USA Ultimate

The 2010 USA Ultimate Club Championships in Sarasota, Fla. are just around the corner. Leading into the championships, usaultimate.org will feature previews for each division, courtesy of our team of contributors who will be on the scene in Florida to cover the event for the website and USAUltimate magazine.

Throughout the event, October 28-31, be sure to visit usaultimate.org for complete coverage of the tournament, including daily reports from each division – Masters, Mixed, Open and Women’s – round-by-round highlight videos produced by UltiVillage, multiple daily photo galleries from USAU photographers Matt Lane and Scott Roeder, and a daily wrap-up webcast of highlights, commentary and reaction from the day’s competition. Also, be sure to check out live video streaming of all championship games!

Be sure to follow all the action at usaultimate.org and discuss the tournament on our message boards.

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2010 USA Ultimate Club Championships
Open Division Preview

By: Jonathan Neeley, special to usaultimate.org
 

Pool A: Ironside (1), PoNY (8), Machine (9), Tanasi (16)

Ironside earned the top seed at the Club Championships on the strength of an undefeated regular season. Noting their key players quickly turns into a list of the entire roster, and their results thus far have many onlookers expecting them to dominate the Open division the way that Chain Lightning did last year. Look for Ironside to cruise through Thursday, as the 1 seed gives them a favorable pool schedule. They have reason to feel confident going into their first game against Central Region winner Machine, having defeated Chicago 13-7 at Chesapeake Open. They then face tournament newcomer Tanasi, followed by a final pool play game against PoNY, a Northeast Region rival that they have bested three times already: 15-14 at Cazenovia, 13-8 at Chesapeake, and 15-10 in the Regional Semifinals.

Pool A's best game is likely to be PoNY v. Machine, where the difference between the 8 and 9 seed was decided by PoNY's double g 13-12 win at Chesapeake. If all else goes according to plan, the winner of this game will earn a spot in power pools while the loser will drop down into a must-win situation, making the rematch much more significant than the first meeting. While neither team boasts a dominant hucking game, each runs its offense differently. PoNY typically operates out of a side stack isolation that features the quick Alex Masulis, cutters Jack Marsh and Dan Heijmen, and Team USA Boys coaches Ben Van Heuvelen and Jody Avirgan, while Chicago uses a balanced horizontal stack that relies on Joel Koehnheman, Joe Ferrari, and Geoff Serednesky.  Defensively, PoNY brings more physical play with Chris Gore standing out as a big playmaker, while Machine clogs lanes with poaches while waiting for Hensley Sejour and Dave Fumo to generate layout blocks.
 

While a Tanasi upset over Ironside is unlikely, PoNY and Machine would be wise not to overlook them. Craig Stewart and Tyler Conger generate a lot of offense with their ability to break the mark, and cutters Nick Spiva and Jake Wright are steady and smart. Their close losses to Truck Stop and Ring of Fire (11-13 and 10-12, respectively) while playing with an injury-depleted roster at Chesapeake suggest that they could surprise an unsuspecting middle seed.
 

Pool B: Revolver (2), Johnny Bravo (7), Southpaw (10), Madcow (15)

 

Were it not for a 14-15 loss to Ironside at August's Emerald City Classic, Revolver would be looking at a fairly easy draw atop Pool A. Instead, they'll face Southpaw, a new team made up of Nationals veterans  from across the Open and Mixed Divisions, Johnny Bravo, one of only three teams to have defeated  them all season, and Madcow, a team whose revamped roster makes them unpredictable.

While Revolver beat Southpaw 12-9 at Labor Day, Southpaw took half in that game, and their win over powerhouse Ring of Fire in the Mid-Atlantic second-place game is a testament to their conditioning and discipline with the disc that will make them a force to be reckoned with in Sarasota. While Revolver's depth and athleticism should give Southpaw's handler-heavy attack some problems, Philly certainly won't be an easy opponent for last year's runner up. Revolver will need to use strong defenders such as Sam Kanner and Jit Bhattacharya to push the disc away from Southpaw handlers Ian McClellan and Brandon Silverman while relying on Mac Taylor, Taylor Cascino, and Martin Cochran to slow down Philly standouts Trey Katzenbach and Joel Wooten.
 

