User:TGGoat/Boston Reapers

The Boston Reapers are one of the most successful Amateur paintball teams in New England. The team has won 3 season championships, 7 events and placed 23 times including in 15 consecutive tournaments. The team is founded on one key rule "Real Life First". The team focuses on growing team members not just as paintball players but as people as well. The team allows almost anyone to join and prides itself on turning new players into experienced paintballers.

Leagues
2008 3-man NEPL, 5-man NorthEast Paintball Series

2009 5-man NEPL, 5-man NorthEast Paintball Series

2010 5-man NEPL, 5-man NorthEast Paintball Series, X-Ball Hurricane Tournament Series

2011 5-man NorthEast Paintball Series, X-Ball FoxBall

2008 Season
The Boston Reapers were founded in march of 2008. The team went through a rapid series of personal and leadership changes in the first month before becoming a solid team with the original eight players. Anthony Salvi, Tony Martins and Karl Hubner formed the first team's core of tri captains along with Mike Niemanscyk. The team was comprised of mostly first time tournament players. The team was unable to compete in the first series of events in April but started preparing for the season. The team was helped greatly by the experienced tournament players such as T2, Doug Hallenbrook and Kyle Brady. The team decided to compete in its first tournament at NEPL Jr's for some tournament experience before embarking into its goal of five man competition.

The team had a fairly interesting first tournament with more guns going down than members of the team playing. In addition the team's second line had to replace its snake player Jack Drukker at the last minute due to grounding and shifted the 6’3 270 pound Karl Hubner into snake. The lines had varying success but the first line of James “Fatty” Childs, Mike and Salvi made their way into semi finals. The team did well by running the same breakout till the round robin finals where they went 1-1 and facing NHIP crew in the last game with a shot at first place. NHIP crew however was low on paint. The reapers loaned two pods worth of paint which would then be used to beat the reapers. Despite taking third place the loan however would pay dividends in the long run as the player who was loaned paint was Kurt “Mouse” Thompson who would later join the team and become a key player for the top line of the reapers for years to come.

The team was fortunate enough to receive sponsorships from both Paintball Wizard and Canobie Paintball in addition to the cash donation from Prospect Hill Plumbing. The team would be the field team for the next two years becoming a fixture of the field by reffing all big games and speedball tournaments. The team moved from the NEPL 3-man rookie to the Northeast Paintball Series at fox4 in order to compete in 5man. The team also slowly expanded from 8 members to close to 20 members in order to make sure to have regular full 5 on 5 man practices at canobie whos speedball program had fallen on hard times. The team's hard work paid off with its first five-man placing in the fourth event of the year at the fourth fox4 event. The same day a 3-man team of newer players also placed at NEPL Jr. marking the peak of the 2008 season. The team was unsuccessful in its last set of tournaments but had set the foundation for growth in the new year.

2008 Results
3rd Place New England Paintball Junior Series Rookie Event 1#

4th Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Rookie Event 4#

3rd Place New England Paintball Junior Series Rookie Event 3#

2009 Season
The 2009 season started off great news in regard to its fields. A key addition was the sponsorship from NH Indoor Paintball. The team had been previously using the Boston Paintball indoor facility but now would run drill nights which allowed them to practice at a much reduced price. The team also got good news in the reconstruction of the canobie speedball field which would now be turfed and have a full xball bunker set up. The only issues was that the field remained unfinished till may which made the practice schedule more taxing. The off season showed an expanded roster that lead to the fielding of two novice and two rookie lines for most of the year and the roster swelling by years end to over forty players making it the largest paintball organization in the northeast. Tony Martins was forced to retire from paintball due to academic obligations and Tom Lane took over as captain.

