WOMEN'S OPEN DIV.  With just 6 teams in this division, it meant 2 heats with 3 teams each, and the Last Chance Heat would take the top 2 teams into the Finals.

Ann Farmer & PARTY BOY ACE began Heat 1, they went 2 for 3 with a best catch of 35-yds. As soon as Ann Farmer left the throwing line, an approaching weather front changed the wind direction and the weather conditions got ugly very quickly. Since we began throwing in a certain direction, we stayed with that throwing direction until the Women's Open Division decided it's finalists. That resulted with some seriously short catches in the Women's top division. Heather Bednar & FLICK were up next and it was the much-feared strikeout for them. Team FLICK's longest throw was only 18-yds. Donna Schoech once again borrowed another dog, DiAno's MAGGIE, and went 2 for 3 with a best catch of 29-yds. Team FLICK was gone. In the Final Round Donna Schoech & MAGGIE took the lead on their first toss, good for 29.5-yds. Ann Farmer & PARTY BOY ACE avoided a strikeout, but their single catch of 22-yds was well short, and they were gone. Donna Schoech made the Finals, but a performance commitment many miles away made her withdraw from the competition. So now the Last Chance Heat would take the top 3 teams into the Finals.

Heat 2 started with Connie Carstens & KARMA getting toasted by the much-feared strikeout, their longest throw was 14.5-yds. Colleen Hegyi & HAZE used one throw to advance, good for 23-yds. Meanwhile Angela Ewtushik & RALLY got their first taste of the much-feared strikeout, their longest throw was 13.5-yds. The strikeout tiebreaker had Connie Carstens & KARMA missing at 9-yds. Angela Ewtushik & RALLY advanced to the Final Round on a half yard catch. In the Final Round Team RALLY took the lead on a 10-yd catch. The punishing wind was too much for Colleen Hegyi & HAZE and their fate became that of another victim for the much-feared strikeout. Team RALLY makes the Finals.

The Last Chance Heat would take the top 3 out of 4 teams. The much-feared strikeout got both Team PARTY BOY ACE and Team KARMA. Heather Bednar & FLICK got into the Finals on a single 1.5-yd catch, that includes Team FLICK's heat and the Last Chance Heat. Colleen Hegyi & HAZE squeaked in on their 3rd and last throw, good for 5-yds. The strikeout tiebreaker saw Ann Farmer & PARTY BOY ACE advance to the Finals on a 3-yd catch.

WOMEN'S OPEN FINALS.  We changed throwing direction for the Finals (with the wind), yet the wind conditions were still brutally ugly. Heather Bednar & FLICK needed all 3 throws to score a catch, good for 28-yds, yet in the Open Division that left them seriously exposed. Colleen Hegyi & HAZE managed to go 2 for 3 with a best catch of 31-yds, not normally something to be happy about, but today it was something to be happy about. Both Angela Ewtushik & RALLY and Ann Farmer & PARTY BOY ACE were scorched by the much-feared strikeout. Both teams struggled in the strikeout tiebreaker, and it ended with some controversy.  On the 4th throw of the tiebreaker, PARTY BOY ACE got a hold on a 20-yd throw, as in the dog locked down on the disc. However, it came out of the dog's mouth in a fraction of a second. This brought up the question of what is the definition of a catch, something that is not clearly defined in the QUAD rules (yet). After a lengthy meeting between both spotters and myself, we all agreed that the dog did lock onto the disc, even if it was only for a fraction of a second. The ruling on the field was a catch and it eliminated Team RALLY to 4th place. The issue of definition of a catch will be discussed at the rules meeting in Indiana and Colorado. The 2nd Round of the Finals was nearly a triple strikeout, with Ann Farmer & PARTY BOY ACE saving themselves on their last throw, good for 20-yds. Both Team FLICK and Team HAZE struggled in the tiebreaker, it took 4 throws to decide it. A 29-yd catch by Team FLICK sent them to the Final Round against Team PARTY BOY ACE. Somehow Ann Farmer suffered two strikeouts during the competition, yet there she was at the throwing line in the Final Round with a shot to win the Women's Open. Ann Farmer & PARTY BOY ACE's 3rd strikeout of the day made sure they did not win, and it was extra painful because all 3 of their throws would have done some damage (41, 31, 34). Team FLICK's last throw of the day was their longest catch (31-yds), and it won them the Women's Open Division, as well as gave them the lead in the women's half of The QUAD SERIES.

