5/10/14 - Clique 1 playoffs (pool of 5, 4 games/1bye, top 2 advance)

This post will cover the details of what happened during our playoff games on Saturday. The next post later this week will showcase the awesome statistics captured by Geoff since the second half of the Legitimate Grapes game. Let's see some comments below on who YOU think did the best stat-wise in terms of Goals, Assists, and Ds! (Geoff - no guessing since you compiled the stats) The stats will be posted Thursday by 5:00 PM.

Sundays @ 6

What was supposed to be a classic, drizzly DC day on a Saturday to ruin all ultimate games, instead turned into a fair day for ultimate: great temperature with a slightly overcast day.  The day started with a game against Sundays @ 6.  We had a pretty full roster of around 15 people and were ready to charge!  We had a new recruit in TJ, a friend of Woodle's, who showed up to dominate even though Woodle was still MIA.  TJ patroled the skies throughout this game coming down with huge hucks and putting his full 6'3" frame to full use.  Our defense was strong and offense was flowing as we took the half 8-5.  I don't remember many "highlights" from this game except that everyone played really solid.  We obtained over half of our points off of the quick transition after getting the D, really abusing the breakside and scoring in 4-5 throws.  Some sick break throws were thrown by Micah, Pickles, and Kate.  Winston had a lot of crazy hammer decisions attributed to some serious tunnel vision for anyone making the hammer cut in the end zone.  We took the game 15-12 in the end.  Bart had some sick one-handed catches all over the field.  THIS MARKED OUR FIST WIN OF THE SEASON and the playoffs!!

Legitimate Grapes

Our next game was against Legitimate Grapes.  They are the top seed of the pool and had a first round bye so were definitely well rested.  This team was significantly better than the previous as they had a few club players from Ant Madness on the roster.  We started off slow with a few silly turnovers to be down 0-3.  Then we realized we need to turn things around.  On a throwaway close to their end zone, Winston ran to the disc while yelling to Leslie, "come on babe. let's go!".... He picked it up and Leslie made a solid up-line cut for the score.  We were on the scoreboard at 1-2.  We got a few more points but they still came out on top to take half at 4-8.  The Lewis' were on fire though!  Some notable plays from the game:

• Flash with a great sky on a huge tall dude with great inside body positioning and then ripping it from the air for a huge D
• On a marathon point that was going back and forth after 2-3 turnovers per team, a deep throw to Janey where she skied her girl by inches and came down with it.  As someone with first row seats for it, it was freaking awesome.  She also had a high release backhand to Winston for the score, forcing him to jump up and get it with a sexy grab (according to Kate).
• Leslie with a sick huck to a wide open Whopper who was just shy of the endzone. Some great puts to the endzone as well.
• Micah who broke their poachy defense multiple times with an inside flick to Winston/Girlscout which allowed us to gain another 20 yards with quick give and gos.  (Although unfortunately we did not score either of those times :( )
• Winston threw an inside out to Leslie who made a break cut.  She was going to catch it until Pickles called her off. He proceeded to catch it cleanly... but a foot or two out of bounds.  Could have been a greatest...

Ater half, we continued to push hard and really focused on our swings as we were getting trapped on the sideline a lot.  The wind also started to pick up so there were a lot of throws that would bounce over receivers/hucks that just didn't go as far as intended.  Our heads-up play was a bit lackluster at first, then we picked it up with some great clean-ups though.  Despite a strong comeback that was getting us closer, the game got capped so we lost 9-12.  With more time, we could have comeback but alas.

Snackpack

Next started our third game against Snackpack.  This team also came into the game right after their bye.  The team had a few really strong players that play on the open team, John Doe.  We started slow against this team due to being tired and losing a few players who had to leave.  (Bart and TJ during the second game / Megan and Kate during this game).  They got up to an early lead with some big hucks that we weren't able to stop and took half 4-8.  Some highlights:

• Leslie took a more aggressive role skying some ladies in the end zone for scores.
• Lindsey was a D-machine throughout and had some awesome hucks.  One that stands out in my mind is her flick huck down the sideline to me leaving me 10 yards out.  After which, a sweet hunnie pass for the score to Kate.
• Megan was a trooper as she continued to push through this last game despite hurting in her legs.  She handled like a champ, always keeping the disc moving.
• Brad had this sick toe-in layout score in the back of the end zone.  #disgustinglyridiculous
• Pickles had this awesome D and saw Flash streaking to the end zone.  He looked off throwing the same third flick huck but decided instead on the huge hammer to him.  Despite going 30 ft into the air, it was caught right in his hands.  #lucky
• Girlscout continued to try to throw same third hucks with limited success although they were some pretty nice throws.  
• Winston skied the other asian on their team (a really short dude) leading to a quick give-and-go with Walko who threw it to wide open Girlscout for the score

Despite all this awesomeness, we still ended up losing 11-15.

Bye

During our bye, we had a few more Rhinos that had to desert us for other pastures.  The Lewis' left and so did Sean.  We watched a critical game between Sundays and Snackpack where if Sundays won then we had a chance to the tournament weekend but if Snackpack won then we were out.  Unfortunately, Snackpack won that match-up with it being a really close game between.  Our game against O'Face was just for funnsies for us but if they won then they continue forward.  It also rained during our bye which was lucky for us not having to play in those wet conditions.

O'Face

The final game against the our nemesis, O'Face.  We went into the game with 9 people (7 guys and 2 ladies, Leslie and Lindsay).  Even though we were evenly matched by numbers, we were more tired than they were and had a tough time stopping their break-side flow from all the upside down throws from their 2 primary handlers (one was lefty and one righty).  Despite being savage, the ladies were tearing it up with their switches.  Lindsey easily chocked up another 2-3 D's from this game.  It wasn't enough since we weren't able to capitalize and the final score ended at 7-15.  A funny/ridiculous moment was that while being up 6-14, the other team did call a timeout because they were "tired".  To which, we were like "are you seriously calling a timeout?!?!?".  They retracted the call which did allow us to get one more point before they won.

Despite our record, it was a great day of ultimate and we didn't have to play during the rain, which happened during our bye.  A classic post game hangout at Woodside Grill and some #selfies.  Missing Lesie/Walko and Lindsey who all stayed until the end.  SUPER props again to those 2 ladies who played savage the last game!!  Also props to Geoff for capturing the first ever Rhino statistics and staying the whole time to cheer/heckle us!

#woodsidedeliselfie

<3 Always happy Rhinos despite the circumstances.  <3