The hard work put forth in the off season would soon prove fruitful at NEPS #1 as in the first tournament of the year the novice line won its first tournament. New additions Monni “Sparky” Singh and Ross Tucker proved their worth playing front on both sides of the field. The tournament came down to a three-point difference or one body alive and the reapers took home their first tournament win. The confidence of the team snowballed from this and the team would go on to have much success. The team would split into two novice lines for NEPL events under the Boston Reaper and Canobie Paintball Factory banners, placing both teams for the first two events; including an event two win. The rookie lines would soon join the action with the shroud line taking first in the event #2 of NEPS and shepherd taking second in NEPS 3#. Sam Adams managed to win two events in a week by playing first for the Shroud line at NEPS and then the Novice reaper line at NEPL. The team was steam rolling along and looking to the try for an unprecedented double championship in both major northeast championship series. The chances of this happening would be hurt badly by two straight non placings in the NEPS series. A new opportunity would open itself however in the NEPL for a chance to play at a national level.

NEPL event 4 would be a race to see who would win a trip to Las Vegas for the Paintball World Championships. The team refocused its energy and grinded even more in practice at the chance. The chief rival all year had been Southcoast Khaos and both reapers lines were determined that one of them would make it to Vegas. The Reaper line missing Sam Adams for the competition was forced to pick up a late replacement in Zack “Azar” Azarian. The team however did not miss a beat never losing a game and only losing 6 bodies for the entire tournament. The Reapers were headed for Vegas.

Vegas
The team prepped for Vegas which would be a challenge because of the different style layout. The World Championships are played on a 7man layout. The Reapers had been looking to move to the 7man format by the end of the year and used the opportunity to prep for both Vegas and their upcoming move to 7man. The team would fly out to Vegas in high spirits looking to prove the worth of Northeast paintball at a national level. They were perhaps a little too boisterous as their singing may have caused the fight attendants to repeatedly calm down. The Vegas trip was an adventure as the team captain tried to keep the rest of the under 21 team out of trouble surrounded by pro players and the glitz of the big city.

On the field the team would suffer from inconsistency and fight with the field conditions. The division 4 teams played at the end of the day just after the pros so that they could be included in the webcast. The issue however was that this was just at the time when the sunset. The field could go from having sun in your eyes to darkness when the sun dipped below the mountains while the team was chronoing in. Some of the team resorted to carrying two masks or guessing just when the sun would set. The conditions aside the team suffered from inconsistent gunfighting as the team would go 2-2 the first day. A change in personal and placement did nothing to help as they again went 2-2 the second day. The team was in fourth place due to point differential and would play in a top 8 quarterfinal. The team cruised to a victory against University of California Long Beach. The semi finals would put them against a team from Montana 406 finest. The first game two players on the Montana-based team were bounced off break. The bad luck snowballed into a poor decision to run the same breakout and 406 was ready shooting two reaper players off break in the second game. The teams hopes of winning a world championship were gone and a further issues was Ross Tuckers broken hand from punching the asphalt in frustration.

The team had 6 hours to regroup before the 3rd and 4th place game against the Hawaiian-based team. The team went out and lost a hard-fought game in the first of a two out of three before being quickly run in the second. The Reapers appeared to have lost to mental toughness that had served them so well all year. A second life however was given as a gun penalty gave the reapers the second game and a 5-4 matchup for the third and deciding game. The reapers ran an aggressive breakout and found itself up 3 bodies to one. The remaining players however had no idea where the last player was. A double run through would find the last player who had aggressively gone to 50 off break. The reapers salvaged some solace with the first placing by a northeast team at a national event in the last two years.

The Double
The team looked now to the final leg of the season and attempting to win both championships. The NEPL championship was all but wrapped up and the top line moved up for a rather disappointing 9th-place finish in 7man but the remaining 5man line went on to win the Best of New England trophy easily wrapping up the season championship. NEPS would be much harder victory. The team breezed into the finals of event four on the same layout they had won NEPL 4 but faced the Blazers, a team comprised of the x-fire fury members. The team that would go on to take the division 3 7man tittle in NEPL with three straight wins. The finals ended up coming down to a one on one with Jon “Chip” Gomes taking home the victory. The team went into the last event needing NTL to not make top 4 and to get top two. NTL was unable to make playoffs and while falling to blazers in finals would secure their second championship of the year.

