1st – United Rollerchairball Club – $1000
2nd – Buddy Savage – $250
3rd – IDK Sisterhood – $100
4th – Team USA – $80
5th – Team Amanda Bynes – $50
6th – Princeton English – $20

High School Division (U-19)

1st – Princeton English – $100
2nd – Mean Greene – $60
3rd – Kwok Kwok Noon – $40

The tourney will kick off the 2008 NLR Summer Series.

More details on this tourney and the 2008 Summer Series, including prize money, will be announced soon.

What: RCB Tourney
Where: Newark, OH
When: May 17, 2008 1 PM (tentative)
Prizes: TBA

Becky Tatz and Stout were strong on offense, never yielding a turnover that led to a score for Light, Heavy Expert. LHE did force one turnover, but WWTV quickly regained possession. Despite recovering an onside kick late in the game, LHE committed too many mistakes late to remain within striking distance.

The game was close throughout the first half and into the start of the second, but WWTV’s defense started to produce turnovers via intense pressure as the game hit the late stages. They turned the extra possessions into points and parlayed that momentum into the tourney victory.

Many in the league speculate that Red Star Wheels and Chairs mogul Mike Barone was behind the outage. In typical Barone fashion, evidence of his tampering was not immediately evident.

Division A action will be made up during weekly-match time on Tuesday, January 8th, 2008.

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What: 2007 National League of Rollerchairball Saint Nicholas Classic
When: December 29, 2007 1pm (Registration at 12pm)
Where: Worthington, OH

Divisions of Play
Division A (Open to all players)
High School Division (Open to all players in high school or younger)
Mixed Doubles (Open to all players; teams must have one male, one female)

In addition to these divisions, an all-female bracket and a 3v3 bracket will be played if demand and time warrant them.

Please note that entrance into each event costs $10 per person ($20 per team unless it’s 3v3). Cash will be awarded to the top teams in each division. The more people who play in each division, the greater the prizes and the number of teams who earn money, so spread the word and get as many people to play as possible. New players are welcome.

Check rollerchairball.org often for any possible alterations to these details. Happy holidays and we hope to see everyone on the 29th.

Though full details for the event have yet to find permanency, the tourney tentatively begins at 1pm and will feature play in at least three divisions (Division A, High School, Mixed Doubles). Highly likely is an all-female division as well. The tournament is open to all rollerchairball players. Entrance into each division will require a fee, but the cash will go toward the event and prizes for top teams.

Details about entry fees, times, divisions, and any other pertinent information will soon find release on rollerchairball.org. Keep your eyes on the site and we hope to see everyone on the 29th.

(In response to many players who cannot be in the area due to the proximity to holidays, the NLR will hold another tournament honoring the new year sometime in January.)

Discuss this article here.

In the High School Division, Greene piloted Luscious Jelly and Jam to a second-place finish with Craig Eckert. She and Andrew Wood ended up third in the Mixed Doubles tourney, losing by one score to both first-place Frog Prince and second-place Steve. In Division A, Greene and Mackenzie Eckert produced the NLR’s biggest upset ever by defeating the second-ranked Andrew Wood Project on their way to a third-place conclusion.

Greene displayed adept aggressiveness, as she powered past male defender after male defender. Her games sent a buzz around the courts, as she played mistake-free and really left defenses little in terms of remedy for her wrecking-ball runs.

With their upset and third-place trophy from the Division A tourney, Greene and Eckert both moved into the Top 5 in the NLR standings.

In the Winners Bracket Semifinals, The Italians got their first shot at the number-one-ranked squad. United RC jumped out to early leads of 5-0 and 7-2.5. At the half, the champions seemed comfortable. Perhaps that comfort led to complacency, as The Italians played efficient offense and managed a turnover against Brandon Lock. They converted the turnover into points, pulling to within one score. United RC stymied all thoughts of a comeback, however, and managed to close out the game with scores on their final three possessions, winning 20-15.

United RC figured the win set them up with a date with Kevin Shaw and Andrew Wood, aka The Andrew Wood Project, in the Winners Finals. That match would never happen, though, as Cinco de Marco, the all-woman team of Taylor Greene and Mackenzie Eckert, stunned AWP in the Winners Semifinals.

Though Greene and Eckert played well in the Winners Finals, they were unable to compete with United RC. Stout and Lock cruised to a relatively easy 20-10 victory, though both players noted the improvement of Cinco de Marco. URC then got to sit back and watch as The Italians, The Andrew Wood Project, and Cinco de Marco tore each other to shreds in the Losers Bracket.

