Horsecows Survive Elements, Hubris at Sectionals

“Seppuku. We would’ve committed seppuku,” were the words of senior Adam Marvel after the Oberlin Flying Horsecows pulled out a way-too-close 9-7 victory over Case Western Reserve University this past Sunday in Oxford, Ohio at East Plains Sectionals. The ’Cows went 5-2 for the weekend, and conceded their final game against Ohio University — postponed due to lightning with OU up 6-3 — to take third place in the section, good for the ninth seed this weekend at Great Lakes Regionals in Columbus, Ohio.
Saturday started with the Horsecows seeded third in the tournament — behind last year’s nationals qualifier, Ohio State, and perennial doormat Case Western, who had posted an impressive record in the spring this year — and were thus paired in the day’s final game against fourth-seeded OU. Always a tough, spirited game, this installment of Oberlin-OU was to prove no different. The teams met after playing only two other games each, as the University of Cincinnati — the fifth seed in the pool — was a no-show. Both Oberlin and OU had breezed through games against Berea and Bowling Green State University, and were loose and excited to play each other for the top seed in the pool.
The game started tight and stayed tight, but Oberlin allowed OU to get a key break early in the contest and went into half down 7-6. Rather than coming out of half pumped up, the ’Cows came out flat, turning the disc over on mental errors and allowing three straight scores. After trading scores to make it 11-7, Oberlin realized that they’d better get their shit together quick. The ’Cows scored two straight before OU got in the end zone again to make it 12-9, and game point. Oberlin was able to put another across and even force a turn on the next possession, but ultimately fell 13-10.
Sunday’s play occurred in some of the most bizarre and atrocious weather the Horsecows have ever encountered on a frisbee field. With pools of standing water already on the fields Saturday and rain through much of the night, the ’Cows knew it was going to be wet. When there were torrential downpours the whole of the 40-minute drive to the fields, they knew it was going to be really wet. And when the rain didn’t stop but in fact grew in strength through the beginning of play, well, you get the point.
The Horsecows’ first game Sunday was against Denison University, and after one Oberlin score, play was suspended onnacounta lightning. All of the tournament’s teams gathered at a Miami University gym to dry out and warm up (temperatures were in the 40s at this point) while the tournament coordinators scrambled for field space on quads, rec fields and any other green space across campus. After nearly an hour indoors, play was set to resume and Oberlin headed out to a quad surrounded, according to the Miami tournament representative, by all-women’s dorms. With the rain unrelenting and Denison not yet at the field, the Horsecows sought refuge on the porch of a nearby dorm, and after several minutes in the cold were let in by some friendly co-eds.
After about half an hour mulling their options, Denison decided to forfeit the quarterfinal match to Oberlin so as to be fresh for their contest against Ohio Northern University for the last spot at regionals. They lost anyways. Ouch. The Horsecows took advantage of the downtime by finding a dryer in the basement of the dorm and getting their clothes from cold and sopping to warm and damp.
The next match would prove Oberlin’s toughest of the season, as they squared off against OSU. With a small field, little grass and plummeting temperatures, the game promised lots of slop and lots of turnovers. It didn’t disappoint. Oberlin began on defense and threw a tenacious zone on Leadbelly, forcing several turnovers deep in OSU’s half of the field. The Horsecows could not convert on any of their goal-line chances, however, and OSU took the first score. Oberlin, despite several turnovers, was able to convert on the next possession to even it up at one. The following two possessions again saw the ’Cows forcing several turnovers deep in OSU territory, and again squandering their chances, and OSU led 3-1. From that point on, the Horsecows weren’t really in the game, and fell 13-4.
After their semifinal loss, the Horsecows went into the backdoor bracket to determine seeding in the section, with their first game at yet another field, against tournament hosts Miami University (Ohio). In a messy game that Oberlin had several chances to put away early, the Horsecows took half 6-5 in a game to 11, just as the time cap was going on. Oberlin easily put in two scores for an 8-6 victory, and moved on to their match against Case.
“Don’t talk to me about that game,” junior Mike Degnan said. “If I close my eyes, I can still see the horror.” Indeed, the Case game was another one the Horsecows had several chances to finish, and one where sloppiness almost turned the result sour. An admittedly much-improved Case team came out hard and hucking to take an early lead, but turned the disc over a few too many times, and Oberlin was able to take half, 6-4. After scoring the first out of half to lead 7-4 in a game to 11, the Horsecows seemingly had the game wrapped up. Not quite. Case, relying on a veteran core and the talents of an athletic and experienced freshman, scored three straight to tie it up at seven as the time cap went on. Luckily, Oberlin at this point decided to get their heads out of their asses, converting the next two scores — though not without a little too much drama and a few too many turnovers — for a 9-7 victory.
The win put the ’Cows in a match against OU, who had lost in the finals to OSU, for the second seed out of the section. The boys from Divine Hammer came out hard and put up a 2-0 lead on Oberlin before the ’Cows woke up, and were leading 6-3 in a game to 13 when the lightning called the game off. After initially agreeing to make up the rest of the game this past Wednesday in Columbus, Oberlin’s captains decided that one extra practice would be worth more than whatever advantage a slightly higher seed at regionals would make, and conceded the spot to OU.

-Jacob Kramer-Duffield is a member of the ultimate frisbee team.
April 26
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