach-ache tomorrow from eating too much. I was given a Brightvale Celebratory Fruit Basket along with all of the visitors...ughh, it seems like I've eaten half of the food available in Neopia! There are various bands playing and lots of dancing (I won't be taking part in that, since I can't dance to save my life). Overall, the atmosphere is joyous and why wouldn't it be? Everyone's having a laugh and celebrating the closing of another yooyuball season. Well, I better be off. That's cake over there looks delicious...

Yooyuball Planet has sent out all of our reporters to see how the champions are spending their day. With various festivals happening in and around Neopia, these were the places to be...

_Caerlaverock_ in Haunted Woods Hey there, I'm Caerlaverock, reporter extraordinaire for Yooyuball Planet. Just off the heels of Halloween night, the festivities continue in Haunted Woods with the prize ceremony for the members of Northwood Were-Pets, the victors of the HW yooyuball league. I have to say, the prizes are quite ingenious. Each member of the team gets to choose between 60,000 NP and a year's supply of candy or take their chances with the Haunted Woods Mystery Grab Bag. Oh, looks like the players are here and ready!

First up is left defender, Krell Vitor who's taking his chances with the Mystery Grab Bag. He's reaching in and pulls out a piece of paper. Hmm, he's reading it and looks like he got...10,000 NP and a set of Codestones! Hey, not bad! The goalkeeper, Kane, is up next and he's also choosing the Mystery Bag. The Grarrl pulls out a piece of paper and his prize is... Ant Eaten Ham, Ant Soup and Banana Lice Cream! Ew, wouldn't want to eat that! It's a prize pack worth less than 1000 NP. Boy, he looks quite disappointed. The Darigan Bori, Gage Filbo takes the safe route and chooses the 60K and candy. Right defender Serot Van Ripmeer also chooses the first prize pack. Hmm, looks like Salinore Sook, the left forward, is the final player left. The Lupe looks at the Mystery Grab Bag and reaches into it, grabbing a piece of paper. He's won... the entire set of Evil Coconuts! Wow! That must be worth a fortune! He's looking extremely pleased with himself as he hops off the stage.

Well, now the fun and games begins. The party takes place in the Deserted Fairgrounds where everyone (fans, referees and of course, the players) gets a chance to relax and take part in the carnival games. I took this chance to quickly congratulate the members of Northwood Were-Pets. They were all extremely happy, even Kane. He told me that Krell is sharing his Codestones with the rest of the team, and Sook is doing the same with his Evil Coconuts. "Good ole Sook gave me this Flaming Evil Coconut," Kane said appreciatively, "I don't even know what it's worth, but it looks awesome!"

Throughout the rest of the evening, we all took part in playing Bagatelle and other games that the Fairgrounds had to offer. Gage Filbo was a little disappointed with his score on Test Your Strength and everyone poked fun at him all night. Overall, it's a great way to end the season – eating lots of gross foods with world-famous yooyuball players, and losing about 10,000 NP playing Coconut Shy. Um...that 10K will be covered under work expenses...right?

8:45 AM: I've never been to Maraqua before, so this assignment seems more like a vacation to me! The first match of the Maraquan yooyuball season starts in 15 minutes and I've already ran into a problem – I lost my pen and notepad!

9:00 AM: Wow, made it just in time! I had to quickly run into the gift store to purchase some new equipment. This pen has a small figure of Elon Hughlis on the top and whenever you poke it, it says "I'm the best". Uhh...anyways, the match is starting and the players are coming out – this is SO exciting! Ooo, better jot this down...

9:05 AM: The Maraquan Marauders was last year's champions so many have high expectations for them. For their line-up, Ubatron Metrodora (RF), Senior Leeds (GK), Metromons Deebins (LD), Ditan Colb (RD) and finally, the infamous Elon "The Black Hole" Hughlis (LF). Hmm, I wonder if he'll pass to his teammates today. *Chuckle*

For Arkmite Attackers, we've got Neo Linso (RF), Kuras Torres (CF), Benzin Bareet (GK), Filo Desenz (LF) and Barit Jowes (CD), who's a veteran for the Maraqua international team.

9:17 AM: 17 minutes into the match and we've yet to see a goal. This Faerie yooyu seems a bit tricky to handle. Linso of the Attackers has the yooyu and he's being cornered by the Marauder defenders. The Grey Chomby looks even more depressed today. It that's possible, ahaha.

9:18 AM: Hughlis has the yooyu and although his teammate Metrodora is completely open, he's not passing! Marauder fans are shouting at him to pass so that she can score! Oh, he takes a shot but the goalkeeper sees it coming and stops it effectively. Bareet attempts a long pass to his attackers – oh no! The goalkeeper has passed to the wrong person! Marauders' Deebins picks up the Faerie yooyu and quickly passes to Metrodora. She scurries to the side and shoots...SCORES! It's 1-0 to the Maraquan Marauders!

9:20 AM: Hughlis has the Snow yooyu in his possession. Brrr, that looks chilly...

9:25 AM: Five minutes until halftime and the Maraquan Marauders are leading 3 – 1, with two goals from Hughlis and one from Attackers' Neo Linso. Can the Arkmite Attackers catch up?

9:30 AM: The first half has ended and it's been absolutely spectacular. Even though it's an away game for Arkmite Attackers, a lot of their fans have made the trip to see the season opener. It's great to see that they haven't given up and they're making a lot of noise to support their team.

9:45 AM: Second half's beginning and again, I'm almost late getting back to my seat! The stadium is absolutely crowded with yooyuball fans. The pen that I bought from the stadium gift shop is malfunctioning and the little figurine of Elon Hughlis keeps on repeating "Best..best..best..best..". I've decided (for the sake of my sanity) to rip it off...

9:49 AM: Torres of the Arkmite Attackers is leading an impressive charge towards the Marauders' end of the field. She's fakes out Colb and high passes to teammate Desenz who skilfully puts the Darigan Yooyu into the top right corner of the net. It's now 3-2, Marauders still leading, but the Arkmites are applying pressure.

9:52 AM: Deebins has the Fire yooyu and is making his way across the field. Hughlis is trying to get his attention, but Deebins passes to Metrodora – even though she's being guarded! She manages to get the yooyu and passes it in Hughlis' direction. He's taking aim. It's a goal! 4 – 2!

10:01 AM: Hmm, I'm sensing a lot of tension between Deebins and Hughlis. They never seem to pass to each other and Deebins won't even look at him. I wonder if this will give Arkmite a chance to come back... 10:15 AM: The match has ended and the Maraquan Marauders has defeated Arkmite Attackers with a score of 5 to 2 (Hughlis added another goal near the end for his team). Though the Attackers played well, they couldn't hold back Hughlis who was extremely valuable to his side, scoring 3 times. Looks like the Marauders' season is off to a good start!

Matches have taken place for Maraqua, Kiko Lake and Kreludor and the latest scores have been updated.

Yooyuball Planet has sent out all of our reporters to see how the champions are spending their day. With various festivals happening in and around Neopia, these were the places to be...

Tloef in Altador

The crowning of the champions in Altador is both a serious and festive event. The serious part consists of a speech proclaiming this year's winners. Also, each member is presented with 75,000 NP and their statues will be unveiled. Each team member will have a statue in their likeness created and placed in The Hall of Yooyuball Excellence, where they will be immortalized and stand beside some of Altador's greatest athletes in history. The ceremony always takes place at the home stadium of the winning team so this year, I'm at Siyana's Stadium of Light. The players are dressed in their finest and as we are waiting for Hudson Lejmkin (president of the yooyuball organization in Altador) to make the opening speech, the stadium is truly living up to its name. There's not an empty seat in the house as all 35,000 tickets were sold out within minutes. I would guess that if someone on Kreludor or Virtupets looked down at Neopia, they'd see a small dot that seemed to glow. All of the supporters are holding some sort of light, whether it's a flashlight or a glow stick, and the atmosphere in the stadium is absolutely mesmerizing. Oh, I think I spot Hudson! The crowd is getting louder and louder and the elderly Chomby is making his way up to the microphone.

Ahem...thank you, thank you. Please, take your seats. Ah, it seemed as if I was watching the first match of the season just yesterday and now here I stand, ready to present this year's champions with their prizes. Today, we are here to acknowledge the addition of five talented yooyuballers into The Hall of Yooyuball Excellence where their names and deeds will never be forgotten. Will the players step forward: Minister Duke, Kymarod Senders, Demi Searlin, Tairlay Sure, and Nirest The Brave. Everyone, please join me in congratulating this year's champions, Siyana's Elite!
(At this point, the stadium erupts and everyone is back on their feet, cheering and chanting the players' names. It was so loud that I bet you could hear us in Neopia Central. After a few moments, Hudson continues)
Let us thank these magnificent athletes for their contribution to the game of yooyuball and for giving us an exciting season to watch. Thank you to the reporters for following the Altador season and opening our doors to fans around Neopia. And finally, thank you to all of you in the stadium for making this season the most memorable of all. Now, I present to you the statues of the players!

The curtains shielding the statues from view are pulled off and gasps fill the stadium. The statues look amazingly like the players themselves! It's probably one of the most epic statues I've ever seen. The five of them are standing in a semi-circle, each helping to hold up a yooyu with their right hand. Their faces look happy, almost relaxed, and the small yooyu has a cute grin on its face. Lights are exploding around the arena as people take numerous pictures. And now, the fun stuff begins! Everyone is exiting the stadium because the festivities are just about to beginning. Behind the stadium, volunteers have set up hundreds of tables where fans, players, officials and reporters can sit down and have a bite to eat. There's also a fireworks show and a concert featuring The Altadorian Symphony playing later tonight. But for now, I'm starving so I better get a plate and grab a chair! I wonder how Castlegard's reporting duties in Brightvale is going...

While the yooyuball season is over, the celebrations are just beginning in Haunted Woods. Fans and players all over the land are celebrating Halloween with their friends and family and the streets are filled with trick-or-treaters. So, here at Yooyuball Planet we've got a special treat for you...no, it's not candy! We have an exclusive interview with this year's most improved team, Southeast Vampires!

Yooyuball Planet: Please welcome Reshar Collifey, Zodrick Firee, Revab Van Took, Vrom Spindle and Miyashudu Dayu, members of Southeast Vampires!
Southeast Vampires: *cheers and claps*
YP: Thanks for taking the time to stop by for a chat. I know Halloween is always a hectic time of year, especially with all the festivities and events happening in Haunted Woods. Now, it was a shocker around Neopia when your team finished last but you definitely managed to turn things around this time!
Zodrick Firee: Yeah! You have no idea how happy we are because last season was such a disappointment, both for fans and for us.
YP: So, Reshar, you've been with the Vampires for quite a while now. How is playing for Darigan Citadel in the Altador Cup different from playing in Haunted Woods?
Reshar Collifey: Whether I'm playing internationally for DC or here for the Vamps, there's always the same pressure to win matches and perform. You always have to be on your toes, even against teams that are considered "easy". We got way too complacent halfway through last season and our game took a nosedive. I think we play with confidence, but we don't overdo it.
YP: Miyashudu, you're originally from Shenkuu and made the switch to HW a few seasons ago. How's do you feel about your new home?
Miyashudu Dayu: It's great so far! Halloween is soooo big here it's almost crazy! I mean, I was walking down the street tonight and I saw ghosts! And mummies!!!
Revab Van Took: *laughs* They're not real ghosts...it's kids dressin' up!
Miyashudu Dayu: Oh, I know that, but they look so real! Their costumes are really good. Back in Shenkuu, Halloween wasn't that big, but everyone gets so excited here. It's a great time of year to play yooyuball.
YP: Moving on to Mr. Spindle, you're a veteran yooyuball player. Is there any advice or tips you give to new players?
Vrom Spindle: Heh, yeah, I guess I am a vet. *smirks* The new players catch on real quick...but sometimes I give them tips. Like how to commit fouls without the referee noticing *laughs* Just kidding...
YP: Lastly, one quick question before I let you guys go. Are any of you dressing up tonight?
Vrom Spindle: Oh, DEFINATELY! I'm dressing up as a vampire! YEAH!
Reshar Collifey: *sighs* Vee, you always dress up as a vampire. Every year!
Vrom Spindle: *smiles sheepishly* Uh...right...well, I look good as a vampire, so...
Reshar Collifey: I'm being something different. I'm dressing up as a Nova. I even have a button that makes my costume light up.
Miyashudu Dayu: I'm dressing up as a fire yooyu! My costume is adorable! You should see it! *squeals*
Zodrick Firee: Hmm, I have two costumes sitting at home but I can't choose between them. I'll be going out trick-or-treating in my Light Faerie costume or as Illusen. *shakes nervously* I can't decide!!!!
Revab Van Took: Ugh, calm down, Firee. You still have a few hours left to choose anyways. Me? I'm going as Count Von Roo.
YP: *stares blankly at the Halloween-painted Blumaroo* Uh, those are some great choices! Again, congratulations for an amazing season!

It's hard to believe that the yooyuball season in Altador, Brightvale, Haunted Woods and Meridell are already over. With October 31st being the final day of matches, fans across Neopia are eagerly awaiting the updates. Being your #1 source for yooyuball information, we've got the finalized standings in each of the four lands! And, without any further interruptions...

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2009 yooyuball champions are...

Altador: Siyana's Elite
Brightvale: Brightvalers
Haunted Woods: Northwood Were-Pets
Meridell: Symol United

There were lots of ups and downs throughout the months of September and October and in the end, one team from each of the four lands emerged as champions. Congratulations are in order, not only for the winners, but to every team for giving fans such a great season to watch!

Memories from the 2009 AL/BV/HW/MD yooyuball season...
Tloef: A major highlight for me would definitely be Peasant Peoples United from Meridell. Everyone though they'd finish dead last but they managed to secure second place! I know their supporters around Neopia are definitely proud!
Super Techo Fan: The Altador season was so exciting to watch, especially since we didn't know who would win in the end! It came down to the final day of matches and Siyana's Elite managed to get the most points.
Mont_orgueil: The HW season was so entertaining and it's great to see all the teams playing on a competitive level. It was fast-paced and so much action all the time! Wow!
Reb Weemelott : As a player, you have a lot of memories, both good and bad. This season was no exception. I remember when we scored our first goal of the season, the entire stadium went crazy! Everyone stood up and it was so loud! It's a great feeling knowing our fans are besides us.

So, another chapter has ended but don't think that yooyuball's over! From November to December, Kiko Lake, Kreludor and Maraqua will be playing in their respective leagues.

Altador
Altadorian Heroics (H) 10 – 10 Minitheus Gladiators (A)
The first meeting of the season between these two teams was an entertaining and exhilarating game. Though Altadorian Heroics had greater possession of the yooyu and was dominant throughout the second half, they were not able to break the deadlock and the game ended in a 10-10 draw. The next and final match of the season will be a rematch between these two clubs at the Gladiators' home stadium. "Player of the Match" went to Heroics' left defender Lyvon Cibaire for running highly technical plays leading to several goals.
Other match: Torakor Yooyu Team (H) 7 – 2 Alabriss All-stars (A)

Brightvale
Knowledge United (H) 7 – 8 Hagan Supreme (A)
It looked like Knowledge United would win the match, leading 7 goals to 2 at halftime. However, the members of Hagan Supreme must have heard an amazing pep talk during the break as they came back and scored 6 to win the match. No one can argue that the referee was being lenient on King Hagan's favourite team since the Supreme side showed that they have a lot of talent and are capable of scoring yooyus. "Player of the Match" went to Supreme's Soodoh Kazo. The Usul from Shenkuu showed just how threatening she could be when in possession of the yooyu, scoring all 8 of her team's goals.
Other match: Brightvalers (H)10 – 7 Motes of Brightvale (A)

Haunted Woods
Southeast Vampires (H) 9 – 2 The Phantom Nightmares (A)
The Vampires are showing no sign of exhaustion as they cruised to an easy 9 – 2 victory over their opponents. They showed spectators that they can score in great numbers and they're also a very technical team as well. On the other side, the Nightmares may be out of the title race unless a miracle occurs. "Player of the Match" went to the Vampires' vigilant goalkeeper, Reshar Collifey. He not only saved 2 penalty shots but also kept his side motivated until the final whistle.
Other match: Haunted Woods Spectres (H) 3 – 3 The Candy Corn Crew (A)

Meridell
Symol United (H) 2 – 5 Noble Yooyu (A)
League leaders Symol United lost a hard match to Noble Yooyu, which may have cost them the championship trophy. Right from the beginning of the game, the United players seemed a little disoriented and had difficulty with accurate passing. In fact, they only have 3 attempts on goals during the entire match! The players will definitely look back at this game and think of how they wasted a great opportunity. Sir Voidwelm of the West, right defender for Noble Yooyu, was named "Player of the Match" for his unrelenting defending and tackling.
Other match: Team of Illusen (H) 14 – 1 The Farmers Fraternity (A)

Techo Super Fan is back once again and he's picking his favourite clubs in the Haunted Woods and Meridell leagues.

