Reflections on Central Event 3 - Part 4

CX4

                The central CX4 season has come to an end but all of the CX4 teams will have a shot to earn a championship spot at NAX. While Hamilton Havoc appeared to be a shoe-in for the first place 2012 season title, a rough day on Sunday allowed for Whitby Whiteout to sneak into the lead with a season finish of 211 points. Havoc’s fate was still sealed as one of the top competitors and they had a close second place finish with 208 points. Codrington Chaos rounded off the top three by maintaining their third place spot with 198 points. 

 Havoc's Mark Gawlikowski

Photo Credit: Charity Matheson

 Codrington's Michael Judd

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

                Another point of interest is that Vanier Outbreak, despite joining the league following the 1^st and 2^nd CX4 events, managed to pull ahead of Brampton Rage Kidz, who had a full season under their belts. It appears that Outbreak, Oakville Avengers, and New Sudbury Breakout garnered greater point totals than those of Rage Kidz for the final 3 CX4 events. Well done considering that all three teams joined mid-season! 

 Outbreak's Vic Placido

Photo Credit: Charity Matheson

 Avenger's Kyle Barnett

Photo Credit: Charity Matheson

                I’d like to wish all CX4 teams the best of luck as they head to Ottawa for NAX next month. Take pointers from the skilled players in the higher divisions. Many of them have been where you are and can give wise advice on bettering your skills. 

Signing off,

The Paintball Wife

Reflections on Central Event 3 - Part 3

 RXL

Most exciting game to watch –   ??????

           

            I honestly cannot pick a match to list as the most exciting. I have run-through the list of matches several times to no avail. I have two definitions of what makes an exciting match. One is the situation where the teams are well-paired in talent and it is almost difficult to know the outcome until the buzzer has sounded. The other is when a lower ranked team takes on a challenging competitor and comes out with a surprising number of points - the so-called “upsets” of the paintball world. At this event, neither of these situations played out. In fact, with the exception of the Vipers Vs. Extreme game, the closest matches had a minimum of a four point spread. Feel free to comment with your vote for the most exciting match!

    

Most surprising game –  Dundas Demolition Vs. Guelph Silence, Niagara Aces Vs. Joyceville Venom

            Dundas went into this event sitting fourth in the ranks. They were on the bubble for a NAX spot but were looking forward to some of their most challenging matches (Aces and Distortion). I had them pegged as the winners of their match against Silence because of their strong matches throughout the rest of the season and the fact that they came into Event 3 with the potential to earn a position at NAX. Demolition had something to prove but unfortunately fell short this weekend. Guelph confidently took this match winning with a score of 11-5, sealing Dundas’ fate and ending their season.

 Guelph's Alex Bondi

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

            It is no surprise at all that Aces won their match over Joyceville Venom. Instead, the surprising factor in this match was the fact that Venom showed up with only 3 players. Thanks to a little help from a friend, the three Joyceville players were partnered with two CX4 guests giving them enough team-members to actually play the match. It seems that this unlikely band of characters was no match for Niagara Aces and suffered a devastating 19-0 loss. As one can imagine, this point spread was also devastating to Mississauga Hate as it allowed Aces to pull ahead in plus/minus thus giving them the season win.

    

 

Most Impressive team at this event – It may seem like a cop out but I’ve decided that this is a three way tie. Niagara Aces, Mississauga Hate, and Essex Distortion.

 Hate's Cole Symon

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

            The top three teams in the RXL division were all deserving of their positions this season. Hate and Aces proved to be the strongest all season long but Essex came out at Event 3 and showed everyone that they too could be exceptional competitors. All three teams won every match that they played at this event by a minimum of 4 points and a maximum of 19. It will be a very exciting championship when we mix in the talent from the Eastern and Atlantic divisions. The paintball season is far from over for these three gifted teams. Best of luck to you all as you represent the Central conference at NAX!

     Niagara Aces

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

Weakest team – Vaughn Vipers

            Vaughn lost every match they played this season with the exception of their match against Joyceville, their closest competitors, which they tied. As I’ve said before, the teams at the bottom of the ranks earn their spots in the same way as those at the top. I hope Vipers are able to take away some critical tips that they can work on in the “off-season” to bring them up to speed by the 2013 season.

Vipers' Jonathan Lalata

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless 

Team to watch out for at NAX and team to most surpass expectations – Essex Distortion

            Distortion is a newer team with young, less-experienced players and yet they had a very strong season, losing matches only to Mississauga and Niagara. Few expected to see this team as NAX competitors in their very first season at the RXL level but their hard work and dedication to the sport have allowed them to grow as a team, coming out stronger than ever at Event 3. I trust that they will continue to develop as players in preparation for NAX. They’ve surpassed expectations from day 1 so those of you who are doubting their ability to compete at the championship may be in for a surprise. 

