Saturday, April 27, 2013
Townsville Ultimate Disc League Round 6
This week the league served up yet another exciting round of frisbee. All teams have found their groove and synergy and are starting to play some really high level Ultimate. Without further ado, here's this week's wrap up!
Game 1 - Blue Crush VS Grapists
The game that went for the longest this week was also the most spirited. This game featured two teams that were pretty evenly matched in terms of skill level and physical ability but it was Blue Crush that managed to race to a 7-1 lead at half-time. Things looked over for Grapists but they refused to give up and came out firing in the second half. Blue Crush took their foot off the pedal and started making unforced turnovers such as dropping easy catches and throwing away easy passes. Bobby Jackson of Grapists was being an absolute beast on defense and shutting down all of Blue Crush's long puts with huge sky grabs and layout swats. Grapists turned the tide as Blue Crush continued to slip up and managed to wrestle victory away from the blue team.
Final score: Grapists put another W on the board as they beat Blue Crush 13-10 to make it three in a row.
Game 2 - Django Unchained VS Tie Dynosaurs
Talk about a blowout! A Tie Dynosaur team playing without captain Finny AND Damo is like a bunch of babies trying to drive an M1 Abrams tank. Tie Dynosaurs were hopelessly lost and Django Unchained wasted no time taking them apart.
The Dynosaurs played well but the lack of handlers meant that they couldn't complete passes despite their receivers getting into good positions. Josh Phipps had the opportunity to lead the team this week which provided him with a good learning experience.
Final score: Django Unchained sweeps Tie Dynosaurs aside 13-2. I am honestly surprised the Dynosaurs even managed two so I guess they can take this as a moral victory.
Game 3 - Cockwalas VS Seagulls
Cockwalas come back from the break ready to play some frisbee and Dave's boombox busting out war tunes is a sure sign of their seriousness. The game, however, did not start in Cockwalas' favour. Seagulls raced to a 2-0 lead within minutes as Cockwalas struggled to keep up. Even without Deanna, Genge and Rob manage to work the disc well. Seagulls also have an extremely athletic breed of players. Cooper and Renee were catching everything thrown to them which made it extremely difficult for Cockwalas to shut down long puts. Cockwalas managed to put up a fight in the second half but the massive lead established by Seagulls proved too great an obstacle for Cockwalas to overcome.
Final score: Seagulls defeat Cockwalas 13-7 as they maintain their place in second.
Game 4 - Robust Fawn VS Purple Haze
The most exciting game this week saw Purple Haze go up against Robust Fawn. Missing various key players such as James, Ryan, and Swan, Purple Haze did not look ready to play during the warm-up. Stand-in captain Tyson was lamenting his lack of players during the pre-game session. Robust Fawn started the game with a vertical stack offense and the lack of a gust meant that they could work the disc easily up the field. On defense, they played a mongrel man defense which shut down Purple Haze's offense and allowed them to easily race to a 7-1 lead at half-time.
The second half started a little differently; Purple Haze, now warmed up, put on an organised zone defense which forced several turnovers from Robust Fawn and allowed them to score five points in succession to bring the game to 7-6. Tyson found a perfect offensive partner in Bevo and his sweet handling skills combined with Bevo's ridiculous disc-reading helped Purple Haze keep up with Robust Fawn. Purple Haze managed to pull away at 11-11 by scoring to make it 12-11, but Robust Fawn refused to give up what could have been their win and scored a point of their own to make it universe point at 12-12.
The game winner came when Tyson threw a long bomb which looked like it was going out until Bevo jumped up and caught it above and behind his head to the eruption of cheers from the sideline.
Final score: In the greatest comeback this week, Purple Haze beat Robust Fawn in a hotly-contested match 13-12.
Game 5 - Mitey Discs VS Fluro Fantasy
League leaders Fluro Fantasy take on fourth-placed Mitey Discs in a highly-charged match which saw its fair share of collisions. It was surprising to see Ash and Andy on handling duties because I would have expected the super awesome Riley to be taking up the role. The match started out pretty evenly matched and both teams matched each other point for point throughout some long rallies.
Fluro Fantasy then started being more scrupulous on calling fouls and that gave them the edge in many turnovers. This might have thrown off Mitey Discs a little and disrupted their momentum. However, Mitey Discs dug in and played some sick man-marking defense which forced a Fluro Fantasy to make a fair few incompletions.
The game started to slip away when Mitey Discs started to look disheartened and Fluro Fantasy took full advantage of that as they raced away to yet another victory.
Final score: Fluro Fantasy maintain their unbeaten record with a 12-7 victory over Mitey Discs.
That's all for this week! Stay tuned for more updates on the league; will Purple Haze mount a late season comeback? Will Fluro Fantasy stay unbeaten and win the league this semester? Only time will tell!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Round 6 Preview
Hey ho frisbee flingers! I hope everyone had a lovely and relaxing lecture recess because Ultimate action is set to resume this week. All the teams look really strong and it will be a very close race to the end of the season.