Yooyuball Planet: Thanks for joining us, Techo Super Fan. I know you're eager to share some of your thoughts on yooyuball, especially since I know you're a huge fan of the Haunted Woods league.
Techo Super Fan: I'm happy to be back and yes, you're right. Haunted Woods is one of my favourite leagues in Neopia and it's great to see such exciting yooyuball playing. Last season was a bit dry, but it's definitely entertaining and with Halloween being the final day of matches, I have a feeling the best is saved for last.
YP: To refresh our memories, this is how the HW league is currently standing. At the top, we have Northwood Were-Pets with 14 points, Southeast Vampires with 13, The Phantom Nightmares with 10 and then the two struggling clubs, The Candy Corn Crew with 6 and Haunted Wood Spectres with 3 points. What a disappointing season for the Spectres!
TSF: *sighs* Definitely. With only 3 points in 6 games, they have absolutely no chance at winning the national cup.
YP: They only have 2 more matches until the end of the season. Should they be putting any effort into this or do you think the club officials will be playing around with the formation and testing out new strategies?
TSF: The players definitely want to win their last two matches, but let's face it. Their final match is an away game against the Were-Pets and I don't think the Spectres are going to win. If I was in charge, I'd definitely use this chance to try out something new. Maybe change around the formation to suit the players better.
YP: The Were-Pets and the Vampires are known for having a fierce rivalry. In their first match-up, it ended in a 5-5 draw. Today, however, the Were-Pets managed to defeat them 6 to 4. How important as this win?
TSF: It was a crucial game for both sides and many critics and fans felt that whoever won would go on to win the season. Though Northwood Were-Pets won in the second leg, it's still too close to call. Remember, the Vampires are a strong bunch and only 1 point behind.
YP: Now for the Meridell league, which I think has been full of amazing surprises so far.
TSF: Exactly! It's always great to see smaller clubs rise to the top ranks and that's what we've been seeing in the Meridell league. Peasant Peoples United is a club that has only won the cup 3 times in its entire history and now they're sitting in 2nd place.
YP: They've got a real chance at winning their 4th title.
TSF:Yup, but they've got quite the challenge coming up. The players are known for tiring out in the last leg of the season, so they'll need to keep healthy and energized. There have been times in the past where they've completely lost momentum. There's a chance they might not make it this time either, so let's not count our chickens before they hatch!
YP: True, however, I think the team and their fans can be proud since this is an amazing accomplishment. Everybody thought they'd be 4th or 5th at the end of the season.
TSF: *nods* I agree. The team has made a lot of improvements.
YP: Wow, this is going to be quite a lengthy article for Yooyuball Planet! *laughs*
TSF: *laughs* By the way, how many people actually visit this thing? I mean, am I going to be recognized when I walk down the street?
YP: Um...I don't think that'll be a problem. You're a bit of a yooyuball celebrity as it is!
TSF: *smiles* Guess you're right. Maybe there'll be a team named after me someday!

The 4 final matches of the season are crucial as yooyball teams in Altador, Brightvale, Haunted Woods and Meridell hope to rack up enough points to become champions in their respective leagues. For the next few matches, we'll take a departure from our usual and instead of posting highlights, we'll be conducting interviews with special guests. In part 1, the Altador and Brightvale leagues will be analyzed. Today...

Yooyuball Planet: Say hello to our good friend, Techo Super Fan!
Techo Super Fan: Hey, Techo Super Fan! *laughs*
YP: It's hard to imagine that the yoouball season in AL, BV, HW and MD are almost over. It feels like it just started yesterday, but here we are in our second and final month.
TSF: Exactly. Although it's sad to see the season end, this is when all of the clubs play their very best.
YP: That being said, there are some teams that are still in the running for the championship title, but other teams are out of the race.
TSF: That's correct. We often focus on squads that are fighting for the title when at the same time, there are clubs that are just hoping for a good placing. Most of the time, that means 2nd and 3rd place.
YP: So, let's talk about Altador's League of Excellence. In your opinion, which clubs have a chance to win the championship and which ones have no chance?
TSF: Well, to be honest, there's a chance for every team. The real question is whether or not it's realistic. Let's look at the current standings. Siyana's Elite is on top of the table, followed closely by last year's winners Altadorian Heroics. They are currently tied with their rivals, the Gladiators. The other two teams are definitely not contenders.
YP: The Gladiators have yet to lose a game, winning 2 and drawing 4 matches. If they want to win the league, what should they focus on?
TSF: Not losing a single game so far is a great statistic. It really is! But on the flip side, you mentioned that they drew 4 matches. If they want to be able to hold on to 1st place, they've got to push for the full 3 points and win more games.
YP: The Heroics' goalkeeper, Salayne Ritad, has been named "Player of the Match" numerous times. I think he'll play an important part in whether or not the team can defend their title.
TSF: I definitely agree. He plays in the Altador Cup so he's used to the pressure of performing well.
YP:The only team able to defeat the Heroics this season has been Siyana's Elite, who beat them twice. Does this show a weakness in the Heroics team?
TSF: No, I don't think so. Many fans were surprised that Elite placed 5th last season because their players are so talented. They've been improving their game so it's natural to see them win.
YP: Moving on to the next league, Brightvale. There are quite a few clubs that can possibly win Brightvale's Golden Book of Wisdom.
TSF: There sure are. While the Brightvalers have a nice lead over the rest of the group, you can't count out Hagan Supreme or even Knowledge United, who I feel have a lot of energy left in them. Knowledge United have only been defeated once this season and Supreme has been surprising to a lot of critics who thought that they'd finish in the bottom of the table.
YP: Knowledge United have a bit of a setback. Their right forward, Lester Feoni, was reportedly injured during practice after he slipped on a puddle. The rumour going around is that he will be out for a week or so. Is there any truth to these allegations?
TSF: During training, he had a rough landing after he made a diving save. Afterwards, he was favouring his left leg and many though he had injured his right ankle. The clubs' officials have yet to make an announcement, but Feoni has had injuries in the past and never anything major.
YP: Hagan Supreme have only won 1 championship title. What can they do to win their second?
TSF: Their newest team member, Karito, has been an incredible player for the team so far. He's originally from Shenkuu so right away you can expect him to be technical and accurate in his passing. Soodoh Kazo, their center forward, is also from Shenkuu and she's been with the team for a few seasons now. She's still a long way from her potential and I think she has a great future.
YP: Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for today. A special thanks to Techo Super Fan for sitting down with us-blocked- us again for our 2nd and final part of The Contenders vs. The Pretenders next week (October 17).

Scores for today's matches (Oct. 3) are posted in "Latest Scores". Club standings have also been updated.

With five matches left in the Sept – Oct season, yooyuball teams in Altador, Brightvale, Haunted Woods and Meridell are going to be giving their all.

Altador
Torakor Yooyu Team (H) 5 – 5 Minitheus Gladiators (A)
Earning only 1 point in September, Torakor Yooyu Team hope to start the new month off with a win. While they only managed a draw, many fans and critics consider it a success since they were facing the strong Minitheus Gladiators. With their third draw in a row, the Gladiators need to focus on their defence since they've been giving away silly goals. "Player of the Match" went to Torakor's forward, Loitee The Sparkler, for scoring 3 times in the second half.
Other match: Alabriss All-stars (H)4 – 6 Siyana's Elite (A)

Brightvale
Brightvalers (H) 10 – 2 The Scholars (A)
With an easy home win for the Brightvalers, they look set to take the championship title. The Scholars had no answer and were forced to play a defensive game the entire match. Orie Dinelle, Brightvaler's goalkeeper, was named as "Player of the Match" for having quick responses and limiting The Scholars to 2 goals.
Other match: Hagan Supreme (H) 1 – 0 Knowledge United (A)

Haunted Woods
The Candy Corn Crew (H) 8 – 6 Northwood Were-Pets (A)
The Candy Corn Crew managed to pull off an amazing win to start their October campaign. Handing the Were-Pets their first loss of the season, the young yooyuball players of the Crew played like a veteran team. "Player of the Match" went to Tanny "9" Rockwood, right defender of the Crew. Thanks to his sturdy defending and accurate passing, the Crew were able to pull off some complicated techniques that stunned their opponents.
Other match: Haunted Woods Spectres (H) 0 – 5 Southeast Vampires (A)

Meridell
Noble Yooyu (H) 9 – 3 The Farmers Fraternity (A)
After a terribly disappointing September, Noble Yooyu must perform well in the last half of the season if they expect to be contenders for the league title. After many team meetings, they won their first match of the season against The Farmers Fraternity. Whether or not they can continue winning their matches is still up for debate. "Player of the Match" went to Noble Yooyu forward, Sir Denirak of the East who not only scored twice but played an outstanding defensive game as well.
Other match: Symol United (H) 5 – 2 Peasant Peoples United (A)

Altador
Altadorian Heroics (H) 0 – 3 vs. Siyana's Elite (A)
Siyana's Elite continued their winning streak by beating heavily favoured Altadorian Heroics in an epic match. The Heroics side was shut out and had major difficulties even getting into their opponent's half. "Player of the Match" went to Elite's left forward, Kymarod Senders, for scoring the first goal of the game.
Other match: Alabriss All-stars (H) 5 – 5 Minitheus Gladiators (A)

Brightvale
Brightvalers (H) 5 – 1 Knowledge United (A)
Knowledge United suffered their first defeat of the season as Brightvalers got back on track, easily winning the match. The home team was able to take an early lead and never looked back. United was able to score in the final quarter of the game, but it was little more than a consolation goal. Sybil Deni, defender for Brightvalers was named "Player of the Match".
Other match: Hagan Supreme (H) 3 – 4 Motes of Brightvale (A)

Haunted Woods
The Phantom Nightmares (H) 5 – 9 Southeast Vampires (A)
The Vampires desperately needed a win in order to keep their title hopes alive and they were able to pull through, defeating the home team with spectacular style. Though their defence looked shaky at times, the Vampires' forwards got the job done. "Player of the Match" went to the Vampires' two forwards, Fraken Le Nieste and "Smokey" Toni for scoring 5 and 4 goals respectively.
Other match: The Candy Corn Crew (H) 0 – 6 Haunted Woods Spectres (A)

Meridell
Peasant Peoples United (H) 1 – 0 Symol United (A)
With the home field advantage, Peoples United held for a narrow win over their opponents, ending Symol's 3 game winning streak. Peasant Peoples United's defence looked unbreakable, especially in the first half as they held off the waves of attacks from Symol. The "Player of the Match" spotlight went to the entire Peasant Peoples United team for sticking to their strategy to earn a full 3 points.
Other match: The Farmers Fraternity (H) 4 – 4 Noble Yooyu (A)

Altador
September's almost over and as we move into the second half of the season, all of the teams are giving it their all, hoping to win and get closer to the top of the table. On another note, be sure to check out the "Latest Scores" (scores are located at the top right if you're using layout 1.0; for 2.0 users, click on "updates" on the left). We will not be highlighting every single match from now on, but all scores will be posted. Now, on to this week's matches...

Altador
Minitheus Gladiators 7 – 7 vs. Alabriss All-stars (A)
Showing some signs of weakness, the Gladiators barely managed a draw against the All-Stars, having to come back from a 4-0 deficit. Though their defence is usually quite strong, many uncharacteristic mistakes were made by key defenders of the Gladiator line-up. On the other hand, the All-Stars earn their first point of the season. "Player of the Match" went to Autumn Forseni for the important equalizer which game All-Stars the draw.
The other match that took place was Torakor Yooyu Team (H) 0 – 2 Siyana's Elite (A).

Brightvale
Brightvalers (H) 8 – 9 Hagan Supreme (A)
In a stunning upset, Hagan Supreme were able to earn a full 3 points against heavy favourites Brightvalers. Many are pointing the finger at Brightvaler's left defender, "Squeaky" Tressif, for a string of poor passes that led to several Supreme goals. "My accuracy is my biggest skill," Tressif stated during a press conference, "so I have no idea. I take the blame for our loss and I hope I can get back into the game next time." Hagan Supreme's Karito was named as "Player of the Match" for an outstanding defensive game.
Other match: Motes of Brightvale (H) 3 – 3 The Scholars (A)

Haunted Woods
Southeast Vampires (H) 5 – 5 Northwood Were-Pets (A)
When rival teams clash, you can expect a lot of goals! The Vampires had an early lead due to miscommunication between two Were-Pets players. The two sides exchanged leads many times during the match, but in the end, it was a draw and both teams take 1 point. The "Player of the Match" was Vampires' goalkeeper, Reshar Collifey. Without him, the game could easily have gone to the Were-Pets.
Other match: The Phantom Nightmares (H) 3 – 1 Haunted Woods Spectres (A)

Meridell
Symol United (H) 10 - 8 Team of Illusen (A)
Before the match, both of these teams were considered to be the favourites to win the Meridell league championship. Many felt that whoever would go on to win this game would have a better chance of winning the title. In the end, the home team came away with a victory, but were pressured throughout the entire match by Team of Illusen's skilled forwards. "Player of the Match" went to "Wizard" Windelle for 3 assists and 2 goals.
Other match: The Farmers Fraternity (H) 1 – 9 Noble Yooyu (A)

Altador
Siyana's Elite (H) 0 – 8 Minitheus Gladiators (A)
The Gladiators completely flattened Siyana's Elite, winning their second in a row. The Elite haven't started the season quite the way they wanted to, with a draw and now a loss.
Torakor Yooyu Team (H) 0 – 1 Altadorian Heroics (A)
What was thought to be a routine win for the Heroics was anything but easy as Torakor proved to be tougher than they appeared. It wasn't until the final minutes of the game that Kayn Hireck was able to put the yooyu into the net and keep Heroics in the hunt for the league cup. Many critics are saying that their next few games will be critical in keeping their title hopes alive. "Player of the Match" went to Heroics' Hireck for scoring the only goal.

Brightvale
Motes of Brightvale (H) 2 – 3 Brightvalers (A)
Edging out the Motes, Brightvalers have captured another victory, but their win was overshadowed by other controversies. Two of their late goals were penalties and there is speculation that the referee was too "soft" in awarding them. One commentator of B.S.T.V. (Brightvale Sports TV) suggested that video replay should be implemented in order to catch players who dive and fake their injuries. Arguments aside, Motes of Brightvale will have their chance for a rematch next month. Jukes V. was named "Player of the Match" for assisting in 1 goal and scoring 1 penalty.
Knowledge United (H) 7 – 4 The Scholars (A)
Tensions are always high during derbies between these two rivals. The host, Knowledge United, were itching to hand The Scholars a defeat and that's exactly what they did. I doubt United's manager is completely happy though. Knowledge may have won the game, but fans have expressed their worry with regards to their defence. "Player of the Match" was given to United's Lester Feoni and The Scholar's Reb Weemelott, each having 4 goals.