MEN'S DIV.  In Heat 1 it was Tony Bonadeo & CHARLEY, Leroy Golden & KARMA, and Chris Engel & BANDIT who advanced into the 2nd Round. Tony Bonadeo & CHARLEY flirted with the much-feared strikeout in the 2nd Round and then avoided it with their last toss, good for 47.5-yds. Leroy Golden & KARMA just missed at 50-yds and then score a 47-yd catch, half a yard less than what they wanted. Chris Engel & BANDIT used only one throw to do the dirty deed (52-yds), and Team KARMA was gone. In the Final Round Team CHARLEY and Team BANDIT almost produced a double strikeout, but on his last throw Chris Engel went short and safe to BANDIT for a 20-yd catch. Team BANDIT makes the Finals.

Heat 2 saw Michael Pastrana & ILIO make a statement in the 1st Round with a 65-yd catch (longest of the day in the Men's Div) and then we didn't hear another peep out of Team ILIO for the rest of the day. Everyone in the 1st Round had a very strong round, except for that much feared strikeout by Todd Bybee & INDY. A 50-yd miss on their last throw sent Team INDY to the Last Chance Heat. The 2nd Round for Michael Pastrana & ILIO was not good, a rather soft much-feared strikeout, and the remaining suspects of Hegyi & Farmer wasted little time in making it official, Team ILIO gone. Bob Hegyi & HAZE started the Final Round very strong with a 54-yd catch. Tracy Farmer & RUSTY came close, yet a 51.5-yd catch was short of the need. Team HAZE scored another pair of catches, yet none were an improvement. With their 2nd throw Team RUSTY picks a good time to unload possibly the longest catch in Team RUSTY's history, good for 57-yds and a spot in the Finals.

Heat 3 had a double strikeout by the last two teams in the 1st Round, Matt Dipiero & BROOKE, and Eugene Hensley & WENDY. In the tiebreaker Team BROOKE misses in the mid 30's, and it allows Team WENDY's 1-yd catch to eliminate Team BROOKE. In the 2nd Round Jack Fahle & RUCKUS make a pair of throws in the mid to upper 40's that would have done some damage, but the much-feared strikeout rears it's ugly head and takes Team RUCKUS out. Eugene Hensley & WENDY trying to make it official do not go safe, they go long and miss at 50-yds. However, Team WENDY's 1.5-yd catch on the next throw makes it official. So a pair of catches that add up to a total of 2.5-yds gets Team WENDY into the Final Round. Team WENDY then takes the lead in the Final Round with their first throw (44.5-yds). It takes Brett Johnson & HUMPHREY two throws to do something about that, and by half a yard Team HUMPHREY grabs the lead at 45-yds. The last two throws by Eugene Hensley would have done the job (49 and 47), but two misses brings the axe of elimination down upon Team WENDY. Making the Finals by throwing 1st in the 3rd Heat is the hardest way to get there (other than through the Last Chance Heat) and that is how Brett Johnson & HUMPHREY make the Finals.

Tony Bonadeo & CHARLEY throw first in the Last Chance Heat, and it is extremely hard to win this heat as the 1st thrower. Team CHARLEY ignores the trouble they are in and pops for a 56 and a 56.5-yd catch to take the lead. Brenton Bassinger, Todd Bybee, Jack Fahle, and Eugene Hensley all threaten that mark, but everyone of them gets toasted by the much-feared strikeout. The only real contenders were catches from Leroy Golden & KARMA at 53-yds and Bob Hegyi & HAZE at 54-yds. Tony Bonadeo & CHARLEY pull it off and go to the Finals by throwing 1st in the Last Chance Heat.

MEN'S DIV FINALS.  The Finals start with Brett Johnson & HUMPHREY needing two throws before scoring a 33-yd catch. Their last throw was a 50-yd miss, and it was a costly miss because the remaining suspects were fast, ruthless, and efficient. Three throws later Team HUMPHREY was gone. The 2nd Round was almost a triple strikeout, but Tracy Farmer & RUSTY managed to save themselves on their last throw, good for 38.5-yds. In the strikeout tiebreaker Chris Engel & BANDIT went first and missed at 45-yds. Tony Bonadeo & CHARLEY didn't go safe, but didn't go all out either, and their 33-yd catch eliminated Team BANDIT. In the Final Round Tracy Farmer & RUSTY missed long, while Tony Bonadeo & CHARLEY missed short and safe. With their 2nd throw Team RUSTY made a strong argument why the Farmer's QUAD trophy case should expand with some more top hardware, good for 52-yds. Team CHARLEY came within 4-yds, yet their destiny was that of another victim for the much-feared strikeout. The sweet taste of victory goes to Tracy Farmer & RUSTY. Welcome to the Open Division Tracy Farmer.

