Competitive 3-1 Quarters was something like O-Pig (originally a Virginia-based high school re-union team I believe?) losing to Ryan West and the Miami Sound Machine, a Bashing Piñatas re-union team. Down by two with the hard cap on and pulling to Ryan West, O-Pig needed a turnover and a two-pointer to continue playing. Instead Sound Machine veteran Feetch, in his own end-zone, wise-assed a throw directly at O-Pig captain Tim MacGougan who instinctively caught it for a Callahan goal and… the end of the game. A one-pointer sealed the deal and sent O-Pig home (or more accurately, towards their 2-2 game).
Less exciting was Death By Misadventure’s pummeling at the hands of NexGen Ultimate Beach Tour, aka the Middlebury Pranksters re-union team. Borrowing a hot property name for a weekend of shenanigans, Middlebury’s speed and quickness easily handled DBM’s veteran experience with a 14-6 win.
Team USA (Open) took out a team called Mighty Morphin Flower Arrangers and RABS R US, aka an entire squad of Philly Southpaw players, won their quarter to face USA in semis.
This was a pretty even match and played fast. No team led by more than two and both squads had serve advantage as the game drew to a close. Tied at 11s, 13,s, 14, 15s and 16s it finally had to be the end: double game point to 17, USA receiving. For whatever reason this was not the time for their field spacing to go South but that’s exactly what happened and after 4 throws a high stall count Inselmann was left with not much but a dicey IO that found sand instead. RABS picked up the short-field turnover and punched it in for USA’s first loss on the beach and last game before Worlds.
In the other semi, Ryan West’s squad also found themselves unable to handle the quickness and confidence of the Pranksters. Attempts were made, speed bumps were constructed in the sand but in the end NexGen/Middlebury ran away with it to advance to finals.
The wildwood finals format is this: two hard-to-7 games and a third game to 5, best of three wins. Every time this format comes up you pretty much know what the deal is: whoever gets the timely two-pointer is probably going to win (although more on that later). I’ve seen it plenty of times. But this one was pretty high on the list for excitement. NexGen/Middlebury jumps out to a 3-0 lead but RABS tied it at 3s and eventually takes a 6-5 lead before kazam – a lacing forehand to the short corner is caught for two and the game is over, 7-6, in NexGen/Middlebury’s favor.
RABS is determined to take the next one and even it up. They go up early and hold it to 6-4, receiving. A turn gives NexGen a short goal, 6-5. Then lightning strikes twice: NexGen/Middlebury gets another turn, somehow gets back into two-pointer range and drops the hammer to win the game and the Wildwood championships in dramatic fashion.
At least that’s what I heard.
In other brackets I have little idea but the team I joined, Weenus, made it to the finals in 2-2 beer pool and ran into a U-Michigan Alumni team (or at least I presume so, since they all wore Magnum and Michigan pinnies). Led by Becky Malinowski and who I assumed was Colin McIntyre, they took the first game 7-5. IN the second game, down 6-3, Weenus clawed back to 6-4 and then a timely two-pointer made it 6s. A turnover or two by Michigan gave Weenus a few chances to score that never really quite looked pretty and Michigan won, pretty much an equivalent to their unparalleled success at winning 9th place at College Nationals.
Comments Policy: At Skyd, we value all legitimate contributions to the discussion of ultimate. However, please ensure your input is respectful. Hateful, slanderous, or disrespectful comments will be deleted. For grammatical, factual, and typographic errors, instead of leaving a comment, please e-mail our editors directly at editors [at] skydmagazine.com.