 Essex Distortion

Photo Credit: Helen Grose

Signing off,

The Paintball Wife

Reflections on Central Event 3 - Part 2

MXL

Most exciting game to watch – TIE- Brooklin Fingers Vs. Woodstock Semper Fi and Waterloo Wolves Vs. Georgina Rebels

          Headed into this event, Brooklin Fingers were leading the ranks in the MXL division and Woodstock Semper Fi was facing relegation. I don’t think anyone, including the Semper Fi players, predicted this match to finish with Woodstock on the winning end. The match began with an 8 minute point which Fingers conceded, allowing Semper Fi to take the first point of the game. From here, dominance was handed back and forth between the two teams leaving the score 3-3 with 1 minute and 35 seconds remaining in the first half. Brooklin toweled a quick point to Woodstock ending the half with Semper Fi leading by 1. 

 Fingers' Jackson Thoprakan

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

The second half of this match-up was riddled with penalties. With 4 minutes remaining until the end of the match, Woodstock was leading by 1 with a score of 6-5. With such a tight game, it’s no wonder that this was precisely where both teams got into penalty trouble. Fingers suffered 2 minor penalties and Semper Fi took both a major and a minor. Despite their penalties, Semper Fi managed to take control and forced Brooklin to concede the next 3 points in very quick succession. Fingers won themselves one more flag hang before the end of the match making the final score 9-6 Woodstock. 

 Woodstock's Navy Kim

Photo Credit: The Catshack Reports

          The match between Waterloo Wolves and Georgina Rebels was another absolute upset. Both of these teams have spent a little too much time in the penalty box this season so it is no surprise that the penalty trouble carried into this match as well. That being said, it is hard to believe that a whopping 29 minutes in penalties was handed out throughout the course of this game. It seems that Rebels confidently took the first 5 points of the match with little contestation from Wolves. Waterloo came out to take the next point leaving the score 5-1 for Rebels with less than 3 minutes left on the clock. Georgina suffered a major penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct with 48 seconds remaining and all players were eliminated meaning that no point was awarded. Waterloo managed a quick flag hang with a mere 6 seconds until the buzzer rang which left Rebels leading by 3 heading into the second half. 

 Waterloo Wolves off the break

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

Wolves must’ve regrouped at half and came out to make the most of Georgina’s remaining major penalty, winning the first two points of the second half. Waterloo went on to concede the next point to Rebels and then procured two more flag hangs leaving the score tied with 3 minutes remaining. Everyone knows how tied games usually play out with little time on the clock. Players begin to attempt crazy plays or try to get away with things they wouldn’t normally do. This seems to be exactly the case with this match. In the final minutes, Waterloo took two minor penalties and a major and Georgina also took a major penalty. Somewhere in the midst of all of these penalties, a point was conceded to wolves and a point was awarded to Georgina because Waterloo failed to field any players. The final point of the game was conceded to Rebels leaving the score at a surprising 8-7 with Waterloo on the losing end.

 Rebel's Daniel Cenci coming out of the box

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

Most Impressive team at this event –Hespeler Hooligans

 Hooligans

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

          In all honesty, I completely expected this team to finish the season on top and they didn’t disappoint. Hooligans won all of their matches at this event by a minimum of an 8 point spread and have been NAX hopefuls from day one. Need I say more? 

Weakest team – Winnipeg 420 Army

 420 Army

Photo Credit: Sheldon Carless

          The relegation to RXL this season was between Winnipeg 420 Army and Woodstock Semper Fi. While I routed for Woodstock from the beginning, hoping that they would be steadfast and maintain their MXL position, I began to doubt them toward the end of the season. While Woodstock suffered an equal number of losses this season as Winnipeg, they managed to come out ahead in plus/minus meaning that it would be 420 Army who would lose their MXL franchise. The most points that this team scored throughout the season was 7 and the only match they won was against Semper Fi. The fact that they came out at the bottom of the heap is certainly no surprise and just as the top teams earned their spots, the same is true for those who lost them. 

Team to most surpass expectations- Woodstock Semper Fi

          I watched Woodstock when it was Defiance win RXL in 2009 and MXL in 2010 to merge forces with Cambridge Raiders for the 2011 season. This team was our family and my husband and I invested time into the team and the players. When the decision was made for the merge in 2011, even though the athletes who’d proudly sported Woodstock Defiance on their jerseys would now just as proudly be Cambridge Raiders, I had a difficult time with the thought of letting go of the precious Defiance name and selling our beloved Woodstock franchise. So you can imagine just how saddened I was when the new Woodstock Semper Fi lost their CXBL spot during the 2011 season and were relegated to MXL. 

