Horsecows Take Second in East Plains Sectionals
BY JACOB KRAMER-DUFFIELD

When the action ended and the dust settled after the first day’s play at East Plains College Sectionals on Saturday, April 21, the Oberlin Flying Horsecows were left with an unfamiliar taste in their collective mouth — victory. For the first time this spring, the Horsecows headed into Sunday’s play on the heels of a victory –– four straight victories, in fact, en route to securing the first seed in their pool for the second day. They would keep that winning streak up on Sunday for two more games to reach the finals, and though the ’Cows were unable to pull out first place, they did finish with a victory in the 2-3 game to take second in the section. 

On Saturday, with an expected 12-team field, the men’s division was divided into two pools of six, to be played out in five games to 11 with no byes. However, when Wittenberg University was a no-show, the ’Cows found themselves with four games to 11 and a last-round bye. The day’s first game pitted the boys from Oberlin against their comrades in civil disobedience, Kent State University. 
OC came out fast and didn’t quit, with Kent going down silently, or at least with a sound approximating silence, 11-2. The game was a good warm-up for the ’Cows, as well as the first of several opportunities for less-experienced players to get serious playing time. The rain that had followed the Horsecows to the fields had also mostly subsided by the end of the Kent game.

While Kent did prove a good opportunity for the ’Cows to loosen their muscles, it did not prepare them for the level of ultimate that would be necessary against their next opponent, Miami University of Ohio. Perhaps overconfident from the previous blowout, Oberlin came out of the gates slowly against Miami, falling behind 3-0 before they began to pull their act together. Miami was not going to go quietly into the night, however, and led 5-3, threatening to take half in the short game. Oberlin found their groove somewhere around that point, and ran off three straight to take the half at 6-5. Miami nipped at Oberlin’s heels for the second half, tying the game at nine before Oberlin rolled off two straight for the win. The game featured strong play from many, especially first-year Bryan Wolliner, who always seemed to be in the right place in bringing down several scores and key defensive stops.

Next up for Oberlin was traditional punching bag Case Western Reserve University. The game against Case –– who the ’Cows had beaten 15-0 at 2000 College Regionals and the B-team had taken 13-6 two weeks previously at the Great Lakes Invitational –– provided veterans with an opportunity to rest and inexperienced players a chance to shine. The game ended with Oberlin on top, 10-5, and in fine form to play the day’s last game against tournament first seed and intrastate rival Dayton University. 

Perhaps presaging the Horsecows’ sunny fortunes, the final points of the game against Case had seen the reappearance of Oberlin’s old nemesis, the sun. And so it was under mild skies and with excitement in the air that the game began. Oberlin received, and worked it for a quick downwind score; Dayton responded in kind. Oberlin followed with another downwinder, and then forced a Ghetto Force turnover and converted the upwind point to take a 3-1 lead. 

Dayton was not about to go away with comment, however; they stormed back to take another upwinder and follow with a defensive stop of their own, which they converted to take the game to a tie at three. The teams traded points, and Oberlin pulled in the tie-breaking score and another to take half at 6-4. The ’Cows continued to roll after half, forcing a turnover and converting the opportunity to take a 7-4 lead. After forcing yet another turnover, the Horsecows worked the disc up to Dayton’s endzone line and seemed poised to blow the game wide open; but it was not to be, not yet. Rather than an 8-4 lead, Oberlin found themselves up 7-5, and then 7-6. The ’Cows marched right back and spread the lead again, this time to 9-7. After a Dayton score, the time cap went on and it was Oberlin nine, Dayton eight in a game straight to 11. You know the expression, “Things have to get worse before they get better.”? It kind of applies here. With Oberlin receiving the disc and just two points from victory, Dayton ran off three straight points to take their first lead of the game, 10-9, and get within one point of victory. It was here that Oberlin truly showed how much they have improved as a team, as for the first time this year the ’Cows were down late and yet able to pull out a victory. After a big downwind score to even the count, Oberlin pulled and forced several turnovers with intense defensive effort, eventually punching in the score for the victory, 11-10.

Sunday started like Saturday had, with slightly miserable weather; gray skies overhead and small drops of water falling from the heavens. Oberlin, having secured the first seed in their pool, received an easy first-round opponent, Ohio Northern University. The ’Cows were able to get a good warm-up game on, with rotation deep into the roster, and pulled out an easy 13-1 victory. After finishing their game, the Horsecows went to the next field over to watch the match between Ohio University –– who had taken second in the other pool –– and Dayton, who had slipped and fallen 11-3 to Miami University on Saturday, and taken third in the pool after starting off with the tournament’s first seed. OU had started the game off fast and kept on through, beating Dayton by several points. 

And so, as ever, Oberlin College’s Flying Horsecows prepared to play the Ohio University Divine Hammer at East Plains Sectionals. It was to be, of course, a great game –– they always are –– and, as nearly always happens, Oberlin was to come out on top. The outcome was not always certain in this semifinal matchup, however. After trading three points, OU made a key defensive stop to get out in front on an up-winder, and converted another defensive stop downwind to take a 5-3 lead. The rain that had stopped in the ONU game came back with a vengeance during the OU game, and both teams threw zone defenses with abandon. Oberlin and OU traded points into half, with OU receiving the pull out of half. They converted the score to take a 9-6 lead, and during the next point the time cap went on (in a game to 15, it went on at the same time as it had in a game to 11), with Oberlin scoring to pull within 9-7, game hard to 11. 

Many sports seasons hinge on single turning points, a time when a team turns forever from one direction toward a more positive one; this was, well, sort of one for Oberlin. The Horsecows, in an awe-inspiring show of defensive force and offensive patience, scored three straight points off of OU turnovers to take a 10-9 lead. Pulling upwind, the ’Cows were unable to seal the game off, as OU scored again to even the game at 10: game point for either team. But the outcome was never in doubt. Marching down the field methodically, Oberlin calmly placed the disc in the end zone for the victory and a berth in the finals.

The finals were, well, let’s hope they were an aberration. Oberlin’s opponents, Ohio State, were well rested after two easy contests against Case Western and Denison University, and Leadbelly came in pumped up. Something kind of embarrassing happened next: OSU took half, 8-0. Oberlin aired it out more in the second half, scoring on three hucks, but fell 15-3 nonetheless. Ouch. Basically, the Horsecows got their asses handed to them, pure and simple, in a way that had never happened before against a sectional opponent. But let’s not concentrate on the low points, eh?
After a bye, Oberlin rebounded in the next game, a rematch with a very tired OU team who, somehow, took half 7-6. “Enough of this tomfoolery,” the Horsecows said, and proceeded to go on a 7-1 run to take the game and second place in the tournament over the hosts.
For their efforts, the Horsecows secured a high seed at Regionals, which take place this weekend in Columbus. The top two teams will go to Nationals, which the Horsecows have previously in 1992, 1995, 1997 and 1999; every year since 1995, they have reached at least the “game-to-go.” The Horsecows have always peaked at Regionals, so it’s not like there’s pressure, exactly, but let’s just say expectations are high.

Jacob Kramer-Duffield is a member of the ultimate frisbee team.

 

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