Haunted Woods
Northwood Were-Pets (H) 13 – 2 The Candy Corn Crew (A)
Undoubtedly the most exciting game of the league so far! The Were-Pets were scoring from all corners of the yooyuball field and the Crew could not keep up. In complete contrast to last season, Haunted Woods is shaping up to be one of the most entertaining leagues in Neopia. Were-Pet's Ripmeer was named as "Player of the match" for his constant defending and tackling.
Haunted Woods Spectres (H) 0 – 4 The Phantom Nightmares (A)
Unless HW Spectres start winning some matches, they are out of the title race. Losing their third game in a row, the Spectres were held back by Nightmares' sturdy defenders and goalkeeper. "Player of the Match" went to the Nightmares' goalkeeper, Vlad Flave, for keeping a clean sheet.

Meridell
Symol United (H) 13 – 1 The Farmers Fraternity (A)
A crushing defeat was handed to The Farmers Fraternity, who couldn't seem to get their momentum started at all. With the home crowd cheering them on, United took the lead early, scoring in the first few minutes of the game. Ilsa Ellits was named "Player of the Match" for making timely tackles and accurate passing.
Team of Illusen (H) 9 – 4 Noble Yooyu (A)
Just last week, Noble Yooyu hosted Team of Illusen, with both teams earning a single point for a draw. In the final meeting between these two heavyweights, the members of Illusen were able to conjure up a victory, giving them 3 valuable points. Noble Yooyu did take an early 3 – 0 lead, but the second half was dominated by their opponents. "Player of the Match" went to Vitri Sitol, with 3 assists and 2 goals.

It's another day and we have more exciting matches to report!

Altador
Siyana's Elite (H) 0 – 0 Torakor Yooyu Team (A)
There are very few expectations for either of these teams as both of them are expected to place quite low on the table this season. The Elite's forward, Tairlay Sure, had the most chances on net, but was unlucky as many hit the crossbar. "Player of the Match" went to Torakor's goalkeeper, Traveler James, for holding off waves of attacks from the three Elite forwards.
Altadorian Heroics (H) 5 – 2 Alabriss All-stars (A)
As expected, Altadorian Heroics continued their winning streak, demolishing Alabriss All-Stars for the second time this season. The good news for the All-Stars is that they won't have to face Heroics again. The "Player of the Match" spotlight went to Lyvon Cibaire, who assisted in 3 goals and scored once.

Brightvale
Hagan Supreme (H) 1 – 6 Brightvalers (A)
With Hagan Supreme losing their second match in a row, many fans are becoming worried about their title hopes. On the other hand, Brightvalers have started their season well, scoring 6 huge goals. "Squeaky" Tressif, the "Player of the Match", assisted in 2 goals and was noted for his brilliant plays.
The Scholars (H) 2 – 2 Knowledge United (A)
Though they didn't lose, Knowledge United were coming into this match hoping to earn a full 3 points. Instead, they're taking home 1 point for a draw after a thrilling last-minute goal from Scholars' left forward, Stevin. "Scholar" Stevin was named as "Player of the Match" for earning his team 1 point.

Haunted Woods
Northwood Were-Pets (H) 4 – 2 The Phantom Nightmares (A)
The Were-Pets look invincible as they won their second straight match against the Nightmares. Losing their first match of the season, the Nightmares need to regroup and shake off any doubts they may have. "Player of the Match" went to Were-Pet's Serot Van Ripmeer for his aggressive tackling and defending.
Southeast Vampires (H) 6 – 4 Haunted Woods Spectres (A)
With the home crowd cheering them on, the Vampires won their first match of the season. It seems they were able to recover from their previous loss and their forwards could not be stopped. Miyashudu Dayu of the Southeast Vampires was named as "Player of the Match" for scoring all 6 goals!

Meridell
The Farmers Fraternity (H) 0 – 3 Peasant Peoples United (A)
It doesn't seem likely that The Farmers Fraternity will be contenders for this year's championship title. The entire squad looked absolutely exhausted by half-time, which open up many scoring chances for their opponents. "Player of the Match" went to "Ol' Reliable" George, goalkeeper of Peasant Peoples.
Noble Yooyu (H) 5 – 5 Team of Illusen (A)
Though Team of Illusen looked like champions in their first match, they certainly didn't look the part in this game. Leading at half-time with a score of 4-0, Team of Illusen's second half was full of poor passes. "Player of the Match" went to Sir Zeidwock Of Central, goalkeeper of Noble Yooyu, for having an important clean sheet in the second half.

Did you favourite club win? Keep on reading and find out!

Ice Cream Screamers (TM;home) 3 – 1 Cosmo Supers (VP;away)
With many expecting a win for Virtupet's Cosmo Supers, the Screamers stunned the crowd by scoring twice in the first half, holding off the Supers' forwards. Looking like an entirely new team, the Screamers showed that just because they're young, doesn't mean they can't learn sophisticated techniques. Playing like a veteran team, "Neapolitan" Nagore netted her first hat-trick of the year.

Darigan Doom Club (DC;home) 5 – 4 King Roo Company (RI;away)
Within minutes of the match ending, the referee awarded Doom Club with a penalty shot for a foul on Kep Bonnefie. Company's Fenny Vail was the accused, but many of their fans were outraged as it seemed like Bonnefie tripped on her own feet. Bonnefie scored and the match ended in the home team's favour.

The Niptor Clan (TY;home) 0 – 7 Stealth of Shenkuu (SK;away)
Stealth of Shenkuu's new signing, Luvea Trivon, proved his worth as he opened the scoring just 3 minutes into the match. With his contract estimating to be around 80 million Neopoints, Stealth brought him on to be a versatility player, to score as well as defend. To their credit, The Niptor Clan was playing without Sandy Bats, their star forward and they also have many chances on goal. For their new season (starting in March 2010), they'll need to work on clean finishing.

Just as a reminder, match highlights will be posted tomorrow!

During the September – October season, four leagues will be playing yooyuball, hoping to earn enough points and be named 2009/2010 champions. It's the first day of the new season and Yooyuball Planet has all of the highlights!

Altador
Alabriss All-Stars (H) 0 – 4 Altadorian Heroics (A)
It's always important to start off the new season with a victory, especially if it's on home turf. Altadorian Heroics played beautifully, scoring 3 times in the first half. On the other hand, the home team failed to score even once, leaving many fans worried about the rest of their games. The "Player of the Match" spotlight went to Heroics' Salayne Ritad, who produced his first clean sheet of the season.
Minitheus Gladiators (H) 6 – 3 Torakor Yooyu Team (A)
Taking 3 points for the win was Minitheus Gladiators, who are favoured (along with Altadorian Heroics) to win the Altador's League of Excellence. Torakor Yooyu Team led at half-time with a score of 2-0, but the Gladiators dominated the second half. The "Player of the Match" spotlight went to Gregorio Maille, left forward of the Gladiators, who scored the first 3 goals for his team.

Brightvale
Knowledge United (H) 0 – 0 Motes of Brightvale (A)
A draw means that each of these teams will earn 1 point. Though United looked like they were about to score, Motes' goalkeeper, "Outlaster" Sook, helped her team escape defeat and was named "Player of the Match".
The Scholars (H) 2 – 0 Hagan Supreme (A)
Fans of The Scholars have many reasons to cheer as their team battled to a 3-0 victory at home. "Scholar" Steven had the opening goal that came late in the second half. Supreme's goalkeeper (ironically named Keeper) was named as "Player of the Match". Without him, the score could have been 10-0.

Haunted Woods
Haunted Woods Spectres (H) 7 – 8 Northwood Were-Pets (A)
Thanks to "Player of the Match" Krell Vitor for scoring 3 of the Were-Pets' goals, the Were-Pets narrowly defeated the Spectres. Although it's only the first day of matches, the Spectres already have cause for concern. Tazen Nidukora, their goalkeeper sustained a heavy hit to the side. We don't know yet if he's okay to continue his season, but fans of the team are holding their breath...
The Candy Corn Crew (H) 5 – 3 Southeast Vampires (A)
In a stunning turn of events, this match proved to be the biggest upset on day one! Though many critics have written off last season's champions, The Candy Corn Crew seems to be proving to everyone that they're not a one-trick pony. Their win may not be a fluke after all, with their players, Maay and Tanny Rockwood, sharing the "Player of the Match" spotlight for their outstanding defence.

Meridell
Noble Yooyu (H) 1 – 8 Symol United (A)
Noble Yooyu were just unable to get their momentum going. Awarded with a penalty shot early in the first half, Sit Denirak could not get past Symol United's goalkeeper. Symol then opened up with a flurry of shots, many of which could not be defended. "Player of the Match" went to Yoris Obbles, the United's goalkeeper for keeping his defensive line steady and saving a penalty.
Team of Illusen (H) 11 – 0 Peasant Peoples United (A)
Team of Illusen has definitely kicked off their season with a bang, demolishing their opponents. It turned into a rout in the second half, with Illusen's Fiorina and Sitol each scoring 3 goals. Luna Hart, defender for Illusen, was the "Player of the Match", assisting in 4 goals and scoring once.

The official start of the yooyuball season is tomorrow for Altador, Brightvale, Haunted Woods and Meridell. For other leagues around Neopia, they'll be playing friendly matches against other clubs. Here's three matches that are taking place on Friday, September 4:

Ice Cream Screamers (TM;home) vs. Cosmo Supers (VP;away)
With the home field advantage, I feel that the Screamers have a slight edge over their outer space competitors. Don't count out the Supers yet. They have Altador Cup veteran Rinok Fitel leading the team. The Terror Mountain native must be a little uneasy about playing his former team though...

Darigan Doom Club (DC;home) vs. King Roo Company (RI;away)
King Roo Company needs to keep their heads in the game if they want to challenge the Doom Club. Known for their super speedy players, Doom Club hope to get a victory in this match to prove their critics wrong (many were commenting on their lack of "aggressive" playing). The King Roo players need to improve on their marking since they aren't as fast.

The Niptor Clan (TY;home) vs. Stealth of Shenkuu (SK;away)
With the new signing of Luvea Trivon, Stealth of Shenkuu are the favourites to win this match. To have a fighting chance, The Niptor Clan's forwards have got to be on top of their game and get the first goal since they are known to easily concede goals once they're already down.

That's all for now, yooyuball fans! Be sure to check in for score updates and match highlights!

Following the news that Grelinek has signed with Krawk Island heavyweights Black Sail Pirates, new information has surfaced regarding her contract and the transfer fee. In trying to keep up with their more successful adversaries, Scarblade Society, the Black Sail signed Grelinek for an estimated transfer fee of 296 million Neopoints, making her the most expensive player in yooyuball history. This completely dwarfs Jhudora Squad's 200 million NP signing of Haunted Woods goalkeeper, Fanetti.

It's no secret that Black Sail Pirates is one of the wealthiest clubs in all of Neopia and can afford the very best but with all of this money being thrown around, will this have an impact on smaller leagues? We caught up with Sto "The Plow" Picaidy, goalkeeper for The Farmers Fraternity, to see what his thoughts were on the issue. This is what he had to say:

I can't believe it! Ridiculous! 296 million Neopoints? That's probably around what the entire Brightvale league costs. It's unfortunate for smaller clubs and those without the funds to get these great players. It widens the gap between the top of the league and the bottom.

Well, whatever side of the debate you stand on, this is one issue that definitely won't be going away anytime soon. Perhaps money can buy great players, but it takes a team to win the league cup.

2:54 PM: The game's going to start soon between Altadorian Heroics (Altador, home) and Northwood Were-Pets (Haunted Woods, away). I've got my Altadorian Cheese Burger and Nectar, my tape recorder and I'm ready to go! Here's the line-ups. Northwood Were-Pets' have Vitor (LD), Sook (LF), Ripmeer (RD), Filbo (RF) and Kane (GK). Altadorian Heroics has Ritad (GK), Cibaire (LD), Hireck (LF), Nets (RF) and Lundi (RD). Many people are expecting a huge Heroics win, especially with that roster.

3:00 PM: The whistle blows and the match begins!

3:19 PM: It 0-0 and the Were-Pets have possession of the snow yooyu. Ripmeer passes to Filbo. Northwood fans that have made the journey to Altador are shouting for a goal. Filbo makes a run...oh! He's been tripped! The referee is giving Were-Pets a penalty shot. Boos from Heroics fans fill the stadium. Filbo gets ready to take the shot and the Heroics' goalkeeper, Ritad, keeps his eye on him. Filbo charges and shoots...but a miss! Ritad makes a great save to keep his side in the game.

3:30 PM: Halftime and the score's still 0-0. The stadium is emptying as fans rush out to grab some more snacks and drinks before second half.

3:45 PM: Second half begins and a lot of Altadorian Heroics fans are a little nervous, thinking that their team would be up 5-0 by now.

3:51 PM: The Were-Pets have been the closest to scoring so far, but again, Ritad makes a sprawling dive to keep the yooyu out of the net. The chants from Were-Pets fans are drowning out cheers from the Heroics supporters.

3:58 PM: The Were-Pets have possession. Vitor makes a long pass to Sook who manages to take the yooyu before the defenders block him. With all of the attention on Sook, Vitor is unmarked and nobody (except the fans) seems to notice! Sook quickly passes to Vitor and he takes the shot...scores! What an amazing turn of events! The Were-Pets are in the lead, 1-0.

4:09 PM: The Heroics' forwards are absolutely doing everything they can. Hireck has the snow yooyu and passes to Nets, but Nets was too slow to respond and Vitor manages to take the yooyu! Will he have time to score?

4:15 PM: The match has ended and what a surprise! Northwood Were-Pets with 1 goal, Altadorian Heroics with 0. I don't think anyone predicted this and I'm definitely stunned that the Were-Pets were able to scrap a win.

1:02 PM: La_Roque here to give you guys live updates on the pre-season friendly between Lagooners from Krawk Island and Maraquan Marauders from Maraqua. I'm currently waiting outside Loch Stadium, Lagooner's home field. The bus arrived a little bit earlier than expected, so they haven't opened up for the fans yet. The atmosphere is great! As usual, there are lots of Lagooner fans here but I'm surprised at the sheer number of Marauder supporters as well. It seems to be evenly split. Oh, wait! They're lowering the drawbridge! I'll update again when I get inside.

1:18 PM: The line-ups for snacks were so long I ended up just getting a bottle of Strawberry Krawkade from the vending machine. The game's going to start in 12 minutes so I better get to my seat.

1:30 PM: The match is starting! For Lagooners: Jornson (RD), Cordazo (LD), Vaari (LF), Lanrock (RF) and Stunt (GK). For Marauders: Hughlis (LF), Colb (RD), Leeds (GK), Deebins (LD) and Metrodora (RF). The floor is opening up...it's a fire yooyu! Hughlis and Vaari both run towards it, but Hughlis' speed is unmatched. He grabs the yooyu and instantly rushes towards the net. Since he rarely passes, both of the Lagooners' defenders rush towards him and, preoccupied with the crowd around him, Lanrock sneaks in to steal the yooyu from Hughlis. Colb and Deebins gear up to hold the defensive line. Lanrock edges to the left – Deebins runs forward – but it's a fake! Lanrock spins and aims for the top left of the net....GOAL! It's Lagooners 1-0!

1:45 PM: Lanrock has the snow yooyu. The Marauder defenders know what to expect now. They edge closer together as Lanrock makes a last-ditch effort to squeeze through them. Colb takes a hard hit and falls to the ground. What's this? The referee has awarded a penalty to the Mauraders! Boos and hisses are filling the stadium. Fans of the Lagooners are outraged! Hughlis steps up to take the penalty. The boos are louder now but Marauder fans hold their breath. The whistle blows. Hughlis dashes towards Stunt...GOAL! It's now 1-1.

2:00 PM: It's halftime now and I've run out of Strawberry Krawkade...

2:15 PM: The second half start with Lagooners supporters urging their team on for some more goals. Hughlis has the clockwork yooyu. Will he make it? ...No! The yooyu blows up and Lagooners fans laugh and cheer.

2:26 PM: A fly flies directly into my left eye! Just my luck...the only fly in Krawk Island and it choose to attack me!

2:30 PM: Only 15 minutes left and it's still a 1-1 draw! Nothing's happening. Just as one team gets the normal yooyu, the other team steals it just as quickly.

