July 9, 2024
By Evan Lepler

Championship Weekend will be here in 45 days, and what transpires between now and then is anyone’s guess. In case you hadn’t noticed, we truly are in the midst of the most uncertain season in the 12 year history of the Ultimate Frisbee Association.

After Minnesota’s slightly surprising setback against Chicago on Saturday in St. Paul, every single team in the league has at least two losses. This is just the third time in 12 UFA seasons that every team has dropped at least two regular season games, joining 2012, when the inaugural pro ultimate season bore very little resemblance to what’s unfolding now, and 2021, the wild three division plus Canada Cup post-pandemic campaign that also felt different in numerous ways. In each of the other nine seasons, there was at least one team that went undefeated or had just one regular season loss. 

Furthermore, while we know 10 of the 12 playoff teams with two weeks left, very little actually feels settled. Only two of the dozen seeds are finalized—Minnesota’s the number one in the Central, Austin’s the number three in the South—and the other home-field slots are fully up for grabs, with several hugely consequential games coming up that will determine the captivating complexion of the postseason bracket. 

It’s fascinating to realize that among the eight contests on tap this weekend, the only one without a team that’s still alive in the playoff chase is Los Angeles at Colorado, which happens to be the lone regular season meeting between two teams that both made the postseason a year ago. A week from now, we’ll brace for another tantalizing batch of 14 games, with 13 of the 14 including at least one team that, as of this moment, is still mathematically in the mix. 

That’s as many as 20 of the final 22 games involving a potential playoff team, but let’s not pretend that every matchup is as juicy as the next. There are a handful of headliners that reside firmly in the must-see department. 

For Week 12, the final chapter of the 2024 Super Series, New York (7-3) at Minnesota (8-2), is an unprecedented matchup and a critical game for both squads. For the Empire, it’s about seeding in the league’s toughest division. For the Wind Chill, it’s about psychology, proving to themselves as much as the rest of the league that they can be a threat to conquer the other top teams across the Association when it counts most. 

In Week 13, Seattle (8-2) and Salt Lake (8-2) square off on Friday (July 19) in their only meeting of the season, a battle that will determine who earns the number one seed out West. One night later, we’ll witness DC (9-2) traveling to New York (7-3) and Carolina (8-2) visiting Atlanta (8-2), games that are gourmet appetizers before potential playoff rematches.

We’ve never previously experienced this many pivotal pairings in the last two weekends of a season, and we shall see if the actual action lives up to the hype. But on paper, the home stretch of the 2024 season has all the ingredients to live forever as an iconic summer of frisbee, a period that will help shape the long-term legacies for many players and franchises for years to come. 

The Full Field Layout

Despite enduring a pair of home losses against Minnesota, the Chicago Union still maintained a very high level of confidence and belief as they traveled to battle the Wind Chill at Sea Foam Stadium on Saturday. 

“Each of our games against Minnesota this season have been very close,” said Chicago’s Jack Shanahan. “Going into this game, there was no need for any additional motivation. Keep winning or our season gets cut short. I think you could feel the intensity in our locker room. There wasn’t a need for any external motivational speeches, no dudes really goofing around, just 20 guys locked in and still salty about how our last meeting ended.”

That intensity translated to Chicago starting Saturday’s contest with three consecutive breaks, building a 3-0 lead that allowed the Union to play the rest of the game with a lead. From there, the Chicago offense enjoyed its smoothest game of the season as the Union prevailed 25-20 to deal Minnesota its second home loss of the season. 

“Our O-line played phenomenally, first and foremost,” said Chicago Coach Dave Woods. “They went 19-for-22 on holds. That’s not a number that we’ve seen yet this season. There were several times when I thought we were going to struggle, and they just found some resets, they settled down, they were comfortable going backwards with the disc to maintain possession. That was a huge help. Also, our red-zone conversion percentage has been awesome compared to the first half of the season. It’s been 80 percent and 90 percent the last two weeks as opposed to abysmal the weeks before, so that’s also been a huge thing for us.” 

Shanahan led the Union with five goals and four assists, while Sam Kaminsky contributed seven scores, seven more hockey assists, and a team-high 64 completions in 65 throws. Dex Dremann also threw six scores and accumulated a game-high 663 total yards.