Game 1 - Blue Crush VS Grapists
Both teams in game 1 of this week have enjoyed a good run of late. Blue Crush are really starting to come together as a solid team and the players are improving in terms of skill level. Grapists won their first two games in the previous week and they are hungry for more.
Both teams are capable of working the disc but Blue Crush throw more hucks; a strategy which works well for them because they have many players capable of running down the disc and making the completion. Grapists, on the other hand, prefer to play the short game and like to "walk the disc in".
Grapists, however, need to find the elusive final pass. As a team they work the disc up the field well, but the final catch in the end-zone has always been their Achilles' heel. With only three games to go, they have to make better completions if they want to make it to the Grand-finals.
Prediction: Blue Crush to win 13-10.
Game 2 - Django Unchained VS Tie Dynosaurs
I hate to say it but the Dynosaurs are going to have their work cut out for them. Captain Finny will be away "chasing Nationals glory" with Slamtown which means Tie Dynosaurs won't have an experienced handler. Will Damo be able to step up to the plate, or can Josh Phipps fill in in the absence of Finny? As far as receivers go, Dynosaurs have a pretty solid lineup featuring the likes of Lucas, Jessup, Corrie, and the super beastly Julianna who will catch everything thrown to her.
Django Unchained currently lie eighth in the table, which is surprising. However, their current position belies the true abilities of the team. The absence of Dynosaurs captain Finny means that this is the perfect time for Django to mount a comeback in their season.
Prediction: Django Unchained to sweep aside Tie Dynosaurs 13-6.
Game 3 - Cockwalas VS Seagulls
Cockwalas have suffered a slip in form recently when they lost both of their games last week. What started off as a promising season has slowed down for the green marsupials. The loss of Phangbang through injury was just too much for the team as they were cut down to just one handler. There have been rumours of a Cockwalas training camp being held over lecture recess but nobody knows for sure. What is certain is that if Cockwalas don't pick up the pace soon they'll be out of running for a shot at the Grand-finals.
Seagulls were defeated in the last round by Fluro Fantasy and this will be their first match after the loss. Will they be able to bounce back or will the season slip away from them? Interestingly, the captains of both teams happen to be brothers; will Dave prevail or will Rob be able to put one over his older brother?
Prediction: Cockwalas will struggle against a fully-fit Seagulls team. I think Seagulls will take this one 13-7.
Game 4 - Robust Fawn VS Purple Haze
Last place Purple Haze take on Robust Fawn in this one. Purple Haze will be missing one of their captains Swan as she heads to the Nationals but the team will be helmed by the other co-captain Ryan and Tyson. The wind and rain might have affected Purple Haze's performance in the last round but if conditions are good, expect them to come out firing and looking to get out of the last place.
Robust Fawn is one of the teams that is really starting to come together this season. Led by Chris Palazzi, Kramer, and Zane, the team has an incredible throwing and catching game. Definitely one of the speediest teams in the league at the moment, Robust Fawn will look to go deep if they can.
Prediction: If conditions are right, Purple Haze will be able to put up a strong fight against a well-synergised Robust Fawn side. However, I think this game will ultimately go in Robust Fawn's favour 13-9.
Game 5 - Mitey Discs VS Fluro Fantasy
What can I say about this game other than the fact that Riley will dominate? With new experience from Division 2 Nationals, Riley is now super confident in his abilities as a handler. But he is still unproven on the fields and his ability to stick it in the hole is still very questionable. Will he be able to extend Fluro Fantasy's winning run or will Fluro suffer their first defeat this week under the hands of Mitey Discs?
Not a team that really attracts a ton of attention, Mitey Discs have been somewhat consistent in their performances and now sit comfortably in fourth. Teams that don't take them seriously will be in for a big surprise because Mitey Discs work hard and they will make you pay if you are complacent.
Prediction: Fluro Fantasy to extend their winning run with a 13-9 victory over Mitey Discs.
Remember that the day after this week's games is ANZAC day. So don't be in a hurry to go home; hang around, chill out, talk to people from other teams, and get your party on!!!
Game 1 - Blue Crush VS Grapists
Both teams in game 1 of this week have enjoyed a good run of late. Blue Crush are really starting to come together as a solid team and the players are improving in terms of skill level. Grapists won their first two games in the previous week and they are hungry for more.
Both teams are capable of working the disc but Blue Crush throw more hucks; a strategy which works well for them because they have many players capable of running down the disc and making the completion. Grapists, on the other hand, prefer to play the short game and like to "walk the disc in".
Grapists, however, need to find the elusive final pass. As a team they work the disc up the field well, but the final catch in the end-zone has always been their Achilles' heel. With only three games to go, they have to make better completions if they want to make it to the Grand-finals.
Prediction: Blue Crush to win 13-10.