In their second round match-up with Johnny Bravo, Revolver will face a team whose grit and hucking game are not too different from their own. Parker Krug, Josh Ackley, and Andrew Mangan lead a squad that bested Revolver 14-13 at Labor Day, and a team that has been playing together at a high level for such a long time is always dangerous. Bravo has a number of strong deep defenders, so Revolver will need to use Robbie Cahill, Bart Watson, and Cassidy Rasmussen for a patient attack that is willing to make extra passes when needed. Even if Revolver comes out on top of Pool B, the manner in which they win could matter just as much as the results themselves. At last year's Club Championships, fatigue was an issue by the time Revolver got to Sunday. This year, they'll be more of a force if they can put teams away early.
 

The 2-3 match up in Pool B will be one of contrasting styles, with Johnny Bravo looking to stretch the field with hucks and Southpaw looking to grind away with handler movement. Similar to the Revolver v. Southpaw game, Bravo will have the athletic edge, and the first five points should tell a lot. If Bravo can push Philly’s handlers upfield and generate a few breaks, they are likely to extinguish some of Southpaw's intensity and see a result similar to their 12-9 win earlier in the season. But if Southpaw can work the disc and stay in it early, they could gain confidence and test whether or not Bravo belongs on the short list of unexpected title contenders.
 

Pool C: Doublewide (3), Sockeye (6), Ring of Fire (11), Madison Club (14)

 

Pool C is noticeably deeper than Pools A and B and can be fairly labeled the Pool of Death. Doublewide sits on top, boasting a Regional Finals win over reigning USA Ultimate Champion Chain Lightning along with a deep and experienced roster that presents nightmarish match-up problems downfield. The Texas team can use handlers Max Cook, Stephen Presley, and David Melancon to swing the disc patiently, or employ Kurt Gibson and Brodie Smith to do what they do best: either take off for the endzone or throw it there from any point on the field. Sockeye is coming off of a second-place finish at Worlds and is only two years removed from back-to-back titles, and Ring of Fire is an 11 seed whose true talent is closer to top five. Add in Madison Club, who had an eyebrow-raising performance at Chesapeake where they won their pool by beating Southpaw and GOAT as well as PoNY on Sunday, and nobody is going to have an easy time getting to power pools.
 

In the first round, Doublewide plays Ring of Fire in a game that provides strong upset potential. Doublewide's offensive firepower will meet Ring's menacing defense, and spectators won’t be disappointed when they watch Doublewide’s Jake Anderson, Kevin Richardson, and Jeff Loskorn face off against the unmatched athletic ability of Ken Porter, the speed of Thomas Ward, and the rest of a tenacious Ring of Fire team that is led by Team USA alternate Jared Inselmann.  This is a game that will likely be decided by the team that is most effective at getting the disc back after a turn, and each team will be forced to gamble on just how short they’re willing to run their roster in order to get the early win.
 

On the other side of the bracket, Madison Club, a team that prides itself on defensive intensity and is rich with players who won college championships with Wisconsin, will test Sockeye’s offense early. Seattle’s offense is led by veterans Ben Wiggins, Dave Bestock, Tim Gehret, Mike Caldwell, and Andrew Flemming, and they are likely to take a comfortable win if they play a clean first half. But if things get sloppy, look for Madison to make things tight as brothers Hector and Rodrigo Valdivia provide a strong handler/cutter combination for Madison and athletes such as Mike Swain and Pat Donovan apply pressure.
 

Pool C of Round Two gives us the most intriguing match up of pool play: Sockeye v. Ring of Fire. Last year, Sockeye won a 15-13 power pool game that was among the most exciting of the 2009 Club Championships, and anyone who saw it is surely hoping for a sequel. Sockeye and Ring match up well, and while Seattle has traditionally been known for their offensive ability while Ring has long been heralded as defensive juggernauts, each has the experience necessary to make adjustments based on how the game is going. On offense, Ring does a great job of spreading the field, so Sockeye defensive standouts Nate Castine and Sam Harkness won’t be able to gather as many poach Ds as they may like. On a turn, however, look for Seattle to attempt quick strikes, as playmakers like Ray Illian Matt Rehder, and Sam Kittross-Schnell. While each has been a powerhouse throughout the past decade, many have written them off in favor of Ironside, Revolver, and Chain Lightning. But make no mistake: both Sockeye and Ring could still threaten for a spot in Semifinals and beyond.
 

