Who are the best players in the South Central region? This is an open thread to discuss All-Region nominations, All-Freshman nominations, coaching awards, and more. Stay positive and keep it civil.
OC aside, South central is loaded with talent. You have Ray Mauntel and Jared McKay from S&T. Ray is your hybrid cutter who is always making plays on the disc in the air or on the ground. Jared dislocated his right shoulder during sections and during regionals played lefty as a handler, absolutely wild to see someone so comfortable throwing lefty hucks (flick or backhand) when they are right handed.
JBU also has some dogs Joel Stennet and Ryan Smith. Joel is cutter and someone you do not want to meet in the air, Joel is very comfortable coming back to handle when needed as well. Ryan is an explosive D line handler with big throws and huge layouts, you better run through the disc when being guarded him.
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Due to the wierd tournament format, I was only able to play against S&T, OC and Sul Ross, but here are some of my thoughts on each team.
S&T: Jared Mckay is an animal. I’ve played against him a lot in my 5 years, and he is terrific, both with his spirit, but also his skill and athleticism. Playing with one arm during regionals and he still managed to look like the best player on the field. Also, Ryan is a smooth handler who makes the right throws no matter what defense is thrown in front of him. And I never learned his name, but their tallest player was pretty good too. He was uber athletic, but he also showed his skills in the underneath game too, as he was an integral part of making continuation cuts and working it up against different zones.
OC: I mean, their depth is incredible. It’s hard to point out individuals just because they have so many talented players who step up in different moments. Sammy Roberts stands out, you know whenever his D-line forces a turn, you have to mark him straight up or else he’s going to unleash a huck that is only catchable by his cutter. Emmanuel Kameri was also great this weekend, skying us on multiple occasions where a huck was floated too much. And Elliot moore was a good leader on their O-Line, patiently breaking thru the multiple zones and defenses we tried to throw at them to slow him down. I think you could also see how important Jonathan Costello was. He didn’t necessarily make any big plays against us on Sunday, but he made the plays he needed to, and you always had to account for where he was because you knew if you made a mistake, he would make you pay.
Sul Ross: Unfortunately, I don’t remember many of their names, but kudos to them for playing with only 11 guys, especially in the altitude. They also completed a high percentage of unorthodox throws against our zones that I kept thinking would sail out of bounds, but almost always stayed in.
JBU: Ryan Smith was the best player on our team. All year long, he was the guy we counted on to make the right decisions, and get us the frisbee in tight situations. Whether he was hucking downfield, or contorting his body to break his mark in ridiculous fashion, or getting a chest high layout d, he was the engine that made our team go. Jake Wakefield is the most athletic player I have ever played with or against. You put the disc up and expect him to catch it 100% of the time. He broke his hand in the Sul Ross game which hurt us on Sunday, but he has a really strong future next year as a senior. Caleb Schwing is so fast, and at Sectionals scored nearly half of all our goals on the weekend. He’s only a sophomore and this was his first true postseason experience, but he was a top 2 goal scorer on the season for us. Lastly, I’ll nominate Andy Graham for All-Freshman. From day 1 of this semester, he has been an O-Line handler. He finished the year with the most points played, and had the highest passing percentage of anyone on our team. He didn’t make splashly plays, but he was the guy who had 6 bids a game to save posession, and made the right decisions to keep the disc in our team’s hands. He has a bright future ahead of him.
Also, a shoutout to our women’s team (Ironskies) who combined with us this semester because of low numbers. I was continually amazed at how easily they got open against their male matchups. Kassy Shelby and Emma Erickson were important pieces of our zone defenses, and always were wide open for continuation cuts on offense. It sucked they didn’t get to compete in the women’s division this season, because the women definitely have the skill to lead a national levels team.
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Wanna ditto the weird format, only got to play CC, OCU, and Rice (x2). Also wanna ditto that the SC is LOADED with talent. I’ve been coaching SC for 4.5 years now and this was the most stacked I’ve ever seen the region. Literally any of these 7 teams could have gone to national and held their own in my opinion. Really wish we would have gotten to play S&T, Sul Ross, and JBU … ya’ll looked great based on what I saw.