Game 2 - Django Unchained VS Tie Dynosaurs
I hate to say it but the Dynosaurs are going to have their work cut out for them. Captain Finny will be away "chasing Nationals glory" with Slamtown which means Tie Dynosaurs won't have an experienced handler. Will Damo be able to step up to the plate, or can Josh Phipps fill in in the absence of Finny? As far as receivers go, Dynosaurs have a pretty solid lineup featuring the likes of Lucas, Jessup, Corrie, and the super beastly Julianna who will catch everything thrown to her.
Django Unchained currently lie eighth in the table, which is surprising. However, their current position belies the true abilities of the team. The absence of Dynosaurs captain Finny means that this is the perfect time for Django to mount a comeback in their season.
Prediction: Django Unchained to sweep aside Tie Dynosaurs 13-6.
Game 3 - Cockwalas VS Seagulls
Cockwalas have suffered a slip in form recently when they lost both of their games last week. What started off as a promising season has slowed down for the green marsupials. The loss of Phangbang through injury was just too much for the team as they were cut down to just one handler. There have been rumours of a Cockwalas training camp being held over lecture recess but nobody knows for sure. What is certain is that if Cockwalas don't pick up the pace soon they'll be out of running for a shot at the Grand-finals.
Seagulls were defeated in the last round by Fluro Fantasy and this will be their first match after the loss. Will they be able to bounce back or will the season slip away from them? Interestingly, the captains of both teams happen to be brothers; will Dave prevail or will Rob be able to put one over his older brother?
Prediction: Cockwalas will struggle against a fully-fit Seagulls team. I think Seagulls will take this one 13-7.
Game 4 - Robust Fawn VS Purple Haze
Last place Purple Haze take on Robust Fawn in this one. Purple Haze will be missing one of their captains Swan as she heads to the Nationals but the team will be helmed by the other co-captain Ryan and Tyson. The wind and rain might have affected Purple Haze's performance in the last round but if conditions are good, expect them to come out firing and looking to get out of the last place.
Robust Fawn is one of the teams that is really starting to come together this season. Led by Chris Palazzi, Kramer, and Zane, the team has an incredible throwing and catching game. Definitely one of the speediest teams in the league at the moment, Robust Fawn will look to go deep if they can.
Prediction: If conditions are right, Purple Haze will be able to put up a strong fight against a well-synergised Robust Fawn side. However, I think this game will ultimately go in Robust Fawn's favour 13-9.
Game 5 - Mitey Discs VS Fluro Fantasy
What can I say about this game other than the fact that Riley will dominate? With new experience from Division 2 Nationals, Riley is now super confident in his abilities as a handler. But he is still unproven on the fields and his ability to stick it in the hole is still very questionable. Will he be able to extend Fluro Fantasy's winning run or will Fluro suffer their first defeat this week under the hands of Mitey Discs?
Not a team that really attracts a ton of attention, Mitey Discs have been somewhat consistent in their performances and now sit comfortably in fourth. Teams that don't take them seriously will be in for a big surprise because Mitey Discs work hard and they will make you pay if you are complacent.
Prediction: Fluro Fantasy to extend their winning run with a 13-9 victory over Mitey Discs.
Remember that the day after this week's games is ANZAC day. So don't be in a hurry to go home; hang around, chill out, talk to people from other teams, and get your party on!!!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Nationals Division Two Men's Open
Townsville Ultimate! Sorry there has been no previews/reviews this week. Things deviated from the norm when the league decided to play two games on Wednesday instead of the usual one and it was just too much to keep track of all the games. Plus I had to go down to Melbourne to cover Townsvillains in the Nationals Division Two Men's Ultimate Tournament. This tournament saw a fair few Villains veterans participate and it also featured rookies Riley Smith and Josh Mcintyre in their first tournament. The Villains team also had the opportunity, and luck, to recruit players from Brisbane like Ashley Donaldson, Dan Cohen, Brenton "Moto" Mottershead, Luke "Staarky" Lynch, Tim Webb, Keegan Miskimmin, Tyson Buhagiar and Slamtown veteran Alistair Don. All in all the Villains were packing a pretty strong line-up and were ready to bring the heat to grey and windy Melbourne.
Day 1
Game 1 - Townsvillains VS Funny Duck
Townsvillains win 11-9
The first game of any tournament is always testy. Teams will be fresh on the field and looking to assess their opponent's ability and this game was no different. Funny Duck started strong enough and took two points right off the bat and left the Villains pondering their chances in the tournament. Thankfully it was just a sluggish start. The Villains quickly hit back and managed to tie the game up 2-2. After that it was a point-for-point rally between the two teams as they tried to pry the downwind break point from the other team. The Villains managed to hold on to a slender lead and went into half-time 8-7 up. The second half saw more of the same rallies but the Villains ability to switch between a vertical stack offense and a horizontal stack offense kept Funny Duck guessing and prevented them from getting into their groove. Although a little hesitant at first (maybe because of the wind), the Villains eventually started looking for open long puts and managed to stick them. It was an exciting point-for-point exchange until the Villains managed to pull away at 10-8. It looked like victory was within grasp but Funny Duck somehow managed to steal a break point and had the advantage playing offense downwind with the score at a nail-biting 10-9. However, the Villains managed to keep their wits about them and were able to take the game 11-9 at the end of the time-cap.