 When Woodstock Defiance won their second season in a row making the jump to CXBL

Article from Action Pursuit Games

Photo credit- Jamie Photoman Holmes

         This season, I routed for them as the underdogs, hoping against all odds that they would come out strong in the 2012 season in the MXL division. When they continuously suffered devastating losses, I began to believe that the team that our paintball family had worked so hard to move up through the ranks would be relegated once again to RXL which is precisely where they started. Thankfully, against all odds, Woodstock Semper Fi pulled out a stupefying win over Brooklin Fingers which allowed the relegation decision to be left to plus/minus. This win not only saved them from relegation but it was a win over one of the top two teams, allowing  Woodstock to finish the season on a high note. Semper Fi- You have my congratulations and my thanks for proving (in the nick of time) that you deserve to keep your MXL position.

 Semper Fi's Nathan Douglas

Photo Credit: The Catshack Reports

          The 2012 season of MXL had perhaps even more surprises than the CXBL Elite. While the top three teams and NAX hopefuls were clear from the beginning, this season was filled with upsets. If I can offer any advice to the central teams heading into NAX, it would be to learn how to play a clean game. The fewer minutes you spend in the box, the more time you have to win points. This advice will come in handy for whichever team ends up earning a CXBL position. The bump from MXL to CXBL is a tough one and you won’t survive it if you are taking careless penalties.

          Congratulations to all of the MXL teams on another exciting season. Best of luck to Hooligans, Fingers, and Wolves as you prepare for NAX.

Signing off,

The Paintball Wife

Reflections on CXBL Elite and Central Event 3 - Part 1

        What a weekend! As always, I’d like to start by offering my most sincere thanks to the BuyPBL staff who work so hard to provide us with the BEST competitive league around. Thanks to these incredible people, we have well organized events, some awesome merchandise, and full match videos to look forward to! Flag Raiders staff also deserves a pat on the back for their hard work and lack of sleep this past weekend. Despite doing everything in their power to keep the portable fields safe from the winds, Saturday evening’s storm brought the CX4 field nearly crashing to the ground. The amazing Flag Raiders staff gave up the necessity of sleep just to ensure that what remained of the CX4 field would allow for a full day of play. Due to all of this behind-the-scenes activity, we had yet another spectacular event to finish off the season. 

 Photo Credit: BuyPBL

 I’m not quite sure why I bothered writing predictions this time around as it seems the only predictable thing at this event was that burgers were served for lunch. This event was full of surprises and upsets which prove that the CXBL Elite is now a far more competitive division. In fact, unlike previous seasons, there is not a single team (in ANY division) who went undefeated this year. If anything, this has made for more exciting matches with some significant point spreads. I’d like to take the opportunity to offer my congratulations to Tremblant Cowboys, Hespeler Hooligans, and Niagara Aces who each won the season in their respective divisions. For the first time in years, the top spots were not sealed until the end of this event. It was a tough season and those at the top of the podium had to fight their way there tooth and nail. Hats off to all of you! Congratulations are also due to all teams who have earned themselves a place at NAX this year. I have a feeling that we can look forward to some of the most exciting paintball in Canadian history! There is no rest for the wicked, my friends, so get out there and fine tune your skills.

Are you ready for a recap? Here we go! 

CXBL Elite

Most exciting game to watch – If I said “ALL OF THEM!”, you might call me a sell-out. So I am going to go with Tremblant Cowboys Vs. Vancouver Thunder. 

            These two teams were shoe-ins for NAX from day 1. All one had to do was take a glance at the rosters to understand that competing against these guys would not be an easy task. Tremblant is loaded with the colourful cast of Houston Heat and some of Ontario’s most experienced and Vancouver Thunder is essentially “Vancouver Vendetta does Canada”.  Seeing the rosters at the beginning of the season, I had already decided that we would see both of these teams at NAX. In fact, at one point I declared that Vancouver would be THE team to beat this season. Seeing both teams in action only solidified the idea that they would be the obstacles that any other team hungry for rings would need to overcome. So to say that I suspected that the match between these two powerhouses would be exciting is the understatement of the century. 

 Tremblant's Chad George

Photo Credit: The Catshack Reports

            I predicted that this would be a close match with Vancouver coming out in the lead. While the game was indeed tight, it was Tremblant who pulled through to notch another W on their belts. The match opened with some long drawn out points with Vancouver taking the first two flag hangs of the game. Then, as one might expect, Cowboys turned it around and brought a flag in to score themselves a point. Tremblant was forced to concede the following point and then promptly took the next three leaving the score 4-3 Cowboys at half. Vancouver conceded the first point of the second half and then tightened their game and pulled off another flag hang after a long 5 minute point where both sides nearly ran out of paint. Cowboys forced Thunder to towel the next point of the game leaving them down by 2 with 14 minutes remaining on the clock. Vancouver took the next three points of the game which moved them into a 7-6 lead and less than 5 minutes to go until the final buzzer. Tremblant wasn’t content to go into NAX sitting second and came back winning the final two points of the match, beating their competition by 1 point, and heading into the championships at the top of the ranks. 

