Regionals, Day 2

We started off with a win over X-Rates before coming out flat and getting jumped on again by LOS. The O had a few mistakes, but it was the D that couldn't get the job done in this game coming up with 0 breaks in the game. We bounced back from that with another solid win over X-Rates and set off to watch the end of the 3rd place game. LOS took Ring to double game point before falling.

There was some confusion as to whether we'd play for 3rd, but we did, and we won, which resulted in a whole lot of controversy a couple of days later. Check out RSD for all you can read on that. As for the game itself, the D went out on a mission, changing up our strategy and playing a defense we hadn't played much all year in order to try to slow LOS down. Jeff George gets the credit for this one, because it worked and really seemed to confound the LOS deep game which had killed us earlier in the tournament. I should also mention that we were missing two D starters due to injury (Leon with a broken nose & Raph with a stress fracture in his tibia).

The O ground it out all game and played smart and consistent, eliminating the unforced errors that haunted them in our previous match-ups. In the end, we held out longer and took the 3rd bid 15-11.

I truly feel for LOS. As it turns out, they could have opted out of that game and gone to Nationals by default. Not sure I agree with the obscure forfeit rule, but it was there and they could've implemented it and gone. They must hate us for ending their season in heart breaking fashion yet again, but they're a great team and played their hearts out this weekend.

For the record, I think Regionals should be played like an Olympic bracket. You make it to the gold medal game, you earn at least silver, and the two semis losers fight it out for the bronze.