A deeper look at the last two rounds, All-Tournament Teams, and which teammates have the sweetest style.
June 19, 2025 by Ariana Golemis and Rhea Joshi in Recap
All roads lead to the championship, and it was the Roosevelt Rough Riders who drove home a semifinal victory to face South Eugene in the High School National Invite championship game… yet again. Weather conditions improved in time for the top four teams to battle it out, although the mud and puddles remained. Saturday’s games gifted us a blowout, a back-and-forth battle, and a new champion for the first time in a few years. After delving into each of the final three games, we announce our All-Tournament Teams and highlight some frisbee fashionistas.
The Wild, Wild West in the Final
The championship game was a matchup fans and players alike were familiar with. Last year’s final showcased the same two teams, and South Eugene (OR) capped off the game with a universe point hold after a tight, competitive match. South Eugene entered this year’s game looking to maintain their title as champions for four years in a row. Roosevelt (WA) came back looking for revenge and got it in a comprehensive 15-9 victory.
After a classic long, floaty pull by ZsaZsa Gelfand, Roosevelt was quick to set their deadly 3-2-2 zone and force an early South Eugene turnover. Chloe Hakimi and Bridget Barnett showcased their backfield chemistry and set up a power position huck to Gelfand for the point, a familiar sight for Roosevelt fans. South Eugene was visibly shaken after not facing significant competitive pressure in their previous three games of bracket play. Helen Burruss, however, did not disappoint, as the star senior kickstarted their offense with a massive layout, and South fired right back with a Ziggy Fox score. In an attempt to break, the team threw a junky zone similar to the one that took down no. 4 seed El Cerrito and momentarily slowed the Riders’ quick pace in the handler set. Hakimi’s perfect placement of the disc in deep space and split-second decisions with high completion were common themes throughout all 21 points of the final and allowed the Riders to push through.
Neala Anderson had her moment in the limelight for the next few points with a huck to the back of the end zone, a run-through block to stop Roosevelt’s horizontal stack flow, and proactive upline switches near the end zone. Chloe Hakimi took control of the wheel further downfield and ended the game with an astounding seven assists and one goal. As another piece of the Riders’ robust handler core, Vivian Hakimi took center field off the pull to spark numerous offensive plays. Together, the sisters started and ended the game with obvious chemistry and well-practiced throws to widen the field when faced with South’s tricky zone.
Seeing a tied game at 2-2, Gelfand responded with some of the best defensive pressure of the game. The matchup on South’s Asa Kimball shut down most of their deep looks as well as the smooth Burruss to Dana Herrmann to Kimball connection we’d seen dominate in every game before. Strong defensive plays added further physicality to the game, but both teams remained respectful and were careful to avoid dangerous plays. Again, Burruss saw an opportunity to control the field and created opportunities leading to the first and only back-to-back points for South Eugene. Possibly the most out-of-pocket throw of the day, Burruss pulled a lefty scoober out of nowhere to Anderson for the team’s fourth point. Roosevelt’s decision to stay in a zone at the end zone backfired this time, but they did not make that mistake again.
While the beginning of gameplay was close, Roosevelt was propelled to halftime with multiple points and big defensive plays by Barnett and sophomore Sonia Snyder, both of whom effortlessly create space from their defenders. Barnett continued to shine after the half with chest-high bids and multiple skies, ending the day with an impressive five points. Gelfand decided to take matters into her own hands in the last few points of the game, getting into tight spots against zone defense, hucking into the end zone, and of course continuing to pull full-field with remarkable consistency.
South Eugene was unable to break Roosevelt’s possession-oriented offense for the remainder of the game. In fact, they struggled to convert on their own offensive starts, with the undefeated Riders executing a 89% conversion rate off defensive turns. Chloe Hakimi and Herrmann both found difficulty with turnovers, but with the amount of touches Hakimi had on the disc, this number was excusable. It was a game of patience and possession, and Roosevelt’s players were determined to prove their next-level maturity by trusting in the magic of their systems. These traits were most obvious near the end zone, where almost every player would touch the disc with horizontal swings before scoring into low-risk, open hands. By the end of the game, the Riders had a comfortable lead and could taste their victory. It was capped off by an interception from Barnett and an inside backhand from Chloe Hakimi that Elle Olivier could run onto for the 15-9 win.