OKC- Obviously Elliot Moore will get his (well-deserved) roses. But Emmanuel Kameri had a hell of a weekend. Fantastic offensive and defensive positioning all weekend. It’s a pleasure to watch his game develop. He played great at fall regionals 2021, now he’s playing even better.
CC- Where to even begin with this team. Josh Felton undoubtedly deserves All-Region, and should be in the conversation for First Team All American. Textbook defense and always making the right play when CC has the disc. For a guy who gets the disc as much as he does. I didn’t see him turn it over once at conferences or regionals. Also, he is a player who just seems to thrive at high stall counts. Every time CC has the disc, and the stall count is getting high, he just makes that perfect silky cut to give his handlers an easy downfield throw. Wildly frustrating to play against, but fun to watch. Saw it over and over again in the very close finals match against S&T. Also Lincoln Grench and Parker Rehmus get my nod. Fast, heady, spirited. Great representatives for the sport and the SC conference. The CC Coaching staff also had their squad ready to play this year. Jimmy D and Company have done a hell of a job and deserve to be in the conversation for coaching awards.
Rice- Such a fun team to play against. I wish I had written down your players names for this discussion. If someone from Rice hops in this discussion, who was your baller who played in the black hoodie both days? Dude was crazy fast and made some of the gutsiest throws I’ve seen all weekend. His ability to find space with his legs and then throw people open was hella impressive.
Colorado School of Mines - I feel like I’ve been saying this for years, but Parker Damon is a top d3 handler in the country. By the 3rd or 4th O point in a game, opposing defenses are already scheming ways to limit him. His throws have always been silky, but this year he took a huge step forward… not only making plays with his throws, but also making plays with his legs. I’m not a “stats” coach, but I’m pretty sure he lead our team in assists AND goals on Sunday at regionals. Also, wanna give Tommy Braswell the All Freshman nod. This was his first year playing and he dominated the air for us all season long. I know Mines doesn’t get a lot of recognition on the national level, but hopefully anyone we played against can echo these sentiments for Parker and Tommy.
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SC Regionals was littered with talent from all teams but here are the standouts to me.
OC: Elliott Moore (no need to explain)
Samuel Roberts is the engine that runs their D line offense and his hucks are borderline unstoppable. Apparently he is only 18 and a freshman, he gets my ROTY Nom
Evan card was not on my radar until this tournament, he crossed over to play O line in Jonathan Costellos absence and played very well, Sunday he went back to D and seems to be the initiation cutter, getting open under at will, he also had few crazy D’s in the air.
Manny Bilolo showed out this tournament as a wing who always seemed to be open near the sideline and was pinpoint on continuation hucks, forcing teams respect the deep space on cutters.
Also want to give my coach of the Year Nom to Garrett Taylor, after losing Kyle henke he has done a fantastic job, almost every end zone play out of timeout is score and he is always rushing the field with his team, making his energy known.
S&T: Jared McKay was apparently playing one handed due to a dislocated shoulder and still was one of the best players on the field, laying out and making left hand hucks look easy.
Kyle Johnson was a dominant cutter for S&T and made numerous big plays when the disc was in the air, also making some huge layouts.
Ryan Hays is a super fast and athletic cutter who always seemed to find his was to the disc no matter who was guarding him, while also making sound throwing choices when behind the disc.
I think his name was Max, number 40, super tall guy gave most teams problems with his height going deep and his handling abilities behind the disc, definitely deserves recognition.
CC: Josh Felton makes D3 look like a playground, he someone manages to get open late In stall counts for free unders, is someone you do not want to jump with when going deep and is always doing it with a smile on his face, one of the nicest people out there. No question he deserves All Region.
JBU: Ryan smith is a feared man on the field. Chest high layout D’s are guaranteed usually followed by a huck that always manages to find the end zone regardless of the mark.
Joel Stennet was the heart and soul of this team, playing almost every point and was the bail out guy in high stall counts, always making a play on the disc and directing traffic when he is handling. Super athletic and super nice guy.
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Wasabi Affiliate Here:
First off, this is the toughest, most talented region from top to bottom in D3. Hands down. There are so many amazing players so if I miss anyone I’m sorry — this is more a stream of consciousness. Also, We never played JBU, and I wasn’t present for our Sul Ross Game so I am going to not speak on their squads.
From OC:
We all know that Elliott Moore and Jonathan Costello are dominant so I’ll focus on some other cogs that deserve some shoutout.