Game 2 - Townsvillains VS Head of State (HoS)
Townsvillains win 12-10
Townsville once again started extremely sluggishly in this match. Maybe they let their first victory get to their heads and allowed HoS to go 6-1 up within 15 minutes of the game. Morale was low in the Villains camp at this point and the players thought that the match would be over soon. However, Finny decided to make a radical call and play a puppy-cup defense. It was a bold move cotton, I can tell you that, but it certainly paid off. HoS, perhaps getting a little too complacent with their early lead, crumbled under the pressure put on by the puppy-cup. The tides were turned and the Villains soon had complete control of the game and put in point after point to lead 8-6 at half-time. The second half saw more of the same plays with the Villains' puppy-cup forcing turnovers from HoS. The match should have been over when Tyson managed to intercept a swing pass from HoS handlers in the end-zone but he failed to convert a two-handed Callahan grab (he tried to grab it but it slipped out from his grasp). If he had managed to do that it would've been morale-crushing for HoS and the Villains would've stomped all over them. Although HoS managed to score four more points, the Villains were in too comfortable a position to lose and they were able to win the game at the end of the time-cap.
Game 3 - Townsvillains VS Karma
Karma win 15-7
Game 3 took place after lunch. Everyone was feeling a little sluggish, lost 15-7. Villains played hard but just couldn't come away with a result. Nothing much else to comment on.
Day 2
Game 4 - Townsvillains VS Duff Punk
Townsvillains win 13-12
As usual, the Villains started this match slow and allowed Duff Punk to score some quick points to go 4-0 up. Villains tried different set-ups but were unable to to catch up to Duff Punk and ended up trailing 8-3 at half-time. Chins were pretty down at this point but Finny and Al put in a good half-time pep-talk to light the fire in the team once again. Villains put on a tight man-mark and went mongrel on the Duff Punk boys to really pressure them into throwing away the disc which the Villains gladly capitalised on. Duff Punk held the lead by one point for most of the point but Townsvillains managed to draw the game at 12-12 to bring the game to universe point. A forced turnover and a good put saw the Villains take down this match to win 13-12. A lot of bold calls were made in this match which went in the Villains's favour but still, they took every chance they had and played extra hard to earn this victory.
Game 5 - Townsvillains VS Wild Chilly
Townsvillains win 15-8
This was an important one for the Villains because it determined if they would make it to the semi-finals of the tournament. The Chilly team are a pretty well-known team in Melbourne and their first team recently came second in the Brisbane-Canberra Invitational. So despite this being a third-string team, the Villains were still cautious going into this match and had to make sure they did not get overly complacent. The game started in a surprising manner as Townsvillains went up 4-0 before Wild Chilly called a timeout. For the first time in their tournament, the Villains were not the first team to call a timeout and morale was high in the team huddle and everyone was sure of themselves. After the timeout, the Villains came out looking to score another point but Wild Chilly surprised them but putting one on the scoreboard to make the score 4-1. Townsvillains were still pretty confident at this point and thought "hey no big deal we've got a decent lead". The Villains managed to put a few more points on the board but Wild Chilly managed to get a few break points of their own. Townsvillains then decided to put on a strong offensive line to close out the game. An easy game and a well-deserved win to earn a spot in the semifinals.
Semifinals - Townsvillains VS Nova
Nova win 13-8
The semifinals of the Division Two Nationals Men's Open saw Townsvillains go up against a Kiwi team from Wellington. The Villains wanted to bring the heat against a Kiwi team that were used to the wind and rain and cold. That was, however, not the case. They put an extremely hard mark on Finny who had a been a beast as a receiver in previous games. Maybe they scouted a few of the Villains games before and saw Finny in action, we'll never know; all we know is they had their best defender not more than a meter away from Finny all game long. Nova managed to establish a lead and the Villains had trouble catching up and eventually lost the semifinals.
3rd/4th place playoffs - Townsvillains VS Ballarat Ultimate
Townsvillains win 13-8
The game of truth. Will the Villains go home with a bronze medal or empty-handed? When the horn sounded to signal the start of the match, both teams were still finishing up their lunches so it was perhaps fortuitous that the Villains weren't going to be the only team that would start the game without warm-up. The Villains started the match strongly by scoring two points to take a 2-0 lead but Ballarat quickly evened up by scoring two after. The match then went point for point with Townsvillains keeping the lead but the Villains eventually managed to snatch a break point to lead 8-6 at half-time. The second half saw more of the same exchange until Ashley Donaldson, who injured himself in the first game and had to sit out most of the tournament, made a surprising comeback into the lineup. Some swift passing saw the Villains move the disc to the edge of Ballarat's end-zone before Ashley Donaldson made a cut to the back left corner and Al Don hit him with a backhand huck. It looked like a sure turnover as the huck was floaty and two Ballarat defenders converged on the disc but Ashley managed to jump over both of them and grabbed the disc one-handed for the point. He proceeded to spike the disc while still falling and the sideline erupted in cheers. That play might have given the Villains the extra momentum they needed as they raced away to take the game 13-8!
