After 11 weeks of regular season action and two conference championships, we have arrived at the 2015 MLU Championship. This time around it will be the 2013 champions, Boston Whitecaps, facing the new kids on the block, Seattle Rainmakers. It is setting up to be another high class, thrilling championship game as both teams will be battling for the third Silver Disc.
The Whitecaps have the opportunity to be the first two-time league champions in professional ultimate history. Their first time around they went an impressive 13-0 en route to become Major League Ultimate first champions. While this time around was not as dominating as their run two years ago, one cannot argue that they were not the best team in the East in 2015. However, Boston is far removed from that championship team. This season's run the team was without Brandon Malecek, Danny Clark, and Peter Prial just to name a few of the biggest names in Boston Ultimate's history. With those guys gone, new guys came into the fray and helped the leadership of Boston make it back to Philadelphia; most notably they were Tyler Chan (21 G, 22A), Sam Kittross-Schnell (22 G, 4 A), and Misha Sidorsky (16 G, 5A).
Playoff Records:
Boston: 3-1 Seattle: 1-1
Seattle comes into this game after many thought this team would not even be a threat to make the playoffs. They entered the season with only ten returning players from the 2014 roster and three from 2013, the second lowest and lowest totals in the league respectfully. A bunch of young players being led by one of the most prolific scorers in the league, Mark Burton (37 G, 32 A). It looked bad starting off the season and it appeared Burton was going to be the one carrying the team. After a couple of bumpy weeks, and reinforcements came in the form of Khalif El-Salaam (16 G, 14 A), the squad came together and new stars emerged. Andrew Lynch (17 G, 11 A), Jeff Pape (16 G, 17 A), and the Western Conference Rookie of the Year, Evan Klein (17 G, 15 A) became the newcomers that moved into the core group. Their efforts moved the team into the playoffs and pushed them past the Portland Stags.
Boston: 3-1 Seattle: 1-1
Seattle comes into this game after many thought this team would not even be a threat to make the playoffs. They entered the season with only ten returning players from the 2014 roster and three from 2013, the second lowest and lowest totals in the league respectfully. A bunch of young players being led by one of the most prolific scorers in the league, Mark Burton (37 G, 32 A). It looked bad starting off the season and it appeared Burton was going to be the one carrying the team. After a couple of bumpy weeks, and reinforcements came in the form of Khalif El-Salaam (16 G, 14 A), the squad came together and new stars emerged. Andrew Lynch (17 G, 11 A), Jeff Pape (16 G, 17 A), and the Western Conference Rookie of the Year, Evan Klein (17 G, 15 A) became the newcomers that moved into the core group. Their efforts moved the team into the playoffs and pushed them past the Portland Stags.
Offensive Edge: Seattle, by a hair
I know there are going to be a lot of Whitecap faithful that are going to be in disbelief at what I just said. Look at it this way, it is Graham, Markette, Browar-Jarus, Montgomery-Bulter, Chan, Taylor, and Kittross-Schnell vs. Burton, El-Salaam, Trytiak, Pape, Lynch, McKibben, and Houser. Both are incredible lines that any team would die to have but, I am going towards the Rainmakers because of their downfield threat.
Every throw they look to score, no matter where they are on the field. In the Western Conference Championship they proved that they can have that threat but still can play small ball by slowly working it up the field. Now Boston's O-line is deadly, converting on over 70% of their O-line possessions, but Seattle can score at any second. On top of that Seattle uses a horizontal stack as their main offensive set up, a set the Whitecaps have yet to see all year.
Granted if any of these players out of their lineups are missing then I will completely buy stock in the opposing team's offense.
Every throw they look to score, no matter where they are on the field. In the Western Conference Championship they proved that they can have that threat but still can play small ball by slowly working it up the field. Now Boston's O-line is deadly, converting on over 70% of their O-line possessions, but Seattle can score at any second. On top of that Seattle uses a horizontal stack as their main offensive set up, a set the Whitecaps have yet to see all year.
Granted if any of these players out of their lineups are missing then I will completely buy stock in the opposing team's offense.
Defensive Edge: Bo
stonChristian Foster (28 points, 14 B) is leading an aggresive defensive unit that has carried the team all season long. After a turn, Boston is looking immediately to score and value each possession; they did so a third of the time over the year. When talking about the Whitecap defense, I cannot go without mentioning Jack Hatchett (14 points, 13 B) one of the top guys in the league. A bonus of their defense, it is rare to see any O-line guys playing on the D-line. Boston saves their O-line for offensive points and due to their defensive efficiency that never changed.
