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Phase II: Goaltimate Invitational Tournament
West Palm Beach, Florida
February 12-13th, 2000

Ground Zero escapes Condor's Rally 
for Phase II Championship.

By Allen Peterson

The people who sat down to see the new sport of Goaltimate were treated to a batch of classic games Sunday. In the Men’s Semi-Finals, Santa Barbara was smooth as silk and tromped a solid DoG team 3 games to 0. 

The young Bostonians were consummate sportsmen throughout the tourney and if this is what the future of Goaltimate looks like, the sport will definitely be in good hands. In the other Men’s action, San Diego overcame another young side of athletes from Vancouver. Evil Genius worked a give and go post-up game to great advantage over the shorter Ground Zero team and looked to be on their way to a possible upset before a flurry of quick give and go strikes handed the victory to GZ, 3 games to 1.

The Women’s finals looked like last year’s Men’s final, with tournament favorite San Diego hoping to emulate the San Diego victory of last year. The Arch Rivals came out strong, winning the first game but like their Saturday match, Boston responded with a win of their own in the second game. Game three found Boston marking hard and running harder, taking advantage of their speed and utilizing a clever set screen play at the goalposts to win the crucial third game, 5 – 4. San Diego put up a game fight in the fourth, but the Boston Rumble Strips prevailed to become the first Women’s Goaltimate Champs!

The Men’s finals were the most hotly contested and exciting series of the tourney. Throughout the weekend, San Diego had looked beatable, loosing several games in pool play while displaying some fraying of team cohesion in the process. Like any big family of brothers might, GZ fights itself as much as its opponents, as they try to cajole and nudge each other to a higher level of play. Santa Barbara by contrast seems to be a tightly knitted group, lead by their universally respected team Captain Steve Dugan. The Condors had not really been challenged all weekend and an upset seemed almost likely. 

However, Ground Zero quickly took control of the series, winning the first two games and breaking out to a 4 – 1 lead in the third game. The crowd was filled with partisans for the Condors, rebelliously hooting at all calls that went against SB. At this point on a Condor possession in front of the goal, an errant throw was hit in rapid succession by Mike Blackard of GZ, then bounced off Dugan, was swatted partially by GZ’s Jim Ingebritsen and then was gathered into the goal by SB’s James Stadarous. GZ, argued the call and as they did they lost focus and allowed within seconds a two-point goal by the Condors to tie the game. The Condors, after failing to convert fought off GZ match point attempt and scored to narrow the series 2 games to 1. Ground Zero looked tired and the Condors were reinvigorated with their close escape.

The fourth game was not nearly as close, as the Condors rode MO to a fourth game win tying the series and leaving GZ looking lost. After the break the Condors scored first and GZ was walking on defense for the first time in the match. It was at this point that San Diego scored four of the most amazing and improbable goals in the course of thirty seconds to turn what looked like certain defeat into their second Championship.

Mike Blackard, standing from way behind the two-point line, thirty plus yards from the goal started the rally with a beautiful hammer shot that barely beat Stadaroust, who tipped the shot into the hands of GZ’s Steve Ferguson. The Condors had been pushing out more and more, challenging every Ground Zero throw and thus leaving the goal open to longer shots. 

The two-pointer seemed to momentarily stun the Condors and in two quick throws Blackard again had the disc behind the two-point clear line, even farther away than the previous throw. Ferguson moved briefly away from the goal and then turned back as Blackard launched another rainbow. 

Stadaroust was in position to defend this time, but unfortunately tripped as he was backpedaling, victim of leg cramps that left him screaming at the goalmouth. The damage was done. Ground Zero had gone from one goal down to three goals up in the course of four throws and soon Ingebritsen delivered the coup de grace scoring an easy goal and ending Santa Barbara’s brilliant rally.