Renewal of the North vs. South Rivalry This Weekend

Members of the Confederacy could only wish they had the success of the South County

What they’re playing for…

Disc Golf team.  The South team, led by Captain Daniel Lichtman, has won all five of the North/South Challenges that have been held to date.  Each year, 20-player teams are assembled by appointed captains – a mixture of 5 Open players, 12 Amateurs, 1 Masters-age player and 2 Ladies.  The teams play 4 match-play rounds over two days, two on North courses and 2 on South courses, with one match each day being singles and one being doubles.  These rounds are match play, so total strokes for the round don’t count – what matters is how many holes you win.  This year, Saturday’s matches will be played at Kit Carson (doubles) and Brengle Terrace (singles), with Sunday’s matches being played at Morley Field (singles) and Sun Valley (doubles).  Check-in times for the first round each day are 8:30am, with play beginning at 9am.  The afternoon rounds are expected to start at 1pm, but will give players time for travel and lunch.

As in years past, this weekend is also election time for the San Diego Aces board.  The online portion of the voting has been going on since last Monday and will end Friday night.  The ballot box for in-person voting will be traveling along with the matches this weekend, so if you haven’t had a chance to vote online (some members did not receive invites because of bounced e-mail addresses), you can vote in person at one of the matches.

Trash-talking surrounding the match has already begun: “Should we give the North team some mulligans this year?” posted Patrick Paramore on the South County team Facebook page.  Former South team member Aaron Van Matre opined that they “should just rename it to the “South always wins” trophy”.  Notoriously self-deprecating South County resident Mark “Mdub” Wilson posted “Heck, I could be on the south team and we’d still win every year!”, and even South Captain Dan Lichtman chimed in: “Sweet. I see another win for the South…” once the rosters were posted online.

The evidence.

Above the Mason-Dixon line (the 56 freeway), the North team is in its usual state of disarray.  Team member Scott Miller vented his frustrations on Facebook (“Fire A.J.!”) over the glacier-like pace of Team Captain A.J. Risley’s selection process, and for that was awarded Team Co-Captain status.  The North team finally has a roster filled out, but if previous years are any guide they should be collecting subs for any players who decide not to show for fear of another drubbing by the South.  But South County Captain Dan Lichtman sees a small light at the end of the tunnel for the North: “They have many improved players this year. We may have won all years previous, but who knows. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

Either way, whether it’s business as usual for the South or an underdog victory for the North, it should prove to be a fun and competitive weekend of disc golf.  Come out and support your team!