Taking the title was full of emotion for Roosevelt, who had lost in the final game to South Eugene the previous two years. It was the last chance for a trophy for their eight seniors, including Gelfand and the Hakimis. After an undefeated season, Roosevelt proved they could finish as strongly as they started.
The Rough Riders have a star-studded roster, but ZsaZsa Gelfand’s contributions were absolutely critical throughout the weekend. Gelfand had to have one of the strongest arms at the tournament, easily rifling pulls and hucks from end zone to end zone. When she wasn’t stretching the field with a throw or a deep cut, she was keeping the offense moving smoothly. Gelfand was always an open option and could play small ball with Chloe Hakimi for dozens of yards. Her defense was heads-up and lockdown. She forced turnovers, skied opponents, and often just prevented her mark from getting the disc. Gelfand’s intense defensive matchup on South Eugene’s Asa Kimball was a huge factor in why Roosevelt was able to pull away. Whether it’s on-field talent or off-field leadership, ZsaZsa Gelfand was an integral part of the Riders’ championship title run.
Semis Showdowns
Roosevelt Over Garfield
With only Garfield (WA) Purple Haze standing in their way of the final, the Roosevelt Rough Riders were looking for a chance to redeem last year’s championship loss. Garfield had already reached a higher placement than ever before, their previous best finish being 10th place. The Seattle teams faced off on a muddy, slick field for a midday semifinal after torrential rain during quarters. Field conditions caused frequent slips on pivots and changes in direction. Players were able to avoid serious injury, and Roosevelt’s handlers – notably, Chloe Hakimi – recovered impressively well from falls to continue play. Even in uncomfortable conditions, Roosevelt managed a comfy 15-10 win.
Roosevelt threw an early zone defense with Chloe Hakimi in the deep space. She had two interceptions in the end zone during the first point, shutting down Garfield’s deep looks and forcing them to chisel through the Roosevelt zone. This first point had countless turnovers on both sides until Vivian Hakimi made a diving block and found her twin, who then hit Sonia Snyder for an opening break. Play was stopped often for violation calls as Roosevelt’s zone was inching too close to the disc, resulting in long talks and a slow start to the game.
Deep looks were plentiful from both sides, with hucks coming from Roosevelt’s Chloe Hakimi and ZsaZsa Gelfand as well as Garfield’s Nor Luloff and Mira Schneeweiss-LaRene. Hakimi hit a few sneaky inside backhands to a striking teammate, and Gelfand’s pulls gave the Riders great field positioning for their defensive points. Luloff stunned viewers with a huge rip to Schneeweiss-LaRene and then a toe-tap catch, bidding out of the end zone, getting her feet in just the right place to score. Garfield’s stars and offensive patience earned them a one-point lead on multiple occasions. The zone they were facing allowed for swings, dumps, and strikes but was suffocating downfield. Defense turned into offense as Roosevelt scored two breaks in a row, taking the lead for the first time since the opening point. The teamwork and trust of Roosevelt made them stand out – end zone cuts were selfless, and each player had opportunities to touch the disc. The Riders, although they had a deep roster, struggled more to score points when their top players were resting, displaying just how much their stars lift up the players around them.
After the first half, Roosevelt was 33% on break chances (3 of 9) while Garfield was only 25% (1 of 4). Both teams had similar numbers of turnovers – earning break chances and capitalizing on them was the biggest factor contributing to Roosevelt’s 8-6 lead at halftime. Garfield’s energy was running low as their momentum drained but they kept fighting, relying on big plays from Schneeweiss-LaRene and Luloff to keep their season going. The Garfield surge was too little too late, as Hakimi’s squad ran up the score in the final minutes. After one last Garfield score, a flowing but patient end zone offense from Roosevelt flipped the field on the goal line, and Elle Olivier reeled in the catch to make it 15-10, sending the Riders back to the championship game.
South Eugene Over El Cerrito
The second game in the semis was a superior show of the strength of South Eugene, as they rolled to a 15-2 win over El Cerrito (CA). It started with incomplete deep looks back and forth as both teams adjusted to the lack of rain after the uncomfortable quarterfinal conditions. South Eugene’s Neala Anderson immediately showed her versatility, cutting hard for a central position and unsuccessfully shooting to Asa Kimball downfield. El Cerrito attempted a similar connection but also failed, with Nora Draut’s usual huck to Rani Millstein falling short. Helen Burruss stepped up with a commanding offensive presence to initiate some give-and-go action with both Dana Herrmann and Anderson, bringing some flow back to the Oregon team’s play style. After finding their groove in the initial point, South rarely turned the disc over on offensive possessions and threw confusing junk zones resembling a 3-3-1 to force early turns. With Asa Kimball sitting in the deep space on defense, El Cerrito continued to face major difficulties hitting their cutters from the power position despite their effective backfield swings.