2:43 PM: Vaari has the yooyu but before Colb can reach her, she tosses it to Lanrock who is unmarked! Lanrock sprints towards Stunt and the goalie looks a little nervous. He throws his arms out in an attempt to look bigger. Everyone is running after Ziba Lanrock but can they catch her? She jumps up – everyone is holding their breath – she flings the yooyu and Stunt dives...but in the wrong direction! Lanrock scores! Lagooners lead 2-1 with only 1 minute left!

2:45 PM: The stadium erupts with cheers from Lagooners' fans as they take a 2-1 victory! Groans can be heard from the Marauder supporters but they clap and shout words of support to their players. This has been an exciting match!

11:48 AM: Hey, it's _Caerlaverock_ and I'm currently sitting with a bunch of fans that made the trip from Kreludor to Brightvale. They're super excited about the match (and the fact that there's gravity down here)!

12:00 PM: The game's beginning. The Scholars have Weemelott (RF), Stevin (LF), Gregorian (RD), Joro (GK) and Leroy (LD) and Kreludan Adventurers have Fonnet (LD), Montecito (RD), Trimple (GK), Monetara (RF) and Ventner (LF). Hmmm, I wonder what's going through Montecito's head right now...

12:15 PM: Still no score yet. That tricky Darigan yooyu just isn't going where the attackers are aiming. On another note, if you're ever in Brightvale, you should try some Grilled Shiskafruit. They're really yummy!

12:28 PM: The Adventurers' Montecito has the Darigan yooyu. What's this? He's running towards his own half and he threw the yooyu sideways! The Scholar's goalkeeper, Joro was following Montecito but this left an empty space in the net. The yooyu's gone in! Adventurers up 1-0!

12:30 PM: Halftime already. The home fans are devastated but hope their team can pull through. I'm off to get some more Grilled Shiskafruit.

12:45 PM: The second half is starting. Looks like it's going to be a... Faerie yooyu! Weemelott makes a run for it but Fonnet manages to be quicker and she gets it. The Scholar's defenders are looking absolutely sluggish as Fonnet weaves her way through them. She takes a shot....scores! It's 2-0 now.

12:59 PM: About 15 minutes of play left and The Scholars have yet to make an attempt on goal. Monetara has possession of the fire yooyu and tries for a long shot....GOAL! The goalkeeper, Joro, had no chance as the fire yooyu flies in with blinding speed. 3-0 for the visitors.

1:13 PM: The home fans are shouting themselves hoarse, hoping to see just one goal. It's Monetara again with a snow yooyu. He passes to Ventner who isn't being marked by any Scholar defenders. She shoots and another goal for the Adventurers!

1:15 PM: The match ends and Kreludan Adventurers wins with 4-0 being the final score. The Scholars were definitely outplayed today but on the bright side, they can address their issues before the start of the yooyuball season.

Techo Super Fan here. I got back from Altador last night where they held a press conference to announce a few of the pre-season matches. I've added my predictions as well.
Lagooners (Home; KI) vs. Maraquan Marauders (Away; MQ)
The Marauders are notable for their two star players, Elon "The Black Hole" Hughlis and Ditan Colb, however, is this enough to win against the Lagooners? Well, I don't know. First off, it will be an away game for the Marauders and if there's one thing any Marauder fan dreads, it's that. They have quite the extensive history of doing poorly on the road. They'll need to regroup if they even want to draw this one. The Lagooners, of course, have the home field advantage, but with some lingering injury issues, they might have to sub-off a few of their important players. Caso "The Stuntman" will definitely need to be on his game. The team relies heavily on the goalie for their wins.
Prediction: A win for the Lagooners

The Scholars (Home; BV) vs. Kreludan Adventurers (Away; KD)
This one's a hard one to call. Both teams do exceptionally well away and at home. The Scholars are at a slight disadvantage because they did not participate in the Altador Cup. On the other hand, they'll be entering the match with fresh legs. Montecito, the Adventurers's right defender, will be facing off against his favourite childhood team. Whether or not this plays a part on how he performs on the field, we won't know until the whistle blows.
Prediction: A win for Kreludan Adventurers

Altadorian Heroics (Home; AL) vs. Northwood Were-Pets (Away; HW)
Northwood Were-Pets, far from being the best team in their own league, now faces Altadorian Heroics, the most successful club in Altador. I wouldn't blame them for being nervous coming in to this match, but there are a few key factors that can hold off an embarrassing defeat. The first goal is crucial. The Were-Pets need to score first and get their momentum going. Second, their defenders need to do a better job at marking players that do not have the ball. For Heroics, they'll need to control Krell Vitor, the left defender. While holding the defensive line, Vitor is known to have his fair share of goals as well.
Prediction: A huge win for Altadorian Heroics

All of these matches take place next Wednesday, August 19th. Be sure to pick up your tickets early as they will be selling out quite quickly. As always, Yooyuball Planet will be sending out their reporters for some live feedback during the matches.

I'm back and ready to detail the rest of the yooyuball league!

Roo Island's National League of Professional Yooyuball Players
Team Roo Roo Roos, with a pure attacking (3 + 1) formation proved to be too much for any team to handle as they cruised to their 18th league title. At the awarding ceremony, King Roo handed each of them their medal, engraved with their name. They also received a prize package containing five random paint brushes, a Baby Blu petpet, a free trip around Neopia and 25,000 Neopoints.
1st: Team Roo Roo Roos
2nd: Blumaroos Of The Isle
3rd: The Von Roo Squad
4th: Dice-A-Yooyu Team
5th: King Roo Company
Blumaroos of the Isle have signed "Risky" Bluigi (R. defender) and Roocardo (goalkeeper) in an attempt to fortify their defence. While there were rumours of them switching to a 3 + 1 formation, they have remained a 2 + 2 formation this season. Dice-A-Yooyu Team, the only squad with a defensive formation, surprised many people by placing 4th over King Roo Company. I think their fans can look forward to a great season for them. However, my predictions for the league title would be Blumaroos of the Isle. With a line-up include Jair Tollet and Teylor Nix, they could take the top spot if their defence holds strong.

National Yooyuball Squads of Shenkuu
With dismal season starts from both Shenkuu Warriors Unite and The Lunar Crew, this left a wide gap of points between the rest of the field and Stealth of Shenkuu, who couldn't be caught. At the tradition dinner held for all teams at the end of the season, each member of Stealth received a golden ring to commemorate the event. In addition, they each received Ceremonial Shenkuu Warrior Helmets, Shinai and Warrior Armour, a year's supply of Bubble Tea and a Shenkuu Petpet of their choice (with many choosing a Biyako).
1st: Stealth Of Shenkuu
2nd: Shenkuu Warriors Unite
3rd: The Lunar Crew
4th: Sandan Yooyu Squadron
5th: Shenkuu Sensei
Stealth Of Shenkuu added to their star-studded roster with the signing of The Lost Desert's Luvea Trivon, hoping to have a defensive advantage over their opponents and reclaim their national title. I think they'll have to work even harder though, as other squads will be looking to start the season off with a win this time. Players for watch out for? Bert "Swashbuckler" Senior and his son Berty "Deckswabber" Junior, two defenders that The Lunar Crew have signed from Krawk Island.

Terror Mountain: Race to the top of the Snow Hill
No one could have predicted that The Snowager Squad would be the team to take the national league title. All eyes were on Happy Happy Valley Citizens and Polarchuck Club as the favourites but with a winning streak of six games at the end of the season, they earned enough points to take the lead. As champions, they each received a medal and world-famous ice sculptor, Mohchi Simel, was brought in to create a monument of the team. The Snowager Squad members each received a complete set of Snow Puffs, Icy Lollies and 40,000 Neopoints.
1st: The Snowager Squad
2nd: Happy Happy Valley Citizens
3rd: Slushie Supreme
4th: Ice Cream Screamers
5th: Polarchuck Club
The Happy Citizens will look to regain their trophy-winning ways, especially after being a bit of a disappointment to their fans last season. Mimi "Lil' Kid" Ghartike has stated in many interviews that fans can expect to see a "whole new side" of the team as they have started working on new strategies and playing styles. Polarchuck Club has been named by many yooyuball analysts as the favourites going into this season, as they have signed Prytarie (L. forward) and Minae Mitora (Goalkeeper), both Altador Cup participants. However, as I like to say, don't count your Pteris before they hatch. With new players coming into a squad, there is a need for chemistry between them and older team members. It may work out, it may not.

Tyrannia: Un-monotonous Yooyuball League
Omelette Omegas have edged closer to The Plateau Peoples 45 league titles. Winning their 44th title, Omelette team members were given a Tyrannian Paint Brush, a Tyrannian Petpet of their choice and as many omelettes as they wanted. Personally, I think they were happiest about the last part...
1st: Omelette Omegas
2nd: The Plateau Peoples
3rd: The Niptor Clan
4th: Monotony Yooyu
5th: Tribe Of Tyrannia
Tribe of Tyrannia, though not as successful as the other teams, have signed Onsun Vu, a left defender from Shenkuu. Known mostly for their air-tight defence, they usually only earn points through 0-0 draws. I think fans of The Niptor Clan can be excited. Blu Winchester, their new left forward, had an incredible time at his former club, Team Roo Roo Roos. Niptor Clan currently has 39 league titles and hope to add more this coming season.

Virtupets National Association of Yooyuball
It was a race to the finish betwee Stars of Space and their rivals, Cosmo Supers. In the end, it was the Supers who edged out the competition, taking the national league title. After being presented with the trophy, each member received 80,000 Neopoints, a Robot Petpet Paint Brush and a complete set of Space Station Coins.
1st: Cosmo Supers
2nd: Stars Of Space
3rd: The Sloth Force United
4th: Grundo Grunts 5000
5th: Virtupets Yooyu-Bots
I think Stars of Space are the heavy favourites going into the new season. Just look at that line-up! They've traded for a more attacking defensive player in Boxer "Jubs" who defense is equal to his scoring. The Sloth Force United have decided to try out Score-Bot v. 1.0, the latest attacking yooyuball player on the market. While it's also risky enlisting a robot for the squad, things can pay off if Score-Bot does what it's programed to do.

Well, that's all folks! The new yooyuball season is going to be explosive to say the least. There's a press conference being held in Altador so I'll be packing my gear and heading out tomorrow morning. They'll be announcing some pre-season friendlies so we'll keep you updated. Bye for now, yooyuball fans!

It's me again (again) and I'm here to give you guys the inside scoop on even more league and clubs.

The Lost Desert's Pride of Coltzan
The winner of the Lost Desert league will receive piles of treasure fit for a king! While Golden Pharaohs were overwhelmed with injuries, Qasala City managed to go on a winning streak, earning valuable points and defeating their adversaries, Sakhmet Union, in the final match of the season with spectacular style. The trophy, made entirely of gold, features a fire yooyu flying around a model version of the landscape. As winners, the words "Qasala City: Pride of Coltzan and The Lost Desert" was engraved into the trophy. In addition, each member was gifted with 150,000 Neopoints, a bag of rare gems and special yooyuball equipment made from platinum and gold that players can display in their homes.
1st: Qasala City
2nd: Golden Pharaohs
3rd: Pyramid Patriots
4th: Sakhmet Union
5th: The Anubis Allegiance
To say that the Golden Pharaohs are favourites this season is an understatement. Ranked as the #1 team in The Lost Desert, many critics argue that they can be considered the best in all of Neopia after signing Layton Vickles (left forward) to the club. If everyone can stay fit and healthy, then the title is surely theirs. However, you can't count out the other clubs just yet. Sakhmet Union's Volde Cayle is at the top of his game and I think fans can hope for a better finish that 4th.

The Maraquan Confederation
For their impressive efforts, Maraquan Marauders received yooyuball gear made from maractite, etched with their name. However, due to the fact that many of their games are not played underwater, the maractite is encased in a substance that keeps it from decaying. Each member also received a complete collection of sea shells, free meals from Kelp restaurant for one year and a bonus of 100,000 Neopoints.
1st: Maraquan Marauders
2nd: Kelp United
3rd: Arkmite Attackers
4th: Underwater Revolution
5th: Maractite Field
While there were rumours of a rift between Elon "The Black Hole" Hughlis and teammate Ubatron Metrodora, fans were happy to see that both are included in the Marauders' line-up. Arkmite Attackers, with a pure attacking formation of 3 + 1, have signed the young Neo Linso for the position of right forward, who showed a lot of promise in the rookie league. On a side note, The Maraquan Confederation have announced that construction will soon begin for Neopia's first underwater yooyuball stadium (all of their current fields sit in the open over Maraqua). Details are scarce, but I think it'd be great to see a game below the surface. Oxygen is provided... right?

Meridell: Skarl's Freedom Yooyuball League
Team of Illusen's players proved to be better than the rest as they captured their 13th league title. Each member was granted an audience with King Skarl and was given the chance to make one request, provided it was within the King's ability to grant it. In the past, he's given out farming land, houses, Petpets and Paint Brushes. Also, each member receives "The Star of Meridell", which they can pin to the front of their yooyuball uniforms.
1st: Team Of Illusen
2nd: Noble Yooyu
3rd: Peasant Peoples United
4th: The Farmers Fraternity
5th: Symol United
What a disappointing year for Symol United. With a star-studded roster, fans could not believe it when the season ended and they were in last place. Many blamed it on the lack of communication between the new players. The club hasn't changed the formation, nor have they signed any new players, opting to keep their own squad and build from within. Hopefully they can start working more as a team. Peasant Peoples have acquired a new goalkeeper, "Ol' Reliable" George. Hopefully he can live up to his nickname. In my opinion, Noble Yooyu have yet to give us their greatest. I think we can all expect a lot of great plays from them.

Mystery Yooyuball Superstars Together In Confederation
To the victor goes the spoils! As winners in the M.Y.S.T.I.C. league, The Geraptiku Giants received special training sessions with Ryshu and the Techo Master from the Mystery Island Training School, free Tiki Tours for the yooyuball team members and the club staff and finally, a complete set of Codestones and red Codestones.
1st: The Geraptiku Giants
2nd: Tiki Tack Yooyu Squad
3rd:Mystery Tombola
4th: The Island Yooyu Troop
5th: Sandy Shores
Last season, fans were treated with displays of technical skill, scoring prowess and talented teamwork from all squads. I think we can look forward to more of the same physical and hard hitting style of play from these competitors. The Island Yooyu Troop has added Jon Pteri to their crew, a strong defender capable of scoring goals. Roo Island's Roomart Goode will be making his first appearance for Mystery Tombola after being sidelined for the entire season with a lingering injury. M.Y.S.T.I.C. is one of those rare leagues where all of the teams are so evenly matched that any of them have a good chance at winning the title.

Techo Super Fan recently reported a rumour that someone from The Lost Desert will be moving to Shenkuu soon and it turns out to be true! However, the player in question was not Derbi Azar, but rather, Luvea Trivon, a left defender. Trivon announced in a press conference that an agreement has been finalized with Stealth for Shenkuu, a team based in the northern regions of Shenkuu. This move comes as a major shock as it had been his teammate, Azar that had been rumoured to leave the club. The two of them both play internationally for The Lost Desert, as well as for the regional Lost Desert club The Anubis Allegiance. Here is a brief excerpt of the press conference.

Reporters: Up until now, you have made no indications about being unhappy at The Anubis Allegiance. What made you decide to leave?
Trivon: It wasn't a matter of me being happy at the club, because I was. I respect my teammates immensely and I wish them the best of luck. With rumours of Derbi being transferred, it made me think about my own career. I felt I needed a change. The Anubis Allegiance has been the only club I've played for so I think it would be nice to try something new.
Reporters: Following Anubis Allegiance's surprising defeat to Pyramid Patriots at the end of the previous season, there was a lot of talk about the big name players leaving. The club hasn't been as successful lately, with a string of losses. On the other hand, Stealth of Shenkuu is a team that is favoured to win the cup this coming season. Did this have anything to do with your decision to move?
Trivon: I personally don't believe in moving to a new club because there is a better chance at winning the national cup. Of course, it's a major factor for many players. I had a long talk with a very good friend of mine, ["Dirty"] Navers, who plays at Stealth and he suggested that I make the move. Obviously, my departure will make some people sad, but I hope that they know that I'm still loyal to The Lost Desert and I admire its national clubs. I hope that they understand that this move was not made easily and that they continue to support Anubis and me and my yooyuball career.

