Zelzburg Reapers

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 Kreasi Cups **(6)** | 1966, 1972, 1977, 1979, 2018, 2022

The **Zelzburg Reapers** are a Greatian professional bladeball team based in Zelzburg, Onasaf. As a member of the Greatian Bladeball League (GBL), the team plays in the Northern League South (NL South) division.

## History

### Founding & Early Days

The Zelzburg Reapers were one of four GBL teams that began play during the 1958 Expansion (the other three being the Duesburg Diamonds, Feldis Shippers and Revclo Westerners. Unlike these other expansion teams, the Reapers started out quite well, first making the playoffs just four years after their existence in 1962. They would lose in the first round, but make the playoffs again in 1963, 1965 and 1966. In 1966, the Reapers made their first Kreasi Cup Finals, and would end up beating the Chris Capitals to win their first Kreasi Cup, doing so only eight years and nine seasons after they began play. Following their 1966 Cup win, they would make the playoffs again in 1967, but after that did not make the playoffs for the rest of the decade.

### 1970s: A Decade of Success

The 1970s saw the Reapers rise to the top of the Bladeball world. Following a period from 1968 to 1971 in which they did not make the playoffs, the Reapers became dominant in the 1970s, alongside the Esposito Roadkill. The Reapers made the playoffs in 1971, making it all the way to the Four Series, but losing to the eventual champion Roadkill. In 1972, however, the Reapers would get their revenge on the Roadkill, meeting them in the Kreasi Cup Finals and beating them, earning them the 1972 Kreasi Cup, their second championship. The Reapers would then go on to make the playoffs every year until 1983, reaching the Finals four more times (1976, 1977, 1979) and winning two more Cups (1977, 1979). Following the 1979 season, the Reapers now had four Cups and had established themselves as one of the most dominant teams.

### Downfall and Drought

The good times for the Reapers would end, however, in the early 1980s. The Reapers continued to make the playoffs into the decade, doing so from 1980-1983, but did not make a Cup appearance in that time. It appeared that the championship dynasty of the 1970s was over, and the Reapers entered a long period of mediocrity. They did not reach the playoffs for the rest of the 1980s and it would not be until the mid-1990s that they would even make the playoffs. Even when they did, it was short-lived as they barely squeaked in in 1995, 1997 and 1998, and lost in the first round all three times. They did make a "miracle run" for the 2001 Kreasi Cup, but would be swept by the dynasty New Nate Rockers. The rest of the 2000s and early 2010s consisted of tanking and rebuilds, and they were as irrelevant as ever and viewed as the "lovable losers" team of the GBL.

### End of the Drought, Modern-Day Success

In 2017, for the first time in over a decade, the Reapers were a winning team, finishing with an above-.500 record of 10-5, their best record since the early 1980s. They were swept in the first round by the new team Evan Gamechangers, which was viewed as an embarrassment, but the Gamechangers did end up winning the Cup in their first year of existence, a move completely unexpected. Despite this first-round exit, the Reapers would not look back. Their time rebuilding had come to an end, and by now they had established a powerful young core of players who, by the 2018 season, seemed dominant. They finished in sixth place with a 10-7 record, but by the time the playoffs began, turned it on. They swept their long-time rival Duesburg Diamonds in the first round, followed by defeating the new team New Conlu Clutchers in the Four Series to advance to their first Kreasi Cup round since 1979.

The Reapers would face the Cristoforo Bridgegappers in the 2018 Kreasi Cup, who themselves were looking to end a 23-year drought, having not won the Cup since 1995. Despite being the underdog in that series, the Reapers would end up defeating the Bridgegappers in five games, with Game 5 being a late 7-6 victory and upset in Cristoforo. With this win, the Reapers had won their first Cup since 1979 (and their fifth overall), ending the 39-year drought. From this point on, the Reapers gained a newfound confidence and an ability to beat any team in the league. They stormed to a franchise-best 13-5 season in 2019, again making it to the Kreasi Cup Finals for the second straight year, this time against their long-time rival Duesburg Diamonds. This time, however, despite being heavily favored, the Reapers would end up losing the series in five games, which was viewed as an upset, and this earned Duesburg their first Kreasi Cup since 1999 (ending a 20-year drought), and their fourth Cup overall.

In the 2020 season, which was affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Reapers would finish with a 10-8 record and reach the playoffs, but were swept in the first round by the New Nate Rockers. However, in 2021, the Reapers would have their revenge on the Rockers as they finished with a new franchise-record 16-6 record, and beat them in the Eight Series in five games. The Reapers would then reach the Kreasi Cup Finals again, but would lose again, this time to the Foye Rivers (a 1976 Cup rematch, which the Rivers also won). Then in 2022, the Reapers would again finish with a new franchise-record of 17-5, and finish in first place for the first time since 1981. They would defeat the Rockers in the playoffs again, this time sweeping them, and would go on to win the 2022 Kreasi Cup against the Thaxton Vipers. This would be their sixth Cup overall, and their fourth Finals appearance in five years. With this Cup win, the Reapers began to establish themselves as the "villains" of the league, especially to Rockers fans as they would be beaten by the Reapers in the playoffs in three of the last four seasons (2019, 2021 and 2022), with no end in sight.