Working through Kimball, Burruss, and Sonja Dorsch, a few quick points for South Eugene brought the score to 6-0. Draut, Millstein, and Nessa Eisen found some success in breaking the tricky zone, but their impatience got the best of them when looking to the deep space. South’s defensive positioning didn’t allow deep throws to fall as they continued to capitalize on El Cerrito’s unforced errors. Just 40 minutes into the game, the score was already 10-0, and South pulled many of their starters off the line to give their relatively deep roster some time to show their skills. Eisen was able to take advantage of a mismatch as the new line acclimated. El Cerrito finally got on the board with some great zone breaks from Leslie Medina and a grab in the end zone by Millstein. Trying hard to continue their forward momentum, Julia Klink blocked the disc multiple times to give El Cerrito much-needed break opportunities. This terrific defense was finally rewarded when Eisen came down with El Cerrito’s first break (and final point).
South Eugene continued to show their confidence in their newer players, who soon rose to the occasion. El Cerrito was locked down and unable to find more holes in South’s superior defense. Four breaks later, South Eugene closed out the game with a statement score of 15-2 and carried their elevated confidence into finals for their toughest matchup of the tournament.
All-Tournament Teams
First Team
Nor Luloff (Garfield)
Felix Goeckel (Amherst)
ZsaZsa Gelfand (Roosevelt)
Hazel Geiger (Nathan Hale)
Chloe Hakimi (Roosevelt)
Helen Burruss (South Eugene)
Neala Anderson (South Eugene)
Second Team
Neela Van Kanegan (Jordan)
Mira Schneeweiss-LaRene (Garfield)
Alice Reiger (Strath Haven)
Kumari Okumura (Washburn)
Rani Millstein (El Cerrito)
Helen Golden (Nathan Hale)
Bridget Barnett (Roosevelt)
Honorable Mention
Mrida Sadhu (Oakland Tech)
Ruth Findley (Holy Family Catholic)
Nessa Eisen (El Cerrito)
Lily DiGioa (Nathan Hale)
Isla Cusick (Amherst)
Norah Curry (Alexandria)
Runners-Up Runway, Rain or Shine
While the finalists were duking it out on the showcase field, we asked some of the top teams who their nominee would be for best frisbee style. When they’re not covered in mud from head to toe, these players are dripped out in every way possible. It came as no surprise when many of the division’s strongest players were also recognized off the field for their cool vibes and confident style.
El Cerrito
- Lisa Ramsing
- “Just look at her!”
- Quoted as being “overall drippy”
- “Lisa is just cool, cause she’s European, so she’s just like… cool.”
- Josie Lucia
- “She has really cool pants. Those ones with the stripes down the sides.”
- “Her pink cleats are kind of iconic.” (We think they’re very iconic.)
Amherst
- Myla Peltier
- Her hats are color-coordinated to the pre-wrap on her jersey. (How many color hats does she have???)
- Outdoorsy pants and colorful purple cleats
Nathan Hale
- Lily DiGioia & Jane Cater
- “Jane has good socks, Lily DiGioia has better drip” (Words from Nathan Hale teammates in the rain during their comeback against Garfield. Looks like someone wants to stir the pot between teammates…)
Garfield
- “FRISBEE DRIP??” – from five people in unison
- Mira Schneeweiss-LaRene
- “Everything about Mira, everything about Mira.”
- “Mira has the best fashion in general to be honest.” (I need to see it to believe it.)
- “Mira trades jerseys cause she’s really outgoing and nice. The one she’s wearing right now is from Canada. I think it’s super cute, it’s pink!”
Lincoln
- Lou Shernoff
- Radical sunglasses and colorful shorts
- Crazy hair with ribbon
- “Attitude. Now walk off.” (Lou said this to me word for word, ending the interview with flair I had to be impressed by.)
Washburn
- Eve Gardner
- “Eve has great gear, and the hair clips!”
- Confidence from her teammates, saying “Eve Gardner for sure.”
- “The hair, the headband, the whole vibe”
- “Granola aesthetic” – (classic frisbee)