Villains take home the bronze in an amazing, frisbee-filled weekend that was fueled by jagerbombs, jars, buckets, and buffalo wings. Finny was awarded tournament MVP and Alistair Don was the first runner-up in the MVP awards. Kudos to their amazing performances on the field and congratulations to both of them. Townsvillains would also like to thank all Brisbane players for joining the team, as well as an unforgettable weekend!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Photos from Round 2: Django Unchained VS Cockwalas
Here are some photos from Game 1 of Round 2 featuring Django Unchained and Cockwalas:
(The game is go!)
(Django Unchained putting on a mean zone)
(David Dehollander trying to break the cup)
(Tiffany Alling of Django Unchained putting on the pressure)
(The game is go!)(Django Unchained putting on a mean zone)(David Dehollander trying to break the cup)(Tiffany Alling of Django Unchained putting on the pressure)Saturday, April 6, 2013
Townsville Ultimate Disc League Round 4
Game 1 - Mitey Discs VS Robust Fawn
Game one of this week saw a hard fought contest between the red Mitey Discs and orange Robust Fawn. Robust Fawn started the game with a killer cup on defense, knocking floaty passes out of the air left and right. Robust Fawn managed to edge out Mitey Discs in the first half and lead 7-6 at half-time.
The second half saw more back-and-forth play between the two teams as the exchanged points. However, Mitey Discs managed to gain the upper-hand with the score tied at 10-10 to race away to a victory.
Final score: Mitey Discs with a second half come back to win the game 13-10.
Game 2 - Tie Dynosaurs VS Seagulls
Game two saw the Finns face off against each other in a tightly contested match. Brother Finny took on sister Deanna as Tie Dynosaurs look to take down Seagulls. Dynosaurs started the game fairly strong and were 2-0 up in minutes. However, Seagulls quickly evened it up and manage to take the first half 7-5. Seagulls' players were extremely energetic and were running full speed all game, keeping a tight man-mark on the Dynosaurs and making Finny work hard than usual.
Tie Dynosaurs showed plenty of patience on the disc and threw a fair few stall-nine conversions.
Scott Adams, a new player from New Zealand, showed us how good he is with his handling skills and he even managed to throw a stall-nine hammer conversion over Rob Dehollander (those albatross arms). Ross and Damo were absolute beasts on those deep cuts on offense and superb playing in the gut in defense. Grace, Tonje, and Corrie were also making amazing cuts throughout the game.
Seagulls managed to stretch the lead to four at 9-5 but Dynosaurs rallied and managed to tie it up at 11-all. It was anyone's game at this point and both teams were going for the win. Damo made an insane lay-out catch which was called out and that might have given Seagulls the psychological edge.
Final score: After an intense and exciting match, Seagulls manage to beat Tie Dynosaurs 13-11 and take their unbeaten streak to four.
Game 3 - Django Unchained VS Fluro Fantasy
Fluro Fantasy are quickly establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the league, and a victory over Django Unchained on Wednesday has further solidified their position at the top of the table. Fluro Fantasy used a mixture of zone and man defense to keep Django guessing and to prevent rethem from adapting to any one style.
Despite Django's best efforts, Fluro Fantasy continued to pile on the pressure and stretched the lead further and further. But Django refused to give in that easily and played their hearts out.
Final score: This match was so intense and hard fought that it didn't even make it to 13 points. Fluro Fantasy managed to beat Django Unchained on the time-cap rule 12-6.
Game 4 - Blue Crush VS Purple Haze
The only upset this week came in Game Four when Blue Crush put one over Purple Haze. Blue Crush had to play with two girls - Torunn "Valkryie Beast" Lervik and Caroline "Madison" Broshat - the entire game due to no-shows from the rest but they put in the most hardworking performance I've ever seen. Blue Crush, perhaps fired up by their girls, put on an impressive and merciless performance in the first half and managed to lead 8-2 at half-time.
During the half-time team-talk, Purple Haze rallied and talk tactics and managed to put up a fight at the beginning of the second half with three quick points that left Blue Crush scrambling for answers. However, captain Timmy's sly team tactics proved too much for Purple Haze.
Final score: Blue Crush "crushed" Purple Haze 13-6 to record their second win of the season.
Game 5 - Cockwalas VS Grapists
This game started off with plenty of promise but became one-sided in the second half. Both teams were fighting toe-to-toe for the lead in the first half with Cockwalas taking the lead at certain points and Grapists taking the the lead at other times. Grapists had a distinct advantage in the handling department; it was Jazzy, Phil, and Brandon up against Dave Dehollander; and they used it to their advantage in the half. With a distinct height advantage, they managed to swing the disc around the line of scrimmage and break the cup when forced to the sidelines. Excellent give-and-go play was seen between Jazzy and Phil and their partnership is really starting to flourish. Cockwalas managed to take the first half 7-6 but their cup was run ragged.