Most surprising game – Drummondville Daytona Vs. Cambridge Raiders

            How do I even begin to describe this match? I don’t think a single person (with the exception of the Daytona players) would have predicted the match to end this way. While Drummondville certainly has their strengths, Raiders have been a top competitor for many seasons of Xball. I don’t think any of the Cambridge players have ever suffered a loss in the CXBL by such a large point spread. This was Raiders least successful match of the season and definitely their most frustrating. Those on the sidelines, including myself, were boggled by the situation on the field, as were the players themselves. I didn’t expect Cambridge to win by a landslide, but I certainly expected a close match with Raiders on the winning end. What occurred was almost the exact opposite.

 Daytona's Sonny Guenette

Photo Credit: Charity Matheson

 Daytona took the first four points of the match, conceding the next point to Raiders. Drummondville took a minor penalty which allowed the Cambridge players to pull in a flag hang with 3 minutes and 42 seconds remaining until the end of the half. Daytona then managed to squeeze in another point with only 5 seconds on the clock allowing them to finish the half leading by 3. At this point, many expected Raiders to make a come back and they did come out to win a long 5 minute point but that was also where their success ended. Daytona forced Cambridge to towel the next 5 points in the match and then proceeded to hang one more flag before the match ended with Drummondville up by 9, and the crowd and Raiders players dumbfounded. 

 Raider's Travis Kropf - Check out the Outside the Mesh and Murdertron hopper love! ooooh baby! 

Photo Credit: Charity Matheson

Competitive paintball players know that at times throughout your paintball career, there are things outside of your control that will affect the tone of the match. In this case, Raiders suffered some problems with their paint. Following the match, the batch was tested and proved unshootable, even breaking when dropped from the knee. During the match, Thomas Taylor, who was commentating, even mentioned the fact that Cambridge couldn’t seem to get the paint to come out of their markers and if you were watching the match, you may have noticed that many of their guns took on the appearance of flame-throwers. I am not arguing that the paint is the only thing to blame in their loss. However, it certainly changed the tone of the game and allowed the Daytona players more room to execute bumps that may have been hindered otherwise. That being said, Drummondville played an aggressive match, making quick bumps that gave them an advantage. They earned their win but I wouldn’t mind seeing these two teams meet again.

Most Impressive team at this event – Vancouver Thunder

          Some of you may disagree with me because Thunder did suffer a 1 point loss to Drummondville Daytona this weekend. That was also their first match of the event and while a 7:00 am match is early for the rest of us, I believe that is something like 4:00 am western time. I don’t know about the rest of you but I can’t do anything at 4:00 am that is more complicated than snoring or drooling so managing to hold down a tight game at that time of day doesn’t fail to impress. Sorry – I digressed. 

 Thunder's Nate Schroeder

Photo Credit: Dale Brezinski

          Vancouver is an impressive team in my eyes for a few reasons. For one thing, they came to both events short-handed and yet managed to pull out significant wins in 6 of their 8 matches this season. Secondly, this team has very little side-line coaching but that’s okay because their communication on the field is so well-established that they don’t seem to need the outside support. Thunder operates like a well-oiled machine. They communicate better than any team I’ve seen in the CXBL, they are excellent at filling key bunkers when they lose a body, and they know how to put players in their bunkers just long enough to make their essential bumps. If that isn’t enough to impress you, chat them up the next time you see them and you will discover that they are incredibly nice guys! If I were handing out an all-around team award (like the all-around student awards handed out at high school convocations), Vancouver would be the recipients.

Weakest team – Scarborough Hustle

I have been hard on Hustle this season but that is largely because I can see their potential. While not as experienced as some of the other teams, this team has a handful of players who have developed throughout the season (like Brett Robinson, Tyler McRobert, and Kevin Schinina) and who know what they need to do to stay alive and to get kills. Unfortunately for those players, this team also has several bodies that make unwise bumps that lead to their demise on the field. One absolute plus that Scarborough has is incredible personality. No matter how badly they suffered a beating, the entire team would come out to shake hands with smiles on their faces. They always seemed to enjoy their time at events and were overall a group of really nice guys. I really respected their sportsmanship and camaraderie off of the field and I can tell that this allowed for them to have fun while playing even their toughest matches on the field. Hustle, cheers to your fun-loving personalities but take some time to prune your team to allow for new growth in the season ahead. 

