After a successful DL Summer League season that saw the Waltham War Pigeons take home the title, Llama basketball returns to the CAC for the indoor season with three upgraded squads.  Here’s a look at each team.

Dizzy Llamas White
The Llamas best squad last year has been turbo loaded with talent. Fresh off of his First Team All-Coed-CAC performance last year, Pat Brown returns with a cast of players to rival some of the best in the league. Big Sean Souza from last year’s Orange squad and Nick “March Madness” Bruce bracket the finesse forward with size and speed, while Eileen Devlin’s tough defense and unpredictably brilliant shooting stroke should come in nicely in support. The biggest signing for the Llamas in the offseason, however, was the Spring season offensive player of the year Paul Niblett. Not only was Nibs the second best looking players on the Blouses, right after Rappoli, but he also put the finals failures on the map during their undefeated regular season. With some additional size in rookie Steven Belowsky and some cameos from the B squads, this could be the core of a title contender by the end of the year.

Pros: With some help on the boards and having a few more options to score, Brown and Souza could be one of the strongest front courts in the league.
Cons: While they will no doubt be one of the better teams this season, it may take some time for the new crew to gel.

Dizzy Llamas Orange
No Tarentino sighting thus far, but Orange features an array of snipers that should keep them in any ball game. Corey Norton moves over from white to run the point. Rookies Dave Grubb, Rory Hart and Orange veteran Cynthia Lopez join him on the perimeter for an wide open attack. While the front court may not have the height of most squads, captain Jerry Antone is tough to move on the block. White transfer Patrick Millina is tenacious on defense and rookie forward Brian Glynn has the potential to be a bruising, rebound machine.

Pros: Four above-average to excellent parimeter shooters should open up the middle for their undersized big men and allow Antone a chance to put up some decent points.
Cons: No clear slasher-type player to exploit the open defense could cause problems early on.

Dizzy Llamas Black
While the new Llamas squad is packed with a lot of veterans, their newest rookie could be a rising star for the Llamas. Brian “The Savior” Enright is a left-handed lion in the lane. The small forward can get to any spot on the floor and can make defenders look silly at times with is athleticism, and his array of fakes and pivots. He’s complimented on the other wing with “Nighthawk” Joe McConkey. Equally athletic, McConkey dazzled teams with his surprising rebounding ability and knack for scoring in traffic. Captain Dave Claffey and forwards Matt Ryder and Darrell Maule look to add a defensive presence and Lady Llamas Jen Kuzmick and Carissa Everett are gorgeous green workhorses.

Pros: Black features an athletic team that should run the court well and shut down a lot of fast breaks.
Cons: Smaller forwards and inconsistent outside shooters could allow defenses to key on scorers.

Injuries and roster issues plagued the Dizzy Llamas Dodgeball program early this season, ruining potential title contenders. Coming off two straight finals appearances (one championship), Orange started the season with news that Captain Shane Knowles would be having surgery on his knee, then interim captain Sean Morgan hurt his foot with just 3 weeks left in the regular season. In addition, 2009 Llama of the Year Scott Tarentino will be out at least two months with a shoulder injury. Through all of this, Orange finished the season 4th in the league, albeit resulting in a team that will send just 4 players to the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Black began the season with just 1 female on the roster, putting them at a game disadvantage before a single game was played. However, veteran Caitlyn Cassara returned to the court to help out her former team. Captain Greg Martinage has had a positive attitude throughout the entire ordeal, and it has paid dividends as his team finished the season strong and clinched the 8th seed for the playoffs.

Speaking of a positive attitude, Blue Captain Joe Tice has been the epitome of cool. His squad was the only Llama team NOT to make the Gold Bracket last season, yet he and his players stayed optimistic en route to a Silver Bracket finals appearance. Blue used that momentum to battle through attendance issues all season, staying in the top half of the standings throughout and stealing the 14th.

Speaking of the top half of the standings, Green managed to stay in the hunt for the Gold Bracket all season despite having 5 of 7 people playing in their very first Dodgeball season. 2nd season player Kessa Coleman played the leadership role on a team full of rookies. Two of those rookies, Spencer Carter and David Twomey, have taken to the game very quickly and look to be future all-stars. A team that was expected to finish near the bottom of the league, Green has stunned many opponents and with the 21st seed (out of 28 teams) are in great shape to battle for the Silver Bracket title.