Cockwalas captain Dave then decided to change their defensive set-up by switching to a man-marking system and it proved to work in Cockwalas' favour. New signing Paul Martin brought his rugby experience to to the team and his positioning and cuts helped Cockwalas both on attack and defense. Cockwalas put on a tight man-mark on Grapists' players (except Dave who was repeatedly trying to poach Phil) and that really shut down Grapist's handling game despite Grapists' Josh Stine's and Emily's best effort to get into good positions.
Final score: Cockwalas' man-marking defensive set-up really helped them in the second half and they managed to win 13-7. Side note: this is Nickers' last game of the season and the league wishes her all the best and hopefully we'll see her back next season!
Game one of this week saw a hard fought contest between the red Mitey Discs and orange Robust Fawn. Robust Fawn started the game with a killer cup on defense, knocking floaty passes out of the air left and right. Robust Fawn managed to edge out Mitey Discs in the first half and lead 7-6 at half-time.
The second half saw more back-and-forth play between the two teams as the exchanged points. However, Mitey Discs managed to gain the upper-hand with the score tied at 10-10 to race away to a victory.
Final score: Mitey Discs with a second half come back to win the game 13-10.
Game 2 - Tie Dynosaurs VS Seagulls
Game two saw the Finns face off against each other in a tightly contested match. Brother Finny took on sister Deanna as Tie Dynosaurs look to take down Seagulls. Dynosaurs started the game fairly strong and were 2-0 up in minutes. However, Seagulls quickly evened it up and manage to take the first half 7-5. Seagulls' players were extremely energetic and were running full speed all game, keeping a tight man-mark on the Dynosaurs and making Finny work hard than usual.
Tie Dynosaurs showed plenty of patience on the disc and threw a fair few stall-nine conversions.
Scott Adams, a new player from New Zealand, showed us how good he is with his handling skills and he even managed to throw a stall-nine hammer conversion over Rob Dehollander (those albatross arms). Ross and Damo were absolute beasts on those deep cuts on offense and superb playing in the gut in defense. Grace, Tonje, and Corrie were also making amazing cuts throughout the game.
Seagulls managed to stretch the lead to four at 9-5 but Dynosaurs rallied and managed to tie it up at 11-all. It was anyone's game at this point and both teams were going for the win. Damo made an insane lay-out catch which was called out and that might have given Seagulls the psychological edge.
Final score: After an intense and exciting match, Seagulls manage to beat Tie Dynosaurs 13-11 and take their unbeaten streak to four.
Game 3 - Django Unchained VS Fluro Fantasy
Fluro Fantasy are quickly establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the league, and a victory over Django Unchained on Wednesday has further solidified their position at the top of the table. Fluro Fantasy used a mixture of zone and man defense to keep Django guessing and to prevent rethem from adapting to any one style.
Despite Django's best efforts, Fluro Fantasy continued to pile on the pressure and stretched the lead further and further. But Django refused to give in that easily and played their hearts out.
Final score: This match was so intense and hard fought that it didn't even make it to 13 points. Fluro Fantasy managed to beat Django Unchained on the time-cap rule 12-6.
Game 4 - Blue Crush VS Purple Haze
The only upset this week came in Game Four when Blue Crush put one over Purple Haze. Blue Crush had to play with two girls - Torunn "Valkryie Beast" Lervik and Caroline "Madison" Broshat - the entire game due to no-shows from the rest but they put in the most hardworking performance I've ever seen. Blue Crush, perhaps fired up by their girls, put on an impressive and merciless performance in the first half and managed to lead 8-2 at half-time.
During the half-time team-talk, Purple Haze rallied and talk tactics and managed to put up a fight at the beginning of the second half with three quick points that left Blue Crush scrambling for answers. However, captain Timmy's sly team tactics proved too much for Purple Haze.
Final score: Blue Crush "crushed" Purple Haze 13-6 to record their second win of the season.
Game 5 - Cockwalas VS Grapists
This game started off with plenty of promise but became one-sided in the second half. Both teams were fighting toe-to-toe for the lead in the first half with Cockwalas taking the lead at certain points and Grapists taking the the lead at other times. Grapists had a distinct advantage in the handling department; it was Jazzy, Phil, and Brandon up against Dave Dehollander; and they used it to their advantage in the half. With a distinct height advantage, they managed to swing the disc around the line of scrimmage and break the cup when forced to the sidelines. Excellent give-and-go play was seen between Jazzy and Phil and their partnership is really starting to flourish. Cockwalas managed to take the first half 7-6 but their cup was run ragged.