Regardless of whether he is at Anubis or Stealth, we at Yooyuball Planet wish him the best!

Hey everyone! It's me again, Techo Super Fan and I'm here to give you guys the inside scoop on more league and clubs.

The Haunted Woods Mystery Grab Bag
Each member of the winning team gets a chance to put their hand into the mysterious Haunted Woods Mystery Grab Bag and claim the prize written on the ticket. In the past, prizes ranged from a dirty, old sock to a fortune of 500 million Neopoints! Is it worth it? Well, some players opt for the second choice of prizes, a year's supply of candy and 60,000 Neopoints.
1st: The Candy Corn Crew
2nd: Haunted Wood Spectres
3rd: Northwood Were-Pets
4th: The Phantom Nightmares
5th: Southeast Vampires
As one fan eloquently put it, last season proved to be "so boring, that I actually went outside to watch the grass on my lawn grow". This might be due to the fact that all of the teams focussed too much on defending instead of scoring, resulting in endless 0-0 draws. In fact, there was a 4-way tie for 1st place at the end of the season! Fans desperately hope that this coming season proves to be more entertaining with the Were-Pet's signing of Salinore "Sprinter" Sook and the Spectres' Kewa Shinoir.

Kiko League of Randomness!
A team never knows what the prize is at the end of the road. This season, as champions of the national league, Front Shore United were treated to a special month-long training session with famous Kiko, Niten Hiroru, as well as a free Glass Bottom Boat Tours for them and five friends! On top of that, they receive free passes to enter the tubular raceway! And on top of that each member receives a Paint Brush and a Petpet Paint Brush of their choice. Last, but not least, they each receive a Neopoint prize of 10,000.
1st: Front Shore United
2nd: Lake Stars
3rd: Kiko Karpenters Guild
4th: Kiko Crew
5th: Kiko Creatures
Halfway through the season, it became clear that there was a two-way battle for first place between Front Shore and the Lake Stars. Thanks to the Shore's goalkeeper, Erli Quinnock, they kept many clean sheets. The Stars' won many of their games through Winberto Seliz's many hat-tricks. Kiko Crew seemed to have cemented their position in 3rd but a shocking 10-2 loss to Kiko Creatures meant that they finished 4th. This season, expect a lot more scoring and hopefully some better defending...

Krawk Island's Smuggler's Confederation
Ahoy! By capturing 1st place over season favourites Black Sail Pirates, the crew of Scarblade Society was gifted with their very own pirate ship, complete with many treasure chests full of (possible stolen) loot and Dubloons. The unveiling of the vessel was marked with even more festivities than usual, as many of the former Scarblade yooyuballers came back to see the 60th ship enter the Scarblade Society fleet.
1st: Scarblade Society
2nd: Black Sail Pirates
3rd: Lagooners
4th: Pawkeet Plunderers
5th: Silver Cutlass Captains
With the signing of Zo Junior, Black Sail Pirates looked ready to take the league title. However, after a run of defeats against Pawkeet Plunderers and the Lagooners, their season ended on a low note as they claimed 2nd place. Now, they announced a new member to the team - Mirsha Grelinek. While they did not live up to their potential last season, many fans believe that they can become Krawk Island champs once more if they stay in good form. Silver Cutlass Captains's fans also have something to be excited about. The new signing of Nitri Cassale will bolster their defenses, something that became quite a problem last time around.

The Moon of Neopia: Kreludor Yooyuball League
Everyone loves watching the underdogs win and that was probably why last season, the number of viewers watching the Kreludan yooyuball league tripled in size! Fans from around the world watched as Spacebounded, a team that had started the season with a string of devastating loses, turned their game around to take the ultimate prize. During the ceremony to induct Spacebounded into the winner's circle, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Each team member received 100,000 Neopoints and a yooyuball-sized golden nugget shaped like Kreludor engraved with their name. However, the feeling of accomplishment that each of them must have felt is priceless.
1st: Spacebounded
2nd: Galactic Yooyus
3rd: D-Fying Gravity
4th: Kreludan Adventurers
5th: Kreludor Meteorites
While fans of Spacebounded would like a repeat of their success story, it would be hard to believe they can pull it off twice in a row. Galactic Yooyus' Zayle Sufhaux suffered an injury that many claim to have cost them crucial points in the final few games. Now, fully rested and ready to go, my predictions would be on Galactic to take the league title. On another note, watch out for newcomers Ecaps "The Floater" Rats and Leeryo Appleby , who both play for Kreludor Meteorites.

The Black Sail Pirates club have recently announced the key signing of Mirsha Grelinek, who played left forward for Shenkuu and her previous club, The Lunar Crew. The club's committee recently spoke out about the transfer.

We're extremely pleased to announce that Mirsha Grelinek has signed a long-term contract with the Black Sail Pirates. This comes at an exciting time in our yooyuball club's history as we launch a major expansion of our brand. Of course, the other teams in our league should fear us even more now since Grelinek is known for her scoring capabilities. They might as well just hand us the cup already."

While the committee may be disappointed to learn that they'll have to play for the cup, they can take heart in knowing that they now possess one of the best forwards in the world-blocked-ing a star-studded roster, the young Shenkuu player shot to fame with her massive scoring and teamwork in the Altador Cup. At a press conference, flanked by her new teammates Garven Hale and Zo Junior, Grelinek had this to say:

I'm very pleased about moving to Krawk Island and joining the club. How could I not be? I've already been to a few training sessions with the team and couldn't be happier that I made the switch. Garvy and Zoey here have been absolute darlings!

With the new signing, Black Sail Pirates seems almost destined to win this year's Krawk Island cup – however, their biggest rivals, Scarblade Society, will probably have something to say to that.

Hey everyone! It's me, Techo Super Fan and I'm here to give you guys the inside scoop on each league and their clubs.

Altador's League of Excellence
Players in the team that places 1st at the end of the season will be immortalized as statues in The Hall of Yooyuball Excellence. They also receive 75,000 Neopoints. Here were the standings for last season:
1st: Altadorian Heroics
2nd: Minitheus Gladiators
3rd: Torakor Yooyu Team
4th: Alabriss All-Stars
5th: Siyana's Elite
As many expected, Heroics took the Altador league cup, winning 7 matches and drawing 1. Torakor was the season's biggest surprise, earning 3rd place, their highest standing ever. On the flip side, Siyana's Elite dropped to the bottom of the table, with many fans blaming goalkeeper Nirest The Brave for his many fumbles and mistakes. As well, Alabriss proved to be anything but all-stars and don't seem to be much of a contender. However, anything can happen in the game of yooyuball! We'll have to keep our eyes and ears open to see whether or not he is included in the squad. Meanwhile, the Gladiator's signing of right attacker, Flavius Cinoi, will give them much needed extra scoring power. Judging by the team line-up that they just released, it seems that they have a very good chance at winning League of Excellence Cup this year.

Brightvale's Golden Book of Wisdom
The winning yooyuball team in Brightvale are presented with the Golden Tome of Wisdom by King Hagen, a book filled with such powerful information that the King deemed it necessary to imprison in a shell of solid gold. The team and player names are then inscribed onto the surface, thus granting them everlasting honour. Last season, five teams competed...
1st: Knowledge United
2nd: Motes Of Brightvale
3rd: Hagan Supreme
4th: Brightvalers
5th: The Scholars
Knowledge United narrowly defeated Motes of Brightvale, with a 1 point difference. However, fans are worried for the upcoming season as three of the original five members will be leaving for other clubs. The Brightvalers have signed Orie Dinelle [goalkeeper] and "Squeaky" Tressif [L. Defender], both Altador Cup veterans. Fans of the team are already hoping for a 1st place finish. The Scholars, as usual, finished in last place (perhaps this is because they spend more time studying than training).

The Chalice of Darigan
The Chalice reportledly blesses any water poured into it with supernatural powers. Who knows if it really works, but each member from the winning team gets to take a sip. In addition, they receive a Darigan Paint Brush and a Darigan Petpet Paint Brush, along with 20,000 Neopoints. Last season, left forward Layton Vickles led his team, Floating Citadel, to their 3rd Chalice of Darigan in a row. What will happen this season?
1st: Floating Citadel
2nd: Darigan Doom Club
3rd: Menace Of The Sky
4th: The Darigan Demons
5th: Kass Division
With Vickles moving to another club, will the Citadel go on to win their 4th league title in a row? Well, that seems doubtful. The club has signed General Silvestri to take over the empty position, but it seems unlikely that he will score as much. Remember that while Floating Citadel had the most goals in the league, they also had a lot of goals against them. Kass Division's new contract with Gybert Krawkoni will give them some extra srength in the defensive line, which showed itself to be the major weakness last season. Overall, it's hard to pick any favourites as many new players have been brought in for all five teams.

Immortal Necklace of the Faeries
It was an exciting season, with rivals Faeries of Faerieland and Jhudora's Judgement battling it out for 1st. While Jhudora's Judgement led for most of the season, Faeries managed to take the top spot by defeating them 7-6. It was described by fans on both sides as being one of the most exciting matches in Faerieland history. At the winner's ceremony, each member was presented with a special necklace made by the Faeries with gems that are said to indestructible. They were also given a random Faerie Doll and 75,000 Neopoints.
1st: Faeries Of Faerieland
2nd: Jhudora's Judgement
3rd:The Alkenore Line-Up
4th: Cirrus United
5th: Fyora's Faeries
Fanetti (Haunted Wood's goalkeeper) announced his new contract with Jhudora's Judgement. Fans of the club are extremely pleased and hope that they can take the league title away from their opponents. However, this could be the season for the underdogs. The Alkenore Line-Up's roster is very strong, with goalkeeper Trinkit Zire and forward Kakoni Worrill. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they do well this season. Meanwhile, I think it's safe to say that Fyora's Faeries won't be moving up the table anytime soon. Known for their clean play and fairness, they tend to focus more on defense (and even then, their defensive line has many holes in it).

The Rule's Committee, working alongside N.I.F.T.Y. (Neopia's International Federation of Terrific Yooyuballers) have released line-ups for the following teams:
Kreludor, Kiko Lake, Haunted Woods, Faerieland, Brightvale, Altador, Meridell, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert, Maraqua

We'll be adding the lists up soon. Check out the links on the left side to get to their directly (or just scroll down). We'll be sure to keep you updated with the other teams as well as updating each player's profile.

Edit: The rest of the teams have now been posted! To see the line-ups, scroll down or click the links on the left to get there quicker. We'll be working on detailed player and team profiles so be sure to look out for that.

Here is Part II of our interview with Techo Super Fan!

Caerlaverock: Moving on, have you heard any rumours so far in the world of national yooyuball leagues?
Techo Super Fan: Yes, there's some interesting gossip moving along the grapevine. As you know, Stealth of Shenkuu is the second most successful club in Shenkuu, after The Lunar Crew, of course. However, I heard that Stealth have recently signed a major player from The Lost Desert. Also, The Lunar Crew seems to have lost a few valuable members.
C: Interesting. We'll definately look into that. Now, can you go into more information about the leagues?
TSF: Sure! Let's use Maraqua as an example. A team plays 8 matches (twice against one team). This is done on a rotating schedule. So, Arkmite Attackers might play Maractite Field, Underwater Revolution, Kelp United then Maraquan Marauders. Once they've played all four matches, they will face off against Maractite Field for the second and final time.
C: 3 points for the winning team. 1 point for each team if there's a draw and 0 points for the losing side. At the end of each season, the team with the most points wins the national cup. Do clubs ever face other clubs from outside their land? Will Kass Division ever square off against The Farmers Fraternity?
TSF: Not in the regular season. During the transfer season, clubs may play with other teams from outside their land. These games don't really count for much, but it's nice to watch nonetheless.
C: Well, thanks Techo Super Fan for stopping by and having a nice chat with us.
TSF: No problem. I'll be sure to check in often!

Hey yooyuball fans, it's _Caerlaverock_ here! Have I got a special surprise for you. The Techo Super Fan dropped by yesterday and sat down for an interview with Yooyuball Planet. Check out Part I of our interview as we'll be discussing the major leagues in Neopia.

Caerlaverock: Hey there Super Fan. How's it going?
Techo Super Fan: Hi! I'm not doing too bad.
C: Let's get started. First of all, for those who are new to the national leagues, can you fill them in?
TSF: Of course. As everyone knows, The Altador Cup is a time where all of the lands of Neopia gather for an exciting yooyuball competition. Each land sends their most gifted players to compete for this international cup. However, what happens when the cup ends? Well, my friend, that's where the national leagues step in. Each land (for example, Faerieland, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert, you get the idea) has their own competitive yooyuball league that contains five clubs.
C: That's exciting. So the yooyuball season never really ends, does it?
TSF: No, my friend, it doesn't, which is the beauty of the game. You see, players try to do well in their own clubs in order to get a chance to have a chance to play for their land. Now, as you know, just because someone is born in a certain place doesn't mean they are restricted to play there.
C: Yes, that's right. Unlike internationals, clubs are comprised of many different players from different places. Look at "Dasher" Soley. He's plays for the Golden Pharaohs, which is a club based in Lost Desert!
TSF: Clubs trade players too, much to the dismay of the fans (or, in some cases, to the delight of fans). I hear Yooyuball Planet is very up-to-date about these transfer rumours?
C: Yes, we are. We try to keep everyone updated about who's moving to which club and such. Super Fan, you mentioned that each league has five clubs. Well, if you look to the left, we have all of the clubs listed (based on where they are located). Do you have any pre-season predictions as to who will win the cup in their respective leagues?
TSF: Some leagues are always easier to predict than others. Take, for example, The Lost Desert and Krawk Island leagues. The Qasala City Club and Sakhmet Union have a fierce rivalry that is unmatched. However, I feel that the Golden Pharaohs have a slight edge over the rest of them. If you remember last year's roster, there were many notable stars. Krawk Island is a different story, where there are two top teams, the Scarblade Society and Black Sail Pirates.
C: That's good to know. Yooyuball Planet will be releasing club rosters as soon as we get them. Anyways, are there any leagues that, in your opinion, are not as competitive (or successful) as the others?
TSF: Well, unfortunately, yes. While Meridell does quite well in the Altador Cup, its national league suffers greatly because their star players mostly play for other leagues. This is a big problem because wealthier clubs, such as those in Krawk Island, sign key players.
C: Hmmm, that could be quite a problem. Well, whether clubs should sign a majority of players from their own land is a big debate.

That's Part I of our exclusive interview with the Techo Super Fan. We'll be posting Part II soon!

As the final matches of today wraps up in Mystery Island, Shenkuu, and Tyrannia, fans around Neopia anxiously awaited for the final scores. With the end of the yooyuball season in these three leagues, the celebrations can begin as we get ready to crown this year's winners...

Mystery Island
The Geraptiku Giants: 15 points
Mystery Tombola: 13 points
Sandy Shores: 11 points
Tiki Tack Yooyu Squad: 9 points
The Island Yooyu Troop: 7 points

Fans of The Geraptiku Giants will be having a huge party tonight for their team as the club successfully defended their national title. In the epic showdown between the Giants and their rivals, Mystery Tombola, The Geraptiku Giants showed why they deserved to win once again. The match started off with intense action as Volgoth (center forward for TGG) opened the scoring just 30 seconds into the game. It was a close race between these two teams the entire season, where the final match would decide the victor. On the other side of things, Tiki Tack Yooyu Squad placed 2nd last season, but managed a feeble 4th place this time around. The coach has been under fire from critics and fans alike for the club's poor performance. With transfer season coming up, she might want to bolster the defensive line.