The Reapers had showed great depth in having five different lines and more than twenty members place at different events. The team won a total of six tournaments, placing 13 times including in every tournament they played in that year. The team not only took home the NEPL championship but also their second line Canobie Paintball Factory took fourth place overall as well. The team gathered for what would become a yearly tradition for a year end party with family and friends. The team gorged on Chinese food while handing out what would become yearly awards including aglet of the year, gun whore of the year as well as more serious reaper of the year and killer of the year awards.

2009 Results
Northeast Regional Series Champions Novice Division

New England Paintball League Series Champions Novice Division

New England Paintball League Series 4th Place Novice Division

1st Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Novice Event 1#

2nd Place New England Paintball Series Novice Event 1#

4th Place New England Paintball Series Novice Event 1#

1st Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Rookie Event 2#

1st Place New England Paintball Series Novice Event 2#

3rd Place New England Paintball Series Novice Event 2#

2nd Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Rookie Event 3#

2nd Place New England Paintball Series Novice Event 3#

1st Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Novice Event 4#

1st Place New England Paintball Series Novice Event 4#

2nd Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Novice Event 5#

3rd Place USPL World Championships Division 4 5-man

1st Place New England Paintball Series Novice Best Of New England

2010 Season
2010 was a year of transition for the Reapers. The long time relationship with canobie paintball ended with the closure of the field and the team moved to granite state paintball. The novice lines merged to for one division three x-ball line. The team was originally meant to play in the foxball league but money issues and people leaving the team prevented the team from being able to register. The team decided to play the hurricane tournament series instead. The novice lines that had been so successful for the most part stopped playing paintball and many of the few that remained split time between the x-ball line and the defending champion novice line. The rookie lines however were infused with new blood as many new reapers came on to the team.

X-Ball
The x-ball line struggled to put together practices and jell as a team. The team suffered from severe financial issues as the down economy prevented many from practicing. The GSP field was also not ideal for x-ball time practices which also inhibited the line from really getting the time in it needed. The x-ball team went to western mass for their first x-ball event at Camelot paintball with little to lose and saw their first x-ball event as a learning experience. The team played its first match and won its first point. Hartford eclipse quickly ran off four straight points to win the match. It was a hard lesson in how fast the team needed to adjust game plans. The next match was against identity's first line. The first few points were even before the reapers pulled away for a 4–2 victory.

The next match was against 187 crew an x-ball team that had only lost twice in the last two years; both times to the philly all-Americans a team with a pro line. The reapers won the first two points before dropping the third. The fourth point would be the key. Ryan Stewart a guest star for the tournament and former member of crisis would win a 3 on 1 to take a 3–1 lead in the match with two minutes left. The team went into a defensive breakout and managed to slow the 187 crew down enough to keep them from evening the match as time ran out. It was a tremendous accomplishment for such a green team. The hot and humid day wore on and by the fourth match the team was running out of steam after the emotional high of beating 187 crew.

The matches were also running long and the team had decided before the last match of the day regardless if they would make finals they would be leaving. The team played idenity's second team to a 3–3 draw and went to overtime. Many of the reapers were unable to continue forcing a mismatched group out for the last point. The team went up 3–2 on bodies before losing its d side and then the game. The reapers had made playoffs and placed in its first ever x-ball event but declined to go further because of time and money issues. The event would be the last for the x-ball line because due to lack of attendance the other HTS events were canceled.

Novice
The novice line began the year with the intention of defending its crown as divisional champions in NEPL. The team started off at NEPL 2# with RJ leading the line and Matty and Batman who were splitting time with the x-ball line as well as sully playing snake. The team had some early troubles but in reaper fashion managed to squeak into playoffs. They beat Invasion in quarters that had won every game in the prelims. The team went on to lose in the finals to a team with AXBL players from New York. Various issues the team encountered with participating in NEPL caused the team to move its novice team to NEPS for the rest of the year. The team was the defending champion in that series as well and faced three of the top 4 teams in the NEPL series all year long.

