November 20, 2013 by Sam Shoyer in Analysis with 35 comments
Throughout the weekend, many individual players shone as great leaders and competitors at the 2013 Tidewater Tuneup. As the tournament unfolded into the championship bracket, the following seven players stood out as major contributors in the high pressure Sunday games. These players — all from the semifinalist teams at the tournament — were chosen for showing both outstanding skill and leadership on the field.
Cole Drummond
Pennsbury Junior
An extremely explosive handler, Cole played a huge role in the finals victory against CFS. His tight dump defense resulted in a lot of Ds in the backfield and he was consistently able to create a quick striking flow for the Pennsbury offense. With great timing, field sense, and speed, Cole was crucial to Pennsbury’s success this weekend.
Liam Searles-Bohs
CFS Freshman
Liam Searles-Bohs has a bright future in ultimate ahead of him. The only freshman to even come close to making the list, he was extremely dominant on both sides of the disc and won every matchup he faced. Throughout the tournament, Searles-Bohs was D’ing, skying, and out throwing players who are nearly three years older than him. As an absolute driving force for Carolina Friends, he pushed himself and his team to impressive limits as they made a great comeback run in their finals loss to Pennsbury.
Kevin Mateer
CHUF Senior (Captain)
A great leader and key cog in CHUF’s zone defense, Kevin played a huge role in his team’s success. Teams like Pennsbury and Pine-Richland struggled to find a suitable matchup for him. On both sides of the disc, he was virtually unstoppable. A monster both in the air and with the disc, Kevin helped push his team to a semifinals run.
Chance Cochran
Yorktown Senior (Captain)
One of the best handlers at Tidewater this year, Chance used his great field sense and throws to keep the Yorktown offense moving. Although he is one of the shorter players in the mix, he is still able to make incredible athletic plays using his speed and positioning. With the disc in his hands, he has the ability to change the pace of any game and was seen doing just that all weekend.
Jake Doyle
Pennsbury Senior (Captain)
Pennsbury’s captain Jake Doyle was on fire all weekend. He exploded during Pennsbury’s semifinals game against CHUF and cut for point after point, later carrying that momentum into the finals. He relied on his cut timing and speed to find the disc far downfield and caught for many of the Pennsbury offensive points.
Sol Yanuck
CFS Senior (Captain)
Sol Yanuck is an exemplary ultimate player. As the captain of a team without a coach, he serves a huge leadership role on and off the field. This weekend he showcased both his leadership qualities and his playing ability. As a handler, Sol is patient and smart; as a defender, he is relentless and explosive. He came alive early in the second half of the finals game against Pennsbury and worked both sides of disc to bring his team back into the game. One of the most talented and spirited players on field, Yanuck will be a player to watch as the year continues and States and Southerns near.
Fred Wolf
Yorktown Senior (Captain)
Another great leader, Fred kept the Yorktown offense alive as they struggled with injuries on Sunday. He is loud and impactful both on the field and on the sideline. Whether he is handling or cutting, he helps create impressive offensive flow and great field spacing for the whole Yorktown offense. Fred will continue to lead his team as they look to accomplish big things this year.