Another reason to watch out for Madison Club is the fatigue that Doublewide, Sockeye, and Ring are likely to inflict upon each other while battling for the top spot. In Round Two, Madison will see a Doublewide squad that could be coming off of a very close battle with Ring, and in Round Three, they’ll face a vulnerable Sockeye, who will have just played a pool play game with the intensity of an elimination round.
 

Pool D: Chain Lightning (4), Truck Stop (5), Streetgang (12), Furious George (13)

 

While Chain Lightning are the reigning champs, their Regionals loss to Doublewide has some thinking that they are not the force that they were in 2009. This is questionable, however, as Chain made the finals of Chesapeake while missing key offensive players Asa Wilson and Sam Chatterton-Kirchmeier, along with the Regional Finals without Josh Ziperstein. Truck Stop comes into Sarasota with its highest seed ever, and with good reason: they won Colorado Cup, turned in strong performances at Emerald City and Chesapeake, and won the Mid-Atlantic Region for the second straight year. Streetgang has a reputation as a team whose deep game is nearly impossible to stop when it’s on, and their win over Ironside in pool play last year shows that they have what it takes to pull off an unexpected win. And then there’s Furious George. Dominant throughout the middle part of the decade, Furious returns to Nationals after a two year hiatus. Their roster has undergone significant changes, and the very recent addition of Japanese sensation Masahiro Matsuno has many wondering if they will show flashes of former brilliance.
 

Chain is best known for its lethal deep game, and the opening round match-up with Streetgang will put it to the test on both sides of the disc. San Diego’s Richard Prodan is hucking threat from anywhere on the field, and with receivers Adam Bunn and Josh Nickerson capable of pulling down multiple deep discs in a row, Chain will want to avoid letting the game remain close in the second half. Against Furious, Chain will see a stingy offense led by Andrew Lugsdin, Mauro Ortiz, and Kirk Savage, and a defense that, while young, is sure to play intelligently. Chain hasn’t seen either team this year so they are susceptible to being caught off-guard,  but their speed, height, and depth make them dynamic enough to win each game.
 

For Truck Stop, an opening round match up with Furious could spell trouble, as their endurance won’t be as much of an advantage so early in the tournament. A defense that includes the experience of Ryan Todd and young standouts Sean Keegan, Jeff Wodatch, Rob Dulabon, and Daniel Kantor should generates turnovers, but if they don’t put them in on the first chance, Furious is likely to buckle down as the game moves forward. Look for Truck Stop’s re-vamped offense to dictate this game, as the deep threat of Brian Stout and the throwing abilities of Alan Kolick and Sean McComb will open up space for some of Truck’s other players. In Round Two, Truck will be confident against Streetgang due to a strong win at Emerald City.
 

At the end of the day, Streetgang and Furious will likely be battling for a higher position in the lower pools. Streetgang has defeated Furious twice this year by scores of 15-12 and 15-14, but even in their days of repeated Finals appearances, Furious patented underachievement before elimination tournaments. Morgan Hibbert and Matsuno against Streetgang’s aerial attack will be a marquee match-up in a game that is likely to stay close through the end. Should Furious jump seed over San Diego, it is possible that we’ll see them back in Quarterfinals for the first time since 2006.
 

On the adjacent fields, a lot of attention will be on Chain Lightning v. Truck Stop, as it is Truck’s chance to back up their regular season performance and prove that they are ready to make the leap from middle of the pack to among the divison’s best. If they play well against Furious and Streetgang, Truck Stop will have plenty of energy and intensity against Chain, which they’ll need if they’re going to keep up with Atlanta. On Chain Lightning’s side, if they can use the first two games to steady their offense and find their legs on defense, they could jump all over Truck Stop and roll into power pools. A Truck upset would give DC an easier path toward Semifinals, a result that they likely have their eyes set on. For Chain, a win would mean a very meaningful power pool rematch of last year’s Finals, with the winter most likely avoiding Ironside until Sunday.

More Open Division Notes:

GAME SCHEDULE

SCORE REPORTER

TEAMS & ROSTERS
 

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