Ahrendes holds trophy for first time in a Blayze lifetime

Vern, a founding member of the JSFL, won his last title in the league's third season

It's been so long since Vern has held the Steve Brown Memorial Trophy aloft he wasn't sure which end was up.

The Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan. The Beach Boys recorded their last hit (Kokomo). The Space Shuttle was launched again, two and a half years after the Challenger disaster. Kirk Gibson's clutch homer helped the Dodgers beat the A's in the World Series.

It was 1988, the last time Vern Ahrendes won a JSFL championship. It was so long ago, we did not even have a trophy to hoist aloft. I think he may have hoisted an Anchor Steam, but it was so long ago we will never know what happened back then.

Vern, who has been in the JSFL since it was founded in 1986, was finally crowned champion again on Saturday before the the start of the 2022 JSFL Draft. It was so long between wins, he was allowed to make a speech (see above), the first (and, it was decided after he concluded, also the last) last time that honor has ever been allowed to happen.

Ahrendes had a thoroughly dominant season in 2021. His Invaiders finished the regular season 13-2 and posted a 108-87 win over the Spread Beaters in the championship. After losing the season opener to Bab Garcia's Band Aids, Ahrendes reeled off eight straight wins before losing again in Week 10 to the Recliners. From that point on, though, the Invaiders were unbeatable as they won their final six games to take the title.