Do Over: Spring 2012

A recap of Sludge's twenty-eighth Ultimate season:

Week 1: Loss 15-16 (0-1)

Week 2: Cancelled (0-1)

Week 3: Loss 10-13 (0-2)

Week 4: Loss 14-16 (0-3)

Week 5: Win 15-2 (1-3)

Week 6: Win 15-12 (2-3)

Week 7:  Loss 12-14 (2-4)

Week 8: Win 15-7 (3-4)

Pool Play: Loss 12-15 + Loss 14-15 + Win 15-7 (4-6)

Average Point differentials: +7.75 pts (in wins); -2 pts (in losses)

Pool Play Results: 5.19.2012

Game 1:
The first of three games started with a bit of wind and a lot of sun. Sludge was on a low simmer for most of the first half, usually squeezed along the sideline; 0-1; 1-1.

After a collision, MicHael’s flick was caught by Matthew's replacement (Nigel); 3-5. Sarah nabbed a trailing edge bender sent up by Bucci; 4-5, 4-7; 4-8. What would later be complimentary described as "annoying" by the opponent, Sludge's zone found its groove in the second half. Matthew returned, CHarlie chucked, and both RacHel & CHris caught scores; 7-10.

Brian bookended with an endzone smackdown, and then a score at the other end. Every Sludge throw was closely contesteD.  8-11, 9-11, 11-12.

Sludge O performed well in transition while the mix of zone with person-wing troubled SundaysatSix. 12-13; 12-14. Chances to take the lead were literally thrown way with rushed deep throws converting to quick turnovers. Oh, Russ had a hand in creating turnovers, too. Loss, 12-15.


Game 2:
Sludge continued their competitive pace as they 'traveled' to the next field to play Dance Cafe. Russ picked up a turned disc with a fling to a blistering Nigel; 1-0. After being beat deep, the score ran up to 1-3. Jen flicked in a score; 2-3. Andrew caught a score; 5-5. A Sarah-MicHael-RacHel-Jen-Steve work-up led to a Russ score at the cone; 7-7. Only down 1 at half, this Sludge game turned into the "showcase game."

Joe reverted to his original issue brown shirt, and Sludge's play was a welcomed throwback. Andrew’s upline flick to Nigel started a 4:3 combination with Sarah to Rachel to Jen for a Brian score; 8-8. Brian stepped up to a turned disc and had a casual toss to Nigel making it 5 consecutive points; 12-8. The play, for some, was blinding.

After a contested stall, and an unheeded travel call, the lead scaled back to only 2. Sludge returned to scoring with a friendly (& timely) airbounce on a Joe backhand to Brian; 13-12; 13-14. Universe point was an entertaining point which almost went Sludge's way as a Joe's step out forehand zipped toward MicHael, but it was blocked by a layout D. Loss, 14-15.


Game 3:
Compared to the previous 2 games, the last game of the day versus Absintheminded was well below speed. A Russ to Andrew combination gave Sludge the lead; 4-3. Sludge's zone might not have been as fierce, yet it was just as effective. RacHel scored like she was catching sun rays; 8-3.

Steve caught a score from Sarah; 9-6. CHris' defense prevented any sidelines tosses. Charlie's D (in the cup) led to a Sarah to Matthew score; 14-7. Finally, Bucci's saucer found a kneeling MicHael in the endzone; 15-7. Sludge's auto-pilot was better than theirs. Win, 15-7.

Pool Play

When: Saturday, May 19th @ Polo Fields

THREE games at: 10am (field #2); 12pm (field #1); 2pm (field #2). Games to 15 if possible.

Playoff Date (in case of advancement): Sunday, June 3rd

Week 8: In-Synco de Mayo

Like the post-game food order at Mi Rancho, Sludge was slow to show up. Yet, once were all accounted for at Sligo, brown quickly found regularity. Sludge's zone was powered by a hustling cup, shadowing wings, and an overcast sky supplying an effective wind setting.

Throughout the game, the transition from defense-to-offense was muy rápido like the chip shift from salsa to guacamole. Charlie's no-look knuckler to Nigel; 1-0. Steve's weakside backhand to a tumbling MicHael; 4-2. Joe’s 30-yard backhand to a cutting Bucci; 5-2.

Flowing like margaritas on Cinco de Mayo, Andrew upliner to MicHael, flick to Nigel, a reset to MicHael, score to a cutting Sarah; 6-4. Going into half, a person D point led to a turnover that CHarlie crested over a defender for a 3-point lead; 8-5.