Of course, the team that has battled the most adversity has definitely been White. The team began the year with 2 no-shows, leaving them with just a 5 person roster. The team also had an injury of their own, as Brooke Lindner broke her finger mid-season, forcing a roster move that sent Elizabeth Swanson from Blue. Through all of the problems, 2009 Dodgeball Player of the Year Tom Boates led his squad to a 25-5 finish over the final 3 weeks and claimed the #1 seed in the upcoming playoffs.

Green will be playing in the Silver Bracket on March 16th, with the rest of the teams battling for the championship in the Gold Bracket on the 23rd. For more information on the upcoming post-season, or results from all the Dodgeball playoff action, visit www.DizzyLlamas.com.

By JZuk
CAC Basketball

Wow… I am bleeding sarcasm when I write to inform all that we saved the best game for last in Week 9 play of Co-Ed 5v5 at Kings this past Wed. night…

Initially I thought The Hands Team was such a vague name…What does it mean?!

Finally, in a quick instance of genius, after downing my last drop of whiskey from my trusty flask to aid me in coping with the activities displayed in final game of the evening, IT came to me!

You all must be called The Hands Team because you “hand” most teams in the league W’s left and right. The standings state you apparently won twice…not on my watch.

I thought The Hands Team actually had a shot at giving DLO a run for their money as I was informed by Dave Claffey prior to the start of the game that DLO’s stars Scott Tarentino and Sean Morgan were done for the season. Scott apparently dislocated his shoulder in a dodgeball game last week? Why does this not surprise me at all…I hope you get well man, I expect to see you eating Co-Ed’s in the spring season for dinner as usual.

An unfamiliar face to me in the gym for this one was Sean Sauza. This dude is a brick house! Other than WOS I honestly do not think any of the other teams in Co-Ed would have an answer to stop this guy in the post and on the boards. Sauza dominated the game in the first half as he dropped 10 of his 19 points. He had success in the low post and on the boards often times mistaking Baklavas as the ball!

I saw HUGE play from both Cynthia Lopez and Eileen Devlin. Lopez and Devlin had their shots working! Lopez usually hits the bank 3, but on Wed. she showcased finessed as she swished a 3 and buried some perimeter shots on the baseline…this all contributed to her 11 point performance – POUND IT!

Devlin was schooling some fools on The Hands Team. She drained two from deep and hit some tough shots as well – 13 points – that’s half the points The Hands Team scored for the game.

Also, out of nowhere I saw impressive production from Mr. Dave Claffey. He started the game extremely hot and finished strong with 16 points. Not only did he score, he also threw out 5 dishes and hustled for 11 boards! Get that triple double SON!

OK The Hands Team…I will try and go easy, but I do have an audience to entertain with these write-ups…it’s only business, nothing personal – famous last words.

Catherine Barry proved once again that she is a legit guard in this league and that she can shoot the J! She dropped half of her team’s first half points…I mean The Hands Team only collected 10 points, but it certainly sounds good to say you scored half of ‘em.

I’m quite confident Brian Murphy loads up on nitrous oxide and Adderall before all games. This dude is so happy all the time, has great spirit…I think he gets excited just to see his teammates take dribbles around the court. MAN – either you are A.) totally hopped up on something and do not realize your team is at often times losing by 25+ B.) you non-stop watch and take motivation from Will Ferrel SNL cheerleading skits or C.) you are just having a blast.

I take it final answer is C.)…but this is debatable.

Murphy hustled all over the place as he ripped down 10 boards.

Now, what else can I say about Baklavas, aka The Greek? He is slowly but surely solidifying his reputation as the bad boy of CAC basketball. That’s pretty impressive man. Not only is he in the running for most Bad Ass of Co-Ed, but he was predicted to gather the most outspoken display of referee criticism in the Lunch League as well. Gee golly, glad I picked you for my squad…as I was predicted to get most T’s and talk the most trash…our powers combined = 0 calls from Bfab.

The Greek did all he could despite not getting some questionable no-calls in the lane. Not sure if Bfab would have given those to you as he may have cited with the infamous “Lazy Offense” to go along with your trademarked “Lazy Defense.” Baklavas erupted in the second half as he lcoked 13 of his 16 points for the game. Unfortunately this was nowhere near enough to contend with DLO.

