MU paintball teams place in tournament

The team hasn't competed enough to rank but hopes to go to nationals.

By Caitlin Jones

Published Nov. 10, 2009

The Tigers paintball team played their first tournament of the year on Nov. 7 hosted by Missouri University of Science and Technology in Moscow Mills.

Two five-man teams competed against four other teams from Missouri S&T and Kansas State University. The MU A-line, or first string squad, placed third, and the MU B-line, or second string squad, placed sixth.

MU players said they felt very confident about their chances Friday before the tournament.

"I feel excited and very optimistic about our chances," A-line member Alex Schach said in an e-mail. "I am a little nervous as well, but that is to be expected. I love the feeling of stepping onto the field and waiting for the tense five-second countdown."

Joe Tannehill, of The Maneater staff, is co-captain of the A-line and treasurer, logistics coordinator and coach of the team.

"We are all really excited about the tournament tomorrow," Tannehill said. "We think it will be a good success for Mizzou."

The team practices at RiverSplat Paintball in Moscow Mills, which is about an hour and a half east of Columbia, Schach said in an e-mail.

"After our grueling practice this past Sunday, I feel that we are completely prepared," A-line member Paul Huffman said in an e-mail. "If we can execute our game plans as well as at practice, there is no reason why we shouldn't win this event."

The MU team has no home field, but there is talk going on with someone who owns a field in Kansas City, and the team is hopeful to talk to him about opening a private field for the team.

"Hopefully by the end of this semester, Mizzou will be hosting a tournament with the National Collegiate Paintball Association," Tannehill said.

This semester, the team is yet to be ranked due to lack of tournaments.

"You don't have to rank to go to nationals in Florida, but the higher you are in the ranking will determine your seeding," A-line member Chris Masters said. "If we win this event and one next semester, we will come out in the top 20."

Last year, the team finished No. 22 out of about 120 teams, Masters said.

"The tournament was ran really well," B-line member Evan Gohring said. "As far as how we played, I was on the B squad, and I feel that since this was the first time we had played together, I think that it went fairly well. None of our games were ever thrown."

The B-line's first match was against MU's A-line.

"We actually got it down to a one on one," Gohring said. "I am really looking forward to actually practicing with these guys, and I think we can be very successful."

The team members said they function well together.

"My teammates are great," Schach said. "We joke around and have fun a lot of the time, but we are all able to get serious when the time calls for it. We all get along very well, and make jokes with each other. Generally, the atmosphere of the team is light, until it is time for tournaments."

Teamwork, Huffman said in an e-mail, is what this team is all about.

"We have guys that can do their specific job without questioning, and we know they can accomplish whatever they are asked to do," Huffman said. "Paintball is about teamwork, dedication and heart. I am proud to be a part of this team."