Evan Card’s growth has been phenomenal to watch. From regionals in the fall to regionals last weekend, you can see his game becoming more consistent. He’s their X-factor for sure. His defense is solid and has great playmaking ability.
Samuel Roberts will be a stalwart in the region for years to come. This kid is so damn good. We haven’t played them this spring but the kid quarterbacks their d-line — he has great hucks, great decision-making, and can put his body on the line.
Emmanuel Kameri is the last guy I’m going to give a shoutout too. Another d-line guy who is really versatile and consistent is great in the air and is a threat with the disc in his hand.
S&T:
Ryan Hays
Jared McKay
Ray Mauntel
Okay so these three guys below — sometimes I get them mixed up, but they are all dominant players. They can guard anyone, play both in the handler space and cut effectively, and will put their body on the line (Jared playing with a shoulder injury?!!!). Ray was covering the first throw on the pull every single point in the game to go. They all hustle no matter the situation — They are elite players.
Michael Lahmeyer (the really tall guy) was also a big surprise for me. I knew the dude was good in the air but he also was working unders effortlessly and his throwing has gotten really good over the last couple of times we’ve played them. He really has become a complete player.
CC:
Give me a moment to hype up my boys!!!
Josh Felton — Can-do-it-all machine. Josh has the best closing speed in D3 ultimate. Prove me otherwise. He will get open on anyone and he will lock anyone down. After conferences, we gave Josh one of our post-tournament best player awards, which was his first time winning one. That didn’t make sense. But, I think that goes to something about Josh, he is so damn consistent that you just know he will show up. He’s the definition of a glue player but he is also so capable of making the big energy plays. He should be an All-American, not to mention All-region.
Lincoln Grench is slowly becoming one of the best players in D3. He does everything so well. We ask him to quarterback the O-line when really that man could be playing anywhere. His frame and his speed allow him to be a deep threat, and to be a lockdown d-line presence. His ceiling is yet to be hit.
Parker Rehmus really came through in a different way this weekend. His small ball game (in collaboration with Lincoln, Nate, Joe & Ollie) is elite. The dude also will throw his body out for anything. In the game-to-go, Parker threw his body out THREE times on universe all to save possession. Not only is his game so consistent and good, but he is truly the main cog of Wasabi. The fact that he hasn’t gotten more recognition is wild to me.
I really think we also have so many more dudes that deserve recognition. Our Seniors have really been the lifeblood of this team. Leo Fowler has come from the dude who didn’t really know what he was doing to the guy who locks up the hardest matchup in the backfield. Nate, Max, and Bergen will beat you anywhere on the field, and my man Joey has some of the crispest throws in D3. Also, people better watch out for when Oliver Kraft is back and healthy — he is going to run the table.
I love D3 South Central!!
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Cannot stress how talent filled the South Central was this year.
I’ll start with Oklahoma Christian:
Elliot Moore (obviously) is one of the most talented players on the field and has a throw for every situation he is in. Whether it be high release flicks to break the mark (something he got me with multiple times at regionals), perfectly placed hucks, or upside down throws to space, he is a certified bucket.
Emmanuel Kameri is one of the best defenders I have played against. His quickness, footwork, and willingness to layout to make the big play makes it very difficult to get open on him. Not only will he shut you down on defense but he will then turn around and play clean offense to lead the OC D-line to big time breaks.
JBU:
Joel Stennett is the physical embodiment of spirit of the game. This man is one of the best competitors I have played against. I have played JBU many times over my years of frisbee and he always gives everything to the game. He is a well rounded player that can burn you on cuts then turn around and make some clutch throws. Joel led JBU through an amazing season and in a normal year most definitely a nationals level squad.
Ryan Smith is an absolutely dominant handler that can do it all. At conferences he single handedly shredded our zone and backed it up with countless perfectly placed hucks.
Colorado College:
Lincoln Grench: CoCo at regionals was maybe the most dominant team I have ever played against. They forced turnovers and converted them consistently and rarely ever turned the disc over on offense. As the captain of Colorado College, Lincoln has led his team to a second nationals appearance in dramatic fashion. Lincoln sees the field like no other. His size allows him to be a threat in the deep space, his speed makes him a threat anywhere in the cutting stack, his give-and-go game allows him to shred any defense, and his throwing ability gets shooter calls from the sideline every time he gets power position.