 Hustle's Kevin Schinina

Photo Credit: Dale Brezinski

Scarborough and Toronto Rockstar competed on Sunday in a match to avoid relegation to MXL. Rockstar came out with their strongest roster yet and worked to prove that they deserved to keep their CXBL Franchise. Scarborough suffered a total of 5 minor penalties throughout their match which Toronto used to their advantage. The match began with each team pulling in a flag hang but as soon as Hustle took their first penalty, Rockstar picked up their game and brought in 5 more points before the end of the first half leaving the score 6-2 for Toronto. Hustle took another minor penalty less than a minute into the second half and Rockstar used this to maintain the momentum they built throughout the first part of the game, forcing Scarborough to towel the next three points. The next slow 4 and a half minute point went to Hustle with the young, aggressive Kevin Schinina hanging the flag with just over 10 minutes remaining in the match. Both teams proceeded to take minor penalties toward the end of the match with each winning and conceding a point. This left the match at 11-5 for Toronto Rockstar and signaled the end of Hustle’s time in the CXBL, at least for now. 

Team to watch out for at NAX – TIE between Drummondville Daytona and Medonte Ntwo Factor

            Truth be told, both of these teams were under-rated this season. Many had Medonte written off simply because they were the MXL winners from the 2011 season. Drummondville was deemed unspectacular simply because they were more of an unknown. However, both of these teams proved their worth throughout the season and fought until the very end to earn themselves the chance to compete for rings at NAX. Medonte managed to pull out wins over Tremblant Cowboys and Windsor Lockdown, two of the top three teams heading into NAX and Drummondville solidified victories over Vancouver Thunder, Cambridge Raiders, and Medonte. This just goes to show that it really could be anybody’s championship this season. 

 Drummondville Daytona

Photo Credit: Dale Brezinski

            I must take a minute to touch on the Medonte Vs. Lockdown match because it was the determining match to decide whether Kitchener Recon had a shot at a NAX position. It was very clear to all spectators that Ntwo went onto the field with a plan and that plan was to get a lead and then sit back and roll their guns for as long as possible. Lockdown, coming off of a win over Kitchener Recon, had settled into a slower pace of play also which meant that for the majority of the game, they weren’t as aggressive or quick-moving as usual. This made for a bit of a boring match but I suppose boring is okay when you are holding down a lead. I am impressed with the Ntwo players’ self-control. When you are up bodies and ready to rock, it must be incredibly difficult to sit back and restrain yourself from doing run-throughs and closing quicker points but this was exactly what they needed to do – play it safe. Windsor needed to win by 9 points for Recon to have a NAX position but unfortunately for Kitchener, Medonte’s slow, methodical playing won them this match by a surprising 5 points. 

 Medonte's Andrew Thorne

Photo Credit: Dale Brezinski

The few times throughout the match that Lockdown played what I have deemed “Rage ball”, they successfully closed points. You may recall Dan Szypka making some moves to the X and down the centre of the field or Drew Guppy running down Medonte’s snake player. Either way, in my opinion, this was another reminder that Windsor plays best when they show their true colours. Very rarely will you hear me say that aggression is worthwhile, but it seems to be the best driving force for the former Rage line-up. So I say, get your RAGE on for NAX! 

 Lockdown's Dan Szypka

Photo Credit: Dale Brezinski

            My congratulations to all teams who have gained themselves the opportunity to play for rings at NAX in September! Train hard because the competition this year is the best we’ve had! I’d also like to give a shout out to Mirabel Impact who while certainly in-need of improvement, established a foundation in the CXBL managing 2 wins in their first season. Your hard work may not have earned you a spot at NAX but it allowed you to grow as players and to solidify your position as a CXBL team!

 

 It was a great season and I want to thank all of the CXBL Elite teams for their hard work and passion. Paintball won me over as a fan because of the fast-paced nature of the game and its passionate competitors. Thanks for playing your part and being superstars out on that field! You all deserve a gold star or two for your dedication to the sport that we all love. Keep drilling and scrimmaging and come out hard next season to make it even more enjoyable than this one!

 

Signing off,

The Paintball Wife

P.S. If you like the blog, pass it on to your paintball playing pals and spectator friends. I appreciate your support and I assure you that I will continue to give the best I have to offer. If you have ideas for topics, questions, or comments, feel free to post them here or send me an email at outsidethemesh@hotmail.com. Thanks again!

Central Event 3 and CXBL Elite predictions

Hey there my paintball loving pals, 

I know you all must be filled to the brim with excitement for the weekend ahead, I certainly am! So excited that I spent Thursday and some of today at Flag Raiders helping to prepare the fields for you marker-toting superstars to enjoy. Let me tell you, I have a new found respect for the field and BuyPBL staff who truly spend HOURS and HOURS working to make the CXBL tournaments the best around. My aching knees and burnt shoulders tell a tale of someone who spent a large chunk of time working hard tying down mesh and wielding a pressure washer and yet, the work I put in doesn’t hold a candle to the work of the incredible albeit exhausted staff. I’m sure you realize that those fields don’t set themselves up but you might be shocked to see the planning and time that goes into hanging the mesh, gridding the fields, and setting the bunkers in their precise locations. The game you know and love wouldn’t be the same without the behind-the-scenes activities that the Flag Raiders and BuyPBL staffs orchestrate. If you haven’t taken the chance to show your appreciation, please do so! 