Baklavas made sure all knew he was unhappy with the officiating. The ref. Warned him he would get T’d up with the next word out of his mouth. Well let me tell you what – Napoleon could learn a few things from The Greek. Rather than laying down and conceding to the ref’s warnings, Baklavas saw this threat as a challenge!? Baklavas won! He opened up his mouth and following through with his promise, the ref gave The Greek a T. Nice work Baklavas!

Between Harrel’s T last week and The Greek’s impressive T this week…we are starting to see some piss and vinegar in this league! C’mon ladies, step up I want some T’s! I think Shannon Barker (SHB) can do it as she gets a little tourettes-like on the court at times.

Final Score: DLO – 64 The Hands Team – 27

We are only two weeks away from the Golden Llama, the Dizzy Llamas annual award and casino night. For those who will be going for the first time, a flat fee covers your dinner in chips. We eat, play, drink and have fun. It is the greatest “Green Tie” event in town.

For more details and award nominees, check out the information post on the message board here: http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1487.0

We also have a set of awards call the Llamas choice awards. Separate from the player-of-the-year for each sport, the Llamas Choice awards are a chance for all our athletes to select their peers in categories like captain of the year, most improved and Rookie of the year. You can find the link on the information post or you can vote here: http://www.dizzyllamas.com/sports/awards/2009/

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The winter season is mostly underway, despite a few weekend snow storms. If you’re still interested in playing some sports we’ve have some mid-season openings. Check out the about page on the DL website and email that’s sports coordinator to get started.

We are also fielding a pair of basketball teams this January after the success of our Summer basketball league, but we are still looking for players. If you played in the summer or would like to play indoor on Wednesday nights, signup on the message board here: http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1492.0

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Some changes are afoot with the Llamas! Three Llamas were recently presented with numbers. Adny Hatin will now don number 34, Sean Morgan 55 and Greg Martinage (Don’t tell him. He doesn’t get it until Tuesday). Also, Soccer Veteran Mark Goodman will be taking over the club’s soccer program for Mike Bizier, whose teams earned a championship and finals appearance during his year at the helm.

Congratulations to all of you and good luck in your new roles in 2010.

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Finally, our Little Llamas sports equipment was a huge success. A lot of thanks to go around once again, but we easily topped last years total. Well done everyone. There will be a lot of happy tykes once the weather warms.

See you on the Field!

Last year they were underdogs, this year they were juggernauts.  The Dizzy Llamas entered the 2009 Summer season with most of their championship team intact and rolled through the Boston West Coed Softball league regular season posting a 11-1 record with their only lost coming in an end-of-season triple header.  Behind the hot bat of Dave Claffey, who hit .837 and lead the team in RBIs with 31.  The team with also buoyed by the surprising play of gray rookie Erin Calamari, who hit .536 and was an ace on the mound in her first full season pitching.

Once again it was defense that was the signature of this years team, giving up double digit runs only once over the course of the year.  Mimi Drozd anchored the stellar infield squad from thrid, with Mike Comtois manning short and Jen Kuzmick second.

Out of more than 30 teams, the Llamas finished second and swept through the playoff bracket.  In each best-of-three series, Gray never dropped a game, and quickly found themselves in the championship game against the Shootahs.

The two teams had faced each other earlier in the year, with the Shootahs holding the Llamas high-powered offense to only eight runs with the help of severe winds and a stingy defense.  Fortunately for the green guys, the bats were a little more potent.  The one-two punch of Shane Knowles and Scott Tarentino gave the Llamas breathing room, and the speed of Tom Boates broke it open.  In two games the defending champs swept the Shootahs, and became the first back-to-back Summer League champions.

The spring has gotten off to a great start. Dizzy Llamas Orange won the BSSC Dodgeball Championship, Gray Softball and our Sunday Soccer team are off to an undefeated start, and our CoRec teams in every sport are lined up for a successful Summer. For those who haven’t gotten their athletic fill yet, we have two new sports starting up in a few weeks, a cookout for everyone to attend and some new gear for sale.

