Grid League 2024 – Brigade vs Breakers

In an electrifying atmosphere at the Grid League arena, the Tampa Bay Brigade and Palm Beach Breakers faced off in a match filled with tactical decisions, impressive displays of strength, and moments of both brilliance and costly errors. Both teams entered the contest determined to assert dominance in what promised to be a closely contested battle.

The opening Partner Forward race set the tone for the entire match, with both squads matching each other rep for rep through the thrusters. The Breakers initially held a slight advantage until a critical error when they threw their jump rope out of the grid, resulting in a fault. The Brigade capitalized immediately, securing the first win of the day.

Building on their momentum, Tampa Bay showcased exceptional teamwork in the Mirror race. The human rack strategy proved effective as they established a comfortable lead during the heavy back squats (315 lbs for men, 210 lbs for women). The Breakers struggled with fatigue, with commentators noting their “Bambi legs” as they attempted to recover.

The Home Ringer Point race featured an impressive display of body control in the medicine ball handstand walk. Christopher Cioffi (#00) represented Tampa Bay while Bethany Jackson (#17) competed for Palm Beach. Though momentarily losing control midway, Cioffi regained his composure to edge out Jackson, who dropped her ball in the fourth quadrant.

“The Brigade do not play about their bodyweight movements,” noted one announcer, a statement that would prove prophetic throughout the match.

The Echo races showcased Tampa Bay’s efficiency across multiple elements. Jake Hagerty led his team through the challenging sandbag tosses over the “wand wall” while Hannah Bissett executed perfect aerials. Despite Kyle Massey encountering a fault during the second half with bent arms during the sled push, the Brigade secured both halves of the Echo with time to spare.

The Ladder race finally gave Palm Beach something to celebrate. In a tactical push press contest with progressively heavier weights (up to 300 lbs for men and 200 lbs for women), the Breakers deployed strength specialists effectively. Arielle Swan cleared the heaviest quadrant, helping Palm Beach secure their first win with a narrow 51-48 score.

Momentum briefly shifted as Joshua Newell dominated the Away Ringer Point in the farmer carry, easily outpacing Jocelyn Williams while handling 205 pounds in each hand across the 80-foot grid.

The Jack and Jill race returned control to Tampa Bay. The Brigade’s superior synchronization on bodyweight movements showed as they maintained a consistent lead through L-sit chin-ups, parallette handstands, and medball rope climbs. Dalton Herrero anchored the Brigade to a decisive victory with over 90 seconds remaining on the clock.

Both the Female and Male Triads went decisively to Tampa Bay. Rebecca Rouse showed excellent technique on the heavy jump ropes, while the pregnant athlete Jess Craan performed admirably on rope climbs. In the Male Triad, Kyle Massey, Garrison Matthews, and Rafael Arreaza worked seamlessly together through the synchronized burpee box jumps and 15-foot rope climbs.

The final Sprint Relay encapsulated the entire match. A minor miscommunication forced Joshua Newell to restart an element for Palm Beach, while the Brigade’s methodical approach to the eight diverse elements proved superior. Despite Reece Lyons putting the Breakers ahead with efficient ring work, Christopher Cioffi and eventually Dalton Herrero sealed the victory for Tampa Bay.

When the final deadlifts were completed, the Tampa Bay Brigade had secured a convincing 17-12 victory over the Palm Beach Breakers. While Palm Beach consistently finished races under the time cap to earn single points, Tampa Bay’s cleaner execution and superior communication proved the difference in a match that demonstrated the extreme athletic demands of Grid League competition.

The Brigade are the official Tampa Bay team of the United Grid League.

Grid League is the future of team sports. It features men and women together in an intense and exciting race based game on strategy and athleticism.

Watch Grid League Live

About Grid League

Get Involved

Schedule & TicketsGrid League YoutubeLivestream PageStructure and RulesPodcastsPlay in the LeagueJoin the StaffOwn a Team