Sludge stayed a step ahead of O'face (who were playing their 2nd game of the day) with an impressive 94% completion rate. Scoring upwind, Andrew swing to CHarlie, swing to MicHael, backhand to Sarah, tipped pass to CHarlie, swing to MicHael, to a cutting CHarlie; 13-7. RacHel skyd at the goaline for a Bucci toss, which was then dumped to Bucci, then moved to CHarlie, and flung to Nigel (again) at the cone; 14-7.

The pressure D coupled with the opponent's case of the dropsies gave Sludge the edge; win 15-7.

Week 7: Scoobered

Sludge knowingly & willingly started the first point playing person defense; though rare, it proved effective. RacHel notched a “bookend” (D-ing the disc & catching a score on the same point) with a knockdown, then a catch of MattHew's huck; 1-0. MattHew continued with a lofty flick to Sarah; 3-1.

At point #5, Andrew observed: either Sludge slowed down or AbsintheMinded warmed up. Second and third cuts from the stack were absent like the air current. On the other side of the disc, a handful of skillful scoobers pestered the windless Sludge zone D.

Mixing up defenses (person , zone, & a hybrid cup with 2-people chasing the disc + 1 defender playing man-to-man versus the main handler) helped as did moving the disc under 6 seconds when in possession. Steve-CHris-Jen-MicHael caught a tipped disc on the far endzone sideline; 6-6.

O was not necessarily "patient & efficient" as it was PATIENTly waiting for an Eventual cut & suFFICIENT.

Down 1 at half (7-8), Sludge continued to play well with others. Bucci recorded a bookend, too; 8-8. Andrew pivoted into a 160-degree backhand for brown's 10th point. With the game in the double digits, points were traded; 11-10, 11's, 11-12, 11-13, 12-13. Loss, 12-14 (capped).

Week 6: Handled

MattHew recaps...

Sludge got off to a slow start against Backhanded Compliment, which took a lead  (2-4) by easily picking apart the Sludge zone. Brief experiments with "person" D and "match up" zone were quickly abandoned in favor of a new hybrid version--standard zone with wings playing person--that finally seemed to click. Unfortunately, mistakes on offense allowed BC to maintain and then extend its lead by 4; 6-10.

But with the kinks of the hybrid zone worked out and by eliminating mistakes on offense, Sludge mounted a furious comeback and managed to take the lead at 12-11.

BC then scored to tie the game at 12-12, and, when Sludge unCHaracteristically dropped the ensuing pull, looked poised to retake the lead. But a great D by Nigel prevented the score and gave Sludge the momentum it needed to roll to the next 3 points; 15-12 win.

Week 5: Non-Taxing

Another windy Saturday at Anacostia Park as Sludge returned to the Ultimate field. The defense commanded game pace early and often.

Turnovers stemming from Huck D-nials turned into mind-blowing offensive flow by Sludge. Generally, what was thrown was caught. Sludge excelled when teamwork kept the disc moving and made use of all cuts. CHarlie made his triumphant return with a lofty score to MicHael amid 2 defenders; 2-0.

MattHew flicked a few cross-field scores – one to Andrew, one to CHris; 4-2. Sludge's 6th point started with Brian, then Steve, and ended with a Jen forehand zinger to CHris. JENsanity began.

Up 6 at half (8-2), the second half was all brown. During 4:3 and 5:2 points, the female cup consisting of Jen, Rachel & Sarah, dubbed the "E" cup (for estrogen) grounded Killa Beez. Out of the cup, Sarah made offense saving cuts as JENsanity kept flinging scores. Rachel closed out Sludge's 11-point run with the last two points.

Win 15-2.

Week 4: Blasted

When at Anacostia Park, you will find yourself between a rocky field and a windy place. After a strategic move away from the rockiest field known to ankles, the wind aided in Sludge's sails in the first half. Early strong D-isplay, like RacHel's knock downs in the cup, Sludge transitioned to O by swirling around the goal line against Sundays at Six person defense. Bucci caught a score to show off for her older sister; 2-1.

A few more upwind points were handler-ed by MattHew & Joe; 5-1, 5-2.

A change of direction suddenly blew in during the last part of the first half. 6-3, 6-6, 7-6.

Sludge struggled versus the collapsing zone cup that pinched brown against the sidelines as the gusts prevented upfield throws, and airbounces challenged all swings. First throws were as difficult as explaining the purpose of wind chimes.

Down one & losing by 1 at half, "we could still lose this one" was hinted. A one-word solution was conferred – PUNT.

CHris sparked the sluggish brOwn with a spectacular catch between 2 defenders in the endzone; 9-11. Flurried, patient passing - similar to the game's start - returned with a MicHael-Russ-Nigel-Jen score; 10-11.

