UPA Score Reporter 

Masters Division Day 3
by Mike O'Dowd

Saturday began as a foggy overcast day with a still wind to go with it. The temperature was in the low seventies until the sun came out around the 10:30 start time. The North- Northeast wind picked up to about 15 MPH during parts of the day.  

Anticipation for all four semifinal teams was palpable. DoG was number one seed without a loss or a close game. Mileage was deeper than last year and looked strong all weekend. Troubled Past was revamped, loaded with talent and hungry. Surly had added and bunch of new talent and they were playing for a cause. So each team had a clear shot to win it all. Momentum and intangibles would decide the fate of all four teams.   

DoG vs. Mileage 

This game was intriguing from the start. Mileage was going to be aggressive deep and DoG would have to stop it. Dog would look to work any deep Mileage turnovers back in for transition scores. Something had to give. Mileage is a tall strong team. DoG doesn’t look very athletic but has some awesome athletes. There was an edge to this game from the start. As the first half progressed Mileage was very confident. They were applying the pressure and John “boy” Grzywinski was taking his long bomb shots and hitting them. Mileage started the game with a ton of emotion. It was a two goal advantage right away and went to 7-4 pretty quickly. Mileage took half and some of the wind out of DoG’s sails. It was just one of those games that Dallas was on. The DoG team had never really been in a game up to this point in the tourney and now their offense was under some severe pressure. It was a bad time to be short on legs.  

Second half saw more of the same. DoG showed a lot of class and heart by trying to get back in the game. They cut the deficit, but the writing was on the wall. The Mileage guys rode out the win 15-9. It was a quiet finish to a one-sided game. DoG had represented America very well and won the Gold only two months ago, but their run was over. They missed some of their strong players that couldn’t come. Alec Ewald, Lenny Engel, Paul Greff and John “bar” Axon were all missing from last year’s roster. It was DoG’s first loss as a masters team at the UPA Championships in two years. The Mileage team was very satisfied with themselves. They had a tough pool play game with DoG last year and they relished another shot to beat them. They made good on the shot at DoG and put a good beating on them. Mileage finished early and watched the end of the other semifinal. 

Surly vs. Troubled Past 

Surly was playing well all weekend and had yet to have much of a problem stopping any team on defense. The Surly transition offense was the key to most of their victories. Troubled Past had one of the most talented rosters on paper but had yet to reach their potential. Troubled Past lost a big part of their psyche on the last point of the GLUM quarterfinal when Aaron Switzer got hurt. Aaron is the unmistaken boisterous leader of Troubled Past. So they would have to overcome that loss and fill the void. Surly started out with a big upwind huck by Dave Steglich that was perfect. Troubled past worked the disc against well against Surly’s good defense and it looked to be a contrast in styles. As the game progressed it was a one point affair up until 7-6. There was a bad drop by Troubled Past on the first pass and Surly stormed it quickly in to make it 8-6 and a commanding lead at half. Troubled Past had some bad unforced errors in the first half. They seemed to be off their game. Surly had been hitting their hucks and were playing loose. So even though it was a two point game at half it seemed as if it was more.  

As the second half got underway Troubled past worked it quite easily up to upwind goal line. Then, as would be the case several times, Troubled Past couldn’t punch it in. Surly would get the turnovers and huck scores. So the game got a little one-sided. The score ran up to 13-9 and 14-11. Troubled Past whittled it down to 14-12 with the disc. They moved it halfway up the field, and for an instant, it looked like it could turn into a game. But another turnover on a dump and it was all over. Surly worked it in to win the game 15-12.Troubled Past had plenty of opportunities but had way to many unforced errors. Surly was amped up all game and came ready to play.               

Masters Finals   Surly vs. Mileage There is always three hour rest in between semifinals and finals. The semifinals were over about 12:30 and the finals start time is 3:45. So there is a lot of time to think, stretch, talk, hydrate, eat and stiffen up. Most of the masters finals are won by teams that can get back to that same semifinal groove for the final. With the older players in the masters division this can be a very tough task for the team leaders. Conditioning also becomes a big factor when each team is gearing up for the eighth game of the weekend.  

