LS goes to MLC (By: Matt Seaton)

Speed headed to MLC with 11 players this weekend. Myself, Abe, Wes, Sebastian, Gentry, Brian, Cumbarge, Walker, Nathan, Wynn (rookie), and Chris (rookie). Seeded at the top of pool H, we had to win our pool along with a play in game to still be in contention on Sunday. 

Game 1 vs UNT 

We take half 7-4 after some unnecessary turnovers and defensive mistakes and go on to win the game 11-5. 

Game 2 vs Winona State. 

We take half 7-2, the wind is starting to gust at 15-20 MPH so it has turned into more of a zone game. We use this as practice with our 3-3-1 and 1-4-2 zones. Wesley and Gentry did a great job as marks for us. Meanwhile the Winona State captain says to me "We're playing so awful this game, I've never seen us play this bad". We work their zone and score repeatedly winning 12-5 

Game 3 vs Wash U 

Wash U had lost their previous game to Winona St so sitting at 1-1, the winner of this game would win the pool. We traded downwind points until i believe 4's when a big huck goes up to the end zone where Sebastian jumped over a guy for the score and tacos the disc. We used this momentum and put on our 3-3-1 where we force them into the back corner of the end zone where Abe gets a callahan. Pick 6 bitch. We take half 7-5. Wash U wouldn't back down and after some mistakes by us, they break and hardcap blows while it's 10-10. We work the disc down the field for the game. 11-10 

Game 4 vs Minnesota-Duluth 

Coming off an appearance at college nationals this year, the Northern Lights had high expectations for the tournament, still probably the ugliest jerseys though. After going 0-3 in the power pools, we met them in a game where the winner would get to play Texas A&M in the prequarters Sunday Morning. We trade points for the first few points, go down 2 breaks and they take half 7-5. On the sideline our now 10 man roster (walker went down with a knee injury) is exhausted, but still confident we can win. Speed comes out of half and goes on a 3-1 run. Once again we reach ultimate point, running on fumes we work our unders down the field until we find we in the end zone. He toes the line and cramps in the process. We win 12-11 

Game 5 vs Texas A&M (pre-quarters) 

The weather outside is not ideal. 50 degrees, 20 MPH winds with gusts at 30, and a storm rolling in. The wind has quickly become and upwind downwind game. We win the flip and take the wind and both teams strategies immediately become downwind hucks and upwind zone. We get broken upwind once in the first half and lose 13-10.

Game 6 vs Carnagie Mellon (9th place bracket) 

The storm begins while our team is stading on the line waiting for the first pull. It started raining. Hard. Our roster is down to 8 people now and in the conditions our throws and hands just weren't there. CM took advantage when we turned the disc near the endzone and quickly took half 7-2. The weather is miserable and we continue to not perform in the elements after a long weekend and lose 13-3. The tournament is then cancelled due to the weather

Ozark Mixed Sectionals (by April Johnson)

On September 16, Ozark mixed sectionals took place at Gary Hampton with three teams: Robot Unicorn Attack (Fayetteville), Hootie (Fayetteville), and Glory Daze (Conway/Little Rock). Hootie was a combo of current Arkansas college players who came together to play at sectionals. Glory Daze was primarily made of Hendrix players, but did have an ex-Fayettevillian favorite, Rich Walden on their squad. And Robot Unicorn Attack is the local mixed team who has been playing together since summer.  Our section received two bids to regionals, which Robot Unicorn and Glory Daze won. 

Captained by Jody Ayers, a stat junkie, here are RUA's stats from Sunday:

1) Possession to score ratio = 1.6. That's 48 possessions to score 30 points. 1.6 is a very solid ratio.

2) Clay Adams led the team with 5 goals caught. Even controlling for points played, he was most likely to score; catching a goal every 2.8 points played.

3) Abe Coffin threw the most goals with 7 assists. Casey Hooper was most likely to throw a point, doing so once every 1.8 points played.

Also, almost as exciting as winning sectionals, the RUA jerseys made their debut to a very warm reception:

Thanks to all the teams for coming out on a dreary Sunday and good luck with the rest of your seasons!

Hillbillys at Grandmasters 2012 (by Doug Behrend)

So we went 3-5 on the weekend and played exactly to seed (14th). We had chances to do much better, as this brief report will show.

Minneapolis weather was great, highs in the 80s all 3 days, breezy and dry on Saturday and Sunday, muggy on Monday.

Game 1: Against Grandmaster Flash the 5 seed in our pool. We came out, turned it over a couple times and went down 3-0. We called a time out, got our shit together, and scored 13 of the next 14 points to win 13-4. Bitty, Salty Mike, and Bailey led the way.

Game 2: Against Man Down (Philly), the 3 seed in our pool. We saw this as our big game headed into the weekend. We came out solid with good offense and solid D including several hand packs. We led most of this game and received the pull leading by 1 as the cap blew. We turned it over, but got it right back and scored for the 11-9 win. 2-0 baby!!

Game 3: We had the last round bye, so we turned right around and played 1 seed Boulder. Phil sat out, and Boulder with hardly anyone out of their early 40s on their roster, skunked us 13-0. We got everyone in the game, and were able to hit the keg of West Mountain rye early as the last round of the day played out and we prepped for a big matchup with Brooklyn in the morning.

