Finals: It's the one seed against the tenth, and Chad Larson Experience may have finally won some respect for the Central region. In their blue cotton T-shirts and red velour Santa shorts and skirts with jingle bells on the crotch, CLX couldn't be more different from Shazam. The Iowa team is very young, with several players still in college, and plays completely unconventional ultimate that relies mainly on athletic play. In Shazam's semifinal against Brass Monkey, they looked calm and collected, hitting the deep when it was open and working the disc down the field otherwise. At this point Seattle has won the Women and Open divisions, and Riot and Sockeye are on the sidelines cheering for their friends. But everyone else is rooting for underdog. Chants of "CLX" emanate from the stands by frisbee central.

CLX receives to start the game, and turns it over after a couple of passes. Shazam punches it in. 1-0 Shazam. CLX then walks it down to the endzone and makes a great grab for the score. 1-1. Shazam receives the pull and throws it away long, but CLX turns it right back over near the endline. Tad Jensen (#16) on Shazam makes a nice layout catch and it's 2-1 Shazam. Chad Larson throws a couple of passes on the ensuing point, then throws one low and hard to Wes Van Maanen (#99). He lays out and makes the catch, then lets go while lying there. Steve Finn (#7) on Shazam picks up and throws a 15 yarder to Charlie Ellis (#18) for the score. 3-1. CLX opens up their deep game with a long throw to Van Maanen, but Tucker Jackson (#22) gets the D. Finn then throws it too far for Christa Ward (#4). CLX works it, then Kevin Cunningham (#69) has a turnover in the red zone. Finn sends another huck that's defended by Van Maanen. Chad Larson works it down the field, but then Kevin Seiler (#1) is blocked by Eric Mattson (#1). Shazam calls a timeout, perhaps to prevent a third turnover. But after the time out, Van Maanen has a big poach layout D on Ward, and then Luke Voytas (#33) sends up a huge hammer to Van Maanen, who comes down with it. The crowd goes wild, because fans love the hammer. 3-2 Shazam. On the next point, Tanya Erickson (#17) misthrows to Pam Kraus (#51), but then CLX gives it right back. Shazam patiently works it down the field and scores. 4-2. CLX receives and immediately makes it exciting with a big huck by Dave Karsten (#2) to Lana Meyer (#16). 4-3. Shazam works the spread offense on the next point, but Karsten gets the D. He then throws a terrible, blade-like hammer to Seiler, who incredibly makes the catch. CLX has tied it up at fours.

Shazam receives and works the disc to Jimmy Chu (#15), who sends it deep to Erin Gallagher (#48). She throws the easy score and it's 5-4. CLX responds as usual with a big huck to Van Maanen. He can't hold onto it. Shazam sends it right back, throwing one long to Ellis that's defended by Voytas. But CLX turns it over again. Suddenly the game has become a turnover-fest. Scott Causey (#36) turns it for Shazam. Sara Hill (#7) puts it up for CLX and her receiver makes the catch, but after working it they turn it over in the endzone. Shazam has trouble with the hard, aggressive CLX defense, and turns it over. CLX puts up a big hammer and comes down with it, but the next throw is a turnover. Finally, Shazam hucks to Ellis, Ellis throws low to Mattson in the endzone, and Mattson lays out for the catch. 6-4 Shazam. Shazam goes zone, which seems like a good idea against the younger team, but CLX has no trouble beating it. They get the easy score and it's 6-5.

Shazam's Finn sends up a big huck to Jon Ladd (#5) on the next point, who drops it. But then Seiler makes a terrible throw and gets scored on by Jensen. 7-5. After a bad pull by Shazam, CLX receives and Seiler puts up a long huck to Voytas for the score. 7-6. Shazam receives and hucks it to Kraus, who catches it, starts to look for her continue, and drops it. CLX then turns it over long. Shazam works it downfield and it's Finn to Chu for the score. 8-6. CLX receives and moves it easily. The Shazam D seems a step behind. CLX hits all their players on the shorter passes, including their women. Shazam uses theirs less. CLX has a turnover-free point and scores, 8-7. Shazam receives and works it downfield, but then turns it over, and CLX gives it right back at midfield. Shazam scores and takes half at 9-7.