More turnovers near the endzone chapped Sludge's halftime plan. One could say the PUNTs were just P-U (read: Pee-Yew). When the disc found its way off the sideline, score potential was realized. 10-13; 12-13; 12-14.

Still competing, David's endzone defense helped redirect flow to a Matthew-to-Nigel score; 14's.

At hard cap, a few more wind-induced turnovers led to game over.
Loss, 14-16.

Week 3: Wiped

In a preview of a Grand Master Ultimate league (Men: ages 40+; Women: 30+), Sludge met the familiar-faced Rerun at Montgomery Hills.

At 0(h no)-2, Sludge was already fatigued just warming up for a long game. The most urgent cut was mistakenly observed by someone heading off-field to the woods. (More on the woods later...)

Sludge operated at low flow and were unable to convert on near-goal chances; 1-6, 2-6. Often pinned against the sidelines, brown's O worked with break side throws and middle-of-the-field vantages.

Andrew started the scoring with a cross-field score to CHris. Bucci tossed one to make the score 4-7.

At half (4-8), following Griffin's insinuation, Sludge put their little brown movement behind them.

A 5-1 run fueled by scores from Sarah-to-David, Matthew-to-Jen-to-Steve, Mike-to-MicHael-to-Jen, and a low huck from Joe-to-MicHael. The key to brOwn was its efficiency with short passes <10 yards and maintaining possession.

While Rerun refused to make any turnovers in the first half, their 2nd half ones were seized upon. Sludge had their first lead at 10-9 with a Brian-to-Andrew-to-David score.

An overturn of a pick continuation swung the point from a score to a turnover, and then shifted momentum away from Sludge. No more brown points were tallied in this fun to play or spectate capped game.
Loss, 10-13.

Week 2: Cancelled

Game cancelled due to inclement weather.

Week 1: Game to 15?

Sludge's play started strong in the first half of the first spring game. Scores by Bucci, and then Steve gave a rare early lead; 2-0. Zone D showed its teeth with some goal line stances. Allowing drops/forcing turnovers keyed offense transitions – like the score flow of Andrew-to-Nigel-to-MicHael-to-Bucci-back to-MicHael-back to-Nigel , 5-1. Joe hucked, Jen & RacHel caught scores, and Sludge dictated pace to their favor, 8-6.

As teams do at half, sides were switched, but so did the sidelines due to a field shift to make room for another Ultimate game at Sligo.

Sludge worked hard for every second half point. David led a patient O point with a throw to Christy; 9-6. CHarlie threw a hanger to Bucci for a one point lead; 10-9. CHris remarked "[This game is] ours to lose."

Temperatures were heating up as Sludge’s offense was slightly cooling down. First and second throws happened early in the stall count, but successive cuts were lacking. Swung discs/break mark throws helped fuel brown; 12-9.

Points were longer and more contested; 12-10. Sludge turnovers increased; 12-11. A pull was not caught; 12-12. Points were not as easy to come by as felled acorns.

At 12-13, Sludge challenged Le Chomp's upfield throws, and led 15-14 in a capped game to 16. At universe point, brown maximized their playing time, yet could not sustain another flow into the end zone.
Loss 15-16.

Aisle 28

"Sports is the toy department
of human life."
-- Howard Cosell (1918-1995)

Sludge continues playing on Saturday - their 28th season!

Spring 2012 Schedule

Spring 2012
Week# : Date : Time : @ Location [updated 05/15/2012]
-->Find fields

Week 1: March 17: 9am @ Sligo #1A

Week 2: March 24: 2pm @ Montgomery Hills #2

Week 3: March 31: 2pm @ Montgomery Hills #1

Week 4: April 7: 2pm @ Anacostia #2

Week 5: April 14: 2pm @ Anacostia #2

Week 6: April 21: 10am @ Key #1

Week 7: April 28: 10am @ Key #1

Week 8: May 5: 4pm @ Sligo #2A

:Pool Play:
May 19: 10am, 12pm, 2pm @ Polo Fields


:Tournament:
June 3: TBD

Ultimate Habit

CUE: Time to register for the Ultimate frisbee league.

ROUTINE: Play Ultimate.

REWARD: Joy. Camaraderie. Fun.

Repeat next season. Again & again...

In-Decision: Spring 2012

CH announced:
I just submitted the official web-click for Sludge to join the WAFC 2012 spring league for yet another season...Pay $25.

Your registration will not be considered complete until you have filled out this form and completed the payment.
Start Date: Saturday, March 17th
Games: 8-9 regular season games + the tournament
Game Dates: Saturdays
Game Locations: DC-metro area, mostly at Anacostia, Montgomery County, MD, & Fairfax, VA.