DREAM TEAM: Sectionals '09

Other than the rain on Sunday, this weekend was the perfect weather for ultimate. It was warm but not sunny and super hot. It was just cool enough, but not windy and cold and Saturday of Centex/Monday of Pres Day. It was just a great weekend for ultimate, and with alumni, parents, and fans galore on hand, we were ready to roll.

Our first game against UIC was the beneficiary of my note-taking. Since I play a few points here and there, I'm no longer able to take the meticulous notes I took last year when I gained our team style points from the sideline in my Menace sleeveless and bandannas. I took more notes this game than I did all season. Anyhow, Jennifer started this game on fire, and scored something like our first three points. Kelly also skied a small nation of people for a score, after which we mobbed her. I mean, seriously, it was sick. She jumped (!!!), reached over at least three or four people, and snatched the disc for the score. It was epic. Also in this game, Row 19 Seat A was ON FIRE. On game point, she got the D ... while she was ON THE GROUND. Then she got t-bagged, and then she caught the score for the win. 4srs one of the best sequences in ultimate I've ever seen in my life. The t-bagging was so, so bizarre, but also unbelievably hilarious. Kudos to the T-Bagger (not our very own, but a different one), but even greater props to RACH-MAN for coming back with the game-winning score.

Our next game was against our very own supposed friends, Illinois B. But then they started off the game with a cheer about sucking it and assholes, and SHIT GOT REAL. We started off in a bit of a distracted mood (probably the suck it cheer and that strange play where everyone fell to the ground), but we took care of business and played our game. Highlights of the game included some skies: Kilco over Miss Foster (Sorry Miss Foster, she was for real) and Nat Pat over Margaret, and Kilco scoring on the 'Bag. In the end, Illinois A won out over The Future, 11-1.

I want to take this time to give HUGE props to our B-Team, Illinois Bitches Ain't Shit. They basically played savage all weekend, and have shown so much growth over the course of the season. They played their asses off, and looked good doing it. Watching these girls make sick grabs and cuts and hucking shit for miles was so exciting. These girls are going to be sick next year, so watch the fuck out. HUGE props to Amanda "Mother Thereesie" Wind. SHE COULD BARELY STAND and she still balled it out. Gladiator. So much heart. #1 overall draft pick. SOUL PATROL.

Next we faced a new-look Purdue. But even with the new threads, they couldn't come close to the shit we were bringing. I remember nothing of this game, except for a certain Peach score in the endzone. She cuts open side and is way ahead of her defender. She catches the disc in the endzone for the score, and then her defender crashes into her back. Her defender flies back onto her back, all fours in the air. Peach stands with the disc in hand and turns around to see what has happened. Boom. Peach is a BRICKHOUSE. Melissa Blackford Lifting Club, baby. Death Before Dishonor.

A-ha, a-ha.

After the longest bye in the world, we had our last matchup of the day against North Park. I had been a little worried about this game because North Park has been playing well all year, and we were coming off a bye, which meant there was a possibility we could have been sluggish and unfocused for our game, and North Park would jump all over that shit. We started the game exactly as we didn't want -- we were trading points and not playing great D, like we had in our last matchup. As a result, lines were tight and with composure and patience even in front of a gathering crowd of spectators, we slowly but surely began to separate ourselves and pull ahead, and ended the day with an 11-8 win.

Finishing out the day 4-0 was sweet, and after an incredible team dinner (complete with three full tables of Illinois Ultimate players ... I love it) furnished by the Dettmers, we went to bed extremely full and extremely happy. I was lucky enough to have been awoken by a saxophone serenade, and then rolled around restlessly with my unshowered, unbridled wild stallion.

Sunday morning looked gloomy, but that didn't stop the (non-Dartmouth related) PAIN TRAIN from leaving the station. We started off moving the disc very efficiently, until we got to the end zone and had a spot of trouble with calling isos, and Valpo was able to strike first. We wouldn't have any of that, and started off the morning with an 11-4 win. Next up was Indiana, who was playing without one of their captains. Probably because we are unspirited bitches (explanation comes later), we had no mercy and snacked on a bagel this game, winning 11-0.

Boom.
Finals against Northwestern.

The game against Northwestern was epic, to say the least. We haven't seen them all spring, but had been hearing rumblings about how good they were. They were ready to play, for sure. Picking up a great rookie and Laura Moore from Duke/Nemesis, Gung Ho used a shit ton of I/O flicks and had us on our heels for most of the game. We threw into poaches and just weren't playing the way we had been all tournament. But we got our shit together late and started playing the way we knew we were capable of playing. Sick D's and patient offense took us to that cursed DGP, and what would have been the Illinois game-winning goal was called back on a foul call on Jennifer. Incredulous? Me too. Boom, toasted, Northwestern over Illinois 13-12.
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Since I haven't heard much talk about it at all, I'm glad there was a little somethin' somethin' posted about some Great Lakes FOTY talk. We've got some fantastic rookies on our team (I'll write about them later), but two points I'd like to tack onto Sara Miller's post:
1. Lien Hoffman was indeed fantastic, and she should definitely be in the discussion about FOTY. She was all those things that Sara mentioned, but what struck me the most was that she was so remarkably composed. She should definitely be a player to watch out for for years to come.
2. Tania Reitz, pg. 25 in your USA Ultimate mag, #1 in my heart. I love her. She knows.