Now, with no further ado, I have taken the opportunity to once again formulate some predictions for CXBL Elite and Central Event 3. Remember- My predictions are simply educated guesses. They are not meant to offend anyone. Please take them with a grain of salt. Read on my friends and feel free to jump on board with your own thoughts on this weekend’s matches! 

CXBL

Drummondville Daytona Vs. Vancouver Thunder - While Drummondville has shown that they are a force to be reckoned with, Thunder’s experienced and talented roster will allow them a comfortable win. This is the first of Vancouver’s four matches which suggests that they will come out energized and ready to rock. 

Medonte Ntwo Factor Vs. Scarborough Hustle – Medonte will take this match with confidence. Hustle has taken a beating this year and though I’ve tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, their sometimes scattered means of play has made this challenging. The team is not without its strength and certain players have certainly “shown up” at events but as a whole, some of the careless bumps and thoughtless attempted run-throughs made by this team have left me frustrated. Scarborough, if you care to hear my two cents, take the time to sit in your bunkers and roll your guns. Make SMART bumps, don't allow your emotions to get the best of you AND whatever you do, please do not attempt to run down the field directly into your competition’s lanes. 

Tremblant Cowboys Vs. Kitchener Recon – Rumour has it Recon will be missing one of their “main characters” on the field-Thomas Taylor will be spending time coaching thanks to his injury. I believe Tremblant will monopolize on the opportunities opened up as a result. I expect to see Cowboys take a tidy lead over Recon.

Mirabel Impact Vs. Vancouver Thunder – For being new to the CXBL division, Impact has proven that they deserve their spot. Sure, they still have marks of inexperience but overall they have a certain confidence on the field that almost makes me forget that just last season they were an MXL team. Unfortunately for Mirabel, Vancouver’s experience will trump their developing skills. 

Drummondville Daytona Vs. Cambridge Raiders – This is Raiders’ first match of the event and I happen to know that they have spent three days practicing within the last week. They are hungry for some kills and their appetites will be satisfied in this match. That being said, Daytona’s less predictable manner of play will certainly allow them to pull in some flag hangs against the more conservative Raiders. Cambridge will take this match but Drummondville won’t give in easy. 

Kitchener Recon Vs. Windsor Lockdown – I have a feeling that Lockdown will be playing without their Damage counterparts. Judging by their showing at Border Battle, this could be a good thing – It will allow their Canadian ballers to showcase their skills. I predict Windsor will come out with a W by a solid 4 points. 

Tremblant Cowboys Vs. Toronto Rockstar – Let’s not play around here - Cowboys will take this match. Rockstar came out stronger at Elite Event 2 than they did at Event 1 but even if they continue to pick up speed due to their added talent, Tremblant is overall a more consistent team. 

Mirabel Impact Vs. Kitchener Recon – This match may be tighter than most have imagined. Mirabel has improved throughout the season and I expect them to come out stronger than ever at Event 3. That being said, Kitchener is full of hardworking athletes who refuse to give in. Recon will take the win here but as I said, it will be a close match. 

Tremblant Cowboys Vs. Vancouver Thunder –Heading into this season, most of us didn’t know what to make of Vancouver Thunder and expected big things from Cowboys. After having seen Thunder at work at Elite Event 1, I had them pegged as the team to beat this season. This should prove an exciting match with two well-matched teams going point for point. Vancouver will pull through with a W in the end. 

Toronto Rockstar Vs. Scarborough Hustle – These teams have been hanging out at the bottom of the standings all season and now they get to face one another. If Hustle is meant to pull out a win this season, this would be it BUT Rockstar won’t allow that to happen. As I said, they have improved throughout the season and it is clear that they have learned to play together as a team. It seems they’ve also got an insurance policy, having added some extra skill to the roster. 

Cambridge Raiders Vs. Vancouver Thunder – I have really struggled to make a prediction here. As I am sure you are aware, it’s sometimes difficult to put aside emotions to make unbiased predictions. Admittedly, I have flip-flopped on my feelings about this game. Thunder is such a strong, consistent team and they have managed to pull out Ws whilst missing half their roster. Similarly, Raiders play a safe, smart game while knowing when to stir things up and make bigger, more aggressive plays. In the end, I had to consider more than the strengths and weaknesses of the teams. In this case, I am relying on outside factors to help me establish a solid prediction. Thunder plays four games this event and their match against Cambridge is the final of those matches.  If their roster is short-handed again at this event, they will come out tired and that may be just what Raiders need to pull out a W here. I predict a slow match with both teams holding down their bunkers and emptying pods. 