The Novice line went through a number of various lineups throughout the year. The backbone however remained RJ, Matty and Batman. The line managed to place third place in the first two events before having a horrible tournament in the third NEPS of the year. The team would not place and neither would either of the rookie lines ending the teams streak of 15 straight tournaments. The team would go on to place third once again in NPS 4# with the help of new addition Frank Gaglione. The two teams ahead of the reapers in the stumbled and did not place putting the reapers in position to once again come from behind and take the title in the last event. The reapers needed to be ahead of Invasion and within a place of RHONIC to win the season series. All three teams made finals setting a show down. The reapers and RHONIC both won their first games, RHONIC beating Invasion. The reapers would play Invasion for the season title in the second game. Both teams took conservative break outs and the game rolled on with both teams losing a body. The reapers made bumps on both sides at near the same time and broke the game open, winning the game and the year end championship. The team now locked in on taking down the first tournament of the year but once again came up short after losing two players off break due to aggressive breakouts. A disappointing way to end the year but consoled by back to back championships.

Rookie
The rookie line showed great hopes for the future with its dedication and skill. The Red line was captained by Jordan Bristol the 2009 Reaper of the Year and was comprised of NHIP players (Jared & Tank), a Maine potato (Riley) a Maine mariner (Dave) and the Fiores. The line showed dedication in making almost every practice all year long jelling and becoming a true line by the last event. The black line struggled all year long to have consistent members. Mike Trapani made almost every practice and was joined by Dan Silvestre and Justin Guy as the year went on to form a core that was always searching for dedicated members.

The line struggled with consistency but always showed heart. Both lines fought hard all year and came very close to making playoffs. The Red line three times coming within a game of making finals and the black line twice coming within a body or two of making finals. The rookies do what rookies do and showed flashes of talent and brilliance but also making fundamental errors at times due to lack of experience. The last event saw a change as Nick Fiore moved into snake and Riley to his Snake Corner. The Red line found hard and was bloody and bruised but went into their last prelim games with a chance to make semis. The team came out and executed well beating the eventual second place team ballin crew which had players from foxball and for the first time all year making semis. The team came out hot from the gate maxing their first game before falling to an experienced team in the second game. The last game would once again leave the pressure on to make finals and their first placing of the year. The team came out well and the game dragged along. The key move was made by Nick Fiore to trade out with the last man and his father Tony Fiore hung the flag as the last man standing to put them into finals. The exultation of making finals may have left the team flat as they did not perform well but were happy to come home with the rookie lines first placing of the year.

2010 Results
Northeast Regional Series Champions Novice Division

Hurricanes Tournament Series 4th Place D3 Xball

Northeast Regional Series 4th Place Rookie Division

3rd Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Novice Event 1#

2nd Place New England Paintball Series Novice Event 1#

4th Place Hurricanes Tournament Series D3 Xball Event 1#

3rd Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Novice Event 2#

3rd Place Northest Regional Paintball Series Novice Event 4#

2nd Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Novice Event 5#

4th Place Northeast Regional Paintball Series Rookie Event 5#

1st Place BOLP Breast Cancer Charity Tournament

Captains
Karl Hubner = Lead Captain & Head of Logistics

RJ Hall = Head of Discipline & Records

Matt Vachon = Head of Public Relations

Line Captains
Jordan Bristol = Novice Line

Tony Fiore = Red Line

Tyler Hutchinson = Rookie Line

Full Team Members

 * Karl "Bear" Hubner (since 2008) First 8
 * Anthony "Oops" Salvi (since 2008) First 8
 * Mike "Chaingun" Niemazyk (since 2008) First 8
 * Tom "Made to" Lane (since 2008) First 8
 * Kurt "Mouse" Thompson (since 2008)
 * Sam "Tea Party" Adams (since 2008)
 * RJ "Boyscout" Hall (since 2008)
 * Jordan "LJ" Bristol (since 2009)
 * Monni "Sparky" Singh (since 2009)
 * Ross "Rosco" Tucker (since 2009)
 * Matt "Monkey" Vachon (since 2009)
 * Adam "Batman" West (since 2009)
 * Jared "Rabies" Davis (since 2010)
 * Justin "Squiggy" Guy (since 2010)
 * Dan "Siv" Silvestre (since 2010)
 * Kurt "Fuzzy" Glesmann (since 2010)
 * Tyler "Ouch" Hutchinson (since 2010)
 * Nick "Sly" Fiore (since 2010)
 * Tony "Big Papi" Fiore (since 2010)

