By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (8-4-0 regular season) ascended to the American Ultimate Disc League Midwest Division Championship match with their sensational 21-20 victory Saturday, July 20, against the Chicago Wildfire (7-5-0) at JC Stone Field, on a sweltering and humid evening. Coming off a Chicago throwaway at 1:07 in the fourth quarter, the Black and Gold worked the disc downfield as the clock continued to wind down. Kenny Furdella, on the 11th pass of the drive, fired the disc between a pair of Blue and Orange defenders and into the hands of sliding-on-his-knees Thomas … Continue reading AUDL 2019 Playoffs – Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Edge Chicago Wildfire 21-20; Move On To Face Indianapolis AlleyCats

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (8-4-0), who forged a record of 4-2 at JC Stone Field, welcome the Chicago Wildfire (7-5-0) Saturday, July 20, for the first round of the Midwest Division playoffs in the American Ultimate Disc League. Fans can catch the opening pull after the coin toss at 6:00 p.m. Looking back, Pittsburgh is 2-0 against Chicago with a 21-18 triumph Saturday, May 11, in the Burgh and a 29-16 win Saturday, July 13, at Langhorst Field in Elmhurst, Illinois. It is a 16-point goal differential. The Wildfire is 3-3 when they leave … Continue reading AUDL 2019 Playoff Preview – Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Host Chicago Wildfire In First Round Of AUDL Midwest Division Playoffs

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (5-4-0) had their five-game winning streak finished Saturday, June 29, when the Indianapolis Alleycats (7-3-0) left JC Stone Field in North Park with a 23-20 victory. Thunderstorms delayed the start of the match from 6:00 p.m. till 7:30 p.m. Head Coach Pat Hammonds and his Black and Gold crew began the 2019 campaign in the American Ultimate Disc League with a three-game losing streak. The third loss, which also was at home, came by way of the Alleycats. The T-birds wrapped up the home part of the regular season schedule … Continue reading AUDL 2019 Report – Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Eclipsed By Indianapolis Alleycats At JC Stone Field

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (5-3-0) have the opportunity not only to claim their sixth consecutive victory Saturday, June 29, against the Indianapolis Alleycats, they will also have earned a win against every rival team of the American Ultimate Disc League’s Midwest Division. The opening pull at JC Stone Field in North Park is 6:00 p.m. Head Coach Pat Hammonds’ Black and Gold squad defeated the Madison Radicals 21-20 in overtime Saturday, June 22, for just the second time in team history. The first triumph was also a home match back in June 2015. Hammonds … Continue reading AUDL 2019 Preview – Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Tangle With The Indianapolis Alleycats At JC Stone Field

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (5-3) for just the second time in team history beat the Madison Radicals (4-5) 21-20 in overtime on Saturday, June 22, at JC Stone Field. Both victories in the American Ultimate Disc League were accomplished at home in the City of Bridges. When time expired in the fourth quarter, the score was 19-19 between the Midwest Divison combatants. After the coin toss, Pittsburgh elected to receive the opening pull of the five minute overtime. Thomas Edmonds took the sixth pass of the drive and connected on a long strike to … Continue reading AUDL 2019 – Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Claim 21-20 Victory Over Madison Radicals In Overtime

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – Ready to seize their fifth victory in a row, the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (4-3) square off Saturday, June 22, against the 2018 defending American Ultimate Disc League champion Madison Radicals (4-4) at JC Stone Field. These long-time Midwest Division adversaries have their opening pull at 6:00 p.m. During their four-game winning streak, the Black and Gold owns 86 goals and has a 96 percent completion rate in three of their four conquests. The Radicals claimed the first round against the T-birds 26-17 in the 2019 season opener on Saturday, April 20, at Breese Stevens … Continue reading AUDL 2019 Preview – Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Confront Madison Radicals At JC Stone Field

By Larry Snyder Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds took the field for the first time Saturday, April 11, 2015, against the Indianapolis AlleyCats in the American Ultimate Disc League. The T-birds claimed a 28-20 victory on the road, and they finished the season with a 12-2 record in the Midwest Division. It was Dr. Tracy Neuendorf and his wife, Amy, who brought the AUDL to the City of Bridges. This season the Black and Gold are 4-3 and in the playoff hunt in the Midwest Division. They are on a four-game winning streak coming out of the All-Star break … Continue reading AUDL 2019: My Conversation With Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Owner, Dr. Tracy Neuendorf

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds earned their third consecutive victory Saturday, May 25 with a 24-17 triumph against the Minnesota Wind Chill (3-4) at JC Stone Field. The Black and Gold (3-3) closed out their four-game homestand in May with a record of 3-1 and moved into fourth place in the Midwest Divison of the American Ultimate Disc League. Both combatants came out in the first quarter with a fiery intensity, seeking to gain an early advantage. The Wind Chill hoped to avoid a two-game losing skid while the Thunderbirds tried to keep the momentum … Continue reading AUDL 2019: Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Close Out Homestand With 24-17 Win Over Minnesota Wind Chill

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds (2-3) continue their climb in the Midwest Division standings Saturday, May 25, when they encounter the Minnesota Wind Chill (3-3) for the second time this season. The battle-tested squads come together for the opening pull at 6:00 p.m. The first meeting at Sea Foam Stadium in St. Paul on Saturday, April 27, saw the T-birds take the Wind Chill to riveting overtime before losing 25-22. It should be an intriguing rematch in the American Ultimate Disc League.  — Read Andrew Gardner – AUDL Rookie Referee Bio: Katie Colbert — When … Continue reading AUDL 2019 Preview – Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Confront Minnesota Wind Chill

By Larry Snyder Allison Park, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Thunderbirds improved their record at home to 2-1 with their 24-11 victory on Saturday, May 18, against the winless Detroit Mechanix. Going on five seasons, the Men from Motown have never won a matchup against the T-birds. Evan Lepler on his Friday Forecast podcast for Week Seven on the American Ultimate Disc League web page said “Pittsburgh needed to take care of business against Detroit” and the Black and Gold did it. The Men from the City of Bridges (2-3) assembled runs of seven to three in the first quarter, six … Continue reading AUDL 2019: Pittsburgh Thunderbirds Take Down The Detroit Mechanix 24-11; Now 2-1 At Home