Girls Ultimate Frisbee Team Tops State Finals Nemesis Columbia

Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but the Watchung Hills Regional Girls Ultimate Frisbee Team got revenge on Maplewood's Columbia High School in the state championships in the hot weather of Memorial Day weekend.

After losing to the powerhouse in the two previous finals matchups, the Warriors won 13-5 to claim their first state pennant. The boys, who have also faced Columbia in three consecutive state finals matchups, lost to the team.

Ultimate Frisbee is a relatively new sport in high schools, and Watchung Hills Regional is the only New Jersey school to recognize the sport as a varsity sport and not a club. The local program started in 2002, but has grown into a very successful program for both boys and girls teams.

The game is played in a manner almost like football, on a 70-yard long field. Players pass the frisbee to each to move their team downfield (players can't run with the frisbee, it must be passed). When a team is able to pass it to a player inside the end zone, a point is scored and the first team to reach 15 points wins.

The game originated in 1968 at ... Columbia High School.

There is one big difference between Ultimate Frisbee and most sports, according to fifth-year head coach Mike Porter, however.

"Generally, we don't have referees," he said. "The rules assume you're not going to commit an intentional foul. People have to really discipline themselves."

Porter said that's one of the aspects of the game he enjoys the most. "For me, as an educator, the best part is teaching them about that and making them aware of the idea of sportsmanship and fair play," he said.

The girls team was lead by senior captains Laura Park and Annie Yang. On the team's way to the championship, they defeated Westfield in the semifinals, 15-2. Assists leaders for the team were sophomore Oliva Hampton with 9 and senior Rebecca Chang with 7.  Sophomore Marissa Schwartz was the leading goal scorer with 8.  Sophomore Kathleen Lo caught 5 goals including the game winner against Columbia.

The nationally-ranked team finished its season in the no. 5 spot, according to USAUltimate.org, which oversees the sport.

For the boys team, victories over West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Bridgewater and Princeton High School on May 28 put the team in the May 29 semifinals. The Warriors beat Westfield, 13-5, but couldn't overcome Columbia to also claim a title. According to the team's website, Senior captain Charlie Lian threw 25 assists during the tournament, and senior Mike Wu tossed 11 assists and caught 12 goals to lead the team.