Boston owns New England

So a lot of folks think I hate boston, and truth be told, I don't like the city, but the team, wow. The finals of northeast regionals was probably the best ultimate game I have ever witnessed. The weather was crap but I have to say, this game was incredible.

The first half was all GOAT. I only know 1 goat player, John Hassell, and he played a great game but their team was so deep and well rounded. Every player had throws and puts and played solid D. It really was a pleasure to watch a "faceless army". Boston recieved and the first point was pretty sloppy, ending in a break for GOAT. Boston answers back and the two teams go back and forth until about 3s or 4s, then GOAT takes over. They get huge D after huge D and rattle off 3 breaks in a row making it 8-4 at half. The end of the first half was very spectacular and equally heartbreaking for boston. GOAT has forced yet another turnover and are about to take half. They work it down and try and hit a cutter about mid way in the endzone on the backhand (right handed) side of the field. Seigs (who is soo much fun to watch...the human caricature) makes a bid on the disc, doesn't get it but the reciever misses. He tries to make a foul call, it gets overturned, Boston disc. Boston then proceeds to work the disc up the line and Teddy Brower Jarus gets the disc and attempts a backhand bomb down the line to Kurt Gibson(?) only to have it quail across the field resulting in a huge turnover. Some one from GOAT promptly picks it up and sends an absolutely perfect put the other way to a streaking John Hassell. He makes what appears to be a late bid and snatches the disc inches from the ground just inside the endzone for a spectacular goal to take half. Momentum - GOAT.

Second half started out with Boston on D. They had cleaned up things a bit but they are still down 4, count them, 4 breaks. They get 1 break back early but are absolutely battling to stay in the game. 11-7, 12-8, the teams trade point after point. At one point the game is 13-10 and I am starting to think two things, 1) will this be the day Forch does not win NE regionals, 2) will boston/DoG go out, not by Metal or NYNY, but by GOAT, a young Canadian team with a forgetable past on foreign soil?. Despite what most people think, i don't want to see Boston lose, but I don't really care to see them win, I just want to witness something great and I did. However bad Teddy felt when he failed to do the one thing he excels at (throwing) in the first half, he doubled that feeling in the opposite direction. I don't remember who threw it, maybe Gibson, but a flick huck goes up to Forch deep and it is drifting right to left and there is a small contingent of players running it down. Forch and 2 GOAT guys go up and no one touches it but out of nowhere, Teddy slides in and snags the disc before it hits the ground for a game saving goal. Forch is slightly hurt on the play, but this is HIS house and no one pushes him around. Boston then proceeds to bring it. A break here, a break there, Boston now ties the game at 13s and the significance and stakes of this game is only eclipsed by the amount of people watching in pure wonder. Can Boston do this, can they do what they do and take the Northeast region AGAIN? Can Forch lead his team to greatness in a fashion that has become expected, almost cliche?

GOAT has the disc and sends a bomb to a streaking GOAT cutter with Cole right behind, they both go UP......GOAT goal. Game point GOAT. Boston is now recieving. They work it up and are right outside the goal line. Gibson has the disc and cut after cut after cut is looked off. The stall count is getting high, the pressure is mounting. I can see the panic building on Kurt's face. A Boston cutter is yelling for the hammer, and Gibson grants his wish. Only (smack), the disc is hit. What otherwise would have been a perfect throw is now fluttering to the grass. But Boston would not be denied, Teddy comes out of nowhere, yet again, and reels in another game saving goal. For some (myself) Teddy would only be a co-ed allstar, but this kid is the real deal. His pulls, his layouts, his breaks, and most of all his composure, his will to win, phenomenal. Now, as almost as if this were scripted, Boston is pulling for universe point. A few throws here and there, a huck goes up to Hassell. He is streaking to the house with another GOAT cutter, and right in between these two 6 foot juggernaunts is the 5 foot nothing Fortunant Mueller. In what was probably the most clutch defensive stand I have ever seen, all three go up and out for this disc only to have Forch catch block the D. The crowd of hundreds erupts in elation, he did it, the son of a bitch did it, no fuckin way. Botson disc, double game point, will this game really end this way? It will be historic regardless, Boston makes the epic comeback or GOAT dethrowns the most storied ultimate team over the last 20 years. A time out is called. Boston resets the offense, and the disc starts moving, Boston is heading for glory and then as fast as Forch had snatched that D, BAM!!! John Hassell picks off a lazy incut from Cole. Oh fuck!! The collective concious of the Devens population sinks into depression, no way. Is this how it ends? GOAT is inches from pay dirt and they call time out.

Now this is high level club ultimate, this is not Florida/Wisconsin at Centex 2006. These teams are elite, they have players that have hundreds of games under their belt in a variety or pressure situations. The goal should almost be a formality, an end that everyone is expecting. The disc comes back in, GOAT is ready to sieze their destiny. A few swings here and there and then a simple IO flick for the goal, but the ground would catch this disc. Just over thrown is this 5 yard toss. BAM!! Boston is back in it. They may have 70 yards to go, but they are back in it. A few cuts here and there. Giora gets the disc and sends a missle to the endzone to a streaking Boston cutter. This cutter could have been Teddy or Kurt or Cole, but its not. Its not their house, its Forch's house, and of course, the little speedster from Scarsdale, is heading for his endless string of Regional titles. To no one's surprise but to all of our amazement, #8 lays out and pulls in the game winner. A pile of green and flesh forms in the endzone. Boston will not be denied. Where is Rob when you need him? If I was not there I would not have cared/believed in the power Boston has in Devens in October.

I was a witness. This game was epic. It wasn't about exciting plays either. This game was just played very well. GOAT had all the weapons and defenders to match Boston. Boston had the allstar squad but they won this game with heart and they rode the kid that has been there since 1998. I am dining on my words tonight. Boston is the real deal. I don't know about nationals, but this team is good. It was a pleasure to watch and play on the same field. Good luck at nationals.

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