S&T:
I could write about so many players on my own team but I’ll limit myself to 2
Jared Mckay is the best frisbee player I have ever played with or against. This man does not have a flaw in his game and this regionals showed that better than any tournament. Jared has been a staple of Miner Threat D-Line since his freshman year and he continues to prove why. After suffering a dislocated right shoulder (his dominant arm) at conference Jared refused to be sidelined for regionals and played with his left hand. The fact that Jared still had the most completed hucks on our team playing with his left hand shows the absolute dominance he holds over the sport.
Sam Papin is a rookie on Miner Threat this season and is already a key piece of the team. He had never played ultimate before college and has already secured a starting D-Line handler position. His quickness and the fact that he is a lefty can leave any mark questioning their life decisions. He continually took on some of the toughest match ups including guarding Elliot Moore on OC and doing so very effectively. With how good he has gotten in just 1 year it is hard to imagine where his ceiling will be, if he even has one.
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5 years in this region and the competition has been good every time; this year it was incredible. Only played against OC, CoCo, and JBU <3, but I’ll try to shoutout other players I’ve encountered over the years as well.
Wasabi: Forget All-Region, give Josh Felton All-the-awards. Incredible speed, endurance, skill, and spirit. Genuinely one of the nicest players I’ve ever met, and has improved so much since I played him in 2019. Deserves your vote if he’s nominated for Donovan this spring. Lincoln Grench must’ve had a thousand huck assists against us in the game to go, maybe even a billion (idk I’m not an engineer yet), and he completed almost all of them. I’ll be watching for his mullet at Nationals. Another guy who’s name I didn’t catch was Finals MVP. Blond handler, crazy quick, had 2+ layout saves on universe point. Y’all owe him a couple cold ones for sure.
OC: Already been mentioned, can’t mention enough: Elliot, Sammy, Evan. These guys were some of the best, friendliest players I’ve seen at the college level in a long time. Obviously skilled and athletic, but the spirit was really on display in each of our many matchups this year. Also gotta shoutout Kevin making plays despite a hand injury.
Sul Ross: Javi Flores is an absolute machine! Only met him/played him last semester but what a guy. Runs faster than everyone and doesn’t stop, he’s a top cutter in D-III, and I wish we could’ve seen him on the national stage. Don’t know the other players as well as I’d like, but the whole team plays with an intensity and grit that you don’t often see. Small squad with big heart
Mines/Rice: Haven’t played vs Rice since 2019, and I’ve never played vs School of Mines, but both of your programs have been to regionals every time that I have, and I know both are always a competitive presence. No easy matchups in the SC
JBU: My men and my women, my people, my friendliest of foes. I cannot describe how much love and respect I have for this program. Playing mixed at an open regional tournament, prayer circles with the opponent win or lose, and a high level of competition year after year, I don’t know another team whose rookies I’d let sleep in my living room. Ryan Smith has been mentioned already, and rightly so. I’d also like to shoutout Jacob Wakefield (I think that’s who it is) for skying my roommate so hard that he has PTSD. Joel Stennett, it’s been such a pleasure to see you improve from '18 to '22, you’re one of the most frustrating matchups in the region, and if spirit was a drug you’d be arrested for doping.
Before I wrap up this weird love letter to the region, I have to talk about my own fellas from RoMO S&T.
Ryan! Hays is an incredible 2 way player. To come in with no prior experience and reach the level of excellence that he has achieved is nothing short of remarkable. Throws, D’s, cuts, jokes, the man has it all.
Kyle Johnson and Cripple Jack Markiewicz have been with me since 2018, and I think they’ve almost managed to play a full 2 seasons combined. Riddled with injuries over the years, these two have regardless become some of the most jaw-dropping playmakers I’ve ever seen. I hope you’ll come to take good care of that baby doll.
Ray Mauntel has enough energy for two players and has grown so much over the years. Not just an athlete, Ray is one of the most creative throwers out there, and is an up-and-coming monster in the club scene.
It’s easy to throw silly hucks when you have a monster like Magic Mike Lahmeyer in the deep space. When Magic joined Miner Threat he looked like a newborn pony trying to walk, and now he’s our best deep threat, an excellent thrower, and one of the smartest facilitators I know. Watch out 2023, here he comes.
