Rayne on a Sunny Day: Middle School Tournament Recap
by Colleen Conrad
The rain held off for the middle school play-off tournament several weeks ago. But no one could hold off Rayne. Murchison 8th grader Rayne Frazee, that is…
On May 22nd, six local middle schools gathered at Murchison (better known as “the school with the big hill”) for an end-of-season play-off tournament. The teams were split into A and B divisions, altogether tallying ten different rosters from Kealing, Lamar, Murchison, O. Henry, Robinson and St. Francis. The fields were packed and the energy was high as play began first thing in the morning on the warm spring day.
Several members of the greater Austin Ultimate community came out to support the middle school teams and coaches. Cate Fox-Lent answered questions on the sidelines about Spirit of the Game and the 11th Edition rule book, while Brad Kaylor publicized summer youth Ultimate opportunities. Paul Hanna kept the fields clean and organized, and several high school players cheered on their protégés and assisted their former coaches. The teams all received a handful of discs donated by UPLA and the UPA-Sanctioned Texas High School Tournament. St. Francis parents stepped up to organize lunch for all of the players, and a number of coaches and parents ensured that there were restrooms, snacks, and plenty of water available.
A Division teams held seed through round robin play. Kealing finished first, followed by Murchison and O. Henry, respectively. Perhaps the most exciting moments of round-robin play came during the game between Kealing and O. Henry, as the teams gut-matched it out for 25 minutes during their first point. O. Henry won the flip and took an early lead with the wind, but Kealing continued to battle and ultimately pulled ahead for the victory.
Robinson was the biggest surprise of the B Division, firmly proving their #1 seed with impressive athleticism and speed. Second place was hotly contested, however. Several games evolved into ultimate-point gut-matches like those between Murchison and Kealing, and St. Francis Maroon and Murchison. In the end, Kealing took second place, followed by St. Francis Maroon in third.
The tournament ended on an exciting note in the A Division finals between Kealing and Murchison. Kealing pulled ahead in the first half, led by the tremendous handling in the wind of Brett Gramman and Robin Deammrich.
“Alex Schultz and Wes Johns were huge in our success,” Kealing coach Jenna Martin also noted.
The Hornets took the half 7-4, in a mirror image of the earlier Murchison-Kealing match of the day. They continued their run in the second half, extending the lead to 9-5. The game appeared to be over for the Murchison Matadors.
Murchison’s deep and athletic roster stood strong, however, proving valuable in the game to 11 at the end of a long day. Murchison captains Isaiah Williams and Sammy Pappert implemented several defensive strategies, including a backhand force in response to Kealing’s potent handling. The Matadors began to make a run, gaining momentum as their sideline came alive. They tied up the game at 9-9.
That’s when veteran Rayne Frazee stepped in, creating a turning-point moment for the Matadors. Despite her name, Frazee has been dubbed “Sunshine” by her coach. She’s known by her teammates for her love for the sport, her upbeat attitude, and her trademark yellow cleats. At that point in the tied final, Murchison had possession, but a pass to the end zone gone awry looked like it would be a turnover. Enter Frazee, who snagged the disc in a fingernail-grab over two Kealing defenders for the go-ahead goal. The sideline went wild, and the Mats mobbed the field to celebrate their teammate’s score. The momentum was clearly in the Matadors’ favor, led by Frazee and her sunshine.
Murchison managed to calm down and keep their cool, preparing for defense. Following the pull, the team from the hill intercepted a Kealing pass and moved the disc up the field in the wind. After a series of clean passes, Wynand DuPlessis caught the score for the win, and another celebratory mob ensued.
Despite the loss, Kealing was gracious in the Spirit circle, and both teams voiced their respect for each other following the game.
“For every bit that the Kealing players are talented, they’re just as Spirited,” Murchison Coach Colleen Conrad said to the Kealing coaches and parents following the game.
“I can't think of a nicer team to lose to,” Coach Martin noted of the Murchison squad.
The Murchison players gathered for a team photo, and unanimously agreed that the game disc should go to Frazee. There was no question in their minds that the dry Texas day truly belonged to Rayne.
Pictures by Mary Kragie:
1. Murchison and Kealing players gather for a Spirit Circle following their Round-Robin game.
2. Brett Gramann from Kealing makes an athletic grab, with Murchison's Wynand DuPlessis in hot pursuit.
