It was a big weekend for Holy Cross's Purple Heys as they tested their abilities against some the area's best Ultimate Frisbee teams at Sunday's Lemony Fresh tournament. Fighting off sleep and braving the fog, the Heys departed from Hogan at 6:30 a.m. for Warwick, Rhode Island, and a full day of hard play at their second full-team competition this 2005 season.
The Purple Heys faced the talented and well-organized number-one seed of Bowdoin A in their first game of the day. Playing with precision, the Heys' opponents were able to control most of the game as Holy Cross struggled to find their offensive and defensive flow. They fell to Bowdoin A 11-3, but true to the spirit of the game, the two teams mingled afterwards for shared cheers and fun.
The Heys showed marked signs of improvement in their next game against Connecticut College. Despite falling into an early hole, the team regrouped at halftime, splitting into two distinct offensive and defensive lines. Solid play from both squads helped the Heys regain some lost ground, but even this second half surge was not enough to save them from falling to Connecticut, 11-5.
After some downtime, the Heys faced their next opponent, Bowdoin B. Here, the new offense and defense finally coalesced, garnering the team an early lead.
Clutch grabs and serious air from freshman Zach "Mugs" Donahue and senior Craig "Scrappy" Lowell helped the Heys maintain their lead. Even a male opponent wearing a dress was not enough to stop the juggernaut that was Holy Cross Ultimate; they handily beat Bowdoin B, 8-6.
The fourth and final game of the day was huge for the Purple Heys. Playing against the intensity, discipline, and Marxist inclinations of Hampshire's Red Scare, the Heys' skills, both individual and collective, were tested.
The first half score was tight as the teams matched each other practically point for point. The Heys' offensive line, led by senior captains Dan "Gopher" Portnoy and Jack "Handy" Hanlon, showed off their precision and proficiency by scoring quickly virtually every time they were in.
With coaching, encouragement, and solid play from sophomores Corey "LoCal" Evans and Kevin "Big Bird" McCarthy, the D-line both frustrated the Red Scare's offense and contributed some solid points.
Near the end of the game, Holy Cross began to pull ahead, but the game was tense until the end. Heads up plays, especially from Katie "K-Zone" Irwin '09 helped the Heys earn an 11-9 win.
Gathering together after the game, the team was exhausted and sore but excited about their showing at the tournament.
As Coach Gopher pointed out, "We experimented with a new way of organizing our offense and defense, which went very well in our last two games. I saw significant improvements from almost everyone on the team individually, as well as a better performance from the team as a whole. I was extremely happy at the end of the day."
On a sadder note, Lemony Fresh marks the last tournament of the year for junior Jack "Pikachu" Donahue, who will be traveling abroad to China next semester. The Purple Heys will sorely miss their Pikachu, whose mere presence and genuine enthusiasm for the game and the team was always enough to offset any negativity.
Says Coach Gopher: "I want to thank Pikachu for his huge contributions to the team on and off the field; HC Ultimate will miss him dearly."
The Purple Heys' final competition for the fall 2005 co-ed season is this Saturday at Hampshire College. Look for another strong showing from this young, talented, and improving squad.
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