Top 16 Feature Match: Steven Santoli vs. Charley Futch
Only 16 teams remain at TEAM YCS Las Vegas! Team Warning: May Contain Rings – consisting of Charley Futch, Kamal Crooks, and World Champion Ruben Penaranda – completed the Swiss Rounds with a 9-0-1 record and ended in first place. Now, they’re facing off against Team Fala Galera, consisting of Steven Santoli, Paulo Roberto Goncalves da Silva, and Aaron McInnes. Team Fala Galera finished the Swiss Rounds with an 8-2 record. In this Feature Match, we’ll be focusing in on 2-time YCS Champion Steven Santoli and his Match against 2018 Dragon Duel World Champion Charley Futch. All of the players on these teams are top-level Duelists, but only one team can advance to the Top 8. It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
Futch opened up Duel 1 with Bonfire, Metaltronus, Sword Ryzeal, Nibiru, the Primal Being, and Infinite Impermanence.
He activated Bonfire to add Ice Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand and then Normal Summoned it. He activated Ice’s effect to Special Summon Ext Ryzeal from his Deck. He used Ext’s effect to add Node Ryzeal to his hand. Next, he used Ext and Ice to Xyz Summon Evilswarm Exciton Knight, and sent Exciton Knight to the Graveyard to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem. He Tributed Requiem to Special Summon Lacrima the Crimson Tears from his Deck and then used Lacrima’s effect to send Fiendsmith Engraver from his Deck to his Graveyard. He equipped Lacrima with the Requiem in his Graveyard, then sent Lacrima and Requiem to the Graveyard to Special Summon Necroquip Princess. He Special Summoned Engraver from his Graveyard with its effect, then used Engraver and Necroquip to Xyz Summon D/D/D Wave High King Caesar. He Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal from his hand next, and activated its effect to add Ext Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned Ext by sending an Exciton Knight from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and then combined Sword with Ext to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive. He used Duo Drive’s effect to give it another Xyz Material, then activated its other effect to detach 2 Xyz Materials from it and add Ice Ryzeal and Ryzeal Cross from his Deck to his hand. He activated the Cross and then Special Summoned Node Ryzeal from his hand. He used Node’s effect to send Duo Drive to the Graveyard and Special Summon Sword. He used Sword and Node to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator and used Detonator’s effect to attach Exciton Knight to it as an Xyz Material. Next, he sent 2 cards from his Graveyard back to his Deck with Cross to draw a card. He Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn.
Santoli activated Pot of Desires by banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down and drew 2 cards from his Deck. Next, he activated Book of Eclipse to put Wave High King Caesar and Detonator face-down! He Special Summoned Ext Ryzeal from his hand by sending Duo Drive from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and then activated the on-field effect of Ext. Futch flipped Metaltronus targeting Ext, but Santoli negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Santoli added a Node to his hand with the effect of Ext, then Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal from his hand. He used its effect to add Ice Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. Futch Special Summoned Lacrima from his Graveyard back to his field by returning Requiem from his Graveyard to his Extra Deck, then used Lacrima’s on-field effect to send Fiendsmith in Paradise from his Deck to his Graveyard. Santoli activated Triple Tactics Talent to take control of Futch’s face-down Detonator and then flipped it face-up. He activated Ryzeal Cross and then combined Ext with Sword to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive. He used Duo Drive’s effect to attach a Duo Drive from his Graveyard to it as an Xyz Material and then activated Duo Drive’s other effect. Futch Chained Infinite Impermanence to negate Duo Drive’s effect, and Santoli Chained Detonator’s effect to destroy Wave High King Caesar. Santoli Normal Summoned Ice next and used its effect to Special Summon Sword. Futch activated the effect of the Fiendsmith in Paradise in his Graveyard by banishing it, and Santoli Chained Detonator’s effect to destroy Lacrima. Futch sent Fiendsmith’s Desirae from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and used its effect to try to send Ryzeal Cross to the Graveyard; but Santoli gave up an Xyz Material to negate the Desirae’s effect using Cross. Santoli Xyz Summoned Eclipse Twins next, and when he tried to enter his Battle Phase, Futch activated the effect of Nibiru, the Primal Being! All monsters on the field were Tributed, and Futch Special Summoned Nibiru to his field while giving Santoli a Primal Being Token. Santoli used the effect of his Eclipse Twins to Special Summon a Duo Drive from his Graveyard with another Duo Drive attached as an Xyz Material. Next, Santoli used the effect of Cross to return 2 cards from his Graveyard to his Deck and draw a card. He Special Summoned Node and then used its effect by sending a Pot of Desires from his hand to his Graveyard. He Special Summoned Sword with Node’s effect and then used Node and Sword to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator. He activated its effect to attach the Eclipse Twins in his Graveyard to it as an Xyz Material, then attacked and destroyed Nibiru with Ryzeal Detonator. Duo Drive attacked directly next, dropping Futch down to 5200 Life Points.
