The men’s ultimate Frisbee team placed 10th overall out of 24 teams in the USA Ultimate Antifreeze Tournament in Houston, Texas, on Jan. 30, to kick off the upcoming season.
The team, known as the Harding Apocalypse, is led by senior captains Kendall Lowe and Aaron Webb as well as a “junior captain,” sophomore Caleb Tomlinson.
Lowe said this season is a “rebuilding year,” explaining that most of the team consists of freshmen and sophomores, many of whom have had no experience in the sport.
Both Lowe and Webb said they already see a lot of potential in the new team members and believe the team can go to sectionals and regionals this year, as well as compete with DI schools.
“We have a good crop of new guys,” Webb said. “They’re all very promising; we had a really good turnout, and we have a very strong team this year.”
Besides the tournament played the weekend of Jan. 30, the Apocalypse will play in the Dust Bowl Tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Feb. 27-29, and the Greatest Crusade II Tournament in Irving, Texas, in March, according to Lowe.
Lowe said the team’s performance in the sectionals tournament in April will determine its eligibility in advancing to the regional and subsequently national competition.
“I think we have potential to go to regionals and nationals,” Lowe said. “Last season we went to sectionals and finished second.”
According to senior Tim Kirby, in order to be able to play in sectionals, a team must have played at least 20 games.
“Two tournaments would easily cover (the 20-game requirement),” Kirby said. “But we always like to have a third (tournament) just in case and for experience.”
Kirby said that since there are not many other collegiate teams in the area, the Apocalypse’s competition mainly relies on tournament play.
“If anyone challenges us, we’ll gladly stomp them,” Kirby said.
Apocalypse players to keep an eye on this season are sophomores Ben Osteen and Nathan Perkins, as well as Tomlinson, according to Lowe.
According to Webb, the team sticks to its mantra, which the players say in group huddles before games and practices: “play hard and glorify God.” After each game the team always invites their opponents to join them in prayer.
“It all ends on a positive note,” Webb said. “At the end of the day we’re all friends, and we all play this sport that we love.”
