May 18, 2004
Josh Wiseman knows. Sometime in the transitory eternity of thirty seconds between wind sprints, Jesse Goldberg knows. In the dim ache in Will Arnold's shoulder on an idle Thursday afternoon after throwing fifty times at the same tree, in Matt Berry's Monday morning flu after 14 hours spent playing in the cold rain, they know. The culmination of 16 seasons of sacrifice and brotherhood is coming to Seattle with the 2004 UPA College
Championships. But you already knew that.
Dan Hodges knew what it took the minute that last disc was pulled out of the air by one set of hands and 15 others went up around him, finally catching a dream that had been just out of layout distance for California (#1) for years. Callahan nominee Hodges packs a complete game, long-time co-star Gabe Saunkeah is one of the most dominant defenders in college Ultimate, and Bart Watson brings a championÕs swagger. Senior Ryo Kawaoka leads a supporting cast that takes care of the ball and stacks the defensive pressure Ð but in the end anyone who wants to beat Cal will have to stop the big three. Call them the favorites, but they know better. After a couple pre-season semifinal losses and a disappointing weekend at Collegiates, Nat Kinsky knows sometimes itÕs not enough to play an exciting game. But it wonÕt stop them from trying. Winning a championship is about making big plays. Ugmo knows.
Andrew Mangan knows all about labels. HeÕs been here a couple of times, long enough to see the Little Team that could become the Dark Horse that rode. And this year, the players of William and Mary (#5) have watched their program turn into a powerhouse. On paper, Burn is in the thick of seedings with 6-8 other teams. But Jay Brooks knows about trips to Washington in May. The last time he was here, Burn pulled out a semifinal appearance in their first championship. The opponents of William and Mary wonÕt admit it to you or themselves, but this team strikes fear into their hearts. It is big, fast, deep, and mysterious. Quietly confident, bordering on cocky. HasnÕt lost since mid-March. This is a senior-heavy team looking for one last story for everyone to talk about. Will Everhart knows this is the stage he likes. And winning a championship is all about the big stage. Burn knows.
Josh Ziperstein has heard the stories about winning it all. Brownian Motion (#4) is a team that lives on such legends and burns at every loss. Handler Dan MacArthur keyed a Brown offense that trampled New England Regionals by a combined score of 60-13. From the wreckage came cries equal parts awe, equal parts reverence. ÒThey are just a machine right now,Ó mixed with, ÒThey played a respectful game.Ó B-Mo is a true program, with eight players like big man Neale Mahoney who attended the Club Championships. Impressive finishes all season are not enough for this team. Winning a championship is all about preparation. B-Mo knows.
Chase Sparling-Beckley knows what a superstar is. He emerged from the shadow of one, and now he reluctantly wears the label himself. After going a combined 3-11 at the Stanford Invite and Centex to start their season, Jimmy Chu and the rest of the CUT (#6) boys know how people whisper when a giant stumbles. But the whispers are gone now, and the giant is back on its feet with a winning record and the Central Regional title. This Carleton team may not be as stacked with talent as past years, but it makes up for it with chutzpah. Sometimes youÕre not the deepest team around. But Miles McDonough knows that when he goes up for the sky, a sideline of rowdy alums is ready to light up the field with noise. Winning a championship is all about tradition. CUT knows.
Nick Handler knows he looks a lot like James Herbert. Zack Wyatt knows he throws up sweet hucks like Nan Gao. And like his teammate Danny Cox, Brandon Hyde loves getting horizontal for a sick D. Playing against Stanford (#3) is like walking through a blizzard. You know no two players are alike, but they all sting the same when they hit you. BloodthirstyÕs home page is a team photograph with smudged faces, the caption saying ÒThe Faceless Army.Ó Sure, Handler is the Callahan nominee, but every one of them can break, run, sky, huck, and lay out. They arenÕt going to stop your best player, but thatÕs all right by Robbie Cahill. He knows it takes seven to win, and heÕs got 23 guys behind thinking the same. Winning a championship is about depth. Bloodthirsty knows.
Scott Allen knows what champagne tastes like. A little under a year ago, Wisconsin (#8) capped a two-year finals run with the big prize. Matt Ley can see each play in his head when he closes his eyes at night. But after a convincing win at Mardi Gras, the Hodags have seen their northern lights fade a bit. Quarterfinal finishes at Stanford and Centex, the loss of two stars to eligibility issues, and a close loss in the Central Regional finals have quieted the repeat chatter. But Matt DÕAmour has been here before, watching his team lose a finals blowout only to turn the tables the next year. And winning a championship is all about answering. The Hodags know.