Thank you to everyone for the kind words and strong competition, good luck at natties to OC and Wasabi, and stay tough South Central!
-Jared McKay
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South Central is stacked and so many teams in this region deserve to be at nationals.
Missouri S&T-
I will start with Brandon Skoba. Skoba was the cool calm and collected head on Miner Threat. He is extremely reliable on both offense and defense and was a threat as a handler or in the cutting space. I don’t think he has been getting enough love on this forum quite yet.
Jared McKay despite having a dislocated right shoulder was often the best player on the field playing with only his left arm. A natural righty, Jared was tossing up hucks with his left hand with ease and was always a threat in the cutting space, many times catching only with his left.
Ray Mauntel and Ryan Hays are the captains of that team for a reason. Two extremely athletic players and integral leaders for the team. The game ran through these two and whether they were throwing or cutting, they were huge impact players. Ryan is one of the best defenders I’ve ever played against as well.
Sul Ross-
I don’t know any names but these guys easily have best athletes in the region by far. Main handler deserves to be in the conversation for all region. He has a variety of throws, having no fear when possessing the disc.
Wasabi-
I want to start with my all rookie nomination. Eliot Kirkham was an extremely reliable d-line handler. Eliot consistently locks up handlers on defense, can cut from the handler space offensively, and is very reliable with the disc. Eliot will be one of the best players in D3 come his senior year.
Josh Felton…no real explanation needed. Fastest player in D3, best defender in the air and on the unders, is perpetually open on offense, very reliable with the discs, throwing hucks with ease. There’s a reason he was a Donovan finalist and there’s a reason he’s my favorite to win the award this year.
Parker Rehmus was by far the best handler in the region. Extremely reliable, catches everything, best bids in the region and quite possibly the nation. On defense he can guard anyone on the field and has the field vision to have effective poaches and fast reactions.
Simon Broan is also someone not getting enough love on this forum. A cutter for Wasabi, he was the threat in the deep space, seemingly coming down with every disc that went his way, no matter how many people were there to try and stop him. Don’t sleep on his throws either.
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Everyone has said it, South Central’s talent is unmatched in D3, and its a shame that a lot of the players on this list won’t see nationals this year. However here are my stars from Regionals.
S&T
Jared McKay came into regionals with a dislocated right shoulder and still was a commanding force in the handler space using his left hand to place throws anywhere on the field. Jared had defenses’ on their toes as even with the injury he was a viable cutter, managing to always get open in the handler space and make his fair share of deep cuts as well. I even saw him layout a few times. Shame we won’t be able to see him full health at nationals (if only SC got the third bid). All Regional Talent.
Ryan Hays or as most teams called him (red hat guy) was a stand out talent, very fast, never drops a disc and when handling he never seems to be phased by his mark. On defense Ryan is a lock down defender and is someone who should be accounted for after a turn. All Regional Talent.
Sam Papin, was a D Line handler in his first year, as a lefty he gave teams a very hard time holding a force on him, this kid never hesitates to guard the best player on the team and has a very bright future ahead of him. Rookie of the year watchlist for sure.
CC
Josh Felton is a man matched by very few in the D3 scene, his speed, jumping, handling and defense makes him a well rounded machine that is a nightmare to go up against. I watched Josh make a fool of defenses this tournament, if they forced him over, it was a score, if they forced him under he made them pay with his throwing ability once the disc hit his hand. Can’t forget to mention Josh’s smile that is on his face at all time, he is always one of the most spirited and sportsmanlike players on the field. No mistake that he was a Donovan finalist last year. All American Talent.
JBU
Joel Stennett is one of those guys who you can’t help but smile when watching, he gives 110% at all times, I have seen him play countless points with no timeout or sub and still get open on almost every cut and sometimes taking a second defender with him. Very calm with the disc in his hands, JBU offense runs through him. Joel is always keeping his head up and encouraging teammates and giving a high five to opponents who get the best of him. Class act. All Regional Talent.
Ryan Smith was JBU’s best player, calm with the disc in hands, pinpoint hucks. A wild animal on defense, super fast, and literally chest high layouts every game. D-line handler that makes turnovers very dangerous. Every team he played against had to game plan for his throwing ability. All American Talent.
