New Dawn

Three Owls Walk Into a Finale 🦉

Pauses before key observations—an old habit. Three players. Friday, December 19th, at Sain Scoggins. The overcast held steady at 41°F with winds barely stirring at 3 mph—ideal conditions for what the narrative framework insisted on calling the "Final Parliament." Week 10 of 10. "New Dawn." The episode where all owl clans gather to decide their realm's fate, except... well. Three competitors showed up. Down from four last week. The grand gathering became a cozy book club. Yet despite the intimate field, the disc golf delivered: lead changes in MA1, a tag redemption arc completing its journey from #3 to #1, and $326 in unclaimed treasure sitting like forgotten acorns beneath the Douglas firs. Sometimes the smallest gatherings produce the clearest signals. ☁️

Birdie Hoarding: A One-Man Show

Sebastian Exo claimed MA1 with a +2 finish (943-rated), outlasting Jordan Yent's +4 (925-rated) in what became a genuine lead-change battle despite the two-player division. Sebastian seized the advantage after hole 1, surrendered it to Jordan after hole 14, reclaimed it after 16, then watched Jordan's bogey on 17 seal the outcome. The statistical story: Sebastian collected four sole birdies across the entire field—holes 7, 8, and 9 in rapid succession, then hole 13 for good measure. That three-hole heater (7-9) was decisive. Jordan arrived with momentum from last week's +1 (938-rated, 20-point surge over baseline) but couldn't sustain the front-nine excellence that put him 4 strokes better than his back-nine stumble. A six-hole par train (6-11) kept him competitive, but the Hagg Lake back nine—dense woods, tight lines, unforgiving rough—extracted its familiar toll. The -13 rating swing from last week's hot round reminded everyone that consistency on this course demands more than one strong half. 🔥

Wire-to-Wire When You're the Only Wire

Adam Fitzpatrick secured MP40 with a +2 finish (943-rated)—technically a wire-to-wire victory, though he was the sole competitor. The rating context matters more: +37 from last week's 906, landing squarely at his 945 baseline. Competent. Steady. The kind of round that doesn't make highlight reels but gets the job done when it counts. His sole birdie came on hole 11 (Par 4, 404 feet), and his +1 on hole 8—the Super Ace hole—came agonizingly close to the $158 pot without threatening the chains. Last week's recap noted his "clutch birdie on 18" to close; this week he maintained composure through 18 holes without fireworks. Sometimes that's what the Storm Eye demands: observation, patience, and the discipline to avoid forced heroics. The tag's redemption arc didn't require dominance—just presence when the narrative demanded resolution. 🎯

Sole Birdies in a Lonely Forest

Seven different holes recorded "sole birdies" across the three-player field—a statistical artifact of intimate gatherings where every birdie stands alone. Sebastian led the count with four (holes 7, 8, 9, 13), Jordan added two (holes 12, 15), and Adam contributed one (hole 11). Both Sebastian and Adam posted matching 943-rated rounds, converging on the same performance level from different divisions. No aces materialized despite the $168 pot and $158 Super Ace opportunity. No bogey-free rounds emerged. The course played to its reputation: the front nine offered breathing room with open meadows and lake views, while the back nine tightened into mossy forest corridors where slight misses compound into bogeys. Field averages hovered near par on most holes, confirming that Sain Scoggins—even in mild December conditions—demands respect. The chains remained silent all day, but the discs found their way through enough gaps to produce competitive scores. 🌲

Storm Eye Closes the Season Watching

Adam Fitzpatrick held Tag #1—Storm Eye—to close the season, completing a redemption arc from Tag #3 that the latest tag history described as "the redemption arc the owls were apparently waiting for." The lore fits: Storm Eye serves as the Parliament's scout and interpreter of atmospheric phenomena, formed from the concentrated observation of elder owls seeking to understand weather disturbances. Its form shifts with clouds—swirling mists, dark vapors, piercing amber eyes that glow through the thickest fog. A shimmering silhouette against overcast skies. Adam's -2 rating differential (943 vs 945 baseline) translated to "competent, steady, not flashy" performance, exactly what the tag's role demands: guiding the owls through disruptions by watching, waiting, and acting when clarity emerges. Tag #3 to Tag #1 in the literal finale. The mist entity calmed turbulent winds not through dominance but through sustained observation. The Storm Eye watches over an empty roost now, its amber gaze fixed on whatever comes next. 👁️

The Forest Heals (One Dollar at a Time)

Episode 10—"New Dawn"—promised that "the Parliament implements their decision, working together to heal both forest and sky," and "as balance returns, the owls establish new traditions that honor both their heritage and their evolution." From strange weather patterns in Episode 1 through wounded sky spirits in Episode 8 to restoration in the finale, the seasonal arc completes. The healing manifests in small, tangible ways: $4.80 raised for the Hagg Lake Course Fund, with $3.00 automatic ($1 per player × 3) and $1.80 in additional contributions across six total donations. The 2022 Revival—Jesse Tomaino's redesign, Stumptown Disc Golf Club's volunteer work installing concrete tee pads and improving drainage—continues through player support. The course that challenged everyone today exists because previous generations invested. Now this Parliament adds its contribution, one dollar at a time. New traditions, indeed. 💚

The Parliament Adjourns (Finally)

Ten weeks. Three to four owls per gathering. Overcast skies, misty fairways, and amber eyes watching from Douglas fir branches. The Owls of the Overcast concludes its inaugural season with gratitude for the players who showed up week after week—Adam Fitzpatrick, Jordan Yent, Sebastian Exo, and others who rotated through the Parliament's roster. Small numbers don't diminish the commitment. Final standings reward consistency: Adam's Storm Eye redemption, Jordan's flashes of brilliance, Sebastian's closing statement with four sole birdies and an MA1 victory. The intimate community that kept this league alive proved that disc golf narratives don't require massive fields—just dedicated players willing to brave December weather and technical courses. The Storm Eye watches over an empty roost until spring. The overcast may lift. The dawn may break. But the Parliament rests now, its work complete. See you when the mist returns. 🌅