The San Francisco FlameThrowers are the 2017 AUDL Champions, outlasting the Toronto Rush, 30-29 in an extremely close and hard-fought title game yesterday afternoon in Montréal. The game was tight throughout and well played by both sides in front of a boisterous, pro-Toronto / pro-Canada crowd despite the well-documented rivalry shared between the two Canadian cities. It certainly didn’t hurt the cause that almost half of the Rush players donned vintage Montréal Expos apparel for the national anthems in a show of solidarity with their French-speaking neighbors.
Many @TorontoRush players sporting Expos shirts for the anthems here in #Montreal at @theAUDL Championships. #Classy. Go Nats! @Nationals pic.twitter.com/w9uWrd28md
— DC Breeze (@theDCBreeze) August 26, 2017
San Francisco earned their spot in the title game with a 23-19 victory over Midwest champions Madison Radicals in Saturday afternoon’s semifinal, while Toronto made it to the final game by upsetting favored 2016 and 2017 South Division and 2016 league champions Dallas Roughnecks in the nightcap, 24-21.
This was the fourth consecutive title for superstar Beau Kittridge, with three different teams. He won previous titles with San Jose (2014 & 2015) and Dallas (2016). Ben Burelle was named Player of the Game for the Rush, while Grant Lindsley earned the honor for the FlameThrowers.
Hats off to the Montréal Royal for hosting a very well organized, fun and festive weekend, and for generating a huge fan base both days despite the home team not taking part in Championship Weekend for the first time since 2012, the league’s inaugural season of 2012.
It's all over, what a game! 30-29 @SFFlameThrowers are your 2017 @theAUDL Champions, and what a performance by @TorontoRush pic.twitter.com/ad66iCOF5r
— DC Breeze (@theDCBreeze) August 27, 2017
The Montréal Gazette’s take on Championship Weekend VI:
AUDL championship wows ultimate Frisbee crowd in Montreal
More on the weekend’s games at Ultiworld.com:
San Francisco Wins First AUDL Title In Nailbiter
Rush Rally From Early Deficit To Stun Roughnecks
Strong Second Half Sends FlameThrowers Past Radicals To Final
AUDL Championships History
Season | Champion | Final score | Runner-Up | Location |
2012 | Philadelphia Spinners | 29–22 | Indianapolis AlleyCats | Pontiac, MI |
2013 | Toronto Rush | 16–14 | Madison Radicals | Chicago, IL |
2014 | San Jose Spiders | 28–18 | Toronto Rush | Toronto, ON |
2015 | San Jose Spiders | 17–15 | Madison Radicals | San Jose, CA |
2016 | Dallas Roughnecks | 33–27 | Seattle Cascades | Madison, WI |
2017 | San Francisco Flamethrowers | 30-29 | Toronto Rush | Montreal, QC |
AUDL Championship VI — Full Game
Semifinal II