Mileage is a freak show of sorts because they play a different style. There deep game is something Surly had figured out how to stop last year in the semifinals. No other teams had the success at curbing their huck like Surly. That fact, combined with the pool play reinforcement of Surly’s upper hand, was in the head of both teams. The final started off as a regular game and looked to be a very close game. It was tied at two and Mileage got a break and could have gone up 3-2 but threw a lead pass away. What ensued was ten straight goals for Surly, 12-2. From there it was just a matter of time. Surly put in all of their players and so did Mileage to get everybody playtime. The lop-sided game was frustrating for Mileage and kind of a let down for Surly as well. Surly was up for a good game and just never got tested. Mileage knew they had a better game to offer but it just didn’t materialize. The final score was 15-7. 

Surly had obviously committed to upgrading their team. Additions Calvin Lin, John Chandler-Pepeinjak played awesome. Eric Enge was, as always, a big on field leader. Adam Goff played well with skilled handing. Dave Steglich was strong and played a pivotal role. I think it is safe to say it was true team effort that could cite the whole roster as contributors.  

MVP might go to Mark “Paco” Enright who was awesome all day. As a skilled disc player his pulls and hucks were right on. He was also very good on defense. He had several field long hucks in the semifinals against Troubled Past. Paco was a force to be reckoned with all weekend long. His one regret was he wished he hit the bell in the crows nest on his first pull of the final. But the MVP probably goes to what he said earlier in the year most. It was Paco’s inspirational words that the team rallied around.  

Marty Bakko who was battling cancer was the rallying point for the Surly team (besides some very fine beer). Marty was a central player on the team when he was diagnosed. The whole team was faced with dealing with the sickness of one of their own. So this was a victory with meaning for the whole group who was playing for a cause.  

Friday was warmer in the morning than Thursday. There was an inconsistent wind that went from about 5 to 15 MPH coming out of the East-Northeast. It was a little cloudier and the slightly stronger wind made it cooler at times. Most team’s played a side trap or a trap zone. There were many more turnovers on Friday than Thursday.  

Pool A

First round of pool A started with Dog against OLDSAG. This was a rematch of last year’s hotly contested quarterfinal. Dog added two more players to their roster on Friday, Steve Mooney was one of the new faces, so that helped their cause in a major way.  Dog has a smaller roster this year and have been relatively healthy throughout the first two days. OLDSAG has been very solid on offense throughout the tourney. OLDSAG is a tight knit group with great timing on their cuts. The game started off with both teams trading goals and Dog had a two goal advantage. Once Dog started to pull away the flood gates kind of opened. But that has been constant with Dog all tournament, they seem to get into an offensive groove and the other teams feel that pressure. The Final was 15-8 Dog. Most of the second half was a quiet game, much to Dog’s liking.  

Second game of pool A was OLD Style against Troubled Past. This looked to be a blowout on paper. But Old Style had some issues with how they played on Thursday and looked to avenge that feeling. They came out strong against ‘Trouble” and it looked like a game was on. Old Style scored some upwind goals with a steady determination. But with a limited number of players there was only so much they could do against a large experienced team. Final score 15-7 Troubled Past. The Wisconsin group had turned it around and put together a pretty good game. 

Third game in Pool A of the first round was Anejo against Double Black. Double Black was the surprise of the tournament so far. They had played some quality opponents and looked like they belonged at nationals. Anejo was on the other side of the coin, they were used to always being in the hunt and had played pretty poorly so far. The wind picked up during the start of this round. Anejo has a four person cup zone and it can be a game breaker. Once the Anejo team gets some momentum they can be a very tough team to play. They ride that adrenaline buzz like a team full of speed junkies. Double Black was in for it and there wasn’t much they could do without a good solution against the zone. Final Score Anejo wins 15-7.   

Second round of Pool A pitted Double Black against Dog and there was no incentive for Dog. They were talking about how much they could lose by and still win the pool. Such lay down tactics are always frowned upon but can save just the energy needed for later. Pride won out and the Dog guys pulled out a 15-11 victory. 