Game 4: Crucial game as Man Down had beaten Brooklyn and we had beaten Man Down. Win and we're #2 in our pool, but we had our worst game of the tournament here, missing open shots to the end zone and dropping far too many. Brooklyn pulled away early in the 2nd half and won 13-8, leaving three teams at 2-2 in the pool and dropping us to 4th because of point differential.

Game 5: So instead of winning and facing a #3 seed from another pool in the round of 16 we were paired with hosts and eventual champs Surly in the round of 16. We played pretty well here, but Surly was the superior squad and won going away. Toad hurt his hammy and missed much of this game and the rest of the tournament. Bob got heckled by Boulder.

Game 6: Dropping into the 9th place bracket, we faced Old Line from Baltimore/DC/Annapolis. Once again the game was tightly contested early on, but with no consistent big deep threat (Joe G. didn't make it, Toad hurt, and Phil gimping along) they did a good job of stopping our possession game and took us down. Once again we salved our wounds at the keg and then headed over to the Surly brewery for Bison burgers, brews, and a pretty good band.

Game 7: A rematch with GM Flash. We didn't let them take the lead this time and won easily again, setting up a game with our rivals from Texas, the Sick Hammers.

Game 8: We sucked. Hammers beat us. People went to the airport, watched the finals. A few of us went up to a lake house for a few days.

The tourney MVP for us was Jon Bitler. Bitty's always fit, but I think his practices with the mixed team helped his play. He also caught just about everything and may have led the team in points scored. Chuck scored a Callahan, and Salty just missed one. Bailey had two great d's in one point against Surly. Everybody on the roster either scored or threw a point. It sounds like GM Nationals will be moved back to the midsummer next year along with Masters and Womens Masters. With the regions changing for us next year, things could be much different.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWWWW!!

Summer League Twenty Twelve (by April Johnson)

Since the ADA finished earlier this year, we were able to expand our summer league from 7 to 9 weeks of play. We had 8 teams with about 160 players for this year's summer league. Despite record breaking temperatures, players continued to come out each week. Early predictions had team Brown on top, but a Perry once again proved good drafting skills and team White came into the tournament seeded first. The biggest contender was team Gold, who appeared to be an early favorite the first half of league. During the tournament, Gold was taken to ultimate point in two hard fought games against Brown and then Gravel before meeting White in an extremely hot finals. White came out on top fairly easily.

The league culminated in a private party at Wilson Pool. There was a great game of in and out box, along with a long chain of tennis ball passing (video is on the FDA Facebook page). We saw a lot of younger players this league as well as several new players. Hopefully, we will see them all again this winter!

San Marcos Showdown - July 21/22 (by Clayton Adams)

This past weekend, Fayetteville's mixed team traveled to San Marcos, Texas for a 5-team co-ed tournament. We went 4-1 on the weekend and the only close game was a 13-10 loss to B.O.H.I.C.A., a perennial contender in the region. However, unforeseen circumstances forced us to leave early on Sunday due to time constraints. This prevented a rematch in the championship game against B.O.H.I.C.A.

Overall, it was a very productive weekend. The players got to eat at Salt Lick on Saturday night, the world-famous barbecue place, and enjoyed a cool swim in the San Marcos river after play on Saturday and Sunday. As the players departed San Marcos, they came away with a better sense of each other and an optimistic outlook for the season.

Liquor and Cleats Win B Pool Finals! (by April Johnson)

The team name "Liquor and Cleats" was born at GRUB in 2007. That year, we made it to the B pool finals, went up 5-1, then proceeded to lose. Since then, we've made it back to the finals or semis, always losing. The team is primarily a group of current and past Fayettevillians who meet up 1-2 times/year to play and reunite with friends. We've denied repeated requests from the TD to move up to the A pool because our ultimate goal has been to be the most ridiculous, merched out pick up team to win the B pool at GRUB. This past weekend, dreams became reality. If you ever get an opportunity to play in Boulder, take it. They are the nicest fields in a very beautiful setting, and according to Brosh, "the nicest fields in the world". Our team did well on and off the field, living up to our reputation with plenty of liquor on the sideline and plenty of awesome cleats on the field. We also dominated the hotel hot tub and dance floor at the party, but it was the elk dog from the hot dog vendor who won in the end(warning: only order an elk dog in boulder if you can handle super spicy)!

Fayetteville Plays HOT at Solstice (by: April Johnson)

Three Fayetteville teams ventured over to Tulsa for this year's Summer Solstice: a LS/LS alum combo, the Hillbillys, and a group of ladies who played as Fayetteville Beach Party. The tournament hosted 10 men's teams, 8 mixed teams, and 7 in the women division. Fayetteville Beach party was victorious, going undefeated in the 7 team round robin and then winning the finals. It was great to see a group of new and experienced Fayetteville women come together and win the party and tournament.

The LS/LS alum team won the b (beer) bracket taking out the Hillbillys along the way. Per usual, Solstice was super hot (mid 90s). Some found relief in a kiddie pool that lent itself to a weekend long pool party crammed with at least 14 people in it.


Much fun was had including an intense game of CanPop and some golf cart joyriding. (Luckily, the girl Bustin ran over was okay.)
(For more pictures, go to www.picsbylesa.com and find the Solstice 2012 album.)