2011-2012 Playoffs

Round One, Game One: #3 Blue versus #8 White

-Playing an inspired brand of basketball, Blue used the momentum of their late-season push to outlast White 56-51. Luke had a hand in his team's success for once, accumulating 10 points and 14 rebounds. Most of the crowd was convinced that Blue had become legitimate title contender, as no one wanted to play against their lineup of sweaty, overweight donut-eaters. Winning their first round game, though it was a low-scoring and ugly affair, was the first step in making that title a reality.

Round One Game Two: #4 Yellow versus #5 Orange

-Early on in the season, Orange was considered the favorite to win it all, having a good mix of new contributors and old veterans. But though they made the playoffs, most people soon figured out that they weren't quite the team they should have been. Yellow, though propelled by the star power of Rob Knapskizxzyks, faced similar doubts all year, as there were serious questions regarding their offensive balance. The real focus of this match-up, however, was the battle of the Schmidts: Eric (Yellow) and Dave (Orange). Rob put up a strong game, with 29 points, 7 rebounds, and a couple of assists, but it was really Eric's spirited effort over his brother that won the day for Yellow and carried them on to the second round by a score of 73-69.

Round Two, Game One: #4 Yellow versus #2 Red

-Round Two started hot with a spectacular match-up between the two highest scorers in the league: Mark and Rob. Yellow used some good shooting at the start to take a big lead, but it would slowly unravel due to Red's consistent rebounding and defensive pressure. Rob would edge out Mark statistically, with 25 points and 12 rebounds, compared to Mark's 19 and 6, but it proved to be Mark's toughness and ability to get to the line (12 for 15 on the day) that made the difference. Not to be forgotten were the important contributions of Matt K (11, 11, 7) and Dave Troy (12 and 5). Rob played well, but found his team as overmatched in the end, and he would yet again be denied a spot in the Championship, losing 68-63.

Round Two, Game Two: #1 Brown versus #3 Blue

-Blue had produced quite a bit of sweat in their opening round win over Orange, but that was likely nothing compared to the sweat it would take to overcome the #1 seeded Brown. This game was loaded with HatchetBall veterans and world-class athletes. In the end, the game was decided by shooting, as is often the case. Brown put up one of their worst shooting performances of the season, perhaps owing to the stagnation of their BYE week, though they were able to keep the game close based on sheer talent and effort. In fact, with two minutes to play, Brown held the lead 50-49, despite being outplayed for most of the game. Unfortunately, Brown wouldn't score again and Blue would use some clutch free-throw shooting to ice the game. Luke put up another strong performance with 5 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. The final score was 54-50 in favor of Blue, who secured the unlikely upset.

Championship: Red versus Blue

-The Championship game would feature three players returning from the Championship of a season ago: Mark, Luke, and Matt K. Because there were players on each team, it guaranteed that someone would be walking away a HatchetBall champion. But more importantly, it guaranteed that someone would be walking away in shame; a HatchetBall loser. The game was close almost the entire time, but as was their custom, the Red team utilized a balanced attack to close out the Blue team and turn the game in their favor. Near the end, the sweaty galoots from Blue ran out of gas and Red won the 'Ship. Leading the attack for Red, yet again, was Mark, who continued to get to the line (9 for 11) and poured in 28 points and snagged 6 rebounds. Matt K put up his usual strong effort, though he couldn't put many points on the board. He ended with 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 blocks. Troy continued his solid play as well, hoisting up 12 points and securing 9 rebounds. For his part, Luke did manage a record-tying 4 blocks in the game, but with only 3 points to offer his team, it isn't surprising Luke ended up as the only two-time Championship game loser. It won't be long before the comparisons to Barkley take root and Luke becomes one of those guys who just never wins a title. Congratulations to Red, who won the game 62-57.

Season Recap

-Overall, the 2011-2012 HatchetBall season was a great success. The league continues to get better with the influx of strong players. But despite the stronger competition, it was no surprise that the same players ended up on top again. It's strange that no matter how much things change, many things still stay the same. Matt K won his second straight championship, while Mark and Luke played in their second straight title game. Rob lost in the semifinals for the second year in a row as well. But mostly, 2011-2012 will always be remembered for Matt V and his ability to continue to embarrass himself. He became the first ever HatchetBall player to miss the playoffs; a feat we all thought would be impossible, seeing as though six out of the eight teams make the playoffs and Matt V picks his own team. As we move forward, and gain some distance from the concluded season, it still remains obvious that Matt V has no one to blame but himself for his failures. Looking ahead to the 2012-2013 season, the clock continues to count down on him, ticking out the years until he gives up all together and retires. I for one, can't wait. I hope to have many great days in what's left of my life, but I am sure, without a shred of doubt, that Matt V's retirement from HatchetBall will be my greatest day. Then, we can look back upon his long career of helplessness and see what a loser he really was all along. So, for one last time, let's signal the crowd to start up its favorite chant: "FUCK MATT V....FUCK MATT V...FUCK MATT V..."