Medonte Ntwo Factor Vs. Windsor Lockdown – This should be an exciting match! After witnessing Medonte’s win over Cowboys at Border Battle, I expect them to continue playing strong this event. That being said, Lockdown is a stellar team filled with bold, experienced players. I believe Lockdown will take this match but Medonte won’t be far behind! 

Tremblant Cowboys Vs. Drummondville Daytona – The smart, consistent Cowboys will take a win over the sometimes erratic  Daytona. 

MXL

Hespeler Hooligans Vs. Barrie Freeze – Freeze has had kind of a rough season. Hooligans will take this match with ease.

Oshawa Fury Vs. Sarnia Energy – I suspect that this will be a close match with Sarnia taking the win. 

Brooklin Fingers Vs. Waterloo Wolves – While both teams have proven themselves very strong, I predict Wolves will come through with the win. It will be an extremely tight match.

Georgina Rebels Vs. Barrie Freeze – These teams are very well-matched. This game will likely go point for point but I think Freeze is ready to step up and take the win. Either way, this match won’t have more than a 2 point spread. 

Winnipeg 420 Army Vs. Woodstock Semper Fi – In this match, the two lowest ranked teams face head to head. Semper Fi has fought hard throughout the season thus far but has consistently fallen short. This is their time to step up and take a well-earned win. 

Georgina Rebels Vs. Hespeler Hooligans – Hooligans wide range of skilled, experienced players will allow them a smooth victory over the less-experienced Rebels. 

Oshawa Fury Vs. Winnipeg 420 Army – Winnipeg spends too much time in the box and Fury will use this to their advantage. 

Sarnia Energy Vs. Winnipeg 420 Army – Energy is currently sitting fourth in the rankings. They will do everything they can to move up and secure a spot for NAX including a big win over 420 Army. 

Oshawa Fury Vs. Waterloo Wolves – Wolves is going to walk through this match with their heads held high, coming out with a solid W.

Brooklin Fingers Vs. Woodstock Semperfi – This match features the current leaders and the current weakest link. It will be an easy match for Fingers and they will take the opportunity to increase their plus/minus headed into NAX. 

Hespeler Hooligans Vs. Winnipeg 420 Army – This match will mark an easy W for Hespeler.

Georgina Rebels Vs. Waterloo Wolves – Wolves have experience and skill on their side. This match belongs to them. 

Barrie Freeze Vs. Woodstock Semper Fi – I’m sorry to say that Semper Fi will suffer another loss by a small point spread. 

RXL

Essex Distortion Vs. Guelph Silence – This will be a close match with Distortion pulling through by a hair.

Joyceville Venom Vs. Mississauga Hate –Hate has been playing hot while Venom has not. This match goes to Mississauga. 

Brockville Beast Mode Vs. Niagara Aces –Aces will win this match by a mitt full. 

Dundas Demolition Vs. Guelph Silence –Dundas has proven their worth this season and they need to continue playing well to earn a spot at NAX. They will win this match.

Vaughn Vipers Vs. King City Extreme – Vipers have been swimming at the bottom of the barrel all season and I am afraid that’s where they will stay. 

Brockville Beastmode Vs. Joyceville Venom – These teams are essentially tied at this point in the season. Why not keep it that way? Tie game. 

Dundas Demolition Vs. Essex Distortion – This will be a VERY exciting match to watch. Both teams have had a decent season thus far and both are fighting for a NAX position. I am going to give this match to Distortion. 

Mississauga Hate Vs. Vaughn Vipers – First place team playing last place team, gee I wonder what will happen here. 

Joyceville Venom Vs. Niagara Aces – Aces have been drilling hard and it will show during this match. 

Brockville Beastmode Vs. King City Extreme – King City has the upper hand and will keep it. 

Essex Distortion Vs. Vaughn Vipers – Distortion will win this match by a landslide. 

Dundas Demolition Vs. Niagara Aces – This will be a tight match. Both teams are hungry for NAX and that will make this THE game to watch at the RXL level. Aces will take it but not by much. 

Guelph Silence Vs. King City Extreme – This will be another close match with Extreme pulling ahead by 1 point.

     I'd like to once again wish my best to each and every team. If you aren't happy with my predictions then prove me wrong this weekend! All of you need a big dose of confidence going into this event and I truly would love to see things stirred up. Best of luck to all competitors! 

Signing off, 

The Paintball Wife

P.S. While you are here, check out the last post to find out how you could win a one-of-a-kind headband! 