Shenkuu
Shenkuu Warriors Unite: 19 points
Stealth of Shenkuu: 18 points
The Lunar Crew: 12 points
Sandan Yooyu Squadron: 5 points
Shenkuu Sensei: 4 points
No, you're not experiencing déjà vu. For those of you who remembered last season's final rankings, this might seem a bit familiar. In fact, on two teams this season has changed position. Shenkuu Warriors Unite was 2nd last time, but this season they've worked their way up to 1st. Meanwhile, Stealth of Shenkuu were champs last year, and have fell to 2nd. The other 3 teams remain in the same spot that they were last season! The final match was a critical one for Shenkuu Warriors Unite. The Warriors needed to win in order to take the top spot. They did just that, demolishing Shenkuu Sensei, 14 to 0. This has been quite the dramatic season for the Warriors, who were forced to play with only 4 team members after "Son of Shenkuu" was injured. I'm sure that Stealth of Shenkuu could taste victory and were hoping to defend their title. They must be devastated to come so close, which is understandable, but the season they played was definitely not a losing one. Fans should be proud of their efforts and they continue to be a strong team.

Tyrannia
Omelette Omegas: 17 points
The Plateau Peoples: 14 points
Tribe of Tyrannia: 11 points
The Niptor Clan: 10 points
Monotony Yooyu: 1 point
Last but not least, let's head over to Tyrannia. Everyone who's familiar with the Tyrannian league knows there's a huge (and I mean HUGE) rivalry between Omelette Omegas and The Plateau Peoples. Both are from the same area of Tyrannia and even their stadiums are directly in front of each other. Historically, The Plateau Peoples have done better that the Omegas, winning 45 national league titles to date. However, the Omegas caught up. It seems all of their hard work paid off, as halfway through the season, the Omegas could not be caught and they won their 45th national title. Omelette Omegas now tie The Plateau Peoples in the number of national titles won. I'm sure the fans will be celebrating this immense victory for a long to come.

And that's it! Congratulations to the champions for showing yooyuball fans the determination and strength required to reach the top. Also, a big round of applause goes out for all of the clubs. It's been a truly exciting season to watch and we can't wait until next year. Though the season comes to a close in MI, SK, and TY, that's not the end of national yooyuball! We've still got 4 leagues left in play as the focus shifts to Faerieland, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert, and Virtupets.

Sure, the Altador Cup may be weeks away, but the focus right now is on national play! For clubs in Mystery Island, Shenkuu and Tyrannia, it's getting down to the wire as they only have two more matches. Who will come out on top?

Mystery Island
Things just can't get any more exciting in the Mystery Island league. At the beginning of the season, The Geraptiku Giants were cruising on a winning streak. However, mid-season exhaustion set in and other teams began to catch up. Next Saturday's showdown will decide who wins the national league title. The Geraptiku Giants, led by captain Volgoth, have one final game to show their quality. Sitting on 12 points, they need a win in order to secure victory. After today's matches, Mystery Tombola are at the top of the table, with 13 points. They still have a match to play, so a win or a draw will make them champions. So, why will the game next Saturday be epic? Well, The Geraptiku Giants will be facing Mystery Tombola in a match-up that will decide who takes this season's trophy.

Shenkuu
Hoping to defend their championship title, Stealth of Shenkuu's fate is now placed in the hands of their rivals, Shenkuu Warriors Unite. In an upset loss against Shenkuu Sensei, Stealth has now completed their 8 matches, totalling 18 points. Meanwhile, pre-season favourites, Shenkuu Warriors Unite, have played 7 matches and currently sit on 16 points. This means that next Saturday, they'll be the deciding factor. If the Warriors win their match against Shenkuu Sensei, they'll have 19 points and take home the national title. However, a loss or even a draw will mean that Stealth of Shenkuu are champions once again. In a game that Shenkuu Warriors Unite are expected to win, there is a lot going against them. Shenkuu Sensei have performed admirably well in their last few games, do don't expect them to take it easy on their opponents. Also, Stealth players have been battling injuries and exhaustion, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens...

Tyrannia
After losing their last 6 matches, Monotony Yooyu have nothing to play for besides their pride. So, what happened when they went up against one of the best clubs in Tyrannia, Omelette Omegas? Did they just roll over and quit? No, just the opposite actually. The members of Monotony Yooyu played their hearts out and came away with a much deserved 2-2 draw, earning their first point of the season. At the end of the match, their home crowd fans absolutely exploded into a wave of cheering. If you were just walking by the stadium, you would have thought that they won the championship title. This just goes to show you that even though teams may not have the success that others have, a little effort and a lot of determination goes a long way. On the other side of things, Omelette Omegas didn't have a lot to play for either. They've already secured their championship title with 16 points. They'll have to play their final game next Saturday before they're crowed for another season in a row.

Be sure to check out part II of this article!

Sure, the Altador Cup may be weeks away, but the focus right now is on national play! For clubs in Mystery Island, Shenkuu and Tyrannia, it's getting down to the wire as they only have two more matches. Who will come out on top? Meanwhile, the first half of the season is almost complete in Faerieland, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert and Virtupets.

Faerieland
It's definitely not all sunshine and rainbows up in the clouds of Faerieland. Jhudora's Judgement is dominating the league, winning all of their matches so far, scoring an amazing 55 goals in only 4 games! It looks like their newest player, goalkeeper Fanetti, is doing his part. Their opponents have managed to score 6 goals have been scored against them so far. Captain and right forward, Ato Valah, is saying that her team is playing with two goals in mind: Win the Faerieland league title, and crush our rivals, Faeries of Faerieland, on the way there. There's definitely tension mounting in Faerieland, as some people are calling it a battle of "good vs. evil". Tense words have been exchanged, as Faeries of Faerieland captain, Babolino, reportedly said that he wanted "any team except Judgement" to win the cup. Next Saturday, they'll be facing each other for the first time this season, in a match that is expected to rake in a low of viewers.

Krawk Island
Neopoints can't buy happiness, but it certainly can buy talent. Thanks for Mirsha Grelinek and Zo Junior's late goals, Black Sail Pirates managed to break the deadlock and defeat the young Lagooners squad. I'll bet the Lagooners are happy – that's the second and last time they'll have to face the fearsome Black Sail Pirates this season. Though the Pirates sailed away with a victory, they weren't free of criticism, most of which was directed at goalkeeper Garven Hale. Straying from his line, he let in a handful of weak goals and almost cost his team much needed points.

The Lost Desert
The Cayle duo, Vonde and Linde, came through once again for their club, Sakhmet Union. With a narrow 6-5 win over rivals Qasala City Club, they are keeping their eyes on the prize. In the post-match press conference, this is what captain Vonde Cayle had to say:
It was a brutal match throughout. They [Qasala City Club] had the home field advantage. The crowd definitely pumped them up, but we were determined. Our history is against us. We're currently last in terms of how many titles we have won, but that is not the important thing. We must pull ourselves together as a team. I'm confident that we can achieve great things if we put aside our frustrations and concentrate on the season, one match at a time.

Virtupets
Last but not least, let's not forget our friends to the north. In the very north. I'm talking about outer space. Yes, Virtupets! Cosmo Supers have been on a red-hot winning streak, winning their last 4 matches. Their center defender and captain, Rinok Fitel, credits his team's endurance and hard work ethics: We've been putting in extra training hours and I think it's really helped. We have to build our own strength because all of our opponents use a lot of robotic players, and we've had difficulty keeping our stamina up during matches. Now, we're raring to go!" If they keep up their winning habits and spectacular playing style, they'll win the league in no time. They've got quite the lead as well, since the second place team (Grundo Grunts 5000) only have 4 points.

Despite being a club that's well over 100 years old, the Pawkeet Plunderers have only won eight league titles, putting them at the bottom of the table in Krawk Island. Going into the new yooyuball season, many critics have written the team off. One commentator said,

Let's face the facts, shall we? First of all, when you think of yooyuball in Krawk Island, you think about the number of goals that are being scored. Some leagues are more defensive, some are more technical, but at KI, it's about scoring. Pawkeet Plunderers can't just defend and expect to win.

However, before we predict a 5th place finish for Pawkeet Plunderers, we have to factor in one thing: transfers. During the 2009 transfer window, the Plunderers managed to sign a player that many teams around Neopia were keeping an eye on. Described as being Krawk Island's version of Elon Hughlis, many fans consider Premy "Golden Boots" Deakings to be their greatest chance for a ninth championship title. The question is, just how realistic are these claims?

As a product of the Krawk Island yooyuball youth system, Deakings has signed his first ever contract with a professional yooyuball team. Inexperience does play a factor but many called him "the greatest center forward" in the rookie league. Will all of this attention affect his playing? Premy Deakings, self-proclaimed "Golden Boots", is no stranger to the spotlight. Known for his massive scoring contributions, Deakings had this to say:

The other teams? They've got no chance now that I'm here. Golden Boots will be showin' them how the game's played. I might even let the other team have the yooyu once in a while, y'kno, to make them feel better about themselves.

Love him or hate him, one thing's for sure. The Pawkeet Plunderers didn't sign him for his modesty, but to score goals. Indeed, he did score a majority of his team's goals today against Black Sail Pirates. Deakings was undaunted by the fact that they were facing the likes of Mirsha Grelinek and Zo Junior. Battling back from a 3-5 deficit, Deakings scored 2 last minute goals to equalize the score at 5-5. A draw is better than a full-out loss, but he was brought onto the team with the hopes of leading the club to victory. We'll just have to wait and see if the Neopoints were well spent...

As we kick off the new yooyuball season in Krawk Island, Faerieland, The Lost Desert and Virtupets, let's not forget that Shenkuu, Tyrannia and Mystery Island still have another month left in their league! April sure is a busy month as there are seven leagues competing at the same time. This is also the time of year when international coaches will be selecting players for the Altador Cup, so it's important for yooyuballers to shine on the field if they want a chance to represent their land. So, without any further interruptions, let's preview the new season! In Part I, we'll feature Faerieland and Krawk Island. Be sure to catch Part II with The Lost Desert and Virtupets.

Faerieland
What to expect: Last season saw bitter rivals Faeries of Faerieland and Jhudora's Judgement battle it out for the top spot. In the end, it was the Faeries taking home the championship title by a slim margin. Described by fans as the most epic rivalry in Faerieland, expect to see things heat up between these two teams. Besides from Jhudora's Judgement, all of the other teams play a fairly defensive game. Most clubs rely on their teamwork and positive attitude.
Players to watch out for: Back in the transfer season of 2009, Fanetti (goalkeeper for Haunted Wood's international team) shocked yooyuball fans across Neopia by announcing his move to Jhudora's Judgement and signing a long-term contract for an estimated 200 million Neopoints. There is a lot of pressure on the Meerca to perform, because if he doesn't, that 200 million may not have been the wisest decision made by the team's coach...
The favourites: The favourite heading into this season is the defending champ, Faeries of Faerieland. However, let's not count out the other squads just yet. Jhudora's Judgement will be hoping to take their rivals down and claim the top spot. The Alkenore Line-Up has an impressive squad, boasting two international players. I wouldn't be surprised if Alkanore slipped into the top ranks.
The long shots: Fyora's Faeries is the only team in Neopia that hasn't won a single championship title. Though they exemplify the true meaning of fair play and honesty in the game of yooyuball, they show signs of weakness in terms of scoring and defending. Many critics predict another 5th place finish for the squad, but hopefully (for the sake of their fans and sponsors) they can manage a 4th place finish.

Krawk Island
What to expect: The clubs in Krawk Island are some of the most talented in Neopia and every match, regardless of whether or not it's a high-profile team, is exciting to watch. Last season, the crew of Scarblade Society took home the treasure as they captured the top spot ahead of their rivals, Black Sail Pirates. If Jhudora's Judgement and Faeries of Faerieland have an epic rivalry in FL, then Scarblade and Black Sail have the most epic rivalry in all of Neopia. Krawk Island is all about rough tackling, scoring, and more scoring! The only strategy that matters in KI is this: how do I beat my competition?
Players to watch out for: Signing a contract with Black Sail Pirates for 296 million Neopoints, Mirsha Grelinek becomes Neopia's most expensive player – but can she claim the title of being the best yooyuballer? Many are wondering how she will adjust to the physical playing style of the KI league, where there is less emphasis on technique and strategies than there was in the Shenkuu league. Speaking of Shenkuu, another player to watch out for is Foltaggio, right forward for Scarblade Society. The Mynci led his team in scoring and was voted MVP in 5 of his 8 matches.
The favourites: Black Sail Pirates takes the edge over Scarblade Society with their new player, Grelinek. However, could there be a new powerhouse in KI? The Lagooners are known for their young team and entertaining playing style and stand out in KI for being a squad that focuses on technique and style. Though their coach has been criticized for signing such young and inexperienced players, he has maintained that they are a consistently strong team and will be a major threat in the new season.
The long shots: Silver Cutlass Captains has had a horrible run of injuries, with their key players missing major matches over their past few seasons. As an injury-prone team, the Captains have to keep in shape in they want to challenge the top spot. It's a shame that they haven't been a key contender in Krawk Island since they have such a loyal fan base, but this season, that could all change. Black Sail Pirates weren't the only ones busy during the transfer season. Altador Cup veteran, Nitri Cassale, joined the team on a short-term contract and everyone is hoping that she can make an impact.

As we kick off the new yooyuball season in Krawk Island, Faerieland, The Lost Desert and Virtupets, let's not forget that Shenkuu, Tyrannia and Mystery Island still have another month left in their league! April sure is a busy month as there are seven leagues competing at the same time. This is also the time of year when international coaches will be selecting players for the Altador Cup, so it's important for yooyuballers to shine on the field if they want a chance to represent their land. So, without any further interruptions, let's preview the new season!

The Lost Desert
What to expect: As one of the wealthiest leagues in Neopia, there are countless world-class players in The Lost Desert, which makes for some entertaining yooyuball. Most teams in LD focus on technique, strategy and attacking power so there are never any dull moments here. It's a great league to watch, especially if you're a neutral and you don't support any particular team.
Players to watch out for: Golden Pharaohs managed a late signing with Layton Vickles before the transfer deadline. The Darigan Citadel player joins an all-star team, with the likes of Leera Heggle, Larcy Phu, and Dasher Soley. Other notable players include Lilo Blumario, who led his team, Qasala City, to victory. Can the Blumaroo do it again?
The favourites: Though they had a disappointing year last season with countless injuries, Golden Pharaohs are the favourites heading in. Actually, "favourites" is an understatement. The Pharaohs are ranked as the #1 team in LD and many argue that they are the best club in Neopia. The only other club that can possibly challenge them is Qasala City, but they'll have to pull off a miracle if they even hope to get a draw against the Pharaohs.
The long shots: After finishing in a dismal 5th place, few think that Sakhmet Union can be contenders this time around. That's unfortunate, because the team has some of the best players in The Lost Desert, including the brother-sister duo of Vonde and Linde Cayle. Vonde absolutely shined in the previous Altador Cup where they finished in the top 3. However, exhaustion and minor injuries plagued him throughout the season and he wasn't able to fully contribute to the club.

Virtupets
What to expect: Up in the space station, prepare yourself for a robotic onslaught as all teams use at least 1 robotic player in their squad. The Virtupets league isn't as developed as other leagues since it hasn't been around for a long time (and partly because it's cup off from the majority of the other leagues). The matches mostly emphasize a basic style of play with very few tricks in between. If you're watching yooyuball for the first time, Virtupets is a great league to start with since it showcases the simple and straightforward playing style.
Players to watch out for: Keetra Deile, right forward of Stars of Space is also a powerful presence on the field. The Cybunny is always consistent and is great at fooling those robotic players on other teams. "5 Dubloon" Devlin of Grundo Grunts 5000 is an up-and-coming defender from Krawk Island. What he lacks in experience he certainly makes up in technical skills, such as stealing the yooyu and passing.
The favourites: Though Stars of Space were the runner-ups last season, this time around they enter as the favourites. The line-up for the team is powerful, but if there was one weakness, it has to be their two robotic players, Goltron Mk I (GK) and Xl Striker 3.8 (LF) who are easily fooled. Cosmo Supers hope to defend their title and I'd say they have a pretty good chance of doing so. Their strong point is in how many goals they can score, and using an attacking (3 + 1) formation, they can score quite a few before their opponents have a chance to recover.
The long shots: Virtupets Yooyu-Bots is a squad that just isn't a threat to any team. The core of their line-up consists of two inexperienced players and 3 robots, all of which are easily fooled by other veteran yooyuballers. Historically, they are also known as being the only team in the VP league to have an all-robot squad. Even though that proved to be their downfall, the club management is still reluctant to change their methods, preferring robotic players as they never tire and are always consistent.