“It was a true team win,” said Andrew Sjogren, who added three goals and a block. “It felt like everyone played within their role and we had great success because of it. Our O-line treasured the disc. Allowing just three breaks on the road against an 8-1 division-leading team with a tough defense is a good day. Our D-line put on heavy pressure and pounced when given the opportunity.”

Another key was the Union’s end of quarter success, particular relative to the Week 10 game in Evanston. Whereas the Wind Chill won three of the four end of quarter scenarios in their eventual one-goal road win on June 28, the Union scored the final goal of all four quarters on Saturday in St. Paul. Jeff Weis caught a 65-yarder with three seconds left in the first, John Lithio pulled in an 85-yarder with no time left in the second, and Jake Steslicki snagged a shorter 20-yard buzzer-beater as the clock expired in the third. 

“I think the team has been feeling that things are coming together,” said Woods. “I think it was felt last week, but the results didn’t prove it. This week, the results proved it. We beat them. It’s more of an affirmation that we have the talent on paper. When things are clicking, we are a very formidable opponent in the division and hopefully across the league.”

The Wind Chill, who had already clinched the top seed in the Central Division prior to Saturday’s game, are not about to panic after their Week 11 loss. However, it does remind everyone that Minnesota is far from unbeatable at home. 

“We played poor,” said Wind Chill Coach Ben Feldman, matter-of-factly. “They played very well. That’s about it [...] We had about four first-throw turns after getting a block.”

Looking ahead, Chicago can virtually guarantee itself a first round home game with a win at Madison on Friday night, while Minnesota has another enticing playoff tune up in the form of a Super Series date against New York on Saturday. 

******

As for the Radicals, they found a way to keep pace with the Union in pursuit of the second seed in the Central, but a home victory over Pittsburgh did not come without considerable turbulence along the way. There were 13 ties and five lead changes on Saturday night at Breese Stevens Field, setting the stage for an exhilarating down-to-the-wire finish. 

The Thunderbirds converted their sixth break of the game with 34 seconds left, a casual Will Hoffenkamp scoober to John McMonigal, tying the score at 20-all. Earlier in the night, Pittsburgh had delivered buzzer-beaters to cap the first and third quarters, so there had to be some nervy thoughts on the Madison O-line as they received the pull with the game on the line.

But nine throws later, the Radicals had retaken the lead, with Jack Nelson bringing down Pat Shriwise’s floaty forehand just shy of the goal-line and quickly flipping the game-winner to Anthony Gutowsky with just seven seconds remaining. 

The Thunderbirds had one final chance for another dramatic buzzer-beater, but the potential game-tying disc was deflected and intercepted by Madison’s Sterling Knoche, who recorded his 100th career block and sent the hometown crowd into a victorious frenzy. 

“Certainly a wild game and finish,” said Knoche. “Just happy we came out on the good side this time…End of quarters have been plaguing us, but we do practice them—I swear—and something we discuss is not everyone has to be in the pack going for the disc. When [Tristan] Yarter’s throw began to tail away from me, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get to it on the initial jump, so I tried to position myself where I thought a tip or deflection might end up, which is a crapshoot. But since the throw was going to be short, I went around the back of the pack. Luckily, I guessed correctly, and when the tip came toward me it was a mixture of relief and excitement. As I caught it, hear the crowd roar, and then saw kids running onto the field, it turned solely to excitement. Although I’ve played in some big moments at Breese, each one is special I think the longer I play the more I appreciate it. Our fans are amazing and it is truly a privilege to play in front of them, game after game, year after year.” 

With the game-sealing D, Knoche became the 27th player in UFA history with at least 100 career blocks, a feat he’s achieved in just 67 games since making his Radicals debut in 2017. 

“In 2017, Sterling joined the team and replaced Jay Froude on our top D-line, which was no small task,” said Radicals Coach Tim DeByl. “Midway through that season, we started using him to shut down the other team’s best players. He’s the rare player that plays lockdown defense, but also knows how to generate blocks. He still holds the record for most blocks in a single playoff season, with 10 during our 2018 championship run. He always rises to the occasion when we need him.”

