Ultimately, Santa Barbara was best

Johnny Thompson of Hang Time makes a diving catch during the mixed championship game against Donner Party of Lake Tahoe. Donner Party won the game, 17-8. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

It was the ultimate end to an Ultimate game.

Lisa Etchison, left, of Hang Time and Christine Johnson of Donner Party battle for possession of the disc. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

A crowd of more than 1,000 — mostly tournament players — witnessed what has become a veritable rivalry in the Ultimate world.

"Our games are always close," said Condors co-captain Taro Ramberg, 32, who has been playing Ultimate for 14 years. "Boston is our main competition."

DoG has won an unprecedented six consecutive Ultimate Players Association National Championships from 1994 to 1999, and the last two world championships.

(In Ultimate, players utilize the skills of a number of sports, such as soccer, basketball and football. A point is scored when a player catches the flying disc in the end zone. The first to 17 points wins. Games last 100 minutes.)

Utilizing a quick, run-and-gun offense, the Boston squad took an early 8-4 lead in the first 45 minutes.

"We were trying to establish a deep game, but it wasn't working for us," Ramberg said.

But a series of turnovers after halftime gave the Condors enough time to capitalize. A near-shoestring catch by Courtney Corey Stanford in the end zone tied the score at 9 with about 23 minutes left. The lead see-sawed until time expired with the score tied at 12. That forced an overtime, with the first team to score 14 points being declared the winner.

"We just kept giving them chances," said DoG co-caption William Rodriguez, 37, who has been playing Ultimate for 21 years. "Our big players made lazy passes. ... I think they played good, solid defense, but we beat ourselves. Not to take anything away from them."

After the Condors scored to make it 13-12, they turned up their defense. Steve Dugan knocked away an end zone pass. Then, following a DoG turnover, Dugan connected with a teammate in the end zone for a quick score ... and the world title.

But while the championship is the ultimate goal of any Ultimate team, winning isn't the spirit of the game.

"We play by the rules and win by the rules," said Scotty Conway, 26, whose team, Donner Party from Lake Tahoe, won the mixed championship by beating Hang Time, 17-8. "We're not going to sacrifice mutual respect for the W."

Donner Party exemplifies that attitude. After winning the title, players sat in the middle of the field, singing "Life of the Party," a song Conway wrote. Donned in tuberose lei and gold medals, they sang, laughed and hugged — turning the post-game photo session into a jam session, with Conway strumming his guitar.

"It really is a close family," said Bill Wright, president of the World Flying Disc Federation, which sanctioned the club championships that drew more than 2,300 players and 120 teams from 24 countries. "That's what happens when you share something a little more esoteric, out of the ordinary ... The spirit of play is carried through their lifestyle, not just on the field."

Following the men's open championship game, members of the Santa Barbara and Boston teams got into a group huddle. Each captain spoke to the teams, saying how proud they were of their team and how much they respected the other. The players exchanged hugs, handshakes and even e-mail addresses, gracious in victory and defeat.

"We respect (DoG) not only as players but as ambassadors of the sport because they play with the spirit of the game," Ramberg said.