Futch drew a card and then Special Summoned Fiendsmith Engraver from his Graveyard by returning Fiendsmith’s Desirae from his Graveyard to his Extra Deck. Santoli Chained Detonator’s effect to destroy Futch’s Ryzeal Cross. Next, Futch sent his Engraver to the Graveyard to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem and Tributed the Requiem to Special Summon another Engraver from his Deck. He used Requiem’s effect in his Graveyard to try to attach it to his Engraver, and Santoli Chained his Detonator’s effect to destroy the Engraver. Next, Futch used Bonfire to add Ext Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned it by sending Mereologic Aggregator from his Deck to his Graveyard and then activated the effects of Ext and Aggregator. He targeted Cross with the effect of Aggregator to negate it and added Sword Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Ext. He Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal and used its effect to add Ice Ryzeal to his hand. He used Ext and Sword to Xyz Summon Eclipse Twins and then Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal. He used Ice’s effect to Special Summon Ext from his Deck and then used Ice and Ext to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator. He used Detonator’s effect to attach Aggregator from his Graveyard to it as an Xyz Material and then attacked Duo Drive with Eclipse Twins, destroying his own Twins. He Special Summoned Evilswarm Exciton Knight from his Graveyard with Duo Drive as an Xyz Material thanks to the effect of Eclipse Twins and then attacked Santoli’s Duo Drive with Detonator to destroy it.
Santoli drew a card and then switched his Primal Being Token into Attack Position. He entered his Battle Phase and Futch conceded.
Steven Santoli wins the first Duel of the Match!
Duel Two
Futch opened up Duel 2 with Node Ryzeal, Solemn Strike, Metaltronus, Infinite Impermanence, and Crossout Designator. He Set the Solemn Strike, Metaltronus, and Crossout Designator before ending his turn.
Santoli activated Lightning Storm to destroy all 3 of Futch’s face-down cards!
Futch Chained Crossout Designator declaring Ext Ryzeal, and banished a copy from his Deck to prevent Santoli from using its effect during the turn. Santoli passed with no further play.
Futch drew Ice Ryzeal and Normal Summoned it. He activated its effect, and Santoli Chained the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos, followed by the effect of another Fuwalos. Futch Special Summoned Ext from his Deck, allowing Santoli to draw 2 cards, and then used the effect of Ext to add Sword Ryzeal to his hand. Next, Futch used his 2 monsters to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, allowing Santoli to draw 2 more cards. He used Moon as a Link Material to Link Summon Requiem, giving Santoli 2 more cards. He Tributed the Requiem to activate its effect, but lost out to Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Next, Futch Special Summoned Sword from his hand and activated its effect, but he lost out to Santoli’s Infinite Impermanence. Futch attacked directly with Sword… but then conceded, blown out by the Lightning Storm and the double Mulcharmy Fuwalos.
Steven Santoli took the 2-0 victory this Match, but Futch’s teammate Kamal Crooks had secured a 2-1 victory in his Match. The Duelists watched the center Match between Paulo Roberto Goncalves da Silva and Ruben Penaranda. The outcome would determine which team advances to the Top 8 of TEAM YCS Las Vegas! Several minutes later, Paulo Roberto Goncalves da Silva won the Match, moving Team Fala Galera into the Top 8!