In the second half, Shazam receives, gets it to midfield, then throws it long to no one. Shazam turns up the D after the turnover, and works a lot harder. CLX turns it over. Finn has the disc and Austin Gangel (#23) gets a big point block. But CLX can't capitalize; Karsten turns it over. Finn throws it away but CLX gives it back. Then Gallagher also gets point blocked, this one by Meyer (#16). CLX then throws it right to the poach, Kraus making the catch. Kraus throws long to Chu, who has great position on the trailing edge disc; Seiler makes an athletic play on D and almost gets the block. 10-7. CLX receives and works it down the field. A player gets point blocked, but Rachel Derscheid (#9) makes a great grab (in fishnets, no less). Voytas puts up a perfect away pass down the line to Cunningham to make it 10-8. Shazam has a miscue on the dump on the ensuing point, and CLX puts a 20-yarder up to Van Maanen for the score. 10-9.

Shazam receives and Aaron Bell (#33) throws a long pass to Chu. He makes the grab and tosses an easy one to Erickson for the score. 11-9. Shazam puts on a zone for five paases. CLX works it well with their ladies, prompting a heckle from the crowd: "Use your guys!" Sara Hill (#7) is playing great for them. CLX scores, 11-10. Bell puts up another long one, this time to Erickson; she gets it to Chu and it's 12-10. CLX turns it over on the next point and Mattson, with no cutters, calls a time out for Shazam. He throws long to Finn to make it 13-10. On the next point, CLX's Hill throws a lovely crossfield backhand to Van Maanen. 13-11. Bell hucks it to Ladd for the next point, 14-11. CLX receives and works it, with Derscheid making a nice catch to maintain possession. Seiler throws a great breakmark flick to Karsten for the score. 14-12. Shazam throws out of bounds, and CLX takes a time out about 15 yards outside their endzone. They throw a couple of passes, then Karsten turns it over. Amy Sheldahl (#21) gets it back for CLX. A thrower puts up a really terrible inside out backhand that's going way out of bounds, and somehow Karsten makes this incredible leaping catch and toes it in for the score. 14-13. On the next point Shazam has trouble moving the disc and Kraus throws it away. CLX turns it back over. Then Finn gets point blocked again, this time by Van Maanen, and a bad floaty pass goes up that Camille Yu (#10) catches anyway. It's tied again at 14s. Shazam walks it downfield and CLX's switching defense gets confused; a man ends up on 5'3'' Amber Fyfe-Johnson (#3) and a woman ends up on Finn. He scores, 15-14 Shazam. CLX receives and Hill has the disc. With some nice faking she gets a big break off, but it's off the fingertips of Karsten. Shazam works it down the field and throws to Ward, who stops a bit short on her cut and Hill gets the layout D. There's some discussion after Ward calls a foul, and she's either talked out of it by an angry Hill or the observer rules the other way. CLX puts up a bad huck to Voytas, turnover, and Shazam works it 60 yards the other way; but Ward drops it. Derscheid throws long to Seiler, who catches it 10 yards outside the endzone and calls a time out. Then, on what clearly must have been the play call, Seiler throws a bad pass to Voytas, who makes a huge chest-high trailing edge catch for the score. It's tied at 15s.

Shazam receives and gets it to Kraus, who throws a big one to Finn. 16-15. Shazam's pull is very short for the second time this game, and Voytas throws an away pass to Karsten. 16-16, win by two, hard cap at 19. CLX returns the favor to Shazam, giving them a short field on a bad pull. Shazam hits all four men and none of the ladies, working it to Chu, who throws a great hammer to Finn. 17-16 Shazam, game point. CLX receives and Finn gets a layout D to give Shazam the chance to win. A couple of passes later, Shazam calls a time out. Ellis hucks it but it's D'd by Hill. CLX has it on the goalline to tie the game up, Hill gets open for an easy pass, and Seiler puts it just out of her reach. But Finn puts up an awful huck to give CLX another chance. Chad Larson calls a time out. The first throw is a bad cross field look that's out of the reach of any receiver. Mattson picks up and hucks it to Finn, who pulls it down for the win. 18-16 Shazam.

Chad Larson Experience advanced further than anyone expected by playing a game that's hard to defend - big (sometimes ugly) throws to great receivers that make plays. Their women were terrific for them, moving the disc and forcing turns with their D. Shazam didn't play as pretty as they did for the semifinals, but they got the job done; their depth in throwers and cutters, and their (sometimes) patient offense capitalized on CLX's many turnovers. Shazam made it a Seattle sweep on Sunday, and Riot and Sockeye formed a tunnel for the Shazam players to run through. The celebration continued as the sun set, with team couples dancing and lots of hugs and smiles, basking in the Sarasota warmth for one last night before returning to rainy, cold Seattle.