For the second year in a row Illinois took the three seed into Regionals. This year however it was a tournament with only one bid to Nationals. Before the weekend even began, the realization set in that the team would have to go through both Michigan and Michigan State in order to punch their tickets for a road trip to Boulder, CO.
The team made the comfy three hour drive to Rockford, the same site as Club Sectionals where a majority of Illinois players ended their Club season last October. I was one of the fortunate few to be staying at the luxurious home of Gibby, I only heard shady things about the hotel so I can’t go into detail but I do know that it was an experience for those privileged enough to be there.
Saturday morning we rolled into about 60 degree weather with about 15-20 mph winds. It was an upwind downwind day, but not dramatic enough to make it a significant advantage for the downwind team.
Our first game of the weekend was against Darkwing from Loyola with observers. The game began and it became apparent pretty quickly that Loyola had some great upwind throwers. We traded the first points and then had a very long o-point to take the lead 2-1. Another Marathon point ensued which included a lot of punting and a lot of missed shots to Dane and Neal. At 3-2 our D-line used some great catches and blades to get the first break. After being called for offsides our Defense steps it up and D’s it on the goal line then marches it down for another break, 5-2. Loyola came back with an O and a Break point of their own, which put our O-line going upwind to avoid the double break. The O-line marched it upwind for the score, setting up our D-line to take the downwind break back from Loyola. Halftime came at 8-5. Out of the half Loyola played like it was Regionals and we didn’t, they brought the game all the way to 8-8. Universe ensued. Walden intentionally didn’t inform us we were playing a universe point for our own sake. A jump ball to Dane won us the game and got the nerves out for the rest of the weekend.
Gibby got interviewed by the news for being the hometown hero in between this game and the next
Western Michigan was the four seed of our pool. All we knew about them was that they played Michigan tough at Conferences. The O-line started the game very smoothly and the D-line took their time to get comfortable with the competition. The teams traded to 5-4, before Austin stepped on the D-line and used some great throws to get us our first break. Going downwind on D, Crayon dunked to earn us the turn and we used the wind to punch it in. Trading into halftime put the line at 8-5. Coming out of half Western Michigan began cheers of “They’re Crumbling” to inform us that we were crumbling. I found this to be hilarious and can’t wait to steal that cheer in the future. After a few o points, Pecs found Crayon for the break score. D-line ran it to 13-6 and O-line finished it from their 15-8… THEY’RE CRUMBLING!!!!!!!
Papal Rage of Notre Dame was our last game of the day. Early in the game, our hometown hero Nate Gibbons got a sick D, and Andy K-Train Kilinski laid out past someone’s face and the crowd…went…crAAAAAzy. Austin had some great throws, Sid put a full field hammer Papi started to unload his scoobers and D-line worked to take an 8-4 half time lead. The second half was really exciting, both teams O-lines scored every point and the game ended 15-10.
We went to watch our B team become the Dev Regional champions, and then headed back to the hotel and the Gibbons house. Those that went back to the Gibbons house got some great Chili and some homestyle love.
The next morning is going down in my book as the best Sunday morning warm-up of my life. Three reasons why.
1. It was warm and not windy.
2. Indiana brought their boom box and I love warming up to music
3. During their warm up jog Michigan ran past us and gave a nicely timed M-A-G-N U-M cheer right by our warm up. Why does that make me happy? It was the first time they have ever recognized us a rival to them… it was awesome
Indiana was our first game of Sunday, it was also a Quarterfinal game. Kennedy had sat out all Saturday and was using the Indiana game to get his feet back under him. Indiana had two great senior leaders on their team that were not prepared to go down with a fight. They threw the first punch to break at 2-3. It didn’t take long for our D-line to get the break back on a hammer to Neal. Papi threw is fourth and final scoober of the weekend, 100% completion. Colin Reid played some of the hardest defense I’ve ever seen out of him as he matched up with Ed Wu, who was also playing his heart out. Papi and Austin managed to connect for a final break going into half 8-6. In the second half hometown hero Gibby laid out a massive D and Kennedy put the blade to Alex for a nice break that made breathing a lot easier. However, Indiana played lights out against us, I can’t give them enough props for the way they went about this game. They didn’t resort to cheap calls or fouling they just poured their hearts and souls into this game and any member of Illinois who wasn’t familiar with what an elimination game of regionals felt like received a lesson as IU brought it back and tied us at 12-12.
