As you may have noticed this page is a little different from the rest of our tourney pages. Instead of tons of pics you will see a recap provided to by the courtesy of Jonathan Armstrong. Don't worry, the pictures have been consolidated into one zip file for your convinience. Just right click the link and go save as and you will be rewared with a plethera of wonder pics.. and a few other suprises!

It was a cool and damp morning at the remote lands of Houghton College. We camped out in the parking lot until our majestically long haired team captain DBo came back with the news that we were to play Bloomsburg in the first game of the day. The first three games were to determine seeding in the playoff bracket which included 8 teams and would play for first place, which we later found out, was a large pumpkin. The stakes were high, and after stretches and a drill the Eastern University Exiles were ready to play.

Game One: Bloomsburg Rum Runners
DBo, Dan Myers, Nick, Ryan, Scott, Vickie and Wyatt trotted out to the field to defend our spirit award, given to us in 2004 at this very tournament. We got off to a very promising start. The Exiles forced a quick turnover off of DBo’s pull, and Ryan took advantage of the opportunity, tossing it to Nick with a nice layout for the opening point. Eastern ran into the half with a score in our favor, 6-0. Lead by nice team defense, and both Case and T in the action with two scoring passes, we had set the pace for the game over the savage playing Rum Runners.Worry crept into the Exiles sidelines on the first point from half when T and Jan both collided and then Eastern couldn’t hold a force as Bloomsburg put one in after a timeout at the goal line. The very next point was what looked to be a solid point when a throw from T was macked by Wyatt and then Nick chased it down for what appeared to be a beautiful score, but the disc was ruled down and play continued. Bloomsburg quickly turned it over and gave the Exiles another chance to score, and that they did with a nice sideline catch from DBo from T. Case got in on the next point, throwing a short goal to Dan Myers to lift the score to 8-2 and keep the momentum rolling our way. Eastern would make it 9-1 on a pass from Jan finding Arm in the end zone for the score. After a few Eastern throwaways, followed by some hot D from Justin Lovig, Steve, and Jan, the Rum Runners scored just as time expired. Eastern had won on a strong team performance over a weary Bloomsburg squad, 9-2 the final score.

   
Game Two: Alfred Eminence Front
The team was in high spirits for the next game after a solid game on the dewy damp fields. The sun was warming our hearts, and so was the quality of our game. We would again jump out to a big lead as the game started with two back and forth plays, both Eastern goals from Myers to DBo and Wyatt to first year(newbie, rookie, whichever you prefer) Weston. Scoring seemed to get easier on the next two points, with two goals coming immediately after opponent turnovers, T to Steve and Jan to Wyatt to bring the Exiles to a 4-0 lead. The exiles dominance couldn’t continue f orever, although we all wish it would. Some sloppy play by the exiles lead to the eminence of Alfred shining through. They posted their first score of the game, trimming the lead to three. Eastern fought back with strong play against Alfred’s zone by our handlers T, DBo, and Wyatt. Twenty-one consecutive completions later, Eastern pushed through the zone with a score from Arm to DBo. Zone offense did not work as well on the next point as Eastern lost the disc after just two completions and then watched Alfred score their second point of the game. This team showed its resilience on the next point. Despite turning the disc over three times, Eastern forced turnovers and T passed one through to Myers to gain back the four point cushion. There would be no halftime in this game since time was expiring quickly, and again the game would end on an opponent score. Time restraints again stopped this game short, and the resilient Exiles went to 2-0 on the day with a 6-3 final score. After thanking Alfred for getting out of bed, we moved on to the final game before bracket play against the home team, Houghton’s Roaring Sheep.
   
