Middle School Tournament Wrap-Up
By Colleen Conrad
On Saturday, May 23rd, almost 100 middle school ultimate players from five different Austin teams gathered at the Murchison fields for a tournament. O. Henry, St. Francis, Murchison, Lamar and Kealing played in a round-robin format, with at least four games a piece. Slightly overcast skies threatened rain, but provided some much-needed shelter from the hot sun. Parents provided shade tents, coolers filled with ice water, and enthusiastic sideline support!
The game to watch came during the third round, when Lamar faced off against Kealing. The teams battled it out, showcasing the strong combination of athleticism and experienced throwers. Despite the close score, both teams exhibited Spirit and awareness of the rules deep into the cap. After going point-for-point through most of the second half, Kealing took the game at ultimate point, 11-10. Lamar went on to exact revenge on #1 seed St. Francis, who responded with a win against Kealing in the final round of pool play.
This left a three-way tie for first place between St. Francis, Kealing and Lamar, all of whom built a 3-1 record over the course of the day. The coaches convened to assess the point differential, and determined that Lamar and Kealing would play in the finals for the title. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had an opinion about it as well, choosing to open up the skies moments before the game was scheduled to begin. As lightning and thunder tore the sky, torrential rain dumped on the fields, cones flew in the wind, and players ran for cover, the coaches decided to “wait it out” for thirty minutes and reassess. Unfortunately, the storm hung on for close to two hours, and the game was finally called a draw.
Despite the mildly anti-climactic finish to the day, the tournament was an excellent example of how youth ultimate is growing and thriving in Austin. New teams are forming, rosters are growing, and players are becoming increasingly skilled and knowledgeable about the game. Congratulations to all of the players on a great season. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the tournament on May 23rd, and to everyone working with youth ultimate players in the Austin area!
Photo Credit: Wayne Pappert
Caption: Murchison players Casey Aldridge (left) and Sammy Pappert (right) enjoy some down time between rounds.