Second round game two featured Troubled Past against Anejo. This was a rematch of last years spirited quarterfinal. Anejo was determined to make it a game. It they could win, they would take second in the pool. So the game had serious implications. It started as with a tough series of downwind scores and Troubled Past got the first up-winder. Then Anejo answered back two points later. So it was nip and tuck and then Anejo broke out their vaunted Four man zone. It worked the first time they played it. It was going to be a tough game for Troubled Past to win if they couldn’t solve the zone. But Steve Finn, Keith Monohan and Paul De Morgan had some great crisp passing to shred the zone upwind. There were some other upwind scores from Troubled past and they started to pull away. The game became out of reach and Anejo could only look to rest their starters and look ahead to the quarterfinals as fourth seed out of Pool A. Troubled Past wins 15-5. 

Second round pool A finished with OLDSAG against Old Style. OLDSAG needed to play and easy game because they had been in some real tough games. The World Series win had taken some energy to celebrate and everything since then had been work. They handled Old Style 15-7 and waited to see who they would play after taking third in their pool.  

Pool B 

First round of pool B pitted Surly against Old in The Way. This was another picture of opposites. OLD who had a proud tradition of power in the masters division was having a tough luck tourney. Surly who was the surprise finalist last year had handled everything thrown at them with ease. They had some close games, but they are a very confident group. The game was close to start, but as it wore on the Surly pressure and some unforced errors from Old and in The Way turned the game into a 15-9 Surly win. 

First round of pool B second game was Mileage against Chesapeaked. The Mileage guys are a tough group from Texas that doesn’t monkey around. They play a simple game and dare you to stop it. Chesapeaked couldn’t stop the Dallas huck and the Texas pressure on Chesapeaked took its toll. Dallas wins 15-10.         

First round of Pool B third game was GLUM against Throwback. Throwback was pushing as hard as they could through pool play and getting as much as they could out of their young team. But GLUM had found their game. Glum was fresh off of the last game they won on Thursday against Old and in The Way. So they had new found confidence. With the real night of sleep and some cohesion they “upset” Throwback 15-11. 

Second round of Pool B first game was Surly against GLUM. Surly was looking to lay low and conserve energy. They had the pool won and the game was of no importance. GLUM was on a win streak and ready to take any victory they could get. So it turned into a closer game than it should have been. GLUM showed their pride and determination. Surly wins 15-13.  

Second round of Pool B second game was Throwback against Mileage. Mileage was a certain second in the pool no matter what happened. The team leaders for Mileage decided to pack it in early. The Throwback guys saw an opportunity to take fourth in the pool open up if some other games went their way. So Throwback was more than happy to take an easy game in Sarasota. Throwback wins going away over the boys from Dallas 15-7.

The last game of pool play was Old and in The Way against Chesapeaked. The implications on this game were huge. If Old and in The Way wins they are in the quarterfinals. If Chesapeaked wins Throwback makes the quarterfinals. If there was a game to watch this game on Friday this was it. Old and in The Way were fighting for their life to make quarterfinals after being seeded third in their pool. Chesapeaked had nothing to lose and was upsetting any team they could. They had the mind game going early and Old and in The Way played right into it. Chesapeaked took an early 7-4 lead and controlled the game. But as you might imagine Old and in The Way started roaring back in the game. The game got closer and closer there were some double digit turnover points for both teams. It was true slugfest. All the other games had finished and the Throwback team came over to cheer on Chesapeaked. Old and in the Way tied it at 14 and hard cap was on as they hit universe point, next point wins. Both team were gassed and were struggling to play. Back and forth the disc went with several turnovers. Then a long flick huck by AJ Iwaszko for Chesapeaked ended it. Both Throwback and Chesapeked rushed the field together to celebrate the win. A perfect ending to Pool play for the masters division.     

Quarterfinals 
Dog vs. Throwback
Although this game lasted the longest, the outcome was pretty one-sided. The Throwback team grew and learned all weekend long and packed away a ton of experience to bring home. Dog won the game 15-6. But Throwback will be back and with the rich Seattle talent pool, look for them to contend in the future. 

Mileage vs. OLDSAG
Mileage played their regular huck game and OLDSAG was smooth on offense as well. The game was a one point affair right up until half when Mileage got and up-winder to take half 8-6. After half, Mileage played a zone and OLDSAG had some uncharacteristic turnovers against it. Mileage pulled away and won 15-9.  Surly vs. AnejoSurly has a pretty strong handling team to handle Anejo’s zone. And if that zone isn’t working, Anejo was going to be hard pressed to play defense on the hard running boys from up north. The final was 15-7 Surly in a pretty one-sided game. Troubled Past vs. GLUMGlum was on the biggest upswing of any of the lower seed in the quarterfinals. So it looked as if this game could be a tough contest. After a few up-winders by Troubled Past, the game went into half 8-3. Troubled Past kind of glided from there to a 15-7 win.  

