SMSG 2004 Ultimate Tourney Report
SATURDAY
THE TEAMS:
MUtants (Open) - For the first time in many years, the Columbia folks did not split into College and non-College teams, which made them particularly strong. Experience, determination, and speed were their traits.
Truman State (College, Open) - Truman brought a large squad and was deep in speed, height, and skills. The strength of their women lent a whole lot to their success.
Springfield (College, Open) - The always strong SMSU Frizzbear team was in great shape on Saturday, and added a couple of strong late-comers on Sunday. Speed, great skills, and tournament experience abounded in this group.
CMSU/DR/St.L Combo (Open) - Central Missouri State, St. Louis, and the Dancing Rabbit Ecocommune combined roughly equal numbers to form a pretty strong team of experienced players deep in skills and knowledge of what it takes to win.
Cleveland Steamers (College, Open) - This group of players from Jefferson City and Kirksville made their second Show-Me appearance, and was vastly improved this year with lots of speed, some height, and very good conditioning.
Rockhurst (Open) - Perennial Show-Me players, this group of Rockhurst High School alumni showed up with seven and picked up a couple of subs for Sat, but found themselves playing savage again on Sunday. These guys have grown in skills over the years, and really play a good game now.
Midnight Monkey Madness (College, Open) - This is a new team out of Columbia which, as their name suggests, practices late-nights at Stankowski Field under the lights. They were a little short on numbers, but played with a lot of heart, good skills, and determination.
Vet Med (College, Open) - This group of Vet Med students in Columbia has held together for years now, and have become a perennial Show-Me participant. They have lots of wisdom and experience with each other, a good deep game, and good defense.
Heavy Days (Open) - A new group of young Columbia players with limited experience but with a lot of enthusiasm.
Team X (Juniors, Open) - This group from Parkhurst HS in KC (and Liberty!) was our only Juniors team this year. These ten or so had only been playing together a few weeks when they signed up for the Show-Me games, and showed a lot of progress during the tournament.
Off Constantly (Open) - Last year this Camdenton team came in as 10" of Fun, which gave us all a great laugh. They arrived with only eight or so players, but with a lot of hopes as well as last year's experience. Can you catch the wittiness of their name? Lets say you win over them...
Truman/Springfield (Women) - The college players combined to form a very strong women's team deep in speed and with a lot of skills.
Columbia & the World (Women) - Pretty much everyone else joined in to face the College women. This group was really deep in skills and experience.
THE POOLS:
Juniors, College, and Open were all played within the Open brackets. The pools were:
| I. College Bracket | II. Non-College Bracket |
| Truman | MUtants |
| Springfield | CMSU/DR/St.L |
| Cleveland Steamers | Rockhurst |
| Midnight Monkey Madness | Off Constantly |
| Vet Med | Team X |
| Heavy Days |
THE GAMES:
Pool play
First round:
| Truman 11 - 4 MMM | MUtants 11 - 0 Team X |
| Cleveland 8 - 7 Vet Med | CMSU 11 - 1 Off Constantly |
| Rockhurst 11 - 4 Heavy Days |
Second round:
| Truman 11 - 4 Vet Med | MUtants 11 - 0 Off Constantly |
| SMSU 11 - 5 Cleveland | CMSU 8 - 6 Rockhurst |
| Heavy Days 11 - 1 Team X |
Third Round:
| SMSU 11 - 1 Vet Med | MUtants 11 - 5 Heavy Days |
| Cleveland 10 - 9 MMM | CMSU 11 - 2 Team X |
| Rockhurst 11 - 2 Off Constantly |
Fourth Round:
| Truman 10 - 9 SMSU | MUtants 11 - 6 CMSU |
| Vet Med 11 - 9 MMM | Rockhurst 11 - 1 Team X |
| Heavy Days 11 - 4 Off Constantly |
Fifth Round:
| Truman 11 - ? Cleveland | MUtants 11 - 1 Rockhurst |
| SMSU 11 - ? MMM | CMSU 11 - 6 Heavy Days |
| Team X 11 - 10 Off Constantly |
Pool play ended with records:
| Truman 4-0 | MUtants 5-0 |
| Springfield 3-1 | CMSU 4-1 |
| Cleveland 2-2 | Rockhurst 3-2 |
| Vet Med 1-3 | Team X 1-4 |
| Off Constantly 0-5 |
College Semifinals
| Truman over Vet Med by forfeit |
SMSU ? over ? Cleveland Cleveland Steamers get the BRONZE |
Women's Game:
|
College Women 11 |
1 Columbia & the World |
|
GOLD |
SILVER |
SUNDAY
College Final
|
Truman 11 GOLD |
10 SMSU SILVER |
Open Finals - Eight Team Single Elimination
First Round:
|
A1 Truman over |
Heavy Days by forfeit B4 |
|
B1 MUtants 11 |
2 Vet Med A4 |
|
A2 SMSU 11 |
1 Rockhurst B3 |
|
B2 CMSU 9 |
5 Cleveland A3 |
Second Round:
|
Truman 11 |
5 CMSU |
|
MUtants 11 |
5 SMSU |
Final
|
MUtants 11 |
5 Truman |
|
GOLD |
SILVER |
|
SMSU 11 |
5 CMSU |
|
BRONZE |
Team X clinched the GOLD for Juniors.
