Nationals – Sunday

Revolver – USA Ultimate Club Championships – Day 4 (Sunday, October 30, 2011)

When we rolled up to the fields this morning we found Ironside already warming up in the cross-field breeze. The crowd was small today but it didn’t reduce the intensity of this finals rematch. In the last four years both Revolver and Ironside have played in three finals. We didn’t have any extra special strategies for this game besides being smart and quick with the disc. Tactically we had several specific notes and match-up assignments for their O-line regulars like Peter Prial, Matt Rebholz, and George Stubbs. After introductions and handshakes with our opponents, we won the flip and elected to start going downwind, while Ironside opted to pull first.

Game 8 – 9:00a v. Ironside (Boston, MA) – Final
We received first and scored quickly. Then we pulled going upwind and they centered the disc to Matt Rebholz, so Jon Levy promptly point blocked his forehand with a two-handed layout that allowed a quick break goal from Mark Sherwood back to Levy. He told us later, “As I dove across I had no idea if it was going to work or not.” We earned our next break after Mark Sherwood stalled George Stubbs after a deep goal had been called back on a pick, resulting in a 4-1 lead. We then traded for a while as Revolver’s O-line took care of business, including a nice two-pass point on a huck from Bart Watson to a streaking Devon Anderson and later an exciting sky grab by Cassidy Rasmussen. Up 7-5, Boston lofted a poor pull to provide us good field position. Bart picked up and sent a long forehand for Robbie Cahill, but Stubbs caught up and slapped the disc for the block… but it popped right toward Robbie, who bobbled it several times before securing an 8-5 halftime lead.

We pulled upwind to start the second half but Ironside turned it over. Mac Taylor bombed a forehand to create a footrace between two of the fastest guys on the field: Sherwood and Stubbs. Sherwood just beat his man for the superb layout snag and a crucial third break. At 9-6 there was a long tough point when Ironside pulled downwind and brought out their zone defense, forcing an early turnover as Bart shot a forehand across that sailed high over the intended receiver. They couldn’t convert the break, though, as they launched a high-stall bailout hammer turnover. Our offense worked it up the field but suffered another turnover on our own hammer that fluttered too much, though Boston gave it right back on a short toss during their fast break. Josh Wiseman dished a short pass to Joel Schlachet between three defenders and a 10-6 lead. Our D-line finally got the downwind break and 12-7 lead after Ashlin Joye knocked down a huck that Rebholz almost snared on the way down. Boston struck with their only break of the game when a nice pull trapped Nick Schlag on the sideline. The pressure was high and the backwards bail pass jumped up for a turnover, as the observers overturned foul calls by both the thrower and intended receiver. This closed the gap to 12-9, though we extended the lead again on patient zone offense to 13-9. On the next point Stubbs made another spectacular play by saving a floaty short pass above a pack of hungry defenders, but Rebholz and Sam Kanner collided heads in a rather bloody mess. After the injury timeout, Tom James hand-blocked a scoober attempt and Revolver worked the disc along the downwind sideline to a series of wide-open cutters, ending in a commanding 14-9 lead from Nick Chapman to Russell Wynne. After Boston scored on the next point on a shot from Peter Prial to Colin Mahoney, the Revolver O-line sealed a 15-10 victory from Josh Wiseman to Adam “Chicken” Simon, who played for the Boston squad that we defeated in the finals last year by the same score.

Rebholz won the Farricker Award (we nominated Beau Kittredge this year) and Chain Lightning won the team spirit award. We re-collected the trophy, some gold medals, and a berth to WUGC in Japan next July! We stuck around to watch the Mixed and Women’s division championship games with beer, stories, snacks, and some friendly heckling. Blackbird defeated Polar Bears in an all-Bay Area final filled with many of our friends. In the afternoon game, Fury won their sixteenth consecutive title over Riot. (Okay, actually just their sixth.)

We stopped for dinner and NFL-viewing on the way back to the beach house, then kept the party rolling with pool noodles, drinks, pool noodle drinks, the beach, and a pinata. For now, it’s off to the Daiquiri Deck to celebrate!