PTQ NY St. Paul.  March 28, 1998

The draft was interesting to say the least.  Four or five of the top
eight had never rochester drafted before, which made some competitors
ecstatic.  The final eight in no particular order (unfortunately) as
follows:

Kevin Lien
Cory Ferguson
Kellen Berglund
David Corgan
Andrew Mosiman
Pete Hauer
Bryan Koenig
Jeff Sams

 I might mention that while I was playing round 6  I heard one guy at
table 1 explaining to the other guy at table 1 that there was a final
eight and what a rochester draft was.  The guy who needed the
explanation drafted some excellent red (go figure) including two Lowland

Giants and two Lightning Blasts.  Other noteworthy cards in the draft; 3

Searing Touches; 7 Capsizes (one guy got six alone!), 3 Disturbed
Burial, 2 Wood Sage (strong!).  Anyways, on to the competition.

Round 1:
Cory Ferguson vs. Kevin Lien
Game 1
    Cory gets card advantage with Evincars Justice and Fevered
Convulsions and the proceeds to apply horned turtle beatdown for 6 or 7
turns and the win.
Game 2
    This time Kevin puts up a stronger fight but Cory gets Tradewind
going along with the Convulsions again.  Cory Ledgerdemains a horned
turtle for a Crashing Rhino which is promptly pacified by Kevin.
Tradewind lock is too much and Cory moves on to the Final 4.

Kellen vs. David Corgan
Game 1
    David drops an early Squee's Toy but Kellen applies shadow
beatdown.  A timely Anoint seals the game for Kellen.
Game 2
    Kellen gets a turn 3 Puppet Strings and the game stalls with two
creatures for each player, finally Kellen taps five mana and begins to
explain to his opponent exactly what Overrun does. Kellen plays Cory in
the final 4.

Andrew Mosiman vs. Pete "The Dangling Participle" Hauer
Game 1
    Andrew squanders and accidently draws 7 cards, Head Judge Ken Roth
tells Andrew to shuffle a random card back into his library.. hmmm.
Anyways, Apparently 6 Capsizes can't stop shadow beatdown protected by a

squee's toy because Pete wins.
Game 2
    Andrew is delivering a slow pingful death (via the Rootwater
Hunter).  Pete puts a 7 point Endless Scream on a Dauthi Slayer
 despiteAndrew's 6 (count em!) capsizes.  Andrew pulls this one out.
Game 3
    Andrew gets early pinger but Pete gets fifth turn Scragnoth, it goes

all the way, by the way.  So Pete moves on.

Bryan Koenig vs. Jeff Sams
Game 1
    Bryan lays an early Earthcraft (*not* to be followed by a Sacred
Mesa or a Wild Growth I might add.)  But one of Jeff's Rootwater Hunters

shows Bryan a loss within 5 minutes.
Game 2
    Bryan starts out quick with a Blood Pet, Seeker of Skybreak and
Flowstone Giant, Jeff manages to neutralize his attacks and eventually
gains control, serving it up with a very unblockable Thalakos Seer.
Jeff plays Pete in the final 4.

Round 2
Cory Ferguson vs. Kellen Berglund
Game 1
    They trade attackers for a while until Cory lays a Screeching Harpy
and gains control, rolling Kellen (the best player in the world).
Game 2
    Cory is mana-screwed, Kellen wins with little trouble.
Game 3
    Cory gets an early Tradewind out and Kellen really has no chance
with 6 land and one creature to Cory's 5 creatures.  Cory advances to
the finals.

Jeff Sams vs. Pete Hauer
Game 1
    Pete's early shadow beatdown is nullified by Jeff's Rootwater
Hunter, but a timely Evincar's Justice clears Jeff's board giving Pete's

Scragnoth the right of way.
Game 2
    Lots of mistakes in this game but a 10 point endless scream on a
Rootwater Hunter wins it for Jeff
Game 3
    Both players are tired and making mistakes but Pete pulls through
despite a valiant effort from Jeff who lost with Pete at one life.
Excellent game of Magic despite the mistakes.  Pete moves on.

Finals
Cory Ferguson vs. Pete Hauer
Game 1
    Cory Edicts a Rootbreaker Wurm and Fevered Convulsions looks like it

could rule Pete but early shadow damage and 5 consecutive Evincar's
Justices spell death for Cory.
Game 2
    Repeat of game one.  Cory was one mana short of double Evincars
Justicing himself to pull a draw but it was Pro Tour New York for Pete
Hauer.

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Ryan D. Elder
Macalester Internet Composers Society
http://www.macalester.edu/~relder/