 

Get to Know Ntensity Customs

As I’ve mentioned before, Paintball is much more than a sport, it is a culture all its own. This means that our community is an entity that exists slightly outside the realm of the mainstream. Commercial sporting goods stores rarely cater to the distinct needs and desires of the Paintball community. As a result, those who share the passions of the players have ventured into new territory-opening businesses that meet the specific needs of our culture. Shawn Jean, a proud member of the paintball community, and owner of Ntensity Customs has made it his mission to design and distribute various paintball-related products at affordable prices. Read on to learn more about Shawn’s awesome company and some of the exciting products they have to offer! 

•    How did Ntensity Customs originate?

“I’ve been a paintball player both competitive and otherwise for more than 20 years. I started Ntensity Customs in 2005 as an offshoot of a previous company I had run that provided communication strategies and campaigns for all sorts of businesses. I was involved with a couple of paintball teams (Ntensity and Chop Shop) and found I was always in the market to have apparel made. One of the things I didn’t like was the fact that I needed to have a large volume to make a print run worthwhile, so I looked into getting the equipment to do it in house. Our initial start-up allowed us to do cut vinyl and heat press it on, and was soon augmented by a 2 color screen press. As things expanded over the next few years our equipment grew allowing us to do some high volumes as well as the low volume runs that helped us succeed initially. Over the years we’ve added new products (headbands and barrel wraps) as well as new processes (embroidery, hydrographic printing and vinyl printing). I’m really proud to say, that at this point the only thing I can’t do in house is large format sublimation, and we have an amazing partner that helps us with that.”

• Do you have a mission or a vision for the future of the company? 

 “What I love about my company is that we still haven’t forgotten where we came from. The bulk of our work comes from low volume or highly specialized requests from the paintball community.  It would be easier to do the high volume (and high profit) jobs, but we pride ourselves in our products and providing services to those people who might not otherwise be able to afford to get custom clothing or stickers for their team. It isn’t uncommon for us to be banging out a last minute order of 10 shirts on a Friday night before an event weekend. Our goal for the future is simple, to keep providing top notch service, reasonable prices and to grow through the referrals of our customers.”

• Tell us a little bit about some of the products that you have to offer. What are some personal favourites?  

“There isn’t anything we can’t do and as I mentioned earlier, 99% of it is in house. We can do screen printing, embroidery, custom apparel, banners, jersey design, stickers, table covers, embroidered ID patches and much, much more. I think, right now, the product I’ve been most proud of is the headbands we make. We took two years to refine them and with input from some of the top players in Ontario and the US, we finally came to a product that I was ready to sell.  We only sell about 200 headbands a year which makes us a very small player in the market, but it is nice to see people with the first generation of headbands (2008) still wearing them and having them look at good as new.”

• Do you have any exciting plans for future designs or products that you can share with us? 

 “Our newest process is Hydrographic printing, and it offers some amazing customization options for paintball gear. It’s new to us here, so I’m putting a lot of time into it right now. We have a new barrel wrap rolling out in the next two weeks. While not revolutionary, it has some changes that will make it safer, easier to customize and much better (no more stupid toggle to lose). We also have at least 4 more products in development that the guys from Canadian Express have been testing in the NPPL. Once I’m happy with those products we’ll start to release them.”

• Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

 “Thanks for taking an interest in our paintball community. We are often misrepresented outside of the circle of people who know us, and it’s a great help to have people be able to access blogs such as yours and get an inside view of the sport provided in a refreshing way!”

Shawn, Thank you for taking the time to educate me on the vision and efforts of your company. The paintball community relies on businesses like yours to support the very unique needs of our player and fan base. Thanks for being such an encouraging part of our culture! 

Shawn recently surprised me by creating some Outside the Mesh T-shirts that I can sport at events. He also provided me with some stickers for blog-supporters to plaster on hoppers and gear. Also, thanks to Ntensity Customs, you are about to be involved in Outside the Mesh’s first ever super sweet giveaway! All that you have to do is “like” Outside the Mesh and Ntensity Customs on facebook AND share a link to the blog on your timeline. Post a comment here on the blog once you’ve done so and you will be entered into a random draw for a super slick Outside the Mesh headband designed and provided by Ntensity Customs! Contest runs from now until Saturday August 4^th at 7:00 pm. The winner will be chosen that evening and can collect their prize at Central Event 3 on Sunday August the 5^th. Thanks for playing! 

 This one-of-a-kind Outside the Mesh headband could be yours!!! 

Don’t forget to contact Shawn Jean and Ntensity Customs for all of your custom paintball requests! 

Signing off,

The Paintball Wife

P.S. If you'd like to support the blog by sporting a sweet Outside the Mesh sticker, come find me this weekend at Flag Raiders! :) Thanks for the love!