Flash Crush DreamBreaker To Edge 5s And Stay Unbeaten At MLP Austin
The Dallas Flash (8-0, 22 points) solidified their status as the team to beat in the Premier Level with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the New Jersey 5s (7-2, 20 points) on Sunday at MLP Austin, thanks to a commanding performance in the DreamBreaker.
The reigning MLP champions closed out the match with a resounding 21-11 win in the singles tiebreaker, once again proving their mettle on Championship Court—and maintaining their perfect season record in the process.
This heavyweight showdown between last year’s finalists lived up to the hype, with both teams trading blows throughout the match before the Flash seized control in the final frame.
Source: Pickleball.com
Jorja Johnson Shines In The Spotlight—Again
The DreamBreaker saw Dallas star Jorja Johnson square off against world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters—and it was Johnson who emerged victorious when it counted most.
“Regardless of who I'm playing, I'm just trying to stick to my game and just focus on me,” said Johnson after the win. “Obviously, she's the best. I was just looking to be aggressive and try my best for my team. Thankfully, it went my way this time.”
The 18-year-old phenom has been nothing short of spectacular this season, sporting a 15-1 record and winning an astonishing 76.58% of her points in MLP play.
Johnson credited her continued success to the chemistry within the team:
“Maybe it was the MLP win, you know, a new level of confidence, and knowing I get to do it beside all these great people. Not only the four starters, but also our two bench players, who have been great all weekend. We're super happy to have them out there. Thank you to all the friends and family who came out to watch.”
A True Team Battle
Sunday’s matchup was a back-and-forth affair from the start. Johnson and Tyra Black opened with a dominant 11-3 win over Waters and Meghan Dizon in women’s doubles, giving Dallas early momentum.
But the 5s struck back in men’s doubles, as Will Howells and Zane Navratil outplayed Augie Ge and JW Johnson 11-8 to level the match.
The mixed doubles matchups were equally tense. Black and Ge claimed a 11-7 win over Dizon and Navratil to push Dallas ahead, but Waters and Howells then responded with a decisive 11-5 victory over the Johnson sibling duo, sending the contest into a DreamBreaker.
There, the Flash were simply on another level. A 21-11 rout in the singles shootout sealed the deal—marking Dallas’s second consecutive DreamBreaker win after edging the Texas Ranchers the day before.
Looking Ahead
Dallas continues to build on its championship pedigree, showing both composure and firepower in pressure moments. With their undefeated run still intact and Jorja Johnson in MVP-caliber form, the Flash are setting the pace for the rest of the league.
The question now is: who, if anyone, can stop them?
Match Results: Dallas Flash vs. New Jersey 5s (Sunday, MLP Austin)
Women’s Doubles: Jorja Johnson/Tyra Black (DAL) def. Anna Leigh Waters/Meghan Dizon (NJ) 11-3
Men’s Doubles: Will Howells/Zane Navratil (NJ) def. Augie Ge/JW Johnson (DAL) 11-8
Mixed Doubles: Tyra Black/Augie Ge (DAL) def. Dizon/Navratil (NJ) 11-7
Mixed Doubles: Waters/Howells (NJ) def. Johnson/JW Johnson (DAL) 11-5
DreamBreaker: Dallas def. New Jersey 21-11
Stay locked in with Play! Pickle for continued coverage from MLP Austin and all the drama unfolding at the Premier Level.
