The Wing League 2025 season cracked open with a battle of birds of similar plumage. Captain Chad Goins was still flying high after a convincing Cup run the previous season, and with most of the same players carrying over (Abel, Tomaszewski, Schmidt, Palomo Schmidt, and of course Teglia and the Goinseses), Red had right and reason to crow confidently coming into a match with Captain Bryan Ossa’s Pink. The ‘FlamingOssas’, while ‘strong on paper’ were in the proving position, but appeared loose and ready for their opener, anxious to debut their ‘stand on one leg goal celebration’™. While said celebration certainly needs some work, Pink were able to practice it bright and early in this one, with Josh Wirt poking home his own rebound to put Pink on top (Mark DeGraffenreid & Sadie Hellstrom). Carl Vankoughnett provided a second opportunity to practice the pose, striking at 4:53 (DeGraffenreid & Mostafa Azab) to double the lead and send a surge of confidence through the Pink bench. That confidence ebbed a bit after 2024 Fall League Final MVP, Jackson Tomaszewski, broke loose on a counter attack and deposited Red’s first response past rookie netminder, Michael Haine. Vankoughnett would restore Pink’s two goal edge at 8:04 in the second (Azab & Captain Ossa), but Tomaszewski was there again to cut it back to one at 2:25 (Josh Tran & Brennen Abel). Late period goals are notorious momentum shifters, and Wirt’s second of the game with just 0:19 remaining would prove no exception (Azab). The late second period strike set off a chain of three Pink goals within the first three minutes of the third…Wirt unassisted…Wirt from Vankoughnett and Pat Gladstone…Gladstone from DeGraffenreid. Steph Palomo Schmidt lodged the only response to this flamingo flurry, converting at 5:36 on the power play (Abel & Tomaszewski) to save some grace and face in an otherwise lopsided 7-3 win for Pink. Jon Cima (10/17) will hope for better from himself and his teammates over the remainder of the season, while Michael Haine (20/23) was steady in victory in his SDFHL debut.
The remaining recaps to come…
