After a rough week with injuries and surging COVID numbers the squids packed up and headed to the airport feeling ready for possibly their last games of the season. Coming in as the 6th seed of 16 for the SW Regionals this year in Davis, their first game was against Santa Clara. With an early 8 am start and an ankle twisting, fly ridden, cow poop smelling field, the squids booted up. The game started off rough against Santa Clara. Fortunately the tournament was double elimination so the stakes were even higher from the next game moving forward as nationals was still a stretch away.

Next UCSD took on Chico State. We started off playing down to their level despite some pep talks. But after a few scores and long ugly points the squids got mad and turned it on burying the dogs in a brutal 13-5 ending. 

Moving fields the next opponent in their all or nothing run was the Stanford Blood. After losing to Blood the last two times because time ran short while we were still gaining momentum, we were determined to come out strong from the start. The offense couldn’t be stopped and scored effortlessly when receiving. The defense gave them a very difficult time but struggled to force turns and capitalize when they did, leaving the halftime at 6-8. The spirit and energy were there, sometimes in excess as two squids managed to get some sick layout D’s but the offense decided to run through our tentacles.

After a tough loss against Stanford and getting sent into the consolation bracket the squids were playing for ninth place. With two games the following morning the squids woke up hungry and were playing the hosts of the tournament UC Davis. With people sitting out because of injuries we still fought on to beat Davis after some sick D’s and hucks. Then with one final game in the tournament the squids looked to cap off their season with a dub. However after a hard fought game against the University of Arizona the squids couldn’t pull it out. Ending the season with a loss is tough but with the young squad we have this is only the beginning.