RXL
The RXL
division switched things up a bit at Border Battle with an exciting mix of
close matches and stomp shows. The top teams have maintained their positions
while the bottom teams have shifted slightly. It will be interesting to see if
there are any upsets at Event 3 as the season draws to a close and teams look
forward to NAX.
Most Surprising Game –
Essex Distortion VS. Guelph Silence
After
last event, Essex was tied for the lead in the RXL division with Silence
rounding out the bottom of the pack. While I thought for certain that Guelph
would come out strong this event, I didn’t expect this match to be such a close
one. Silence is after all the only team to have lost to Vaughn in the 2013
season. Additionally, Distortion had already had one tight match against
Rampage earlier in the day which should have added fuel to their fire. Either
way, this game was surprisingly close with a final score of 8-7 for distortion.
Strongest Team at this
Event – Joyceville Hustlers
Hustler's Chris America
Photo Credit - Sheldon Carless
I
wouldn’t say that Hustlers came out overwhelmingly strong this event, stomping
teams like they did at Event 1. However, they pulled out wins against
Demolition and Beast Mode, proving they still belong at the top of the RXL
standings. Joyceville will have the absolute pleasure of facing off against 420
Army and Vaughn Vipers at Event 3 where I suspect we will see them stepping up
their game just for the fun of boosting their +/- to secure their position as 1st
in the central division before heading into NAX!
Weakest Team at this
Event – Vaughn Vipers
Vipers' Billy Jones
Photo Credit- Sheldon Carless
It
really shouldn’t come as a surprise that Vipers have found their way to the
bottom of the RXL barrel as this was their position throughout the entire 2012
season. However, I did expect more from them this year – especially considering
the amount of experienced players added to their roster this year. It seems the
ridiculous amount of penalties Vipers have taken is a little counter-productive
to winning. Who would’ve guessed?
Team to watch out for
at Event 3 – Niagara Rampage and Brockville BeastMode
Niagara's James Kraft
Photo Credit - Sheldon Carless
Ahem.
Can I take a second to give myself a little pat on the back? I told you all
that Rampage would be your team to watch at Border Battle and these boys did
not disappoint! First of all, they didn’t just win against Vaughn Vipers, they
squashed them like a little bug with an 11-0 win! Then they proceeded to give
Distortion a run for their money coming out of that match down by 1 point in
Essex’s tight 6-5 win. Niagara is on what I’d like to call…wait for it…a
RAMPAGE!
BeastMode VS. Vipers
Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless
BeastMode
has been quietly sitting on the bubble all season long. These guys have only
lost to the top two teams in the RXL division and have taken some close wins
over Silence and 420 Army. It looks like they are getting bored of being quiet
though as they certainly made some noise when they beat the King City Royals
12-4 at Border Battle. I won’t be surprised to see them feast on Vipers at
Event 3 but their match against Niagara will be worth the watch!
Team to Most Surpass
Expectations – Guelph Silence
Guelph’s
losses at Event 1 were not enough to leave this team feeling defeated and ready
to give up. Instead, Silence came back at Border Battle and brought with them
their a-game. In their match over the King City Royals, Silence was silent no
more! The Guelph group gave the Royals a good old fashioned beating with a 13-4
win and then went on to put up a solid fight against Distortion. I expected
Guelph to bring a little more gusto to Event 2, but they truly outdid
themselves! I do suspect that they will be playing for a win against 420 Army
at Event 3 but Niagara will be a very challenging match for them. Who knows,
maybe they will continue to surpass expectation!
Signing off,
The Paintball Wife
P.S. My RXL predictions were pretty accurate. 8 for 8 in terms of wins and losses - although, the point spreads were not quite what I imagined!
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