O-lines traded until it was 14-13, a bit of confusion ensued with soft cap being on, we broke for the win but IU felt like the game should be played to 16, but that was it, it ended 15-13. For all but two of the Illinois players, this was our first time ending someone’s season. Great game IU.
Michigan. Just like 2009 and 2010 we got to play MagnUM in semis. Our B-team had hung around just for this game, our women’s team had just finished their season and our alumni were there in numbers. We had the largest sideline in the Region and it was going crazy. They refused to let us lapse, they went nut when we got turns and they made it impossible for us to give up in any way shape or form. Michigan came in having a great spring and was the only team in the Region to truly carry any weight. Going into this weekend they were ranked 15th and we were pulling in the 20 spot. Michigan got their first break VERY early in the game taking the lead 1-2. I may or may not have freaked out a bit… Our O-line sucked it up and made the next point count. One of the best D’s I’ve ever seen was made by Austin, Kennedy broke the mark to Neal and we were back on serve. Not long after Kennedy boosted a mammoth shot to Dane, who flipped it to Mark and it was Bernie time! The next point we put up a junk stall nine ball and Alex did some magic to come down with it. We had a halftime lead 8-5. Our halftime chat was us being stoked about ourselves. We had each other’s backs and our amazing sidelines had everything else.
The second half would be the most challenging moment of ultimate in most our careers. Be scored right out of half, and the sidelines were so loud they ended up dropping an in cut and we erupted in pure nastiness. UM managed to get a break back pretty quickly and on the ensuing Illinois O point we punched it and capped it off with a SICK 360 spike by Sid, who apparently has just been pretending to be injured all year because he is still really good at doing Sid things.
I think the dagger in the heart was our next break. On the goal line we threw one over our iso’s head and Mark Hirschmanzillazadehscrillaholla came down with a miraculous score. 13-9 our O-line takes the field, we turn it and with the help of the sidelines play some of the best O-line d all season. Michigan has absolutely nothing to throw too and they end up putting a swing pass to no one, giving us the disc with about 10 yards to go. O-line does it. Next d point Dane decides to be a handler and puts a big boost out to Neal for the break and the win. MSU was next.
We had to regroup and turn around for another big game. MSU broke us immediately which was a very sobering moment for the squad. Kennedy’s nice throws got us a break back and then one, 3-1. MSU got a handblock on their next d point and put the game back on serve. Sid’s very tricky throws lifted the O-line over the hump. The next D point Mark caught a score and then proceeded to do a headstand, nearly breaking his back, and held onto it for the break point. A few more monster throws by Kennedy and some calm offense put us into half with an 8-4 lead. Coming out of half time Sul toed the line for a score. The next point was all Neal Phelps. He got a bunch of D’s, several of which he threw down with a little attitude. Eventually the overwhelming defense helps the line score the break. At 12-5 our D-line takes the field. The wind was doing some fun things the whole game, but our D-line was essentially going upwind. After a team D, Kennedy picks up and puts THE GREATEST THROW OF THE WEEKEND right into the wind to a pretty open cutter in the back of the endzone, but it wasn’t to be, MSU took it a went downwind for the score, 12-6. MSU manages to get two breaks in a row, they were hustling because they knew soft cap was going to come on soon. They continue to huck it everywhere hoping to close the gap before cap, they got as close as 14-11. Our best line goes in heading slightly upwind. We have the ball in the redzone trying to punch it in. The pass misses its intended target, but Neal really likes to win so he cleaned up the trash.
We three-peated as Great Lakes Regional Champs!!!! Road Trip to Boulder Colorado