On Hiatus

 * Nick "Nascar" Farrell (2008–2010)
 * Jack "Lunchbox" Drukker (2008-2010) First 8
 * James "Fatty" Childs (2008,2010) First 8
 * Matt "Longhorn" Gilson (2008-9) First 8
 * Tony "Snap" Martins (2008) First 8
 * Jeff "Big Daddy" Zelaya (2008-2010)
 * Chris "Jailbat" Culot (2008-2009)
 * Dave "Frogass" Maiocco (2008-2009)
 * Phill "Zilla" Velez (2009)
 * Mike "KGB" Bramante (2009)
 * Alex "Rainbow" Freedman (2009)
 * Jon "Chip" Gomes (2009-10)
 * Dan "Babyface" Mcgovern (2009)
 * Nick "Swiss" Laorenza (2009)
 * Zack "Azar" Azarian (2009)
 * Jay “Quietman” Roy (2009)
 * Dave "Maine" Kalloch (2010)
 * Matt "Tank" Laflamme (2010)
 * Riley Libby (2010)

Pledges

 * Alec Grenier(since 2010)
 * Emily Oneschuk (since 2010)
 * Linds Ballard (since 2010)
 * Remington Swinson (since 2010)
 * John Piper (since 2010)
 * Mark Houge (since 2010)
 * Travis Trott (since 2010)
 * Alex Silva(since 2010)
 * Michael Fedrico (since 2011)
 * Seth Gilbert (since 2011)
 * Robert Romolo (since 2011)
 * Kyle Larter (since 2011)
 * Gerry Davis (since 2011)
 * Pat Hogan (since 2011)
 * Kyle Staveley (since 2011)
 * Paul Tosches (since 2011)
 * Matt Cerretani (since 2011)
 * Isaac Cedeno (since 2011)
 * Beau Bingham (since 2011)
 * Jacob Frederick (since 2011)
 * Tyler Dauphinais (since 2011)
 * Nathan Foskin (since 2011)

Former team members

 * Shawn "Sheep" Callahan (2009)
 * Jeff "Bacon" Derman (2009)
 * "Dirty" Dave Noone (2009)
 * DJ "Stepchild" Demattia (2009)
 * Jordan "Fraige" Brown (2009)
 * Dan "MIA" Orcutt (2009-2010)

Reaper of the Year
2008- James Childs

2009-Jordan Bristol

2010-Matt Vachon

Killer of the Year
2008- Kurt Thompson

2009- Kurt Thompson

2010-Frank Gaglione

Tournament of the Year
2008- Kurt Thompson Event 4# fox4

2009- Dave Noone USPL/Alex Feedman Event 2 Fox4

2010- Ryan Stewart Hurricane Tournament Series One

Immortal of the Year
2008- Nick Farrell

2009-Sam Adams

2010-Mike Trapani

Closer of the Year
2008- Jack Drukker

2009- Adam West

2010- Adam West

Clutch Player of the Year
2008- Anthony Salvi

2009- Jon Gomes/Kurt Thompson

2010- Tony Fiore

Back player of the Year
2009- RJ Hall

2010- Matt Laflamme

Gunfighter of the Year
2008- James Childs

2009- Ross Tucker

2010- Adam West

Most Improved
2009- Sam Adams

2010- Mike Trapani

Hardcore Baller
2010- Riley Libby

Best Communication
2008- Karl Hubner

2009- RJ Hall

2010- Justin Guy

Agglet of the Year award
2009-Ross Tucker

2010-Garrett Sullivan

Gun Whore of the Year
2008- James Childs

2009- Ross Tucker

2010- Alec Grenier