Perhaps the match of the tournament occurred in the Losers Semifinals, as The Italians and The Andrew Wood Project tussled. AWP seemed stunned by their loss to Cinco de Marco and began the match flat. The Italians came out of the gate hard, dominating the first half to the tune of 10-5. The start of the second half featured similar results, as The Italians pushed their lead to 17.5-12.5. AWP could not seem to find a solution to the flowing offense of The Italians. Wood and Shaw scored to make it a one-possession game, but more importantly they caught a break as JR Brewer was called for his third cheeking on the play. The result was a power play for AWP, who easily scored on the 2v1 to tie the game. Still, The Italians just needed a score to win. The momentum, however, was clearly with AWP. The 2v1 had enervated their defense and on game point they pinned The Italians deep in their own territory on the kickoff. First down made matters worse for The Italians, as they were downed just outside their own end zone. Hoping just to avoid the safety, Brewer and Ford moved the ball out on a quick move, trading the down for space. That play left them in a make or break situation, though, and the AWP defense seemed to finally be in place. Fate would not allow the second-rated team to prevail, however, as Wood slipped out of his chair as he hustled to put pressure on The Italians in the backfield. With a de facto 2v1 in place, The Italians easily scored to win 20-17.5.

The Italians then met Cinco de Marco in the Losers Finals. Both teams had only lost to United RC, so both felt confident. Cinco de Marco dashed to a quick lead off the opening play, as Taylor Greene showed savvy trickery, not leaning over to pick up the ball, but instead kicking it forward. Both players for The Italians were reaching for the ball and as it was poked behind them they had no chance to stop Greene, who walked in the score. The crowd roared, as the ladies took an early step to becoming the first all-female team in a Championship Finals Match. Cinco de Marco held the stagger for most of the first half, before making one mistake that allowed The Italians to seize the lead. Though the teams were largely even in the first half, the mistake put the gentlemen up 10-7.5. Cinco de Marco pressed in the second half to make up the stagger, but The Italians played vigilantly and mistake-free. In the end, the boys were just a bit too much for Cinco de Marco, winning 20-15. Despite the loss, the ladies achieved their highest finish ever and showed they are definitely a force in the league.

The Italians then got another shot at United RC. Before the match, someone asked Kyle Stout how long was left before exhibition 3v3 matches would occur. He responded that only one more match needed to be played. Before the sentence could emerge from his mouth, Michael Ford chimed in, saying, “Two more games. Since we’ll have to beat them twice.” Since the tourney was double-elimination, Ford had predicted not only the first ever loss for United RC, but also the second. Whether United RC had waited to unleash the horses for the Finals or the comment irked Stout and Lock, Ford probably wished he had kept his mouth shut.

The Championship Finals were the most-lopsided in NLR history. United RC played tenaciously, pouncing on The Italians on every snap. At halftime, the champions led 10-0. The beat down would get no better for The Italians, as Stout applied hellish pressure during the second half, pinning both players deep in their zone at every opportunity. Ford and Brewer panicked, allowing Lock to make an interception. On the next possession, Stout kept both opponents stuck within their own end zone, at which point Lock swooped in for the game-winning safety. The Italians left the field dejected and embarrassed. The 23.5-0 win gave United RC the Division A title, their Summer Series win in as many events.

Though teams showed some promise against the dynasty, Lock and Stout showed everyone they have a long way to go. 23.5-0 does not happen every day in a Championship Match.

Greene and Eckert played the game of their lives, while AWP seemed lackluster and out of sorts. Cinco de Marco grabbed the opening play and controlled the match early. The crowd showed great appreciation as Taylor Greene and Mackenzie Eckert led at halftime, but waited for AWP to wake up and take back the game. Eckert and Greene would not allow it, however, as they played attacking, yet smart, offense and managed two stops on the high-powered duo of Andrew Wood and Kevin Shaw.

With the score at 17.5-15, the crowd sensed a huge upset. Cinco de Marco needed just one score to advance to the Winners Finals. Greene and Eckert played cautiously, hoping to avoid a turnover. Their safe mindset paid off, as they pushed the ball across the end line, winning 20-15. Those watching all burst into applause, noting the great feat just achieved.

Though Cinco de Marco then lost to United RC and later The Italians, they finished a career-high third and announced their arrival into the upper echelon of rollerchairball.