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New kings of the hill: Whiskey Disc drops O’Malley’s Alley in hometown matchup for U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament title

Members of the Whiskey Disc team celebrate by holding up the trophy after winning the championship of the U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament with a victory over O'Malley's Alley on Sunday afternoon at Tourist Park in Marquette. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)

MARQUETTE — In a championship matchup featuring a pair of hometown teams, Whiskey Disc came out on top over two-time defending champion O’Malley’s Alley 21-9, 21-14 to win the U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Tourist Park in Marquette.

Whiskey Disc went undefeated over the two-day tournament, outlasting 15 of the best Guts Frisbee teams around. En route to the title, the champs dispatched Air Aces, Worm, Monte Carlo and O’Malley’s Alley in bracket play. O’Malley’s fell into the loser’s bracket after dropping the winner’s bracket final to Whiskey Disc, then defeated third-place Shottle Bop of Hancock in a close one to get a rematch with Whiskey Disc in the finals.

It didn’t take long for the newest ascending Guts Frisbee team to take care of the former champs and make a statement. Whiskey Disc made more than enough plays on defense in the finals with a lot of clutch catches to stifle the O’Malley’s offense.

After pulling away for a convincing victory in Game 1, Whiskey Disc again answered the bell in Game 2. After two switches, it was only a 12-10 advantage for WD, but a big run put the game and tournament away as this team claimed the Buck Buchanan Memorial National Championship Trophy.

“O’Malley’s is a great team,” Whiskey Disc’s Derek Stone said. “I played with them in 2019, and they were rolling (coming into this weekend) trying to get a three-peat.

Whiskey Disc's Ryan Scott lets loose with a throw during the championship match against fellow Marquette team O'Malley's Alley at the U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Tourist Park in Marquette. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)

“We just took it to them today, we beat them early on in the day, and we came back and beat them in the championship. It was phenomenal defense from both teams, but our team really stepped up.”

Stone was also named tournament MVP for his play throughout the weekend with strong defense and an almost guaranteed point when he served. There was a record turnout expected at Tourist Park for this year’s tournament, according to the U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament Facebook page, and there was indeed a large group of spectators.

For a Marquette native like Stone, this is the tournament that he looks forward to the most of any, and to not only win the tournament, but also win MVP in front of such a big crowd was a huge honor.

“This tournament is my favorite tournament,” Stone said. “This is literally the tournament of the year, and the fan base is incredible here. Winning MVP means everything to me.”

Whiskey Disc will now try to sweep the major Guts Frisbee season with the U.S. Guts Open held in Lansing on Sept. 3-4. This comes after it has won the Wisconsin Guts Championship, the International Frisbee Tournament in Hancock and now the U.S. Nationals.

Cam Verigin of O'Malley's Alley throws during the championship match against fellow Marquette team Whiskey Disc at the U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Tourist Park in Marquette. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)

“It’s go time, we have one more to win to take all four, and we’re taking that same team down there and we’re going to do it,” Stone said about a Labor Day weekend trip downstate.

Travis Nelson can be reached by email at tnelson@miningjournal.net.

Whiskey Disc's Derek Stone, center, who was named MVP of the two-day tournament, throws a Frisbee during the championship match of the U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament against fellow Marquette team O'Malley's Alley on Sunday afternoon at Tourist Park in Marquette. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)

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