Skirmish Paintball
Jim Thorpe, PA
Game Type: 5-Man Two-Flag Capture the Flag played on four fields.
Rules: Two flags on opposite sides of the field. The goal is to get the opposite flag and bring it back to your side. Playing to 270 points in 5 rounds.
Paintballs: JT Maxim 2
The last few days have been crazy for the team and I. We thought we were going to have Martin Hill playing on our team and then there was another trade that left us with a kid the same age as me: Cody Gibson. Now Martin is with Haden Franke on the St. Pauli Reckless, who wanted to trade Haden to restart with young players...I don't think Martin exactly fits that category.
In the end Ernie ended up with Nor Cal, and Phil Gomez. Hopefully Cody won't be a huge let down...
I walked in with Peter when suddenly I get a mouthful of long brown hair. "Oh, sorry..." says a kid looking about my age. "I'm Cody Gibson, do you guys know where the Mess are supposed to go?" My first encounter with "Gibbey".
Preliminaries: First to 270 points/5 rounds
Mess vs. St. Pauli Reckless
Uh-Oh, bad news for St. Pauli - two guys in black suits just stopped by and called up Haden Franke to their Novice division team. That means St. Pauli will have to use their extra player from the bench. I caught a glimpse of Martin Hill as Haden waved good-bye and walked away...it looked pretty bad.
Round 1: Peter and Eric took out 1 a piece before they, and me, were eliminated by an angry Martin Hill. Matt handled him and the two remaining Reckless, leaving the flag pull and hang to Cody.
Round 2: After only like 10 seconds, Cody and I were the only Mess still standing. Martin and the used-to-be-benchwarmer ran in to try and get us in one rush, but Cody and I both got one making it 3v2 in favor of the Reckless. Then another paintballer mimicked them and ran in, splattering Cody big time, but somehow I was able to survive and take him out of the round. One of the last two Reckless charged in and got to the flag, but wasn't fast enough on the way back to dodge my paint. That left me and one more - the Reckless wearing the necklace . Like the failed attempts of his teammates before him, he ran in at me, but then swirved to cover. I ran for some too, and it was soon a shootout. Back and forth...back and forth...SPLAT! Both of us were drenched in paint and the round was called a draw.
Round 3: Eric was the only Mess to go as Peter got 2, Matt got 2, and Cody got 1 along with the flag pull and capture.
Round 4: I managed to get 1 elimination, setting an example for Cody and Eric who also got 1 a piece. Sadly, Martin got Matt and I. Then the former-benchwarmer showed some hidden talent and took out Cody and Eric, leaving only Peter. Peter fought hard with Martin and finally was able to splatter his goggles with yellow paint, leaving him 1v1 with the benchwarmer. The benchwarmer again showed some talent, though, and somehow sprinted past Peter to the flag. Peter didn't like having his opponent breathing down his neck so he swapped sides, also grabbing a flag. Not noticing the benchwarmer behind a bunker down in the back right, Peter made a run for it down the right wing and was knocked down by a line of paintballs.
Round 5: (Final Round) Cody went down early, but wasn't really needed anyways because Peter and I got 1 "kill" each and Eric got 2, leaving only Martin standing in our way of the Semi-Finals. Peter decided to go for it, and sprinted in at Martin resulting in him standing on the sidelines watching as Matt sniped out Martin for the
Stats: (decided just to post all stats and not do three stars)
Peter Carey - 5 eliminations, 4 outs, 1 flag pull, 1 time he survived the whole round
Cody Gibson - 3 eliminations, 2 flag pulls, 2 flag hangs, 2 times he survived the whole round, 3 outs
Mitchel Gate (me) - 6 eliminations, 3 outs, 2 times I survived the whole round, 1 flag pull, 1 flag hang
Matt Parks - 6 eliminations, 3 times he survived the whole round, 2 outs
Eric Hunter - 4 eliminations, 4 outs, 1 time he survived the whole round
Intermission: Ernie Volpe walks by me and we both give each other the silent treatment with evil glares.
Semi-Finals: First to 270 points/5 rounds
Mess vs. Naughty X Nature
Round 1: Eric and I went together, but Eric did all the work and got 3 eliminations. Cody also got an elimination, right before him and Peter were nailed in their respective guts. Matt didn't let us lose, though, as he finished off the last Reckless with ease. I got the flag pull and capture, winning us the round.
Round 2: Peter started off the splattering early, opening the show for Eric who got his 4th and 5th eliminations of the round. Things then fell apart on us. Matt and Cody were both walked off the field with the refs with paint spewing down their shirts. 2v2 wasn't Eric and my shining moments as we couldn't hold off the Naughty X Nature's. Score: 108-102
Round 3: The beginning always seems good for us...then we blew it. Eric, Matt, and I all got 1 Naughty X, but then our team fell to the hands of the remaining two Score: 196-120
Round 4: Matt got 3 and was the only paintballer to survive the whole round, so, of course, he got the flag pull and capture. (Cody and Peter got the other two before they were eliminated)
Round 5: (Final Round, whoever wins this wins the match and moves on to the finals) I gulped at that. Eric started us off on a high note... but then we crashed and burned. Cody, Eric, and I all were painted, giving Matt and Peter 4 Naughty X's to take care off. Peter kept us alive, though, and got two making things a little brighter... until Matt was shot and Peter went 2v1. An intense shootout unfolder, with Peter nervously moving around his cover, going anywhere a paintball wasn't...but he was just too overpowered and soon was walking off the field deflated. FINAL SCORE: 306-224
Stats:
Mitchel Gate (me) - 1 elimination,1 flag pull, 1 flag hang, 1 time I survived the whole round, 4 outs
Peter Carey - 4 eliminations, 5 outs
Eric Hunter - 6 eliminations, 4 outs, 1 time he survived the whole round
Matt Parks - 5 eliminations, 1 flag pull, 1 flag hang, 2 times he survived the whole round, 3 outs
Cody Gibson - 2 eliminations, 5 outs
1st Place: Boston Paintball Factory - 100 Leaderboard points, $300
2nd Place: Naughty X Nature - 75 Leaderboard points, $200
3rd Place: Mess - 50 Leaderboard points, $100
Leaderboard:
Boston Paintball Factory - 600 points
Mess - 314 points
Reign - 313 points
Naughty X Nature - 239 points
Thor Omega Group - 214 points
Nor Cal - 78 points (5th place )
St. Pauli Reckless - 69 points
Palm Beach Vipers - 64 points
Miss-Stress - 59 points (Ouch, last place)
"Ahh second again
." I said to my parents as we were walking back to our vomit colored minivan...BANG!! I got a mouthful of long brown hair and a meeting with concrete. When I got my senses back I saw Cody "Gibbey" Gibson staring back at me with a nervous expression. My second encounter with "Gibbey", and my first encounter with concrete in my paintball experience so far. Apparently, he doesn't like walking or watching out for people...
Why me?!
I bought new gloves and a barrel with my $600, leaving me $500, of course I'll lose some to the "bet".
I really hope I'll be getting a car soon!
And a first place finish would be nice.
Peace,
Mitchel, Mitchel Gate