Not to be confused with GL Regionals '09. Boy I love saying that. Illinois brought their A game this weekend and came away with another regional title. Maybe we just like making nationals really hard to seed, who knows. Anyway, as I'm sure most of you know, regionals came in a lovely 9 day long package this year. As such, I'll split the writeup into two parts:
Regionals Part AA week of forecasts predicting nothing but thunderstorms for the weekend apparently does not phase the tournament crew, and Illinois meets up with 15 other teams in Bloomington, IN for the weekend. The first round (prequarters) pits us against Dayton. From what one of their players seemed to be hinting at the end of the game, I gathered that none of their seniors were in attendance. Anyway, Illinois comes out of the gates at a reasonable pace, rattling off a few breaks to start the game. Dayton looks pretty flat, dropping some easy passes then getting beat on the fast break. On the second point, Smith fakes upline and cuts for the swing, but jukes his defender so bad that he runs hip-first into Smith's leg. No more Kennedy. As he's getting checked out by the trainer, the D line has a really ugly point right before half with something like 8 turnovers spread evenly throughout the players. I believe we still scored, but the pace of the game changed at this point. After half (something like 8-2), their O-line remembers how to boost some forehands into the back corner of the endzone and ends up scoring four more. Final score: 15-6 Illinois over Dayton.
As predicted, Purdue wins their game and meets us in quarters. We are so incredibly sick of playing Purdue. Relations have actually gotten better since our first two games, but playing the same team four times in three consecutive tournaments is too much. They come out really really flat and let us walk all over them in the first half. The O-line pulls its usual tricks involving Phenom sending Halvsies deep over and over for one or two pass goals. The D-line reminds Purdue how much they love giant gingers by throwing up some sky balls for Charlie to come down with. This game had an observing crew, but they ended up really not doing anything since Purdue seemed so disheartened. I believe the O-line got broken once this game, but I don't remember how. Probably something stupid I did. Oh well. Final score: 15-8 Illinois over Purdue.
At this point, we were informed that we had a one-round bye so that the fields could drain. I'm not sure what exactly they expected to happen, but after one round the field owners decided they didn't want us around anymore. I tweeted some disparaging things about how the tournament was run, showered at the hotel, and we drove home.
Fast forward one week to:
Regionals Chapter 2
Ok so now we're magically in South Bend, IN, and it's 3pm on Saturday. The dreaded moment arrives. Semis vs. Michigan. We all put on our arguing hats, and get on the line to receive the pull going downwind. The wind is coming in around 20mph from the northwest, with gusts not coming anywhere near the predicted 45mph. There are no observers for this game, and it's made painfully obvious right away. After we turn it over for whatever reason, Michigan throws the disc as far as possible upwind for an easy (clean) D by Phelan. Called back on a contested receiving foul. Same play, easy D for Halvsies, called back on a contested receiving foul. So goes the game. They break upwind to start the game off on a bad foot. Thankfully, our D-line, bolstered at points by some O-line hotness, cashes in three in a row to put Magnum in their place. I can't remember very many specifics, because my memory is blocked by a generally constant level of anger. I do remember that in one of those three breaks, I blocked a huck on the upwind goal line that Walden tossed to Pappy for a goal. Basically when we were going downwind, we ended up punting a lot. This turned out to be pretty easy, since they only really shut off the high throws. They threw a zone a few times, which was moderately effective. They played their usual game consisting of tons of break arounds and big hucks. We trade breaks while maintaing the lead up until 6-6, when they break to make it 7-6. From there, we break twice to take half 8-7. At this point soft cap is about to go on, and we take about 5 min for half. Their O-line scores right away out of half making it 8-8 with still some time to spare before hard cap. The next point ended up being the last, with tons of turnovers at both endzones. Finally, Smith has the disc on the downwind endzone with Pappy on iso. After a little some fakes, Smith stretches for the