With the yooyuball season half over in Mystery Island, Shenkuu and Tyrannia, let's take a moment to cruise through some interesting facts...

Monotony Yooyu has yet to win a game, losing three matches so far. They've been outscored 13 to 2 so far.

Shenkuu Warriors Unite defeated their bitter rivals, Stealth of Shenkuu, to take the lead in the SK league. They sit on top of the table with 10 points, while Stealth has 9 points. Both have played 4 matches.

So far, there are 5 clean sheets in Shenkuu, 3 in Mystery Island and 4 in Tyrannia.

How many goals have the clubs scored so far? Mystery Island has 120, Shenkuu has 81 and Tyrannia has 63.

Omelette Omegas of Tyrannia has yet to lose a match, earning 12 points in 4 games.

Shenkuu Sensei has its worst start since the club began, earning a measly 1 point in 4 games.

Yaniq Avaan, goalkeeper of Tiki Tack Yooyu Squad, became the first goalkeeper in the Mystery Island league history to take a penalty shot for his team. Don't worry, he managed to score!

In Tyrannia, The Niptor Clan leads the disciplinary records, fouling their opponents 24 times and giving away 3 penalty shots. That's more than the entire Shenkuu league combined.

Well, that's all the interesting facts I could come up with. What will happen in the second half of the season? Can anyone take the Omelette Omegas down, or will they be able to successfully defend their title? The battle is heating up in Shenkuu. So far, teams have shown their graceful qualities and world-class technique, but

With S.O.S. being rested, Shenkuu Warriors Unite were playing with only 4 members against Sandan Yooyu Squadron. Teya "Teabags" Thomps, center forward for Sandan, opened the scoring in the first half with a beautifully played volley into the top left corner of the net. Things looked bleak for the Warriors, but knowing that they trailed by only 1 goal, they stepped up their game in the second half. With minutes remaining, the Warriors' Mack "25/20" raced up the center of the field and scored a blistering goal!

The Squadron team members were noticeably upset by the result, hoping to earn a full 3 points since they had an extra player on the field, but it just wasn't their day. Shenkuu Warriors Unite demonstrated a consistently strong defence and used their one-touch passes to spread the Squadron players out, creating gaps on the field. The Warriors have an all-star defensive line, but even they were amazed at the result, with goalkeeper Xana Dilanche saying,

I think I'm still in shock! We were hoping for a good result but being a goal down in the first half really put us in panic mode. However, during the half time break, S.O.S. met us on the sidelines and gave us a great pep talk. We managed to regroup as a team and put our nerves away. We did this for our fans and for our teammate.

Though they trail their rivals, Stealth of Shenkuu, by 2 points, the players and fans are content with the draw. The coaches have confirmed that S.O.S. will be fit to play in the next match, so it looks like the Warriors will be back in full force.

Even after a thrilling 11-5 victory over The Lunar Crew last week, Shenkuu Warriors Unite may not have a lot to celebrate. After enduring a harsh tackle in the second half, left forward "Son of Shenkuu" (or S.O.S. as fans call him) was seen limping off the field at the end of the game. Fans are definitely worried about their star player since he has scored 15 of the 21 goals so far. To make matters worse, the club's management has revealed that they do not have any backup players should S.O.S. be unable to play in the next match (an away game versus Sandan Yooyu Squadron next Saturday). Contract negotiations with Olog Throan, a young Tyrannian forward, broke down and he has left the club to pursue other endeavours. The Warriors' goalkeeper, Xana Dilanche, had this to say:

He [S.O.S] was taken down hard. From my perspective, it should have been a penalty. It was a late challenge and it was unnecessary for him [Lunar Crew's Berty "Deckswabber" Jr.] to use that much power! We're not sure how S.O.S is doing, but we're hopeful that it's just a minor bruise.

Though it's a difficult situation for the team, there are some solutions. ...
5 versus 4?: I doubt SWU's coach would risk putting S.O.S. on the field, especially on an injury. One possible scenario is that Shenkuu Warriors Unite will enter the match with one less player. On one hand, you've got the strength of the Warriors' defenders (Antola Maeir and "Scrap" Taggert) holding the back line. Some say this team has the best defensive game in Shenkuu. However, 5 on 4 is a massive advantage to the other team and the Warriors will be losing their attacking power as well.

Move S.O.S. to defence: If the coach decides to use S.O.S. to have a full team, he might consider putting the Mynci in a defensive potion and switch one of the defenders to a forward position. Usually, defenders don't exert a lot of energy during the match so S.O.S. could just sit back and he won't have to move a lot. This is a risky move though, since obviously he's not meant to be a defender and neither Maeir nor Taggert are proficient in scoring.

Find a new player, quick!: The team's management might just have enough time to run out a find a substitute for S.O.S. Their game doesn't take place for another 7 days, so they have plenty of time to scout. The Official Neopia Yooyuball Rules states that they cannot use a player that is currently under contract for another team, so they'll have to search for young players in the academies or unsigned players. However, an untested yooyuballer might be harmful to the team's overall performance since many of their strategies rely on good communication and knowing what each player is going to do. Though it might disrupt their playing style, they would, however, be a full strength team.

Forfeit the match: Given the way the yooyuball scoring system works, it's possible that forfeiting the match will be the best option and might even save their season. This is a tricky solution, but I'll try to explain it as best as I can! Each team normally plays 8 games a season. At the end, the winning team is the one with the most points, not the team that has won the most games (though often the two go hand in hand). If there is a tie between two or more teams (for example, two teams both have 15 points), then whoever has the higher goal difference is declared the winner (the numbers of goals they scored minus the goals scored against them). If SWU decides to play and loses 5-1, it might not be a big deal, since that would mean a goal difference of only -4. However, if they lose by a large margin, like 10-2 or 13-1, then it might come back to haunt them later in the season. Each team has only one forfeit per season, so SWU might use it now. If they do, they will be penalized, of course and receive a -3 deduction in their final goal difference and the other team would receive a +4. This option will give them the ability to protect their goal difference, and only works if the team feels that it could be a close race to the end between them and their rivals, Stealth of Shenkuu. However, throwing a match away is like throwing away the chance to get another 3 points.

Whatever Shenkuu Warriors Unite decides to do, we'll be sure to keep our eyes and ears open. We'll have updates on this situation next week.

A new season begins today in Mystery Island, Shenkuu and Tyrannia! If you're not familiar with these leagues, here's a preview of what to expect...

Mystery Island
What to expect: If LD's known for their technique, KI's known for scoring and DC is known for their hard tackles, then MI is known for having a bit of everything. Certain teams, like Sandy Shores, focus on the technical aspect of the game, such as passing. On the other hand, if you're facing The Geraptiku Giants then it's going to be tough as these players are massive. Overall, most of the five teams prefer playing "by the books", which makes for some dull (but at times exciting) yooyuball.
Players to watch out for: The Geraptiku Giant's Volgoth (CF), Sandy Shore's Timu (RD), The Island Yooyu Troop's Prinsom "Peg Leg" Fay (RD)
The favourites: As last year's champs, The Geraptiku Giants know they're coming into this season with a target on their backs. However, don't count out Mystery Tombola! Though they lack their own personal playing style, they know they only have one thing to do: score and score often.
The long shots: Many Neopians are already giving Tiki Tack Yooyu Squad a hard time and the season has barely begun! What's the criticism all about? Well, the club is known for playing the "long-yooyu", with their forwards hovering near the net while they receive long passes from their defenders. Not the most exciting style of play, but it has won them 24 league titles, second only to Sandy Shores.

Shenkuu
What to expect: All eyes will be on The Lunar Crew since after the trading deadline, the club found itself without its star player – Mirsha Grelinek who transferred to Black Sail Pirates in KI. Overall, SK is a highly technical league, preferring to use intricate passing styles and focussing on creating unique strategies.
Players to watch out for: Shenkuu Warriors Unite's Xana Dilanche (GK) and "Son of Shenkuu" (LF), Steal of Shenkuu's Dirty Navers (RD), Shenkuu Sensei's Heiko Aetom (RF)
The favourites: Shenkuu Warriors Unite has an all-star roster, with three Altador Cup players (two from SK and one from TY). However, they've got a secret weapon as well: "Son of Shenkuu". Many are calling him Shenkuu's greatest player of all time. Is this all hype or does he have the skill to lead his team to glory?
The long shots: I'm afraid to say that I agree with many people in terms of The Lunar Crew. The only thing that kept them afloat was Grelinek's scoring prowess, and unfortunately, they have very little talent in their club reserves.

Tyrannia
What to expect: The TY league focuses more on defence than attacking. Though scoring is kept to a minimum in most matches, the thrill of watching teams here is that there is a long held tradition for the classic game of defending. As one of the older leagues, defenders in TY are known to be some of the best in the world.
Players to watch out for: Omelette Omegas' Loryche (LF), Tribe of Tyrannia's Onsun Vu (LD), Monotony Yooyu's Gandy Rigs (CD)
The favourites: There are two big clubs that many expect to be near the top of the table: The Plateau Peoples and Omelette Omegas. There's a long and fierce rivalry between these two so don't expect any friendly words from one to the other!
The long shots:The Niptor Clan has been struggling lately as there seems to be a lot of fighting amongst team members. Without the ability to play as a cohesive team, how will they be able to win the championship title?

The last matches have been played and the yooyuball season is now over in DC, TM and RI! Here's a recap of all the action...

Darigan Citadel
1st: Darigan Doom Club (19 points)
2nd: Menace of the Sky (12 points)
3rd: The Darigan Demons (11 points)
4th: Floating Citadel (8 points)
5th: Kass Division (7 points)
Darigan Doom Club have now edged ahead of their chief rivals Kass Division, winning 25 league titles to date (Division has won 24). Altador Cup veteran and Doom Club captain, Kep Bonnefie, made many headlines with her prolific scoring and assists during the season. With an early winning streak, the club couldn't be caught by any other team. Tandrak Shaye of Doom Club was extremely pleased with how things turned out. "It's awesome that we got first place – I knew we'd be good heading into the new season, but boy! We get first place AND Kass Division gets dead last? *laughs* Things couldn't be any better". Unfortunately, we couldn't get a hold of any Kass Division players to see what they thought of his comment.

Roo Island
1st: Blumaroos of the Isle (14 points – Goals Scored: 51 - Goals Against: 44 = +7)
2nd: The Von Roo Squad (14 points – Goals Scored: 50 - Goals Against: 45 = +5)
3rd: King Room Company (11 points)
4th: Team Roo Roo Roos (9 points)
5th: Dice-A-Yooyu Team (8 points)
It was a thrilling finish as the top two teams in RI were in a deadlock. With 14 points apiece, it came down the difference between goals scored takeaway the goals against them. Even that proved to be amazingly close, with Blumaroos of the Isle edging out The Von Roo Squad with a tiny margin of two goals. During the press conference for The Von Roo Squad, center forward and main goal scorer Wordriff Von Sneppy said, "I can't believe it...we were so close. I can't help but think about what it would be like if I scored more goals during the season. Maybe the outcome would have been different. I feel like I let my team and all of our fans down."

Terror Mountain
1st: Happy Happy Valley Citizens (20 points)
2nd: Ice Cream Screamers (16 points)
3rd: Polarchuck Club (11 points)
4th: Slushie Supreme (5 points)
5th: The Snowager Squad (4 points)
Though the Ice Cream Screamers headed into the new season feeling confident and appearing strong, it ultimately proved to be a happy ending for the Happy Happy Valley Citizens. They have proved once again that just because they don't have star players in their club, they have the skill and technique to take them to the top of the table. The Citizens retain their lead in terms of overall league titles, winning 35 championships so far, followed by Polarchuck Club's 29. Looks like there will be a huge party in the valley tonight!

The first batch of international friendlies was announced last week and tickets were sold out in less than two hours as yooyuball fans around Neopia eagerly waited for the matches. If you didn't happen to catch the games in person, here's a summary of all the action that took place...

Shenkuu (home) 14 – 6 Altador (away)
SK roster: Mirsha Grelinek (LF), Foltaggio (RF), Xana DiLanche (GK), Antola Maeir (LD), Larcy Phu (RD)
AL roster:Trapper" Remis (CD), Lyvon Cibaire (LD), Salayne Ritad (GK), Timu (RD), Flavius Cinoi (CF)

SK's roster remains identical to their previous line-up in the Altador Cup. Although many speculated that they would switch to a defensive 1 + 3 formation to allow Grelinek more scoring opportunities, they played the duration of the match in their usual balanced 2 + 2 formation. SK never let up once the game started and created many scoring chances with goals coming from Foltaggio (7), Grelinek (5) and Larcy Phu (2). Altador fans had much to worry about heading into the match as their star attacker, Winberto Seliz, was forced to sit out as he had contracted a mild case of Reptillioritus. The AL coach called upon Flavius Cinoi (who plays for the club Minitheus Gladiators) to fill the gap. Cinoi did not disappoint as the Altadorian Eyrie scored 5 goals for his side. The visiting crowd were absolutely delighted by his performance though fans of Winberto are worried that the Poogle will lose his place on the team...

Virtupets (home) 0 – 8 Tyrannia (away)
VP roster: Keetra Deile (RF), Goltron Mk I (GK), Sela Pretore (LD), Weldar Xupenfarb (RD), XL Striker 3.8 (LF)
TY roster: Loryche (CF), Harlis Neyhbol (GK), Wila Benne (LD), "Scrap" Taggert (CD), Evrem Guilako (RD)

All 10,000 seats were sold out at the Virtu-Amphitheatre but it was a massive disappointment for the home crowd. TY kept a clean sheet as VP's forwards, Deile and XL Striker 3.8, were unable to score a single yooyu. Forced to defend for most of the match, the VP players rarely ventured into their opponent's half of the field. Many sports analysts are seeing a significant change in TY's yooyuball playing style which now focuses more on scoring rather than defending. Loryche led the way with 7 goals while Benne was an important presence on the field, scoring 1 yooyu along with 4 assists. Fans are optimistic, with many hoping that recent changes in their game means a higher place in future Altador Cup tournaments.

Faerieland (home) 7 – 4 The Lost Desert (away)
FL roster: Kakoni Worrill (RF), Valtonous Rea (GK), Ciona Broan (RD), Delma Harrence (LD), Babolino (LF)
LD roster: Leera Heggle (GK), Vonde Cayle (LF), Lamelle Turow (RD), Derbi Azar (RF), Luvea Trivon (LD)

Perhaps the most shocking news to hit the sports headlines this week was the defeat of yooyuball powerhouse The Lost Desert at the hands of Faerieland. After signing a new head coach (who is also coach of the club Faeries of Faerieland), FL changed from an attacking 3 + 1 formation to a balanced 2 + 2 formation, much to the dismay of the official FL yooyuball committee who preferred an all-attacking style. However, the change proved to be extremely beneficial. The LD coach has come under heavy fire after the shocking loss, with many blaming his inability to keep his players content. Rumours of a conflict between forwards Cayle and Azar continue, but the coach has insisted that his star players are getting along just fine. Fans are definitely hoping that the players can put this loss behind them.

Rumours have surfaced that Lost Desert club, The Anubis Allegiance, is interested in acquiring left forward Vonde Cayle. Cayle, who currently plays for Sakhmet Union, has not made any official comment as of yet. Should he make the switch, he would be playing alongside Derbi Azar, who's also his teammate on the international LD team. Vonde Cayle, who rose to meteoric fame during the Altador Cup for his scoring capabilities, was born in Sakhmet City and has lived there his entire life. He casually stated during an old interview that he wanted to be a "one-club Wocky" and play for one team for the span of his yooyuball career. With that kind of loyalty, it's hard to believe that The Anubis Allegiance can offer anything to lure Cayle away.