Cockwalas captain Dave then decided to change their defensive set-up by switching to a man-marking system and it proved to work in Cockwalas' favour. New signing Paul Martin brought his rugby experience to to the team and his positioning and cuts helped Cockwalas both on attack and defense. Cockwalas put on a tight man-mark on Grapists' players (except Dave who was repeatedly trying to poach Phil) and that really shut down Grapist's handling game despite Grapists' Josh Stine's and Emily's best effort to get into good positions.
Final score: Cockwalas' man-marking defensive set-up really helped them in the second half and they managed to win 13-7. Side note: this is Nickers' last game of the season and the league wishes her all the best and hopefully we'll see her back next season!
Monday, April 1, 2013
Round 4 Preview
Hello Townsvillains! I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter weekend. I know I did, which is why this post took a little longer because let's face it; when you have chocolate eggs buried in your backyard, you drop everything you're doing and dig that delicious confectionery up. And then you proceed to chow down on those goodies and spend the entire day after that wallowing in guilt.
But I have decided to pull myself off my bed, shake off my sugar crash, and bring you guys this week's preview of the games!
Game 1 - Mitey Discs VS Robust Fawn
With the return of Chris Palazzi last week, Robust Fawn have become a very, very strong team. Their victory over Grapists could be a sign of more victories to come. However, their defense needs a little more work because they only won be a mere two points last week.
Mitey Discs are an equally strong team. They have a very consistent core group of players who have been playing together for a long time. Mitey Discs have shown that they are capable of scoring by bringing the game all the way to the wire despite losing last week.
Prediction: This game will come down to which team wants it more. I suspect that Mitey Discs will be hungry for victory especially after a bitter defeat last week. Mitey Discs to win 13-10.
Game 2 - Tie Dynosaurs VS Seagulls
This is the match I look forward to most this week. Tie Dynosaurs have a real chance of shutting down Seagulls' winning run this week. Seagulls are already starting to develop an air of invincibility and many pundits are convinced that they will be unbeatable all the way to the Grandfinals.
I myself am hoping for a Dynosaurs upset. Don't get me wrong, I love the Seagulls and their brand of Ultimate and I think everyone on their team works extremely hard for every point in every game but a defeat for them would make the league even more exciting.
I have personally played on Finny's team before, and I am familiar with his style. Not only is he a great player, he is a great coach as well and he has the ability to coach the best out of his players. Tie Dynosaurs are still finding their feet at the moment but will no doubt become a great side in the near future.
Prediction: This is the best time to play against Tie Dynosaurs; before they find their groove. With Seagulls in a magnificent start-of-the-season form and Dynosaurs still looking shaky, this is no doubt an unlucky time for the Dynosaurs to face the Seagulls. Seagulls to win 13-9.
Game 3 - Django Unchained VS Fluro Fantasy
This will no doubt be the most exciting match this week. Captains James and Ash are friends off the field, but I have a feeling their friendship will be put to the test in this one. Both are extremely competitive and play to win and both have a strong mix of players on their team.
Fluro Fantasy is the only other team to have an unbeaten streak this season and they play a style of Ultimate that is fast from start to finish. This means that they put opposition teams under pressure and will race ahead if given the slightest opportunity to do.
Django Unchained, despite a loss in their first game of the season, have won their previous two encounters. Both times they were down at half-time but started the second half strong to ultimately emerge victors. They are a true representation of "it's not over until the fat lady sings".
Prediction: Last week Django Unchained managed to overcome a 7-2 first-half deficit to win the game. However, I feel that Fluro Fantasy have enough composure to win this game. Fluro Fantasy to win 13-10.
Game 4 - Blue Crush VS Purple Haze
Blue Crush played hard last week and came away with a score that didn't really reflect the effort they put in. They are well-rounded in all aspects of the game; athleticism, speed, and ability but they are turning the discs over too many times. Purple Haze can put on a mean defense, and with players like Ryan and Shane, they have the ability to shut down Blue Crush's long plays.
After an amazing come-from-behind win against Mitey Discs, Purple Haze have shown that they are capable of playing some fluid, flowing frisbee. I foresee that Purple Haze will throw fewer hucks than Blue Crush because they prefer the short game. If they can put together what they did in their last three points last week, Purple Haze will be unstoppable.
Prediction: This is a tough game to call and it will ultimately be won by the team that can find that magical final pass. A Blue Crush victory is long overdue. However, Purple Haze are simply too mouthwatering at the moment. I predict a 13-8 Purple Haze victory.
Game 5 - Cockwalas VS Grapists
Cockwalas take on under-performing Grapists in the fifth and final game of this week. Cockwalas will definitely be looking to bounce back after last week's cruel loss to Django Unchained. Phangbang will be reprising his role of being a handler this week and is definitely the weak link in an otherwise strong Cockwalas lineup. Expect Cockwalas to play an extremely defensive game and look for the break on turnovers.
Grapists, as I've mentioned before, might be the dark horse this semester. They have shown last week that they are capable of getting the disc into the end-zone, managing to accrue 11 points before succumbing to a defeat against Robust Fawn. They might surprise us this week with a victory against Cockwalas.
