Seattle Tempest and Cascades Win Second Straight Northwest Cup
By Becca Weinberg
Seattle, WA - The second annual preseason matchup between Seattle and Oregon’s professional ultimate frisbee teams brought another year of exhilarating play in this year’s Northwest Cup. Hosted under the chilly yet clear skies of Seattle’s Interbay Stadium, the Cup remained in Seattle’s arms with a final score of 15-12. The game followed a similar format to 2025, with 20 minutes for the first and third periods and 15 minutes for the second. The first period included a men’s matchup of the Seattle Cascades versus Oregon Steel, the second period included a women’s matchup of Seattle Tempest versus Oregon Soar, and the third period featured a mixed matchup of a combined Cascades and Tempest team against a combined Steel and Soar team.
The Seattle Cascades and Tempest pose at Interbay Stadium after their 2026 Northwest Cup victory. (Photo by Jammie Phea)
First Period: Seattle Cascades tie Oregon Steel 5-5
Both the Cascades and Steel offense stole the show in the first period, with the Cascades' contributions coming from seasoned veterans and rookies alike. Handlers Garrett Martin, Conor Belfield, Brandon Lee, and Spencer Lofink led the Cascades’ patient offensive sets, moving up the field with both a mix of urgency and patience. Rookie Ben Kass-Mullet scored both the first and last goal of the period with shifty cuts to get past his defender, and rookie Brendan Bogel made a name for himself early as well with a layout block to keep the game close. Seattle’s defense got burned a few times in the deep space, with the downfield defenders unable to keep up with the Steels' deep throws and quick cutters. Both teams showcased an ability to recover after turnovers and allow their fast-break offense to thrive.
Seattle Cascades players pose with the Northwest Cup after Seattle’s 2026 win at Interbay Stadium. (Photo by Jammie Phea)
Second Period: Seattle Tempest Defeat Oregon Soar 4-2
The second period was defined by many of the Tempest rookies stepping up in big moments for the team. Megan Louie’s patient cutting, Meg Manning’s perfectly-timed blocks, Hannah Mimmack’s lockdown defense, and Gemma Munck’s speed are welcome additions to the Tempest roster this season. Veteran handler Cheryl Hsu is back commanding the handler space with her beautiful downfield throws, and veterans Kaitlynne Rolling, Alexa Romersa, and Jess Spaulding helped move the disc effectively down the field. Second-year cutter Ciona Antolin continued to showcase her versatility and ability to take over points on both sides of the field. The Tempest looked like a well-rounded group heading into the third period of play.
Third Period: Seattle Cascades/Tempest Defeat Oregon Steel/Soar 6-5
The final period of play was an intense mix of back-and-forth action that kept fans on their feet. The mixed Cascades/Tempest team took an early lead, combining quick handler movement with well-timed cuts to secure easy goals. Multiple Tempest players came up with big blocks to retain possession, including Jess Spaulding, Marley Raunig, Gemma Munck, and Yeh-Sun Lee. Combined with the accurate throws of Cascades players Emmett Shipway, Ian Sweeney, and Garrett Martin, the Seattle team proved dangerous on both offense and defense. A series of marathon points featuring back-and-forth turnovers from both teams showcased the players' stamina, as they dug deep and found extra energy late in the period. A cherry on top to seal the win for Seattle was a layout goal from Tempest second-year player Sami Dellapenta as time expired to keep the Northwest Cup in Seattle.
Each team will continue training and developing as the regular season draws closer, but the initial look of both the Cascades and Tempest will set them up for an exciting year ahead. The Tempest will host the Colorado Alpenglow in their first regular-season game on March 22nd, and the Cascades will, in turn, host the Colorado Apex at home in their first game on May 3rd. Until the seasons begin, both teams will have the chance to celebrate their 2026 Northwest Cup victory.
Cheryl Hsu of the Seattle Tempest (Left) and Tommy Lin of the Seattle Cascades pose with the Northwest Cup after Seattle’s 2026 win at Interbay Stadium. (Photo by Jammie Phea)
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Instagram: @CirclingSeattleSports Twitter: @CirclingSports Threads: @CirclingSeattleSports Tiktok: @CirclingSeattleSports Facebook: Circling Seattle Sports BlueSky: @circlingseasports.bsky.social 〰️
Check out our previous Seattle Cascades articles here.
Check out our previous articles with writing for CSS by Becca Weinberg here, and her work with Lookout Landing here.
Cover photo and photos in this article by Jammie Phea.
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