Seattle defense is not too shabby themselves. Over the course of the year, they also came into their own. Seattle will force the Whitecaps to work down the field, contesting every downfield cut. The Rainmakers aggressiveness matches Boston's and will cause the handlers to think twice before a downfield huck. A player to watch, that many will fall in love with, is Clay Dewey-Valentine (12 points, 5 B). His stats are not top of the charts, but every point he gives 100%. Often a handler defender, we will probably see him match up with Markette at times giving him plenty of time in front of the camera.
Seattle defense is not too shabby themselves. Over the course of the year, they also came into their own. Seattle will force the Whitecaps to work down the field, contesting every downfield cut. The Rainmakers aggressiveness matches Boston's and will cause the handlers to think twice before a downfield huck. A player to watch, that many will fall in love with, is Clay Dewey-Valentine (12 points, 5 B). His stats are not top of the charts, but every point he gives 100%. Often a handler defender, we will probably see him match up with Markette at times giving him plenty of time in front of the camera.
'Special Teams' Edge: Boston
This one is a no brainer in my opinion. Boston is too strong. I cannot even name the top seven guys on their roster because it can fluctuate each week. A majority of those Whitecaps were on the team back in 2013 and have the experience from their first championship run. Boston has been consistent all year, played with each other for multiple years, and do not have a weakness among their top seven.
Why Boston Will Win:
This squad is the first to make the trip to the MLU Championship twice. They have done this by controlling the games they play in. Seattle does not have as strong of an authority. Once Boston gets past the jitters of being in PPL Park, expect the pace to settled down towards the flow of the Whitecaps. Boston has played tougher opponents and are one of the most complete teams in the league. Jeff Graham (22 G, 22 A) has had the opportunity to heal his ankle injury and will look to top his 2013 Championship Game MVP performance.
Why Boston Will Lose:
The team from Bean-town has not seen much of a ho-stack offensive all season long. In fact, Boston is the only team in the East to have run a ho-stack system multiple times. As elite professionals it should not be hard to transition on defense. A ho-stack offense is successful on winning head-to-head matchups because the defense does not have the luxury of the field cutting off throwing lanes. If the Rainmakers are able to make this work against the Whitecap defense, Boston may have no answer.
Why Seattle Will Win:
In the Western Conference Championship it was the best that Seattle had looked all season. That is including the fact they were missing 2014 Breakout Player of the Year, El-Salaam; the MLU leader in defensive points, Henry Phan (26 points, 6 B); and defensive handler, Eddie Feeley (15 points, 7 B). Mark Burton does not have to do all himself anymore allowing him to be free as one of the most dangerous players in the league on the high-flying Rainmakers team.
Why
Seattle Will Lose:Boston can overpower the Rainmakers easily. As a whole, they are more of a complete team from the top to bottom than Seattle. The west coast team lacks experience and have gone three weeks without playing. I haven't even mentioned that west coast teams have been outscored 42-32 in this game and the fact that the Rainmakers have to travel over 2,300 miles just to make it to PPL Park.
And the Winner is??
Boston 24-20
Seattle will have to come out early and come out fast in order to stay in this game early on. They cannot give Boston time to figure out their offensive style and control it in the first quarter. If Seattle falls behind, Boston will run out the clock not giving the Rainmakers a chance to comeback. However if Gavin McKibben (12 G, 17 A) has another performance as he did two weeks ago the rest of the Rainmaker offense will be deadly and #MakeItRain. Even if those keys fall into place Boston will always be able to comeback, the pair of Graham and Josh Markette (7G, 24 A) will not go down without a fight.
Seattle will have to come out early and come out fast in order to stay in this game early on. They cannot give Boston time to figure out their offensive style and control it in the first quarter. If Seattle falls behind, Boston will run out the clock not giving the Rainmakers a chance to comeback. However if Gavin McKibben (12 G, 17 A) has another performance as he did two weeks ago the rest of the Rainmaker offense will be deadly and #MakeItRain. Even if those keys fall into place Boston will always be able to comeback, the pair of Graham and Josh Markette (7G, 24 A) will not go down without a fight.