The news is quite perplexing however, seeing as how The Anubis Allegiance currently operates in a defensive 1 + 3 formation, with Azar acting as the lone forward. As a left forward, there isn't any room for Cayle to be used on the team unless they change their formation around.

Out of the five clubs in The Lost Desert, Sakhmet Union is the least successful, having earned fewer championship titles than the others. A part of this could be due to the club's financials. Few sponsors mean less funding and less Neopoints to purchase players. However, this all changed when an extremely wealthy citizen of Sakhmet City left a large percentage of their estate to the club. Many fans feel that Sakhmet Union has what it takes to rise to the top of the table and if the club can score a few sponsors and increase their revenues, they'll be able to attract more high-profile athletes.

Though it seems unlikely that Cayle will be switching clubs, we'll be keeping our eyes and ears open on this one.

Breaking news: We've just received word of some international friendlies happening soon. Looks like some teams want to keep in shape during their break from yooyuball. Here's the current list:

Shenkuu (home) vs. Altador (away)
Faerieland (home) vs. The Lost Desert (away)
Virtupets (home) vs. Tyrannia (away)

Team rosters have not been released at this point, but it's safe to assume that coaches will be calling up their usual squad and perhaps even inviting some promising players in case they need back-ups. Please check your local stadiums for more information on ticket availability. Even though they're friendlies and don't count toward the standings, be sure to grab your tickets early because they'll sell out in no time!

So often are goalkeepers overshadowed by their more active teammates – the ones who score goals or shows technical expertise. It is often a cruel fate that these players suffer, having very little of the limelight but taking on much of the blame when something goes wrong. Is there really so little gain to being a goalkeeper? If so, why do some pets aspire to become one?

It's a training day for Pyramid Patriots and everyone is out on the field warming up. After their 10 laps, the forwards and defenders head towards the left side of the yooyuball field, while Granger Rome, the goalkeeper, walks towards the right side to train with the goalkeeper coach. For the duration of the training session, Rome goes through the routine, making diving saves and practicing long passes. Only once did he get a chance to talk to his teammates as they met up for the final minutes of the session to talk about their tactics and upcoming matches. Granger Rome says,

Sure, we all have a great time together. Even though we're at separate sides, we're always joking and stuff, but sometimes, it's gets isolated when you're on one side of the field. It's a lonely feeling sometimes. When your team scores, everyone celebrates and all the team members hug and cheer but you're at the other end of the field and no one's with you. Sure, you're happy for the goal, but cheering by yourself reminds you that you're the single player stuck on the other side.

Obviously, when a goal is scored, the spectators are watching the goal scorer, not anyone else. It's a shame that many of today's goalkeepers go by unnoticed. More than ever, I think goalies today are showing a lot of world-class skill and talent. However, there is one aspect of yooyuball where goalkeepers have a chance to become heroes.

When it goes down to penalties...
All fans love to watch penalties, but the truth of the matter is, they'd rather win a match the normal way. In penalties, anything can happen. There is no teamwork required; no major strategies need to be employed. It comes down to the skill of the penalty taker and the skill of the goalkeeper. In one move, a missed or successful penalty shot can break thousands of hearts, while at the same time, fill others with joy. The taker has one objective: score. The goalkeeper has one objective: save the yooyu. In one moment, goalkeepers have the chance to become household names and legends. Peasant Peoples United's goalkeeper, "Ol' Reliable" George, has been in his fair share of penalty situations.

I always hated penalties. Never liked 'em. Still don't like 'em. I made a name for myself by performin' well and savin' shots but the truth of the matter is, a match comin' down to penalties is stressful.

A new era for the lone players
The yooyuball world is changing as we know it. At one time, goalkeepers were perhaps considered to be a rare species, with many choosing to become a forward or a defender instead. Today, with players like Leera Heggle, Birchwood Soaren and Garven Hale paving the way, there is more interest in goalkeeping. As more and more eyes turn to them, they continue to astound Neopia, presenting us with high-quality talent that equals that of their teammates.

Most of the teams are back in action today after taking a well-deserved break from yooyuball last week. Let's take a look at how they did...

Darigan Citadel

Menace of the Sky (H) 3 – 10 Darigan Doom Club (A)
Unfortunately for fans of the home team, Darigan Doom Club brought their A-game as they easily demolished Menace of the Sky. Scoring just after one minute into the game, left forward Tandrak Shaye of Doom Club went on to net a whopping 7 goals! This important win puts their team in first place for now. Menace of the Sky will have to rethink their strategies as they're currently the only team in DC without a single point.

Kass Division (H) 6 – 1 Floating Citadel (A)
Fans of Floating Citadel sure must be missing Layton Vickles who left the club to join Lost Desert's Golden Pharaohs during the 2009 transfer period. With only a few games left, Citadel sit near the bottom of the table and from the looks of things, they won't be able to claim the championship title this time around.

Roo Island

Blumaroos of the Isle (H) 6 – 6 The Von Roo Squad (A)
While a tie is good news for The Von Roo Squad, players of Blumaroos of the Isle will be sorely disappointed. While they scored early on, the Isle just couldn't hold on to their lead as the Squad managed to equalize in the dying minutes of the game. Isle goalkeeper, Roocardo, looked a little uneasy during the entire match and seemed to be favouring his left leg. Is there a possible injury scare for the Blumaroo?

King Roo Company (H) 2 – 2 Dice-A-Yooyu Team (A)
Yet another draw in RI. While King Roo Company hoped to extend their lead at the top of the RI table, Dice-A-Yooyu Team played a magnificent defensive game throughout, holding off the attacking powers of Dayla and Crispi Roonaldo. Members of both teams looked fresh heading into the match, and will be expecting better results for next time.

Terror Mountain

Ice Cream Screamers (H) 5 – 2 Slushie Supreme (A)
The Screamers picked up an important win to boost their points heading into the second half of the season. Critics and pessimistic fans have already ruled out Slushie Supreme as contenders for the national title, but that doesn't mean that they'll take it easy. In the post-game press conference, the Supreme's right forward Osielle Lidel said, "We'll still be giving out 110% each and every match. A lot of things can happen in yooyuball, so don't count us out just yet!"

The Snowager Squad (H) 0 – 8 Polarchuck Club (A)
Led by the Altador Cup veteran, Prytariel, Polarchuck Club managed to keep an impressive clean sheet against the home team. This win keeps them within striking distance of league leaders Happy Happy Valley Citizens. It seems the long break had negative effects on the home side, as the Squad looked extremely sluggish and their overall game seemed uninspired.

The Goalkeeper's Net is a mini-series where we will be taking an in-depth look at goalkeepers in the game of yooyuball. We hope you enjoy reading these articles!

Yooyuball teams around Neopia are very different. Some have 1 forward and some teams have 2 attackers, while others have 3. The same can be said for defenders. However, there is one position in the game that only 1 person can occupy at all times. Goalkeepers. They are the last line of defence for any yooyuball team and often, they are the deciding factor between victory and defeat. Given that a goalkeeper's only task is to protect the net behind them, it's understandable that they want to save everything that is thrown their way. For part one of The Goalkeeper's Net, we feature Olly "The Wall" Oppolee, who is a goalkeeper for Qasala City yooyuball team and he is known not only for his displays of skill, but also for his incredible anger.

A brilliant goalkeeper
After students finish their final year in the rookie training school, they decide whether or not they want to pursue a professional career or just play yooyuball in their spare time and enter a different occupation. Olly "The Wall" Oppolee made the choice to enter the pro leagues. Growing up in Qasala City, there was little doubt as to which team he would try to enter first. The Qasala City yooyuball squad has been experiencing a slump in form, not being able to attract big-name players for some time. Olly's tryout was a huge success and he was immediately granted a place in their team. Fast forward to today. Qasala City is the second most successful team in The Lost Desert league, after Golden Pharaohs. Part of this success is because of Olly, who remained a permanent fixture at Qasala all these years. A grizzled veteran, he has played at Qasala for 20 years and has seen many players come and go.

There is no doubt that Olly Oppolee is the greatest goalkeeper to ever play for Qasala City. In his younger years, his energy and speed came in handy and now, he uses his vast experience as a goalkeeper to predict the moves of his opponents. Many fans call him "a brilliant goalkeeper" and he has shown his skills in many matches. Though many are dreading the day he retires, he has many supporters that admire the loyalty he's shown to his team.

...he scared me!
Perhaps for this scenario, it is fitting to use the image of a mad scientist who excels as his work but is extremely touchy about it. Nicknamed "The Wall" for the fact that he rarely lets a yooyu get past him, Olly sometimes let his temper get the best of him. We interviewed a defender (who wished to remain anonymous) who played with Oppolee in the rookie league. This is what he had to say:

When good ol' Olly and me were working our way through the rookie school, I had no doubt that he had a great future. The only problem was, well, sometimes... he scared me! I mean, whenever the other team would try to score on him, he'd save it, no doubt! But then he'd get all the defenders and he'd yell at us, telling us to watch our open spots and not fall for any fakes!

There's one infamous incident that has been well parodied in numerous sports shows. Here's the scene: Qasala City was down 1-0. Olly, fed up with his teammates, actually left his net and tried to score with the yooyu himself! Eccentricities aside, Olly Oppolee is known for having a permanent scowl etched on his face and many people (even his teammates and fans) are intimidated by his beady eyes. During matches, he is constantly shouting and yelling, but somehow he never seems to get a sore throat.

Maybe it's just being a goalkeeper that makes him irritable. The fact is, one can get very annoyed when you have players throwing yooyus are you all day long. Whether you're a fan of him or not, one thing is true: Olly "The Wall" Oppolee will never change his style. He is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers in Neopia and also, one of the angriest.

Part two of The Goalkeeper's Net, The Lone and Lonely Player, will be posted next week.

Due to the resurrection of the Altador Cup, the committee has announced that all leagues taking place during the May to June season will be playing a month earlier. The leagues affected are Faerieland, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert and Virtupets. The press conference was held a few hours ago and this is what they had to say about their decision to change the schedule:

In the first few years of the Altador Cup, we kept the club seasons the same because it worked nicely for everyone. Each league had two months and the transfer window was two months. However, there are four leagues where some players not only competed in their own teams, but also had international duties as well. Because their season took place in May and June, they are essentially playing twice as much as everyone else. We've had many talks with players, managers and club officials and we all came to the same conclusion. Players would perform poorly in their clubs or in their Altador Cup teams because of exhaustion.

What does this change mean? FL, KI, LD and VP's national league will now take place during the months of April and May, meaning that there will be an overlap of leagues competing in April (Mystery Island, Shenkuu and Tyrannia play during March and April). The overall season has been shortened, ending a month earlier so that participants in the Altador Cup will not be doing double duty. In addition, the transfer window previously taking place in July and August will be extended to include the month of June. To sum it all up, clubs play from September to May and transfers take place from June to August.

Let's finish off our introductions with teams from Terror Mountain!

Happy Happy Valley Citizens: With a 3 + 1 formation, the Citizens will need to score a lot in order to make up for their weak defence. It is rumoured that after a horrible season last time, goalkeeper Mimi "Lil' Kid" Ghartike might be sacked unless she pulls off the performance of a lifetime. Nonetheless, Ghartike is a popular player with a large fan base, something that the sponsors will definitely want to hold on to.

Ice Cream Screamers: Making no new acquisitions during the transfer period, the roster has remained unchanged at the Ice Cream Screamers. This energetic bunch consists of some of the youngest players in the TM league, so stamina isn't an issue here. However, their lack of experience and "textbook" style of play means that they aren't heavy contenders.

Polarchuck Club: Named as the favourites going into the season, fans will be looking at Altador Cup vets Prytariel and Minae Mitora to lead them in battle. These two are new to the club so it'll be interesting to see how the team plays together. If everything works out, it could be a successful season for Polarchuck Club. However, a lack of chemistry and poor communication can lead to disaster. Can they do better than 5th? Let's hope so.

Slushie Supreme: The squad added some much needed strength to the backline with the signing of right defender "Chilly" Bretchin over the transfer period. Highly skilled in stealing the ball, the only thing this Xweetok lacks is strength, which the forwards make up for anyways. Fans have dubbed them "The Speedy Supremes" as their quick one-touch passing is an integral part of their game.

The Snowager Squad: As the defending champs, The Snowager Squad hope that their extra training sessions have paid off. On the other hand, both critics and fans have blasted the coach for scheduling those extra training hours, arguing that the players will most likely burnout before the halfway mark of the season. Stamina has never been a problem with the players, so if they can stay relatively injury-free, they'll have a chance of defending their title.

Here's the first article of 2010! Be sure to check in tomorrow as part II will be posted then.

During the months of January and February, teams in Darigan Citadel, Roo Island and Terror Mountain will be competing in their national leagues for the championships. After each club plays 8 matches, the team with the most points takes home the trophy! Let's start the season off by introducing the teams in Darigan and Roo Island.

Darigan Citadel
Darigan Doom Club: Led by the merciless Kep Bonnefie, this club is known for their high-intensity playing style that mixes immense speed and hard tackles. This season, fans can look forward to seeing the newest player in action as Scarry "Scurvy" Skeleto, a Mynci from Krawk Island, makes his debut for the club.
Floating Citadel: With the departure of Layton Vickles, many critics find it hard to believe that Floating Citadel will win the national title four times in a row. Though they still have a lot of star power with Kreludan international, Zenor Kevix, the team will need to be able to keep up their high-scoring games if they want to win again.
Kass Division: The key to success for this team will be their heavy defensive plays. Their two defenders, Gybert Krawkoni and Vignacio, need to stay as injury-free as possible since their presence on the field gives their teammates a boost in confidence.
Menace Of The Sky: Captain and center defender, Bauer Kappa, has made his intentions very clear – unless the club places third or higher, he'll be leaving Menace of the Sky at the end of this season and will return to his home in Maraqua. As expected, the Chomby came under heavy criticisms from fans as they berated his lack of loyalty to the club.
The Darigan Demons: Already written off as a main contender, The Darigan Demons have (once again) received multiple complaints about their robotic goalkeeper, Goal Repellent 3.6. After an exhaustive investigation, referees and yooyuball officials have failed to uncover any evidence of tampering with the robot. There were reports that their robotic players were programmed to be more aggressive but there seems to be little evidence to support that theory.

Roo Island
Blumaroos of the Isle: Fans of this club should definitely be excited as Roocardo, one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in Neopia, will be making his debut for the club. In addition, the Isle has also signed "Risky" Bluigi, a right defender. It looks like the best offense is a good defence.
Dice-A-Yooyu Team: As the lone forward on the team, Roonaldinho has quite the burden on his shoulders. Nonetheless, this Blumaroo is capable of scoring in bunches for his team. Depending on how their season goes, we might expect to see a few changes to the team afterwards, especially regarding their 1 + 3 formation.
King Roo Company: With a star-studded roster, King Roo Company is the favourites heading into the new season even though they finished at the bottom of the table last time. Led by the veteran goalkeeper and captain, Gigi Rooffon, fans can expect a much higher placing as all of the players seem to be fit and ready to go.
Team Roo Roo Roos: Can the club make it two national titles in a row? As champions last time around, the players are under a lot of pressure and many critics feel that the squad will not be able to perform as well. However, right forward, Soare Rooser, has other thoughts on that issue, "we'll get the job done, thank you very much!"
The Von Roo Squad: Newcomer Zimbay von Hayday will be making her first appearance not only for the club, but also in the professional yooyuball league. The Eyrie goalkeeper just graduated from the DC yooyuball youth academy so she must be a bit nervous playing on such a large scale. Fans are definitely hoping to see what she's capable of.

That's it for Part I of our team introductions. Part II will be posted tomorrow, so be on the lookout for that. Also, scores for all of today's matches have been updated.