Game Three: Houghton Roaring Sheep
One of the most intense games of the afternoon began with a prayer in the intermingled circle of Houghton and Eastern ultimate players. This game started much like the first two, the Exiles jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Nick was involved in both scores, catching the first from Myers and then tossing one to DBo for the second score. For all intensive purposes, it looked like again the rout was on. This one was far from it as the Sheep roared back to tie it at two after a few Eastern throwaways. The veteran old guy on our staff came through for the next point after a few miscues, as he threw one to DBo to put Eastern back on top, 3-2. More sloppy play from Eastern lead to the next Houghton point, and this game was locked at three. The Exiles weren’t done, and a beautiful flow that we have all grown to love went from DBo to Wyatt to DBo who threw up the field for a score to Justin Lovig (another newbie to Eastern ultimate), giving Eastern a slim 4-3 lead. All were hoping to now go out and build a comfortable lead, but throwaways from Jan, Case and Wyatt could not be overcome. This was a point with strong D from the Exiles, but Eastern couldn’t punch the disc in after a timeout at the goal line and the Roaring Sheep tied the game back at four. The longest point of the day was to follow. Houghton showed us their strong zone, which we threw around for a while but eventually lost the disc on a Wyatt drop after 30 straight completions mostly to T, DBo and Wyatt (our handlers), but Ryan and Nick got in on the action too. We regained possession and the 44th straight completion was one from Wyatt to Nick in the end zone, giving Eastern the one point lead yet again. Here is the point as recorded in our UltiStats program:

IN: DBo T Scott Ryan Nick Ellen Wyatt
(60+) T - Wyatt - Ryan - Wyatt - DBo - T - Wyatt - Ryan - Wyatt - T - Nick - T - DBo - T - DBo - T - Wyatt - Ryan - Wyatt - T - Nick - DBo - T - DBo - Wyatt - T - Wyatt - DBo - Wyatt - DBo - dropped by Wyatt.
Opponent turnover.
(35-60) T - DBo - Wyatt - Ryan - Ellen - Nick - Wyatt - DBo - T - Nick - T - DBo - T - DBo - Wyatt - Ryan - Wyatt - T - DBo - T - DBo - T - Nick - T - DBo - T - DBo - T - Wyatt - T - Wyatt - T - DBo - T - Ellen - Wyatt - T - DBo - T - Wyatt - T - Ryan - Wyatt short goal to Nick.
5-4

Thriving off the momentum of that long Offensive point that worked around Houghton’s zone, Eastern scored again as Nick returned the favor, tossing to Wyatt for the score and 6-4 lead. This lead the Exiles would not relinquish, although the next point we did yield one point to those Roaring Sheep after two throwaways. It didn’t seem like this game should end, but it had to because of the tournament schedule. It ended with that final point by Houghton, Eastern hanging on for a 6-5 win. We broke for lunch and to wait for the re-seeding holding a 3-0 record on the day.
   
Game Four: Houghton Roaring Sheep (again…) After the break for the standard ultimate lunch of bagels (with PB&J or Cream Cheese) and Oranges, Bananas and Apples, we were back to the games to again face the host of the tournament. We were ranked third out of twelve teams and were ready to have an immediate rematch with Houghton, ranked sixth. The Roaring Sheep came out roaring with this cheer, “We will not drop the disc, we will not drop the disc. Though the wind may flow and we may slow we will not drop the disc.” This may have energized the hometown team with a sort of zest or gusto that had them come out early with a 2-0 lead, helped by two turnovers by the local Eastern 7. Our turn to get energized came when DBo laid out in the end zone to catch Wyatt’s pass. Bo’s conscience got the better of him, as it should, and he ruled it no catch and play continued. The play did result in Eastern points with a throw from T to Myers in the end zone immediately after a turnover from the Sheep. Those pesky Sheep just kept rolling in their green pastures in this game, and with some sloppy play from the Exiles they ran the score to 7-1. This next point was a must have point, since their next score would bring us into half. Houghton threw out a zone and DBo, Wyatt, and occasionally Nick and Matt came in to help out and work the disc up the field in successive catches of 12 and 26, but these solid offensive plays off of their zone resulted in turnovers and Houghton going into half with all smiles, they were up 8-1.Eastern was feeling the pressure of being down big in a must win game to move on in bracket play, and Beth came through catching a goal from DBo after a Houghton turnover off of Wyatt’s pull. The next point the Exiles got close to the goal and a ‘zipper’ was called which failed and ended up as more Houghton points. Eastern would not die and off a turnover Case made a nice long huck to Nick, who then saw Wyatt and Bo with a nice give and go to pull Eastern back within 6, 9-3 Houghton. The Sheep gift wrapped the next point on an easy turnover, and Eastern worked it up the field and got the disc to Steve who tossed to Weston for the score. We were gaining momentum but Houghton squelched it by taking advantages of our mistakes and scoring one to make it 10-4. A Wyatt goal to Justin Wrentzel made it 10-5, but drops and turnovers continued to plague the team leading to the next Houghton point. Eastern played with resilience though and forced a few turnovers after their own mistakes, Case to Wyatt to Arm made continued to give Eastern hope, but were still down 11-6. Case also had an influence in the next point as he collided with a Houghton girl going for the disc, and sent her to the ground. She got up and continued to play the point and contributed to Houghton’s point. Time was running low, and Eastern took advantage of the last point in the game by getting a rookie flow up the field (with a little DBo mixed in) that went like this from Ultistats,

