2010 Olympia Co-Ed Traveling Team

Spawnfest

Nate, Mike, Kathy, Lucho

(kneeling) Aaron, Chris, Andrea, Todd, Andrew, Erica, Pam

(sitting)Andrew D., Will, Jon, Beth, Corey

(reclining) Molly, Darcy

Back when it was summer, O went to Spawnfest. If you’d forgotten, the recap fairy (“RF” or “the fairy”) is here to tell you about it. We were notably missing Ian, but we had the good fortune to feature the Oly ultimate debuts of Luis “Lucho” Merchan, Colombian dynamo who dropped into Olympia out of the clear blue sky some time in July, and Andrew DeMulling, who set in motion the sublime alchemy of nickname creation and wound up with a moniker of pure gold.

Untrue to our usual trajectory, O started the tournament against Tacoma instead of playing them in semis. Not quite enough spunk out of the gate: 9-13 Tacoma. The hilights were:

Chris calling Corey’s name like he was lost in the woods. Corey delivering the disc from 50 yards.
Kathy denying a sure score with sneaky endzone D.
Andrew D. declaring with gusto that Todd’s parents’ motorhome constituted “big pimpin’”
Lucho learning the definitions of the useful English phrases “call girl” and “snot rocket”

We moved on to Fuego y Hielo, a group of crafty U of O alums, including that one chick who was featured in a full-page photo in the last USA Ultimate magazine. Despite not being ultimate-famous, we scored 11 points to their 15. Stuff the fairy liked:

Pam coming up with two razor-sharp endzone D’s in a single point
Andrew’s excellent read on a long score against a height-advantaged defender. Snarky college kid before the put came down: “Oooh, I like this matchup.” RF as the disc crested the Fuego defender: “I like that matchup, too.”
Jon’s bookends, begun with a footblock and finished off with a man-on score.
Todd’s jaw-dropping closing speed on endzone D.
Lucho’s D and put to Darcey, sure-handed Huckin’ Easy mercenary, for the score.

It was Uncle Oosik, an Alaska bunch, next. The game of the day we were most likely to win. . . and the one we lost by the widest margin: 6-15. The fairy doesn’t remember the details of this one, so she’ll have to rely on what’s carefully recorded in her precious notes:

Aaron sent it full-field to Todd and busted all the way down to receive the score himself.
Will was the handsomest team member, with ravishing good looks.
Andrew K. paid for college as a hooker.

Next, for the third year in a row, we faced Small Fryz, the crew of ever taller and smarter Seattle prodigies. The fairy predicted a major Small Fryz victory in the August 2009 edition of this publication. We actually only lost by 3. The good stuff:

Our favorite Underground girl, Miss Forever 21 herself, rolled in to help, winning several one-on-one battles with teenage boys.
Todd and Andrew K. had a push-pass-punctuated give-n-go score.
Everybody got sick of trying to pronounce “Kolossseus” on the field, and nicknamed Andrew D. “Mandrew.”
Chris was tall all over. . . and only got skied by a learners-permit holder once.
Lucho laid out for a score, causing the team to chant his name.
Jon realized for the first time that diminutive Lucho’s nickname is not in fact the much more ironic “Mucho.”

The day was rough, but the night was pure entertainment.

Some drunk genius realized that the most obvious iteration of Mandrew is Mandy.
The newly designated Mandy got drunk for the fourth time in his life.
He became increasingly verbose, dropping gems such as:

“I am going to use this [motorhome counter] to hold myself erect.” (while eating bagel-and-cold-bacon sandwich)

“That was not even a good tambor.” (after briefly breaking into “So Happy Together”)

“I will run like blue lightning.” (accompanied by insistent sweeping genture, when asked how he would feel in the morning)

As a bonus, party champ Sarah Frye re-emerged from her tent to rock an impromptu boat race. A true sign she should play ultimate.

Morning brought our second motor-home team breakfast, preparing us to meet Full Metal, an all-Asian B.C. crew. This 11-13 battle involved:

Will holding on to Corey’s put as it was contested by two laid-out defenders.
Beth air-mailing a forehand to Aaron for the score.
At 11-12 (capped at 13), Beth and Corey both rejecting Full Metal puts before they finally scored on the third possession.

The sixth time would prove to be the charm for O, against familiar opponents Breaker’s Mark. The hilights:

Pam’s fourth (at least) endzone D of the weekend—this time with her chest.
Andrew’s 600th career handblock.
Chris’s rescues of windblown discs in traffic, including one to take half.
An all-touch against the zone, ending in a one-handed fairy grab.
Mandy’s “blue lightning” layout rescue of a well-deflected disc.
Nate’s zealous D on both sidelines, setting up scores for 8-6 and for the win at 11-7.

We figured we were set to roll Rowboat, too. Then they threw that perturbing junk zone, and we went from 5-1 early to a 9-10 final. You can’t win ‘em all (or even many of ‘em, apparently), but we could:

count on Kathy’s great position and sticky hands against the zone
appreciate Erica’s flourished grab of the score at 6-2 after 30 throws on the goal line
call an impromptu “iso Aaron” for the score after he pulled in Andrew’s huck with a two-handed layout
come up with a great on-the-spot cheer, with Todd on guitar. (“This little oar of mine, I’m gonna stroke it hard. . . “ Everybody now!)

In the end, we still liked ultimate, each other, and Mexican food. Deep breath, and on to sectionals, ready or not. . .

"Put your entire team in the spotlight. Thanks to them, you're able to experience a level of success that you wouldn't have been able to achieve on your own. Remember that when it's your turn to help one of them out."