The men's ultimate frisbee team is putting together one of its best seasons in recent memory. On Sunday, Amherst won the Ultimate Players Association (UPA) West New England Sectionals to earn a first seed in the New England Regionals. Amherst beat Williams College in the sectional finals for the first time in recent memory and advanced to the regional competition, which will take place in Newport, R.I. on May 8. Amherst expects to be seeded fourth in the region; the Jeffs are currently ranked 43rd in the nation, though the most recent rankings came out before last weekend's competition.

Competition at regionals will be fierce; only two or three teams from the New England region qualify for the National Tournament May 28-30 in Seattle, Wash. However, Amherst believes that receiving a bid is an attainable goal.

The Jeffs played strong ultimate at Sectionals. "We played with a lot of heart, and didn't get discouraged even when things got rough" said senior quad-captain Brian Stout.

The win in the finals over 87th-ranked Williams certainly showed heart. It is satisfying for any Amherst fan to see a victory over the Ephs, and this win was no exception. The game went back and forth, as Amherst and Williams traded points. Williams managed to gain a 13-12 edge, at which point Amherst called a set play that called for a huck (a deep throw). Paul Reschke '04 received the disc on offense, passed to quad-captain Jeremy Maunus '05, who passed to Brian Stout '04. Stout then found Maunus in the endzone for the score to tie the game at 13.

Williams scored on its next possession and when Amherst struck back, the score was tied up at 14 all. The game came down to "what in ultimate parlance is called 'universe point': a 14-14 tie in a game to 15. Essentially, sudden death," said Stout.

Big plays from quad-captain Jeremy Maunus '05 and Stout forced a Williams turnover. Quad-captain Matty McFeely '05 picked up the disk 10 yards from the endzone and threw it to Stout for the thrilling, game-winning point.

The road to the finals was not without excitement, either. During a match-up against 65th-ranked Middlebury College, the Jeffs' second game of the first day, Amherst let an 11-6 lead dwindle to a tie score at 11. The Jeffs, however, did not buckle under the pressure, scoring two quick points to seal the victory.

The Jeffs have a lot to look forward to as the season winds down. On Sunday, April 25, Amherst will host a tournament for the first time in five years. Amherst Regional High School (the top-ranked high school team in the nation), UMass-Amherst and Williams College will compete against Amherst. Games will take place at Hitchcock Field beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The Jeffs are excited for the remainder of the season. "Everyone on the A-team truly loves the game. We come to practice because there's nothing we'd rather be doing," said Stout.