Dizzy Llamas Basketball – This summer we are starting a fun, Llamas only basketball league for anyone looking to play basketball but hates the high cost and excessive tall people. Well, we’ll still have a few tall people, but come have a good time with some outdoor hoops. For more details, check out the signup thread here:
http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1192.0

Dizzy Llamas Ultimate Frisbee – Like Basketball, this is a Llama-only league. Last year the Brighton Blouses came away with the title led by Adam Howe, Mike Bizier and Allie Greer. Games are fast-paced and fun, and everyone is invited to play. If you’re interested, take a look at the signup thread here:
http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1191.0

*Deadlines for signups for both Basketball and Ultimate are approaching, so signup today.

This Sunday, June 14th, We’ll be having a cookout at Casey Field in Watertown as our four Llama softball teams face off in the DL Death Tournament. Even if you’re not a softball player you are invited to come down. I’ll be bringing hamburgers, hot dogs and some drinks, so if you want to bring treats too it would be appreciated. Grilling will start around 2pm. Casey Field is on Watertown Road, and you can park behind the school.

We are putting in a shirt order this Wednesday, so you have to act fast if you want to get some extra Llama shirts. We also have Llama baseball caps, socks and shorts available for anyone interested in purchasing them. All the info can be found on the Gear Order thread here:
http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1197.0

Congratulations to Sean Morgan for being named May’s Llama of the Month, and Carissa Everett who was named an EMAAC player of the week for the Boston Division.

See you on the Field!

It took a year and a half, but reigning Dodgeballer of the Year Shane Knowles finally reached his ultimate goal.  And after a series against the Guerilla Bombers that found the Llamas down 0-2, It was Knowles who delivered the final knockout in Game Five to secure the BSSC Spring Dodgeball championship for Dizzy Llamas Orange.

Until the pivotal battle against the retooled Guerillas, Orange had swept through their first two opponents, including an opening round matchup against Dizzy Llamas Black.  Big guns Dave Benevides, Sean Morgan and Scott Tarentino grunted their way through both series with ease, saving Ashley Parker and Brielle Kissel who were destined to make their mark on a bigger stage.

Down 2-1 in the finals, it was Parker who widdled down the Bombers vaulted lineup, finding herself in a one-on-one matchup with “See Ya” Joe.  After defecting several of Joe’s high velocity tosses, Parker countered and fired a bullet that glanced off his hands and struck him in the head.

Game five was just as intense, as Parker and Kissel found themselves alone on the floor against three Bombers.  Parker now a target for Joe and Scott “The Commish” Buckley, the duo teamed up on a throw hoping to knock out the Llamas’ star before she could strike them.  The first ball Parker defected, but the second one drilled her right in the midsection.  The Guerilla Bombers started celebrating for an instant, but when the ball did not fall, the cheers started echoing from the other side of the court.  Parker had caught the ball somehow while crouched, sending Buckley off the court and bring Knowles back in to finish the game.

Joe was able to get Parker, but a quick toss by Kissel caught the ace off guard and sent him to the bench as Shane sealed the game by hitting the final Bomber with his laser, rocket arm.

The victory is the fourth dodgeball title for the Llamas, and the third in the last year.  Tarentino notched his third dodgeball championship, Parker and Benevides their second.  The last five BSSC Dodgeball finals have featured the Guerilla Bombers and the Llamas.  This win gives the Llamas a 3-2 edge on the series.

Never in Llama Dodgeball history has a season begun with such hope and anticipation as the 2008-09 Winter season. After taking home the title over the Summer, DL White reached the finals once again in the Fall yet failed to complete their task. All four teams reached the playoffs that season, finishing with a .500 record or better, yet there was still that final hill to climb over.

With 30 teams entered for the Winter season, the path would be much more difficult, yet everyone took it in stride, even as their teams struggled a bit more than the Fall. White once again claimed the #2 seed and reached the Gold playoffs, as did Black with the #6. Blue and Green clinched spots in the Silver playoffs, finishing #16 and #21, respectively.

The night began with the Silver bracket, as Green struggled a bit, yet held their own ground. As a team comprised mostly of young dodgeball prospects, they took their struggles as a lesson in humility and played the upset card in the final week of the regular season, going 7-3 and kicking teams out of the Silver playoffs. Mimi Drozd and Brent Soncini made vast improvements to their throwing skills, and Elizabeth Swanson provided much-needed leadership. Though they were eliminated in the first round, their confidence should carry over to the Spring.

