Tippinators Compete in First AXBL

The Tippinators Paintball Team have taken their game to the next level. The team competed in rookie division three man speedball events at the start of the 2007 season moved to division III xball. Sunday June 22nd, 2008 the Tippinators competed in the first event of the 2008 AXBL season held at Overkill Sportz in Mount Uniacke Nova Scotia.

The AXL would put the teams dry land training through the winter and months of practice to the test against the best paintball teams in Eastern Canada.
The team's first match of the day was against the heavily favored South Shore Hometown Heroes. Golden Triangle 5-man champion Team Apocalypse makes up the core of the Heroes squad, augmented by a group of talented and hard working young players.

Spectators gave the Tippinators little chance of success considering the vast difference in experience between the teams. The enthusiastic crowd provided valuable help for the underdog Tippinators who drew strength from the vocal support.

The Tippinators surprised everyone in attendance by ending the first half of the match tied with the Heroes. The Tipp's came out of the blocks strong, holding a slim lead through most of the second half.

With time running down, victory in the team's first non 3-man event was within grasp.
The Heroes sensing defeat was near mounted a strong dorito side push in the final minutes. Tippinators, Dan Lapham and Richard Robinson, held the line into the final ten seconds until overwhelmed. A mad dash and flag hang with 1.62 seconds remaining on the clock brought the Heroes even with the Tippinators for a final score of 9-9.

The Northport Warriors provided the second test of the day for the Tippinators. The evenly matched teams gave their all with multiple lead changes. As in the first match, the first half of play ended in a tied score.



Northport upped the tempo of play in the second half scoring three unanswered points. The Tippinators adjusted to this new level of play and began to claw their way back into the game. A final push by the Tippinators fell short as the Northport squad pulled through with a 9-5 victory.

A spectator was overheard asking, "Why are those guys using Tippmanns?" Dario Brooks, from the 2007 AXBL champion Halifax Hitmen, watched both Tippinators games replied, "Because they are the Tippinators. They may as well be using Timmys though. Those Tippmanns rip."

The Tippinators, buoyed by their first event success, look forward to meeting the Hitmen in July and finishing remainder of the season with numerous tallies in the win column.