Masters Division Day 1
by Mike O'Dowd
Photo - Matt Lane

Today’s Master’s division started unseasonably cold with not much moisture on the ground. It did get sunny bringing the temperature up to the middle seventies. There was a steady easterly side wind with of about 10 MPH for most of the day. The wind shortened the game for most teams and side traps and a little zone was in order for most defensive plans.  

Pool A 

The first round of pool A started with Boston beating Old style 15-4. The Boys from Bean town played their regular high percentage game. Old Style was fully kruizened.  Troubled Past beat a surprisingly strong Double Black team 15-7. Tommy Viskocil and Guy Martin played strong handling roles. OLDSAG crushed Anejo 15-6. The boys from Philly were riding high off of last nights Phillies World Series win. The Philadelphia team burned a rental car on the field just prior to the game. This was to honor all the burning looting they should have taken part in if they were home for the big win. They had it towed and cleaned up everything. There wasn’t much Anejo could do. “SAG” had their regular strong offense going and Anejo gave them ample turnovers.    

Second round in pool play was a little more exciting with Troubled Past holding off a strong “SAG” team. This was the game of the round with Philly going toe to toe with the Northwest bad boys. They held serve for most of the game against some solid defense. “Trouble” was turning it over a little too much to take control and the game was neck and neck until half. Then a couple of breaks for Trouble and they glided to a 15-12 victory. Dog beat Anejo 15-4 and besides a couple of passes Jim Parinella couldn’t run down and a bad drop by Arnold Sanchez the game was a blowout. Double Black handled business 15-10 and started to find their groove. 

The game of the day in the pool was the round three barn burner of OLDSAG vs. Double Black. The newcomers to the Club Championships from Denver were strong in numbers and had started to gel. The Philly team just came off of a game that they had given their all to win. So it was a great time for Denver to play “SAG” the game was super close for most of the way with Double Black taking a 14-12 lead and seemingly ready to close out the upset. But a quick “Callahan” put it at 14-13. Philly then tied it at 14 and overtime ensued. It was nip and tuck with several turnovers and momentum changes. And at universe point the newcomers from Denver pulled out their first big win in show 16-15. This was the only upset in pool A of the day. They have some real promise with Guy Martin and Tommy “V” doing their thing. Boston handled a mistake prone Troubled Past team 15-8. Trouble never showed up for this one and Boston took most of those gifts and turned them into scores. Mike Cooper, Arnold Sanchez and Jim Parinella were standouts, but most of the DOG team played well as usual. They have some new faces in the group. Anejo got in the win column with a 15-9 victory over Old Style. They were happy to get off “the schnide” and the beers tasted much better after winning a game. Anejo is used to being a little more competitive, so the days first two losses were a little upsetting.  

Pool B 

The first round easy 1-6 match-up was Surly vs. Chesapeaked. This was a cake walk on paper going in. But the DC boys were fresh and always cagey. The game turned into a possible upset and the gutsy Chesapeaked guys had their chance to win for sure. Surly was caught off guard and the DC team had plenty in the tank. Surly held them off 15-13. But it put both teams on notice. Surly got a wake up call and Chesapeaked found out they could hang with anyone in Sarasota. Mileage handled Glum who had some major travel issues flying down from Canada 15-9. Some of the GLUM players traveled thirty hours to get to the tournament and were still in a different time zone during the game. The game started out 6-2 and was a steady beating from there. In the last game of the first round, Old in the Way beat Throwback 15-11. Throwback had all the potential to win but their young age kind of worked against them with some tough decisions. The tight game just squeezed a couple of extra turnovers and “OLD” transitioned them into scores.     