Mixed and Masters were not held. Maybe next year.
Commentary:
In the first round, things went pretty much as expected, except for a really tough game between the Cleveland Steamers and Vet Med. Every time I looked over, these guys were playing just the most brutal points. Vet Med had their chances, but finally the Steamers put them away at the time cap.
In round two, a surprising Rockhurst team gave the CMSU et al combo team a good game. The rest of the games were not very close, with the expected seeds winning fairly easily.
Third round games also ran as expected, except for a very close battle between the Steamers and Midnight Monkey Madness. MMM had their chances but ended up losing 10-9 at the time cap.
The fourth round games had two squeakers, with Truman just edging out SMSU in one of the best games up to this point. Monkey Madness and Vet Med held what might have been the most grueling game of the day, with the more experienced Vet Med team just getting by the MMM team 11-9.
In the fifth round, the Steamers elevated their level of play and gave Truman a really tough game. (I don't have a score.) This was also one of the best games of the day--the athleticism of the Steamers made them a good match for the more experienced Truman squad. Also in the fifth round, Team X scored their first win against an undermanned Off Constantly team 11-9. Team X, our only juniors squad, also had two or more middle schoolers who, if they continue to play, will be good players--I saw one of these little guys lay out on D right on the cone. He did not get the block, but was so close; it was beautiful, and earned him a Spirit Card. If this team keeps playing, they'll be a threat next year.
After some debate, College semis were ON, even though Truman got a bye from a tired and "going home" Vet Med team. Cleveland and SMSU faced off for the right to meet Truman in the morning for the Gold. (Again, I don't have a score, sorry.) It was not a blow out, but SMSU held their ground, and the right to play Truman for gold.
On another field, the Women's game got underway. The Truman/Springfield group was just too much for the "others" and ran away with the game.
Sunday morning, all other play waited for the College Final. As a result, a pretty big crown gathered to watch SMSU and Truman State go at it. SMSU was reinforced with three fresh players, and after having fought Truman in such a close game Saturday, it looked like it might be their day. SMSU grabbed an early lead of 2-0, but Truman fought back and suddenly led 6-2. But wait, SMSU came back and scored five straight points to take a 7-6 lead! Back and forth it went, until tied at 10-10, SMSU pulled, and Truman turned it over. Then SMSU turned it over. Then Truman. Then SMSU. Then, finally, Truman scored and won the Gold.
After the College Final, we returned to the Open quarterfinals. Truman got a bye as Heavy Days was a no-show, and the MUtants and SMSU blew out Vet Med and Rockhurst respectively. The game between CMSU and the Steamers was closer at 9-5, but CMSU pulled it out over a clearly tired Steamers team.
Both quarters were surprisingly one sided, with the MUtants and Truman winning 11-5 over SMSU and CMSU et al respectively. SMSU expected to give the MUtants a little more game, but the combination of too many really tough games for SMSU and the Mutant's strength was just too much for them. CMSU fell behind quickly --they showed signs of giving Truman a game at times, but they were just outnumbered and outlegged.
The final boasted two 8-0 teams. Truman had literally sparkled the whole tourney, and the MUtants were just in a groove on their home fields. The MUtants deep combination of veteran players and young legs was just too much for Truman, and the MUtants rolled them over in a 11-5 win. The Bronze game was played with a high degree of spirit and fun. SMSU prevailed over the CMSU combo team in a game that featured players on both sides carrying coolers, water bottles, a behind the back pull, a goal caught "under the shirt," and a spanking. The game was supposed to be capped when SMSU's pizza arrived, but with no 30 minute guarantee, the came continued until an 11-5 SMSU win.
Commissioner's Commentary:
This was my first year as Commissioner, taking over for Roger Giles who's done such a great job the first four years. I only did about half as much as he usually did, and it was still a lot of work! I think it went off well, with only a few minutes of panic, and I hope the Show-Me Games Ult will grow next year.
I was really hoping for more participation from St. Louis and Kansas City, as well as my old teammates in Springfield. SHOW-ME STATE GAMES. This is the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP! The only way to increase the level of competition is for the more experienced players to come and play. And hey, this Truman team, the SMSU team, and the MUtants that showed up this week can play with ANYBODY!
The fields are plush and lined. The drive is short. The bathrooms flush. I think it's the best tournament in the state, and it's THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!. (And it wasn't even 100 degrees this year! :)
Thanks.
Thanks to Roger for the past work, the sharing of his wisdom and experience, and helping out a lot this time. Thanks to Fresa for taking pictures and for the web work she does (see ultimate.mu.org). Thanks to Lynn for helping, putting up with me,and for buying all that fruit! Thanks to Tim, Nathan, and Ryan for helping line the fields--I was so burnt and dehydrated by the time you got there I was losing it.
This was a nice ending to Richard Osbaldiston's Ultimate legacy in Columbia--to go 9-0 and get the Gold will be a nice memory. He's off to teach at Southwest Texas (I think I got that right!), and will sponsor their Ultimate team. I wonder if he can teach that forehand deep throw- -it's one of the best I've ever seen.
SotG-SMSG.
Dan Stout