Easterns 2006 champs
small photo set from the semis and finals

In the semis, DoG took out a game Subzero team (that was missing several starters - e.g., Murray, Paco, Goldstein, Rupp) and Metal maintained a couple goal lead on the UK’s Clapham and finally closed them out to bring about a rematch of last fall’s regional finals between the 2 Boston / Cambridge area teams.
Actually, the dingy gray weather was reminiscent of many October weekends at the Devens fields, but the rain stayed away. Metal appeared to have a full or very-nearly full roster, including the new faces from Pike. DoG had 12 or so returners and about 10 tryouts; the only absent and healthy veterans were Doug Moore, Josh McCarthy, and Matt Hims (and Fortunat for Saturday).
1st half:
Metal, abetted by new mates from Clapham, were raucous at the onset, and opened up the scoring on a huck to Jeff Graham. A midrange shot from Forch to recently repatriated New Englander Mike Zalisk evened things up. The game’s first turnover was committed by Metal under heavy pressure, Colin Mahoney ripped down a high floater in transition, and, after a time-out, converted the break to Zip (go figure) at the front cone.
Metal knotted things 2-2 after a long gainer to Danny Clark over fast-closing DoG tryout John Korber. Metal then had a chance to get back on serve after a DoG turn near their own goal, but TM got pushed back some before Zalisk got a sensational layout D reaching around the wrong side of his man, and DeFrondeville ended up hitting Mueller with a 30 yard hammer at a high stall for the tally. DoG next came down in a zone, got a D from Zip, gave it away, got it back and scored to go up 2 breaks.
After another quick turnover, Metal’s Micah Flynn laid out off the mark to get a block on a throw by Ariel Santos, and Metal eventually put it in. After a DoG score credited to a long toss from Ben Friedenson to Jim Parinella, and Graham score for Metal, the score was 5-4 DoG. Next came the 1st of several looong throws from DoG tryout Paul Vandenberg, this one a backhand about 75 yards to fellow Brown alum and familiar target Zip, who flipped it to Parinella for the short score. The play of the game for Metal followed, with Ryan Todd going full extension for a score on a throw tailing away from him, reminiscent of the ultivillage highlight clip he had for Pike last year. Even better for fans of the black and red, the next DoG possession saw Metal’s Stout getting a layout catch D, then catching the goal to tie things up.
The Count showed he, too, had warning track power in connecting with Parinella for a 60 yard gain; Jim threw the very short one to Zip for the assist and a more nicely-balanced personal stat sheet. After Metal went efficiently through a DoG zone to score (7-7), Ziperstein took DoG to half by going WAY up over both Forch and Stout to rip down a hooking blade Al threw from just outside the front cone. 8-7 DoG, receiving to start the 2nd.
2nd half:
In some way that involved my pen’s ink running out, DoG scored (very quickly thru a zone?) to open the 2nd half , then took the game to 10-7 when, after Paul Batten got the disc back for Metal via a handblock on C. Mahoney, Zip took away a deep shot, and DoG ended up scoring from Korber to Mahoney. DoG then really took the game by the scruff of the neck after a Josh Cohen layout D on an in-cut, followed by a beautiful break-mark goal from Mueller to Dylan Boyd.
Metal calmed things a bit with a solid possession to bring it to 8-11, before an easy bomb from Paul V. to Fortunat made it 12-8 in a game to 15. After a miscommunication led to an easy D for Neale Mahoney, crossed signals between thrower and receiver from only about 8 yards out for DoG allowed Metal to cut it to 9-12, beginning a mini-run.
Parinella, apparently playing handler, then turned over an iffy hammer to the middle of the endzone, Stout caught a long gainer, then scored with a hammer to fellow big man Keegan Uhl, 10-12. As DoG awaited the pull, I asked DoG’s Coach Wicks if Paul V.’s big backhands to this point precluded teams from forcing that way; he responded by saying that he wasn’t sure if it was safe to force flick either, so … the next big throw was indeed a long flick from the young handler, but this one hung up some, and Metal’s Stout made a nice defensive play positioning to keep intended target Zip from really having a play. A couple throws later, Stout (again!) lays out to catch a 60 yarder for a goal to further dig in to DoG’s lead, until things return up-field after a travel call on the throw. Metal then turned the next short pass over immediately and DoG quickly scored what had to be a disheartening goal, 13-10.
Paul Batten caught a 30 yarder at a high count to close the gap to 11-13, before Jimmy P hit Forch with a 35 yard flick. On the last chance for Metal’s offense, Colin gave great deep help to D a huck to Graham, eventually leading to Zip to Fortunat to close the door and earn Death or Glory their 2nd Easterns in a row, 15-11.
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From DoG’s point of view, they had to be pretty happy, especially getting the win while trying to keep working a lot of new players into the rotations. Zip looked more comfortable than he ever did last year, and the offense in general was clicking well (4 turns, 2 breaks allowed) often scoring very quickly. Forch seemed to have to carry less of the load, and Al and Jim didn’t need walkers. The defense was able to keep up pressure, reflecting at least in part the conditioning focus so far.
As for Metal, they’re still building, they’ve added talent, and they seem increasingly less likely to be plagued by inconsistent performances from game to game. Also, if opponents don’t know to account for Brian Stout yet, they probably will soon.
Some rough stats:
DoG
Zip: 2 goals thrown, 4 caught, 2 Ds
Forch: 2 goals thrown, 4 caught
Jim P: 2 goals thrown, 3 caught
Al Df: 3 goals thrown
Paul V: 3 goals thrown
Metal
Stout: 1 goal thrown, 1 caught, 2 Ds
Graham: 1 goal thrown, 2 caught
Todd: 3 goals caught
Batten: 1 goal caught, 2 Ds (both handblocks)