The second round saw Surly manhandle Throwback 15-8. After a rough defeat the confidence factor in Throwback was not at an all time high. Surly was ripped and ready to win this game after a close win over Chesapeaked. So it was a double whammy for the Seattle team but this team could do some damage if it can get into the quarterfinals for sure. They have the same type of dynamic Surly had last year with a young team they just have to get out pool play. Mileage beat Old & in The Way 15-10 in a tough loss for “OLD” to swallow. They had some chances to win this game for sure and take over second in the pool. The game was back and forth and Mileage took it to half at 8-7. It was tied at 9 and looked to be an overtime thriller for sure. But a few bad luck turns and Mileage’s opportunistic nature finished it out in quick fashion. The “OLD” guys were a little down after this loss because they knew they let a big game slip away.

The third game of this round was without a doubt the best. GLUM was determined to turn it round in a hurry. They have such a great team of proud players with resolve that they never give up. They have always had a tough road in Sarasota and the travel issue didn’t help. But they felt confident going in that they could right the ship and dispatch the DC team with some strong defense. Chesapeaked’s Tom “Worm” Glass and Dave “Flash” Fausel had other ideas. These two “swingers” always know the score and seemingly put the tilt on any field. Flash has a lot of big game experience on both coasts with many teams. Worm is a defensive genius who understands how to win any game with the proper plan. Don’t ever let these two guys talk you into anything. The game was back and forth with GLUM sort of getting out of their travel funk. Chesapeaked got into a control position in the game and held serve with Eric Wenck playing a major role in working some big goals in Chesapeaked wins 15-13 for the first upset in pool B.     

The final round of Pool B slated 1vs 2, Surly vs. Mileage, in a rematch of last year’s semifinal. Surly won that game by shutting down the deep game that Mileage is known for. Surly knew how they had stopped Dallas before and had basically the same year old plan in place. Surly had a good scare with Chesapeaked that helped transition them into serious mode early in the day. The Mileage boys had been handed two wins with the travel weary GLUM team and then an easy finish to the Old and in The Way game. So it was not a good dynamic coming into the game for Mileage. The game started off 6-2 Surly and progressed to 10-6. It was Surly’s game all the way with Mileage’s long game in check. It got a little close in the end but Surly finished the day off 3-0 with a 15-12 win as top seed. The Mileage boys still looked as though they could be the toughest team to come out of the B pool.  

The biggest upset came in the Old and in The Way vs. GLUM game. As previously stated GLUM was getting a pretty bad shake as far as everything that happened since they checked in to fly down. They were 0-2 and as a pretty proud group of guys they were determined to win their last game. They have size so it can be very hard to match up and stop them.  OLD was on a whole different trip they had just lost a crusher to Mileage and were not in the best mind set going into the game. This all combined with a 50^th birthday party for Randy Ricks the night before left their third round gas tank empty. OLD was emotionally, and spiritually drained to say the least. What ensued was a “drop-fest” for “OLD” and a well deserved good deal for the GLUM boys who were happy to be out of the snow.  The game ended 15-8 and the OLD and in The Way spokesman issues a full “NO COMMENT!” after the game. The pride and talent of that team should turn things around in a hurry. They will play Friday well and get back on track. Throwback beat Chesapeaked 15-10 in a much needed win for Seattle. The smoke and mirrors that the DC boys had been using all day were no hard puzzle to solve for the analytical players from Throwback. The Chesapeaked guys were happy to have a win under their belt and Throwback felt the same way.      

Masters Division Preview
by Mike O'Dowd

DoG
As number one seed, Dog will bring their think tank group of high percentage players back for another bid at a title. Look for “Hall of Famer” Steve Monney and Jim Parinella to be working the disc at crunch time. Alec Ewald and Eric Zaslow will figure in heavily with their traditional vertical stack offense. On the defensive side, look for Arnold Sanchez and Dennis McCarthy to put the pressure on and get blocks. The road goes through Boston to win.    

Surly
Surly went 2-3 in pool play last year and lost to eventual champion DoG 15-9 in the finals. But they played stellar when it counted in the elimination rounds. They beat Old and in the Way in the Quarterfinals and then a tough Mileage team in Semifinals.  They arrived and were able to recruit more serious players and rededicate themselves to improving on their 2007 finish. They added some experienced players and should be hitting their stride as elimination games start. Look for a strong defensive presence and an aggressive long game.  

Troubled Past
Troubled Past has revamped their whole team looking to avenge a close loss in the semifinals to DoG. Look for spirit award nominee Keith Monohan to anchor a tough defensive line with Aaron Switzer playing robin to Keith’s batman. With defensive all-stars “Snertz” and “Frankus” prowling the lanes it won’t be pretty. On offense “Trouble” has the skills to dissect most zones. New comer Matt Rodkey looks to impose his will on the whole division. So look for a lot of man to man play against them and some exciting interaction, never a dull moment.     