MEN'S OPEN DIV.  Heat 1 starts with Nate Bednar & MARCY needing all 3 throws before scoring a 64-yd catch. Meanwhile Matt DiAno & MAGGIE use just one throw to seize the lead (64.5-yds). Jeff Duff & JESSE and Gary Duke & BAYER give us the double strikeout. In the tiebreaker Team JESSE misses at 51, and this allows Team BAYER's 1-yd catch to advance them. The 2nd Round is a painful much-feared strikeout for Nate Bednar & MARCY, their longest toss was 65. The remaining suspects of DiAno and Duke dispense the justice quickly, 8-yds and 1-yd. DiAno & MAGGIE begin the Final Round by immediately seizing the lead at 67.6-yds. Up next Gary Duke & BAYER unload the longest throw of the entire day while dealing with some ridiculously brutal wind conditions, but it is a miss of 88-yds. Team MAGGIE feeling the temperature rise on that last throw then get busy and reel in an 84-yd catch. Team BAYER does not even come within 20-yds of that in their much-feared strikeout. Team MAGGIE grabs a spot in the Finals.

Heat 2  is a 3 team modified heat and it starts well for Rick Rauwerda & RIFF RAFF as their first throw is good for 78-yds. The wind conditions were ugly to everyone, yet it seemed like a few teams got it a little worse than others. One of those teams was John Troelstrup & ROOSTER who began the title defense with a much-feared strikeout. Joe Ryan & MIA almost join them, but with their 3rd throw avoid the strikeout on a safe 30-yd catch. Team ROOSTER is gone. The Final Round has Joe Ryan & MIA going first and scoring the lead on a 58-yd catch. It takes Team RIFF RAFF all of one throw to do something about it, good for 65-yds. Team MIA gets off two throws that were close, but both are misses and it's Team RIFF RAFF off to the Finals.

Also a 3 team modified heat, Heat 3 begins with a much-feared strikeout by Kevin Eroskey & BROOK. Chuck Hensley & RICO only need one throw to deal with it, good for 18-yds. Darron Barrus & The EDGE need all 3 throws but still end up face down in the dirt with a much-feared strikeout. Going short and safe to get past another team's strikeout is sometimes the hardest catch to make, and we saw a lot of teams get burned like that at this competition. In the tiebreaker neither team wanted it and we had to do multiple throws, it was a 19-yd catch by Barrus & The EDGE that gets them into the last round. In the Final Round Chuck Hensley & RICO miss their first throw at 42.5. Barrus & The EDGE continue getting burned by the short and safe strategy. Team RICO grabs the lead on their 2nd throw, good for 23-yds. The much-feared strikeout is all that awaits for Barrus & The EDGE, Team RICO to the Finals.

Last Chance Heat in this division is always tuff, and this was no exception. Nate Bednar & MARCY pop a couple of upper 60's misses, yet score for a 72-yd catch to get the lead. It takes Jeff Duff & JESSE two throws to do something about that, they get the lead by half a yard on a 72.5-yd catch. Both Gary Duke & BAYER and Joe Ryan & MIA made throws that would have done some damage, but misses end their day. The only one left that made any noise was Barrus & The EDGE, good for 71-yds, but not good enough to get the job done, Team JESSE is in the Finals.

MEN'S OPEN FINALS.  Chuck Hensley & RICO are crushed with a much-feared strikeout to begin the Finals. The remaining suspects dispense the justice quickly, 4-yds, 3-yds, and 8-yds. In Round 2 it's Jeff Duff & JESSE who are crushed with a much-feared strikeout. Remaining suspects...... quickly..... 3-yds, 10-yds..... Team JESSE gone. There is no sympathy or compassion in the ice cold axe of elimination. Matt DiAno & MAGGIE get the Final Round off to a start with a lead at 57-yds. Meanwhile Rick Rauwerda & RIFF RAFF miss at 56 on their first throw. It doesn't hurt them because Team MAGGIE also misses on their 2nd throw. Then by 20yds Team RIFF RAFF grabs the lead on a very healthy 77.5-yd catch. Down to their last throw, it was now or never for Team MAGGIE. As the words "Don't Suck" are echoing across the field, Matt DiAno reaches deep down inside and finds his inner gorilla. It looked like the wind was going to kill it around mid field, but the gorilla got enough on it that it powered through and kept going. MAGGIE had a radar lock on it the entire way down the field, she took off at the 79 and when she landed at 83-yds they had the lead. Rick Rauwerda gets off a good catch to RIFF RAFF on their last throw, but it's just shy of the 70 and that gives the win to Team MAGGIE.
 

Jeff Hoot, Director
The QUADRUPED®