As for Pittsburgh, it was another woulda, coulda, shoulda day for the Thunderbirds, a game where they clearly showed they were good enough to be a playoff contender at their best. But unfortunately, at 4-6, they likely will be remembered for failing to bring their A-game against a pair of last-place opponents. Losses to Toronto on May 25 and Detroit on June 22, two teams who have not beaten anyone except for the Thunderbirds all season, will almost certainly be the biggest reasons why Pittsburgh falls short of the dance. 

“In my mind, the Pittsburgh that we can be and have shown against Minnesota away, Indianapolis at home, and intermittently in other games is the team that showed up for four quarters [in Madison],” said Thunderbirds veteran Anson Reppermund. “They played a good game, this game was not close because Madison isn’t good or didn’t play well. This game was close because the Birds, when we are one cohesive offensive and defensive unit, can challenge the teams that will be in the playoffs and Championship Weekend [...] Unfortunately, [after] the last weeks, we are no longer in control of our destiny.”

I think the only way Pittsburgh can make the playoffs involves a scenario where Detroit upsets Chicago in Week 13. In other words, the Birds are now playing for 2025, a reality they brought upon themselves after failing to bring the Thunder one too many times. 

******

There’s been no shortage of close games and thrilling finishes throughout the 2024 UFA season, but prior to Saturday afternoon, only one out of the first 114 contests had gone into overtime. That count doubled as the 7-2 Glory and the 2-7 Royal went back and forth without determining a victor through 48 minutes north of the border. 

Montreal mostly played from ahead, breaking Boston on the first two points of the second half to lead 10-8. Even after the Glory broke to tie the score at 16 with 5:17 left in regulation, it still felt like the Royal were in control before a slew of execution errors prevented them from pulling off the upset. 

Tobe Decraene had another great game, with five assists, four blocks, and 554 total yards, but the most memorable moment was when he had the disc in his hands just a few yards away from potentially throwing the game-winning goal. Jeff Babbitt pressured him on the mark, and the frisbee awkwardly bladed out of his hand for a painful red-zone turnover. 

“Until the last minute in the fourth quarter, we thought we had the game in our hands,” said Decraene, “and then two stupid throwing errors made us literally give the game to them.”

In overtime, Montreal held without a turn on its first two O-points, leading 20-19 and creating a break chance to go up by two. But another relatively unforced missed connection gave Boston another chance to convert the equalizer, with Simon Carapella scoring his sixth goal of the game to tie it again at 20-all. 

“There were definitely some clutch plays that ultimately helped us pull it out, but it felt like we just came together well and put in a super-focused 12 minutes of play,” said Carapella. “We had talked at halftime about picking up our energy and having guys want to be the one to make the big play that swings the game, and guys definitely took that to heart and helped us pull out the win.”

After another Montreal throwaway, Babbitt found Peter Boerth to put Boston in front 21-20 with 20 seconds left, the Glory’s first lead since the second quarter. The Royal still had time, but another throwaway—none of Montreal’s last four turns of the game were official Boston blocks—let the final seconds tick off the clock. 

Final score in overtime: Boston 21, Montreal 20. Another home heartbreaker for the Royal, eerily reminiscent of the team’s collapse against DC on June 22. 

On the flip-side, the Glory were proud of their ability to grind out a tough road win. 

“Our resilience and grit were on display, and a win is a win,” said Boston Captain Brendan McCann. “They can’t all be pretty, but we found a way.” 

To put it simply, the Glory were not concerned about style points.

“It’s obvious there’s the whole point-diff situation going on with us and DC if we both win out, but getting a grinder of a win where we had our backs against the wall on the road had the guys fired up in the postgame huddle,” said Carapella. “Felt good to get one of these sorts of games under our belts before the playoffs.”

Now at 8-2, the Glory are off in Week 12 before returning to Canada for back-to-back battles with Toronto and Montreal in Week 13. Boston could still finish first, second, or third in the East, depending on his things finish up. 

Coming up later today in “Seven On The Line,” the full story of how (third place in) the West was won, plus Carolina and Salt Lake re-find their top form at home, Austin officially punches its playoff ticket, and Houston beats Dallas for the fifth straight time.