Emma Erickson was a consistent piece of JBU’s offense and no matter the matchup she had she got open on unders, always looking upfield and making solid throws to cutters. Could not leave her this list since the JBU woman’s team wasn’t able to play this season. No doubt that she could be an All American talent in Woman’s D3.
OC
Elliott Moore is the man who runs the OC O-Line, what stood out most to me was how effortlessly he shredded the countless zones that were thrown at him. High release throws and insides are his favorites and his athleticism makes it so that if he turns he will always make a play on the disc to get it back. All American Talent.
Thomas Maguire, new to OC this season he has been the fiery personality on the D-Line, always taking the hardest matchup, first down on the pull, and laying out for any disc he thinks he can get his hands on. Still a rookie, Thomas has loads of potential. Rookie of the year watchlist.
Evan Card has been the glue guy wherever he is placed. Playing offense on Saturday, he was key for breaking the zone as he could drop back to handle or cut up field. Sunday he went back to D-line, Not someone you want to huck against, and always willing to layout for handler resets Evan is a great defender. On D-line O, he brought a calming presence to a rather huck happy handling core, as he always seemed to get away from his defender no matter where his cut came from. I also saw Evan many times go to other players benches to check on injuries or to give fist bumps to players who made highlight plays. Class act, Breakout player of the year candidate.
Garrett Taylor’s calls make him look like the Greg Popovich of frisbee, disc movement on offense just flows, he is always in his players ear on defense shouting out positioning adjustments. The thing that stands out the most are his out of timeout plays. No matter where the disc is, it seems to find the endzone after a timeout. Losing Kyle Henke hasn’t seemed like an issue for OC. Coach of the Year talent.
Sul Ross
Javi Flores is a cutter who seemed to always be open for Sul Ross, coming in with only 11 players to regionals, he played most points and never ran out of energy. Super fast cutter who always comes down with the disc in the air. All Regional Talent.
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CC- These boys are good. I’m hoping that our paths don’t cross until late in bracket at Nationals, as I could definitely see the South Central fully representing the finals.
Josh and Lincoln. And whoever runs the twitter.
Jimmy D was great to interact with through email and in person.
S&T- It cannot be understated how upset I am that we don’t have 3 (4 in a normal year with rankings) bids to nationals. This team would be above .500 at nationals and would frustrate all the other teams as much as they did us, while being so fun to play against.
Jared McKay is ridiculous; we were losing it while watching S&T/JBU from the hill. Ray and Ryan. Big Mike was always in the right place at the right time, scored 3-4 on the front cone in the last game.
Sul Ross- We didn’t play, but I have watched these guys quite a lot. Michael is a machine, Javi is in the right place at the right time making the play they need, and Jaren is a massive deep threat. I have a lot of respect for this team and the travel they put in during the last 2 weeks.
JBU- Ryan and Joel.
Rice- Marshall Doty is the cog that makes this team work.
1st team:
Josh Felton
Lincoln Grench
Jared McKay
Ryan Smith
Parker Rehmus
Ryan Hays
Elliott Moore/Jonathan Costello/Sammy Roberts
2nd Team:
Michael Solis
Marshall Doty
Ray Mauntel
Joel Stennett
Javi Flores
Mike Lahmeyer
Kevin van Roosmalen/Emmanuel Kameri/Evan Card/Manny Bilolo
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Thomas Maguire should be in consideration for ROTY and an all region spot. Thomas picked up ultimate in August and is already one of the biggest playmakers in the region. Between locking down the opposing team’s best player and making insane highlight plays on both offense and defense, Thomas is one of the most dynamic playmakers I’ve seen. With only one year under his belt, he is going to be a problem in D3 ultimate for the foreseeable future. If he can make this much progress as a player in a single year, he will be one of the best players in the division by the end of his career.
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Congratulations to CC and OCU on making it to nationals! The level of competitiveness you presented certainly did not disappoint. Because we’ve only been to regionals twice in our program’s history, I didn’t get to learn many names, so please accept my apologies.
OC:
I only got to play against once, but I saw a lot of film. Moore is a tremendously skilled all-around player with a strong win-motivation drive. Costello, Roberts, and Card seemed to never disappoint, played great under pressure, tough defenders, and seem to fit any role.