Mileage
The team is still primarily built around former Dallas Ultimate open players mostly from the mid 90's and former Hang Time players.  They are also a bit larger this year (in many ways) primarily due to the addition of players from California, Oklahoma City and Birmingham.  Most of these new additions have some relationship to Dallas or Texas Ultimate scene and they will bring some heat. Defense has been bolstered by the return of Squirt and other notable pickups. Offense is still built around dumps or centers to John Boy who will look to throw it the length of the field to Etch or Lenny on a regular (all the time) basis.  

Old and in the Way
OAITW revamped their roster and look to be a lot more athletic and competitive. They continue to attract top talent and 2008 is no different. With additions to the team of ex-Bravo players Josh Hemann and John Leach and local standouts Peter Clapp and Nate Frick, Carly Schubert, Jim Nolte, Chris Gutman, Fritz Bussman and Fin Waugh, Old is younger, faster and ready for another run at the gold medal. 

O.L.D.S.A.G.
One Last Ditch Shot At Glory is one of the more organized teams in the Masters division.  They run several offensive sets and will mix up their defenses.  You might not recognize any of their players as former Open division stars, but their team concept is their key to success.  Their roster is smaller than last year, but thanks to a few new additions, it is deeper. They haven't forgotten their tough quarter-final loss in '07 and will fight to prove they belong among the elite in this division. 

Anejo
The boys from Florida are always up for a game. They bring a special Florida no-nonsense approach that can ruffle some feathers. Look for Butch Brown to mix it up and be in the middle of everything. Stephen Fowler is one of the smoothest athletes to ever play Ultimate and always provides a tough match for any opponent. Milan Hooper has the game and throws to break any game wide open. But one of their biggest weapons is 6’4” Donavan Thomas. Donovan can take over a game like no other receiver. With experienced throwers and a great deep game the home state boys will go far into the tourney.

Throwback
Throwback was surprisingly strong at the Northwest regional. They have been rebuilding and were thought to be in transition as a team. Captains Darrin Byle and Barney Ahouse pulled this group together and made them a force. This young athletic group comes back into the Championships with new vigor. They won it all just two years ago, but their roster is much different. They have a new deep threat in 6’4”Angus Goodbody. With rich Seattle northwest talent pool to draw from they bring some awesome raw talent that will surprise the teams they play in Sarasota. Look for Throwback to play smart analytical ultimate and use their strong defensive pressure to create turnovers.

GLUM
Green Light Ultimate Masters, the lone Canadian entry into the championships, is a wild card at the tournament. They have the tallest lineup and none of the American teams have played them on a regular basis. So match-up and recognition of what they run gives them and edge. Captain Jamie Noonan keeps this great spirited group on an even keel. Look for them to break through and make semifinals after taking fifth twice in the last four years.  

Double Black
Double Black is certainly the master team to watch this year at Nationals.  Half the team is made up of savvy veterans returning to Nationals for the umpteenth time, and the other half was stolen from the best Colorado co-ed had to offer.  Fueled by raw energy and a desire to prove themselves on the national stage, expect some ferocious defense from these guys.  Double Black is expecting to cash in big time on all the high altitude training as they run their opponents into the ground. 

Chesapeaked
This tough Washington D.C. group has a knack for the upset. They made their way through the tough Mid Atlantic regional by lulling their opponent to sleep. They don’t look athletic and no real big name players. On offense look for Eric Wenck from Philmore fame to be one of their main handlers. Eric still has a quick first step. On defense, Thomas “The Worm” Glass” brings his genius to this team. “The Worm” has played on several championship caliber teams in three different regions.  He is always making blocks, somehow he just gets there.   

Old Style
This group of experienced veterans is made up from the relatively unknown hotbed of ultimate in central and south eastern Wisconsin. This has always been a great area of Ultimate since the seventies. So constant teams and regular play has gone unnoticed by mainstream competitive ultimate until UW won college nationals this year. Wisconsin is now a force. This team upset Surly at Regionals and is likely to take some other teams to the brink in Sarasota.