1998 Season

The Unicorns completed a perfect season as they ran their league record to 10-0 with a hard-fought 16-7 victory over visiting Las Vegas on the final game of the year. (see schedule)  After a victory over Kern County, the North Division runner-up, the Unicorns defeated San Fernando in a rematch of last year's Southern California Championship game.  The Unicorns will now proceed to the National Championships round of sixteen as the first place representative from the Southern California Union.  They are seeded second overall.  To see the complete bracket, click here.

Chicago

In the first round of the National Championships, the Unicorns faced Greenville, South Carolina. The Unicorns chose the strong wind advantage for the first half. With well-placed kicks pinning Greenville deep in their half, the Unicorns were able to drive in trys and achieve a 25-8 halftime edge. With the wind against them in the second half, the Unicorns opted to keep the ball in hand and attack the Greenville line on the ground. Greenville's defense began to wear down late in the game, as the Unicorns ran in some late trys. The final tally saw the Unicorns advancing to the next round by a score of 49-20. Sunday arrived in Chicago at about 85-90 degrees, and Saturday's wind was not to be found. The Unicorns faced Worcester, Mass., a 34-23 victor over Fort Worth, Tex. The pace was fast and furious, with Worcester drawing first blood, but the Unicorns answering right back. At the halftime whistle, the two teams were even at 12-12. The Unicorns scored first in the second half, but their 17-12 lead was short-lived as Worcester answered with two trys to take a 24-17 lead. The Unicorns fought back with another try, but the conversion was unsuccessful, leaving them trailing, 24-22 into the late stages of the game. The Unicorns got their chance with a penalty against Worcester, and they made them pay with the kick and took a 25-24 lead. However, this roller coaster ride of a game was not over yet, as the Unicorns received the kickoff and then pinned Worcester deep in their own territory with a well-placed kick. A few moments later, the Unicorn fowards drove in a try, but the kick missed the mark. The 30-24 lead seemed like the nail in the coffin with little time remaining. The Unicorns again received the kickoff and used a counter kick to pin Worcester behind their own 22 meter line. This time, however, Worcester was desperate, and they counter-attacked with everything they had. With tremendous support, they managed to work the ball from one sideline to the other, where they out-flanked the Unicorn defenders and ran in the try with no time remaining. The successful conversion dashed the championship hopes of the Unicorns, as it made the final tally 31-30 for Worcester.