Ryan Smith knows both ups and downs. The 6Õ4Ó star of NC State (#7) was an integral part of the 2003 team that came in seeded first. That weekend slipped away like a mirage in the Texas heat. It wonÕt happen again. This Wolfpack team loves to huck, and Smith is usually on one end of the long throw. This season they finished Centex with a tough loss to Georgia. Then they lost their section with a second-half lapse against North Carolina. But Wolfpack battled past both teams on its way to the dance for the fifth time in seven years. Winning a championship is all about winning when it counts. Wolfpack knows.
Josh ÒRichterÓ Ackley knows about being in the zone. Every time he takes the field, he is a marked man after a spectacular performance at the championship last year. On this deep team of experienced, smooth players, there is little room for anything but excellence. Colorado (#2) feeds off its three stars Ð RichterÕs intensity, Parker KrugÕs arm, and freshman Beaufort KittredgeÕs imposing athleticism. They play a businesslike mental game. Utility guys like Colin Gottlieb and Zach Freeman know how to run a team so ragged that they wonÕt even realize Kittredge is about to score again. Winning a championship is all about being in the zone. Mamabird knows.
Valley Renshaw is fully aware of what it takes. The Kansas HorrorZontals (#9) star broke several fingers in his throwing hand during at Ozark Sectionals. He spent the next week learning to throw lefty, and led his team past Texas and LSU to the big show. This ainÕt a one-man team, though. The Zontals love to put it deep, and Renshaw and sophomore Jerrod Wolfe love to pull it down in the crowd. KansasÕs physical man defense, with runners like Danny Agne and Tyler Beard, plays the same gutsy game. Kansas doesnÕt claim to have the most talent, but winning a championship is all about heart. The ÔZontals know.
Nick McDuffee knows what itÕs like to be overlooked. Fist has been to Nationals the last three years, and has never really garnered the respect it deserves. Bill Finn, at 6Õ3Ó and one of the best defenders around, knows that it doesnÕt matter where youÕre seeded. HeÕs been on top of the world Friday only to be knocked down Saturday. Illinois (#15) has done nothing more than upset a two seed and win their pool from third place in its first two Championship trips. This year, cutters like Matt Welsh and Matt Clark stand behind a cerebral team that will throw every D and O in the book until something works. Winning a championship is all about taking advantage. Fist knows.
Matt Abbrecht knows about rebuilding. Tufts (#10) has come a long way from day-one elimination at Regionals last year, behind the arm of Ariel Santos and the quiet intensity of Rob Spies. Tufts knows how to play every zone ever conceived, but they arenÕt shy about throwing it up to tall receivers like Zach Geller or letting firecrackers like Matt Donovan and Elliot Freeman get it back on man looks. TuftsÕ season has been defined by just a few big wins and losses. Winning a championship is all about riding the ebbs and flows. The Elephant Men know.
Mike ÒNuprinÓ Berseth and Ben Faust know about battles. For five years, theyÕve each led their respective teams through the deep Metro East region. Delaware (#14) found out what it takes to get to the Championship for the first time, with the help of open-at-will cutter Joel Sheingold, confident deeps Andy Conklin and Pat Walters, and a defense anchored by Nick Purifico. The George Washington Hungry Hungry Hippos (#16) ride FaustÕs shoulders when they need to, but they would rather rely on methodical offense and a solid team defense. Coming out of the Metro East, they arenÕt favorites. But they know what it feels like to climb through 16 tough teams and come out on top. Winning a championship is all about focusing on one game at a time. Sideshow and the Hippos know.
Aaron Bongard and Kevin Kampfe know about hard work. The Michigan State (#12) program has been on the slow rise since Bongard joined the team, and the hard work has paid off. 2004 has proven to be a watershed year for the Seven Samurai, turning heads with a finals appearance at Terminus in March. Bongard is the key to their offense, but the team is full of juniors and seniors who have bled a long time to get here. Every point for Iowa (#11) is a challenge to out-hustle, out-run, and out-grit the opponent. The team runs a tight, blue collar line. On defense they fight for everything. On offense, IHUC prefers to work it with in cuts and underneath throws, going through Mike Francis and Ross Cram. Championships are earned, throw by throw. IHUC and Samurai know.
Adam ÒKubiakÓ Desjardins knows about euphemisms. Year after year, UC San Diego (#13) has been called ÒThe best team not at nationals.Ó Defensive sprinters Steve Ringel and Scott Davis have been ready for this for years. The Air Squids may have gotten here on controversy, but this team knows it belongs. It brings an endless stream of hard defenders, an impenetrable four-man cup, and 20-plus complete players who will exploit any opening on offense. Championships are about changing history. The Squids know.
Make big plays. Earn it throw by throw. Ride the ebbs and flows. Play with heart. Get in the zone. Use your depth. Focus on a game at a time. Carry the tradition. Prepare. Answer. Change history. Love the stage. Win when it counts. ItÕs that simple. And they all know it.