Blue’s path through the Silver Bracket was a difficult one, but they stuck with it and made it all the way to the bracket finals. Without captains Mike Bizier or Jared Calise to lead the team, it was up to the rest of the squad to band together. Joe Tice made most of the stunning plays on the night, but it was Khristopher Miller’s patience and confidence that kept them in each and every game.

The Gold playoffs began late, and Black’s impatience to get things started showed as they took a 2-1 lead on their first round opponent. Rookie Kevin Neville was a great addition to an already-talented roster, and captain Brad Bodell kept the many skilled players in check. Their season ended quite unsatisfactory, yet the team’s dedication will surely carry into the next session, as the entire roster but 1 will be returning.

After the other three teams were eliminated, they settled in for the long road as White stormed through the Gold bracket. Winning their first two series 3-0, they were put face-to-face with their league rivals, the Guerilla Bombers. Captain Tom Boates orchestrated a the attack, while Erin Calamari, one of the best dodgers in the league, found herself in the end of every game. Although they were defeated in the championship game for the second straight season, the team’s will and determination should put them in a great spot for next season as well.

Great job by all four Llama teams, and good luck in the Spring season as DL goes for a 5th straight Finals appearance.

2009 kicked off with a bang as nearly fifty Llamas packed the Verona Restaurant in Watertown to celebrate the 2008 Golden Llamas award winners. Thank you for everyone one who made 2008 great, and here is looking to 2009 as a year that will eclipse it.

If you were unable to make the festivities, here is a rundown of the 2008 Golden Llama recipients:
Llama of the Year - Thomas Boates
Dodgeball Player of the Year - Shane Knowles
Softball Player of the Year - Jen Kuzmick
Soccer Player of the Year - Andrea Nykiel
Volleyball Player of the Year - Caitlyn Cassara
Basketball Player of the Year - Patrick Brown
Rookie of the Year - Scott Tarentino
Captain of the Year - Dave Claffey
Most Inspirational - Caitlyn Cassara

Most improved:
Dodgeball - Mike Bizier
Softball - Victoria Catalan
Soccer - Mark Goodman
Volleyball - Thomas Boates
Football - Danielle Sullivan
Ultimate - Erin Calamari
Basketball - Matt Guerra

The Dizzy Llamas had their most successful Dodgeball regular season in franchise history this Fall, having all 4 teams finish above .500 and gain a spot in the 12-team Gold Playoffs. Unfortunately, the Llamas bid for a second-straight championship fell just one match short.

The night began bitterly, as DL GREEN and BLUE were placed in a first round matchup, with the winner moving on to face DL WHITE. The rookie-laden Green squad had a fantastic season led by veteran David Claffey. “The Franchise” honed the skills of these talented rookies, including Brent Soncini and Elizabeth Swanson. Both teams created a uniform attack, throwing 3-5 balls at a time as a unit. Blue, led by Mike Bizier and Jared Calise, targeted Claffey for most of the match, which proved to be more difficult than expected. The match went to a 5th-and-deciding game, with Blue’s Khahn Tran coming up with a big catch late in the game to ultimately seal the victory.

In the 2nd round matchup, the defending champion DL White was taken by surprise, as Blue captured Game 1 in what was a back-and-forth, time-consuming battle. White captain Tom Boates calmed his team down, and although each and every game came down to the wire, White took 3 straight and moved on. Key knockouts by Dave Benevides and big catches by Scott Tarentino aided in White’s victories.

DL BLACK, having their most successful season ever, drew a matchup against Fantastic Domination. The power arm of Shane Knowles pushed the series to a 5th game, where most of the drama occurred. With each team having 2 players in, veteran Danielle Sullivan came up with the biggest catch of the night, creating a 3 player to 1 advantage. Two unfortunate knockouts would ultimately result in a 1-on-1 battle for captain Brad Bodell. One of Bodell’s throws would get deflected high in the air and caught, ending Black’s Cinderella season.

Back on the other side of the bracket, White cruised through their semi-finals match 3-1, setting up a rematch of last season’s championship bout with Guerrilla Bombers. The Bombers had plenty of time to rest before the finals, which proved unfortunate for the Llamas as they fell 3 games to 0.

All 4 teams pick the action back up in the Winter Season which begins next Tuesday the 25th, where the Llamas will go for a 4th straight Finals appearance. Congratulations to all 4 teams for their success throughout the Fall season.