USA Ultimate

Polar Bears win the 2012 US Open (Mixed Division)

 

Sunday morning of the US Open started off warm and slightly breezy, a far cry from the hail and lightning that delayed the Semis the evening before. On one field, Polar Bears were clinching their win starting off with a 6 point lead. They finished in time to watch the last few points of an incredible comeback by Slow White over Drag’n Thrust.

The semi began 9-6 with Drag’n Thrust in the lead. The evening before, Slow White had seemed tired and were making mistakes. Drag’n was on fire, pumped up and making huge plays to take the lead. The game began with a break from Drag’n, making the score 10-6 and leading spectators to wonder what happened to the Slow White that had dominated the tournament until then. Yet the Bostonians weren’t finished. They scored a quick point and got set to pull – the Drag’n Thrust receiver dropped the pull and Slow scored again. Then again, and again. After a 5 point run, Slow White was up on Drag’n Thrust 11-10, and it was clear that the team from Minnesota was quickly crumbling. While they had a few opportunities to score, they just couldn’t stop a confident Slow White. Drag’n managed to tie the game at 11s and carry the game to universe point, but it was too little too late. Slow easily marched to the endzone and sealed the deal, winning the game 12-11.  

 

 

The finals matchup was just as exciting, with both teams scoring tough points, and big plays being made on both sides. Becky Malinowski took over Slow White’s offense, touching the disc every other time during some points. For the Polar Bears, captain Greg Marliave stood out with his consistently accurate hucks (a difficult feat in the now gusting wind) and his plays on defense. Yet it was soon clear which team was in control – Slow White tried to throw a few different defenses but could not stop the athletic Bears. When they shut down the hucks, the Bears swung the disc patiently, waiting for the right opportunity. When they threw a zone, the Bears used their excellent breakmark throwing skills to find cutters through the cup. At one point, Slow White was assessed a TMF for their physical marks – it was perhaps stepping back a little that truly opened up the break opportunities for the Bears. Even though the Polar Bears suffered a few injuries their deep roster was ready to perform. The Polar Bears effectively ran away with the game, taking the 15-10 win and the gold medal at the inaugural US Open. The Bears proved they are a fearsome team, and if this is how well they play in their first tournament as a team, you can bet we’ll see impressive ultimate from them over the course of the season.