Offense, defense, she can do whatever she likes. She will demoralize you on offense. She gets discs you couldn't get if you prayed to God every night and wrote letters to Santa every 365. On defense, you better go-to because she'll layout over your shoulder and be half way down the field on the way to a score before you even figure out that you just got got (Thanks, Lefty). If I were to assemble a DREAM TEAM/SOUL PATROL, Tania Reitz would be my number 1 fantasy pick. Positive points every time her calves look like they're loaded with springs. Positive points every time T-Bag looks like a majestic stallion, (untamed) Black Beauty lookin' ass. Positive points every time T-Bag looks better than you. I mean, I trust Tania Reitz more than I trust my own mother. She could have anyone in the nation guarding her, and I'd still throw it to her, trusting 100% that she'll get it. Tania Reitz has more hang time than Jordan. I've seen girls jump up for the D and land on the ground before T-Bag has even touched ground, disc in hand. Beau jumped over a dude? Tania Reitz could do it too if she wanted to, but she's got such a good heart she won't make you the unwitting star of a YouTube ultimate video set to "I Believe I Can Fly". I've seen her layout for shit I couldn't even drive to in time. Unless you are a member of Illinois B, you will not score on her. Tania Reitz gets D's like it's her job. Sky D's, layout D's ... whatever she feels like snacking on at the moment. I never get asthma attacks playing with Tania Reitz because my mouth is always hanging down to the ground in awe.

If I got T-Bag, I don't need money, I don't need cars, girl you're my all. And oh, I'm into you, and girl no one else would do. Cause with every bid and every catch, you make me fall in love. I know I can't be the only one. I bet there's hearts all over the world tonight with the love of their who feel what I feel when I'm with you.

Tania "T-Bag" Reitz. Scissors. Dream Team. The Truth. Unbridled Beauty. Ballin'. Call it.
Boom.
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After our deflating loss to Northwestern, we had to rally before our 2nd place game against Notre Dame. We were a little emotionally drained, but I was also pretty physically drained as well, as little to no food was consumed all day. I inhaled 3 clementines and the tail end of a chocolate bar in about 1.5 minutes flat. "For a quarter a day, you can feed me" lookin' ass, honestly. I was TOO thirsty for a little food.

The Notre Dame game was a testament to our conditioning, and to our ability to bounce back after a little bump in the road. Ain't no fuckin' thang. I honestly can't remember much about this game, except that it was a muddy mess. MurryKim even got in on the fun and burned some people deep ... TASTE IT. In the end, Illinois over Notre Dame, 13-7.


Sectionals didn't go the way we wanted. In 2008, UConn had one of the most talented teams in the country, with Mel Thomas, Kalana Greene, Ketia Swanier, Renee Montgomery, Brittany Hunter, Maya Moore, and Tina Charles all starring for the team. But then Kalana went down. And Mel went down. We were down, but we most certainly weren't out. We made it all the way to semis against Stanford, when Candice Wiggins and Jayne Appel just owned it. We had a great team, but we just didn't play like it. Geno talked about how UConn had no post game and how that hurt us, an obvious shot at Tina Charles, a much heralded center from CTK. All along, he's said that she is the best center in the women's game right now, all she has to do is play like it. She didn't play like it for two years. This year, she did, and had double-digit rebounds before the first half even ended in the National Championship game. She was the Natties MVP.

We're the best team in the CP, and one of the two best teams in the Great Lakes. [I write this blog, I play for Illinois, you all know that, I'm allowed to be biased. Suck it.] We just need to start playing like it. When we do, you better fuckin' fear. You think we're licking wounds? No fucking way. Work hard get bank.



Okay, point of clarification (getting ready for JSA STANFORD '09 ... holler if you're in the Bay Area this summer, cause I will be too): I don't think 工合 means "Gung Ho". That's what's on Northwestern's jerseys, right? It's just driving me crazy because I'm learning Chinese and I like to try and read all the Chinese shit I see, but I don't think 工合 is right. Will someone out there who knows more Chinese than I do let me know what's up? (I'm such a nerd, sorry)

I think it's pretty funny that there were spirit rankings at Central Prains Sectionals, and that we were ranked 13/14. Now, I know we're not the most spirited team out there, and we possibly have no spirit at all, but I didn't think we had bad spirit. Now, just by breathing and being alive and allowed to be in public situations, I most likely contributed to us losing at least five spots on that list. Us calling each other assholes for shitskies and giggles probably cost us three spots. But getting placed behind teams that openly swore and screamed at each other is pretty hilarious. Getting placed behind ticky-tacky calls was also pretty comical. Maybe we'll start giving backrubs and MaryKim will beatbox while I lay down rhymes. GOD SQUAD. CUP NIGHT AT KAM'S. SOUL PATROL. DREAM TEAM.

Can't break that shit up.

Anyway.
Two weeks. These are going to be the longest two weeks of my life.
Got fury in my soul ...

Post script:
Happy 4/20.
Also, mad props to David Hwang for the photos. Always gets great photos, and most importantly, always gets 'em up quick. I hope you make it out to Regionals!