tough invert and is fouled hard. During the resulting argument, hard cap goes on to make it game point. The foul is contested and we call an immediate time out with the stall coming in at 7. Because Smith looked for the invert last, Pappy's defense has jumped to the break side and we have an open look. Out of the timeout, Smith pivots once and tosses it to the force side for the easy goal to Pappy. Somehow, in this amount of time, the mark has called a stall. Smith casually ground taps it in, and repeats his maneuver. Michigan, ever the stickler on rules, calls it back for the missing hand tap-in. Smith tries the same thing, but Pappy's vision is blocked by the laid out defender and it hits him in the head for the turnover. Michigan works it a little ways upwind then bombs it deep for a turnover. Smith gets a good look downfield at Charlie with a backhand huck which he drops during his patented flying somersault. Michigan works it a little upwind, then gets off a break backhand huck which is completed. They call a timeout on their endzone. When play resumes, one of their handlers drops an easy upline pass. We work it down half the length of the field before Walden hits Charlie with a forehand fade for the win. Walden really shines this game, containing Ollie in the handler position and forcing him to work for easy possessions. Oh yeah, he also played 16 points. Pappy and Charlie also step up, playing a big number of points and holding things together. Smith and Kurt combine for an absurd amount of deep throws and a couple of layout D's each. Final score: 9-8 Illinois over Michigan, with three heart attacks for Austin.
The weather on Sunday is a whole lot better. Wind stays at a comfortable 10mph, and the fields warm up to the high 50s as a result. After warmups, we get our first look at Michigan State before finals. Based entirely on RSD chatter, we know that they look for Ryan Heffernan (#5) for a lot of in-cuts. Neal picks up this assignment, and does a great job putting pressure on him the whole game. The game starts, and we come out more fired up than we have been all year. We start on D, and cash in the break going upwind after they miss a deep shot. They end up scoring the next one, and the O-line gets in the game going upwind. We work it all the way down the field just for me to throw a hilariously bad forehand into the stratosphere for a turnover. Luckily they also throw it deep down the sideline past the guy I'm defending for a turnover of their own. We work it back upwind for a much safer goal. The D-line comes close to another break, but MSU shows poise and makes it 2-2. Their D-line is pulling downwind, and disaster strikes. First they pull before the observer hand signal, and get an offsides call. Clearly rattled, the puller jacks a big backhand 20 yards out of bounds very near their own goal line. Illinois offense puts it in to make the game 3-2. (If you're wondering, I'm trying to piece the game together from Wego's cryptic tweets.) "Boom headshot. Break by Illinois 4-2" MSU offense scores, then D-line gets a break after I throw into a poach on our own goal line to make it 4-4. Illinois offense starts going upwind, and I put up a break backhand huck to Sul's glove. Sul's glove throws it to Charlie, who tiptoes backwards and lays out for the one-handed catch which is technically in the endzone. D line gets the downwind break to make it 6-4 Illinois. Summary of points from 6-4 to 14-9: Walden gets the disc every other pass, and jumps for extra yards every single goddamn time - sometimes for comedic value. Sul's glove catches a bunch of passes, except for one really easy one. Michigan State starts backing us, making the game a whole lot easier. Anyway, 14-9, Fun Line goes in!
Someone: "What, you don't want to score the last point of regionals?"
Walden: "I gotta let the rug-rats get out there"
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Walden: "What, you don't want to win?"
A few pretty entertaining turnovers and chances to win the game later, Fun Line goes out. 14-10 Illinois, with the O-line going downwind. We work it down the field making Walden lay out and fall down a lot until it's Walden with the disc in the center and Phenom in the iota. Easy play - Walden breaks the crap out of his mark for the invert goal to Phenom. Celebration ensues. Hugs all around. 15-10 Illinois over Michigan State.
Unfortunately, our parade was rained on when Michigan beat Michigan State in the back door. I guess you can't get everything you want. After Michigan's post-game celebration, one of their players yells, "Now we just gotta go get Illinois!" Game on.
Austin