S&T:
It was saddening to hear McKay experience an injury right before regionals. Then we arrived to regionals, and my jaw dropped when I saw this man on the field playing. This is the individual I seen give it his all and want it more than anyone. Making incredible throws with his non dominant hand and still willing to layout if needed. If not the best, at least one of them.
CC:
Mannn, Josh Felton coolness on the field throws me off. Wasabi benefits greatly from his well-controlled style. This is the type of player you want on your squad.
Rice:
Marshall Doty is that GUY. I’ve played against him for four years and he’s always shown heart and talent.
Sul Ross:
Michael Solis is not guardable. If you guarded Michael one-one you know he won every time. You may feel something dangling on your shoulder if you had to jump up against him. This is the shiftiest and fastest man in the sport. (We had a total of ten players compete in this tournament. Five of them began this fall. The amount that Mike and I, or the other Vets, had to carry was immense. Imagine that. I believe Michael and I only missed one point out of the three Saturday games. In addition, I’m recovering from a hamstring tear that I tore twice this fall, and Michael is suffering from knee problems for being so fast.)
JBU:
The primary handler with the ponytail is very talented. Homie has the ability to open up any player in a zone and has attributed to the game’s increased creativity with his playing style.
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Mines: Tommy’s skill downfield makes him one of the best freshmen in the region. Excited to see his future with ultimate. Arthur was killing the game as well.
Miners: Shoutout Ryan for his hustle and explosive upline cuts. Huge shout to the player who was still grinding with his shoulder injury.
Don’t know if I’m too late on this but wanted to give a few shoutouts to some deserving players.
This region should have had at least four bids - it’s sad that deserving teams won’t be competing at Nationals. It’s an honor to represent this region at Nationals, we couldn’t have had prep than competing w/y’all!
First, since we played Mines multiple times this spring, I want to give Tommy Braswell a nod for all freshmen - great deep threat, not looking forward to competing against him for so long!
For All-region: Max and Parker Damon, their handler movement was excellent!
Sul Ross: I’m bad at getting names at the fields but after reading through the earlier comments, I believe it’s Michael Solis and Javi Flores who both deserve recognition!
S&T: (What a game for finals! Great to compete against y’all!!) Jared McKay, Sam Papin and Ryan Hays - y’all are nationals caliber!!
The format was in our favor to not play any other teams (again, this region is scary!!). But having watched and prepared for the gauntlet of regionals, I have to put Moore, Costello, Roberts, and Card and others from OC on the list. Rice and JBU - I can’t speak to, I had no video and didn’t play y’all.
For my Spicy Boys: Want to put Eliot Kirkham and Tanner Flagg up for Rookies - both have come into our program with a lot of seniors to compete against playing time and both have shown the chops to compete at high levels - they are both gonna be menaces for the region for a while!
For the rest, wish I could put more but I’ll limit it to Josh, Parker, & Lincoln.
President of Messiah University Men’s (Ohio Valley D-III).
Wanted to say a little bit about Thomas Maguire because I don’t think he is getting enough nods for the all-rookie team nor ROTY nominations. He deserves both in my opinion. Thomas started at Messiah in the fall of 2021 and became an instant impact on our team.
Thomas quickly became one of the top defenders and cutters on our team before he received an offer to play at Oklahoma Christian. While we were sad to see him go, we were excited for him and this blessing that he had received. Whenever I watch film from OC now, it’s easy to tell how much better he has become, both as a defender and as a cutter. Thomas now appears far more comfortable with the disc and is making smart decisions whenever he has the disc in his hands. He makes clean layouts and will always bid whenever the opportunity presents itself. He is always rushing down the field to cover the pull and will always work as hard as he can to ensure that his team forces a turnover.
I am immensely proud of Thomas and how much he has grown while playing at OC. If he was able to grow to the player he is now in just one year, he will most certainly be one of the most feared players in D-III ultimate by the end of his college career.
Super stoked to dive into the discussion about the top players in the South Central region! Can’t wait to see who gets the recognition they deserve.
We’ll make new threads for 2024 discussion
And hey, if you’re looking to brush up on your ultimate frisbee skills, I found this awesome guide really helpful https://playultimatefrisbee.com/how-to-guides. Let’s keep the positivity flowing and have some awesome conversations!