“(60+) Matt - DBo - Justin Lovig - Beth - Weston - Justin Lovig - DBo short goal to Weston. Final Score: 7-12.”

Time was up in this one, and although a tough Eastern team fought back and beat Houghton in the second half 6-4, the original deficit was too much to fight back from. This loss knocked Eastern out of the running for first place and now had to fight for fifth place.
   
Game Five: Geneseo B Slugs Your Exiles made the long walk, which seemed longer because of the loss, to another field to take on Geneseo B. The first point went much like the rest of the game would go, we turned the disc over three times but forced turnovers and scored on a Myers short toss to DBo. Geneseo got the next two points after Eastern turnovers to take the lead with a 2-1 score. Wyatt, T, and Case worked the disc up nicely and T sent one to Steve who got up and pulled it out of the air in the end zone, tying the game at 2. The next point was set up from a good D by Justin Lovig on Geneseo’s tall, shirtless guy, and Eastern worked up the field which led to a Weston catch from Wyatt for a temporary lead, 3-2. After another Slug score from Eastern turnovers, the zipper was finally executed nicely (T to Wyatt) which gave Eastern another one point lead. Eastern ran with this one at this point, and a block by Myers setup Wyatt to throw to Chris Lowe for a 5-3 lead. The next two points Eastern took care of Slug’s turnovers as Wyatt threw to Ryan for one and Wyatt to Weston for a 7-3 lead. Roles reversed on the next two points as Eastern throwaways gave the Slugs two chances they took advantage of and pulled within two, 7-5 Exiles. Wyatt continued to play well and made a nice dive to catch a Case throw and take the game to half with an 8-5 lead. Geneseo scored quickly after half to make it 8-6 and despite two great D’s by Myers and Wyatt, the Slugs scored again to pull within one after being down as much as 4 points. The Slugs continued to gain momentum after T dropped the pull, and that quickly the game was tied. Eastern took back the lead with a toss from T to a sliding Arm, Exiles up 9-8. More sloppy play gave Geneseo the chance to tie it up, and they did yet again at 9. Wyatt tossed one to Beth in the end zone to regain the lead again, but it appeared to be in jeopardy when on the next point the Exiles turned the disc over three times. Knowing the severity of the situation Eastern held it together on defense and when they regained possession they set up a stack. Bo threw to the cutting Nick (who caught it with a beautiful one handed grab) off of the stack and Nick then threw to Wyatt and on to DBo for the score and 11-9 lead. The next point was even uglier, the Exiles threw five throwaways before they could get any rhythm, but they forced some turnovers and scored on a goal from T to Myers on a variation of a wiper. Geneseo scored the next point to move up to double digits, 12-10, but Eastern got the last point in after the Slugs dropped the disc deep in their territory and Wyatt found DBo to make the final 13-10. You may have noticed Wyatt’s name a lot in this game, that’s because that last throw was Wyatt’s eighth throw for a score in the game, and he also caught two in this one. The game was not pretty, but was a victory, and coupled with the departure of the rest of the teams playing for fifth place, we claimed that position without the need to play another game.
   
Wrap-up
Overall we went 4-1 on what we consider to be a very successful tournament and the first for some of our newbies. The team played well and spirits were high the whole day. We were granted the spirit award for our show of team spirit, the second time in two years taking home this covetous prize. Last year this prize was a stuffed sheep, this year we received a pumpkin and Roaring Sheep black disc. We stuck around to watch Houghton’s last game, a fight for third place, and then set off for our second stop in two years to Bing Bing’s Chinese Buffet in Bath, NY. We then headed home, with legs aching and memories of a full day of ultimate running through our minds.
And here for your view pleasure is a nice little download click here