Ellipsis Becomes the Second International U.S. Open Champion
Ryan Gorman
Posted: July 5, 2015 08:15 PM
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The fourth-annual U.S. Open Championships are in the books. Three new champions, winners of the first leg of the 2015 Triple Crown, were decided today in West Chester, Ohio.
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On a slightly overcast Sunday in West Chester, Ohio, only two teams remained in the mixed division at the 2015 USA Ultimate U.S. Open Championships. Ellipsis and Seattle Mixtape fought hard all weekend to earn their spots in the championship game, hoping to take home the title, the first leg of the Triple Crown, and the $2,000 championship prize. The teams’ contrasting styles were on full display from the opening pull to the final score and provided a highly entertaining game for the spectators in the stands and those watching from home.
Championship Finals
Ellipsis started the game on offense, receiving the disc and calmly marching up the field before an eventual hammer from Brendan Ashcroft to Georgia Egan-Griffiths was hauled in for the opening score. On Seattle Mixtape’s first possession, an errant deep throw gave the disc to Ellipsis for an early break opportunity. Ellipsis took advantage of the miscue and converted the break to lead 2-0. The start was very similar to the way Ellipsis jumped on CLX in their semifinal game yesterday. However, Seattle showed their resilience and responded. Seattle scored four of the next five points to take the lead at 4-3, with Cam Bailey and Khalif El-Salaam continuing to make plays for Seattle, like they did all weekend.
Ellipsis, too, was able to respond in a back-and-forth first half, going on a 3-1 run to regain the lead at 6-5 and put the score back on serve. After tying the game at sixes, Seattle notched their third break of the first half to take a temporary 7-6 lead. However, Ellipsis converted a flawless offensive point to tie the game back at 7-7 on a throw from Andrew Jackson to Pete Allen, setting up a very important final point before halftime.
With the score knotted at sevens, Ellipsis pulled to Mixtape, needing to get their break back before half. The point was a marathon as both teams battled for such a significant score. With five total turnovers and a Seattle timeout midway through, the point seemed to last forever. Finally, Ellipsis’s Mike Neild was able to connect with Andrew Jackson in the end zone for the break score and the 8-7 halftime lead. After breaks on six of the 15 points played in the first half, this final break proved to be the momentum Ellipsis needed to control the game.
Pulling to Seattle to start the second half, Ellipsis took advantage of yet another Seattle deep throw misfire and converted a quick break, bringing their lead to 9-7. The teams traded points to 11-9 before Ellipsis earned their fifth and final break of the game to go up 12-9, creating a lead Seattle just couldn’t overcome. Mixtape did manage to get their fourth break of the game to make things interesting at 14-13 with a deep hammer score from Daniel Walton to Khalif El-Salaam. But it was simply too little, too late. Ellipsis took a timeout and got their appropriate offensive line onto the field for the final point. An Ellipsis throwaway gave the disc to Seattle with a chance to tie the game, but they were unable to convert. Ellipsis gave away no more chances, and Andrew Jackson threw the game-winning score to Cat Phillips, 15-13.
The final were hotly contest and extremely entertaining with nine total break scores, a mix of deep throw highlights and solid offensive flow and plenty of pressure defense applied by both teams. Andrew Jackson led Ellipsis with one score and four assists while Cam Bailey led Seattle with three scores and three assists. Ellipsis becomes the second international team to win a U.S. Open Championship (both international champions are from the mixed division), joining Odysée out of Montreal in 2013. Ellipsis also took home the team spirit award, showing that their quality as a team extends beyond just their athletic performance on the field. Meanwhile, Seattle Mixtape needs to shift their focus to the remainder of the Triple Crown Tour season, but will have time to do so. Seattle will not attend any other Triple Crown Tour flight-specific events this summer but will undoubtedly be a dangerous team in the fall after their impressive showing this weekend.
Final Standings
1 – Ellipsis (6-1), International
2 – Seattle Mixtape (5-2), Northwest Region
3T – The Chad Larson Experience (4-2), North Central Region
3T – Drag’n Thrust (4-2), North Central Region
5 – Union (4-2), Northeast Region
6 – Polar Bears (3-3), Southwest Region
7 – Wild Card (4-2), Northeast Region
8 – Slow White (3-3), Northeast Region
9 – Bird (2-4), North Central Region
10 – Cahoots (1-5), Southeast Region
11 – Team Colombia (1-5), International
12 – American BBQ (0-6), Southwest Region
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The 2015 U.S. Open Championships were a tremendous success and a great way for these top teams to kick off the action of the 2015 Triple Crown Tour. That being said, there is still a lot of action that will take place during the regular season and Championship Series before the year’s culmination at the Nationals Championships in Frisco, Texas, Oct. 1-4. Many of these teams are either scheduled to attend the Pro-Elite Challenge in Colorado Aug. 1-2 and/or the Pro Flight Finale in Minnesota Aug. 22-23. For now, thanks to all of the athletes, volunteers, staff and spectators who made this weekend’s event so wonderful. Congratulations to all of the teams, and travel safely!
The next 2015 Triple Crown Tour event is the Elite-Select Challenge scheduled for July 11-12 in Hilliard, Ohio, where many more of the top teams in the country will get their seasons underway. Expect more of the most competitive ultimate in the country to continue throughout the Triple Crown Tour regular season.
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