51st MXS/MOS wins 2010 intramural volleyball championship

Published June 2, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Eric Burks
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- The 2010 intramural volleyball season here concluded May 27 as the 51st Maintenance Squadron and Maintenance Operations Squadron team defeated the 51st Comptroller Squadron and wing staff agency team 27-25, 21-25, 15-10, in a thrilling championship game.

The win capped an impressive 11-1 regular season for the 51st MXS/MOS team, who entered the playoffs as the overall #1 seed, then followed a simple formula to victory in the double-elimination tournament - just keep winning.

The squad defeated the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron team in the first round May 24, and then dispatched the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron team the following night. A victory over the second-seeded 694th Intelligence Group team May 26 gave them a 3-0 postseason record as they advanced to the final.

Meanwhile, the 51st CPTS/WSA team was blazing its own, somewhat bumpier trail to the championship game. The team began as the tournament's #3 seed, but an opening-round loss to the 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron #1 team May 24 left no margin for error. Just to reach the championship game, the 51st CPTS/WSA team would need four consecutive victories in a new bracket where each squad faced the same reality - win or go home.

And that's exactly what they did, starting with a victory the next night against the 51st Medical Group #1 team to set up a May 26 rematch with the 51st LRS #1 team. This time, the 51st CPTS/WSA team prevailed in three sets, and then defeated the 51st CES team later that evening to advance to the May 27 semi-final game.

Their opponent in the semi-final was a familiar Tuesday/Thursday league division rival - the 694th IG team, who had swept their regular season series 2-0. Yet once again, the 51st CPTS/WSA team found a way to win, and within minutes of defeating their division rivals they were battling for the base championship.

As this year's tournament featured teams from both the Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday leagues, the championship game featured two squads facing off for the first time. Since the 51st MXS/MOS team had yet to lose in the playoffs, the only thing a 51st CPTS/WSA team victory would guarantee was a second, "winner-takes-all" championship game that night.

Before the game started, 51st CPTS/WSA team captain Will Babor waxed poetic, echoing a speech from the film "Gladiator".

"Three weeks from now, I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be, and it will be so," Babor said. "Hold the line. Stay with me. If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead."

"I also told them that we had played as a team all year," he said. "We always let everyone play and that it was impressive for such a small unit to be able to make it all the way to the end."

Team co-captain Aimee Roth echoed the sentiment.

"Once playoffs came around, we were a true Cinderella story," she said. "I was pleasantly surprised how far we made it and couldn't be more proud of our team."

While the fitness center court bore no other resemblance to a Roman coliseum, the stage was set for a battle of epic proportions. The championship game began and points went back and forth ... the 51st MXS/MOS team narrowly won the first set 27-25, before the 51st CPTS/WSA team charged back to take the second set, 25-21.

Looking to close out the game - and tournament - then and there, the 51st MXS/MOS team clamped down and held on for a 15-10 win in the third and final set. The victory ensured a perfect 4-0 postseason, and gave the team an impressive 15-1 overall record.

51st MXS/MOS team captain Grant Thomasson said he was extremely proud of the way the team played all season - especially coming from behind in the first game of the championship match.

"The season ended just in time for us ... our running joke over the last week of the season and the playoffs was we should be called 'Team Injured', not MXG," he said. "Everyone had something wrong with them - ankles, knees, hamstrings, back or wrist. But we were able to hold it together with Motrin and athletic tape and bring home the championship with a one-loss season."

Congratulations to the 51st MXS/MOS team, Osan's 2010 intramural volleyball champions!

For a slideshow of highlights from the championship game, click here.