Prediction: Grapists have yet to win a single game whereas Cockwalas have won two of their last three. I think that Cockwalas will be able to beat the yet unproven Grapists 13-9 in this game.
I hope everyone's ready to shed all that extra weight they've gained over this Easter weekend because Wednesday promises an even more intense round of Ultimate! With teams having been exposed to the different kinds of setups, there will be more variety in the plays and... who knows what could happen!
But I have decided to pull myself off my bed, shake off my sugar crash, and bring you guys this week's preview of the games!
Game 1 - Mitey Discs VS Robust Fawn
With the return of Chris Palazzi last week, Robust Fawn have become a very, very strong team. Their victory over Grapists could be a sign of more victories to come. However, their defense needs a little more work because they only won be a mere two points last week.
Mitey Discs are an equally strong team. They have a very consistent core group of players who have been playing together for a long time. Mitey Discs have shown that they are capable of scoring by bringing the game all the way to the wire despite losing last week.
Prediction: This game will come down to which team wants it more. I suspect that Mitey Discs will be hungry for victory especially after a bitter defeat last week. Mitey Discs to win 13-10.
Game 2 - Tie Dynosaurs VS Seagulls
This is the match I look forward to most this week. Tie Dynosaurs have a real chance of shutting down Seagulls' winning run this week. Seagulls are already starting to develop an air of invincibility and many pundits are convinced that they will be unbeatable all the way to the Grandfinals.
I myself am hoping for a Dynosaurs upset. Don't get me wrong, I love the Seagulls and their brand of Ultimate and I think everyone on their team works extremely hard for every point in every game but a defeat for them would make the league even more exciting.
I have personally played on Finny's team before, and I am familiar with his style. Not only is he a great player, he is a great coach as well and he has the ability to coach the best out of his players. Tie Dynosaurs are still finding their feet at the moment but will no doubt become a great side in the near future.
Prediction: This is the best time to play against Tie Dynosaurs; before they find their groove. With Seagulls in a magnificent start-of-the-season form and Dynosaurs still looking shaky, this is no doubt an unlucky time for the Dynosaurs to face the Seagulls. Seagulls to win 13-9.
Game 3 - Django Unchained VS Fluro Fantasy
This will no doubt be the most exciting match this week. Captains James and Ash are friends off the field, but I have a feeling their friendship will be put to the test in this one. Both are extremely competitive and play to win and both have a strong mix of players on their team.
Fluro Fantasy is the only other team to have an unbeaten streak this season and they play a style of Ultimate that is fast from start to finish. This means that they put opposition teams under pressure and will race ahead if given the slightest opportunity to do.
Django Unchained, despite a loss in their first game of the season, have won their previous two encounters. Both times they were down at half-time but started the second half strong to ultimately emerge victors. They are a true representation of "it's not over until the fat lady sings".
Prediction: Last week Django Unchained managed to overcome a 7-2 first-half deficit to win the game. However, I feel that Fluro Fantasy have enough composure to win this game. Fluro Fantasy to win 13-10.
Game 4 - Blue Crush VS Purple Haze
Blue Crush played hard last week and came away with a score that didn't really reflect the effort they put in. They are well-rounded in all aspects of the game; athleticism, speed, and ability but they are turning the discs over too many times. Purple Haze can put on a mean defense, and with players like Ryan and Shane, they have the ability to shut down Blue Crush's long plays.
After an amazing come-from-behind win against Mitey Discs, Purple Haze have shown that they are capable of playing some fluid, flowing frisbee. I foresee that Purple Haze will throw fewer hucks than Blue Crush because they prefer the short game. If they can put together what they did in their last three points last week, Purple Haze will be unstoppable.
Prediction: This is a tough game to call and it will ultimately be won by the team that can find that magical final pass. A Blue Crush victory is long overdue. However, Purple Haze are simply too mouthwatering at the moment. I predict a 13-8 Purple Haze victory.
Game 5 - Cockwalas VS Grapists
Cockwalas take on under-performing Grapists in the fifth and final game of this week. Cockwalas will definitely be looking to bounce back after last week's cruel loss to Django Unchained. Phangbang will be reprising his role of being a handler this week and is definitely the weak link in an otherwise strong Cockwalas lineup. Expect Cockwalas to play an extremely defensive game and look for the break on turnovers.
Grapists, as I've mentioned before, might be the dark horse this semester. They have shown last week that they are capable of getting the disc into the end-zone, managing to accrue 11 points before succumbing to a defeat against Robust Fawn. They might surprise us this week with a victory against Cockwalas.
Prediction: Grapists have yet to win a single game whereas Cockwalas have won two of their last three. I think that Cockwalas will be able to beat the yet unproven Grapists 13-9 in this game.
I hope everyone's ready to shed all that extra weight they've gained over this Easter weekend because Wednesday promises an even more intense round of Ultimate! With teams having been exposed to the different kinds of setups, there will be more variety in the plays and... who knows what could happen!
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