AND THE WINNER IS…

Summer League final~~

It was close. Very close. Only one point separated the two teams. And it wasn’t decided on bonus points since both teams picked up 7. That’s the good news. The bad news is that not all 10 matches could be played. Nine of them were, and the tenth… well we would have to wait a couple of weeks for that to happen and it’s not fair to let everyone wait so long. So it was scrapped.

Tom Pierce and Joe Danley

It was a fitting finish to the season between two squads that deserved to be in final in regards to turning up and playing their matches all summer. Of the 9 contests, only 2 of them resulted in a 3-0 score, each team winning one of them, essentially cancelling the other out. For the most part, you could be excused for feeling a strong sense of déjà vu because when “Scuttlebutts” and “Naval Fluff” butted heads in round 5, seven of the results ended up exactly the same as what they did for the final.

Joe Danley (“Naval Fluff”) was one the 3-0 winners as he managed to keep his nose just in front of Tom Pierce (“Scuttlebutts”) for the first 2 games taking them 15-12 before controlling more of the third for an easier 15-8 victory. That score was quickly nullified by Mike Rock (“Scuttlebutts”) who has now won 9 of his past 10 recorded matches as he dispatched Andrew Tignanelli (“Naval Fluff”) 3-0, his third consecutive win over him.

Peter Ulbrich and Brian Bartes

“Scuttlebutts” next win came at the hands of Brian Bartes, although it was a comeback effort. Peter Ulbrich played a strong first game, controlling the ‘T’ and keeping Brian deep and he took the set 15-13. Brian steadied his game and started to move the ball more effectively, slowly gaining the momentum. He won the second 15-10 which looked closer than what the score suggests, but certainly had the upper hand in the 3^rd game taking it 15-8 for the 2-1 victory. Again, cancelling out the result, “Naval Fluff’s” Chris Tipton had just enough shots in the bag to keep Chato Hill at bay with his 2-1 triumph.

As the scores came in, each 2-1 win for one team was quickly quashed with a 2-1 win for the other. Eventually though, with an odd number of matches to be played, it would come down to the final match: Justin Jacobs (“Scuttlebutts”) v Jerry Rock (“Naval Fluff”). Little did the pair know when they played early in the morning on Tuesday, they were in fact the deciding result. Keeping up appearances, it was also a 2-1 score line.

And did the whole season end up being determined on a couple of lucky bounces? Point in case was the end of game one. 14-all, Justin serving… into the nick! Game to “Scuttlebutts”. Game 2 goes to the veteran, as Jerry pulls off a comfortable victory. Score tied 1-1. Game 3. 14-13. Justin serving again… and repeating his first game fortunes… into the nick! The 2-1 victory gave "Scuttlebutts” the narrowest of winning margins. They take the summer league final 21-20. Congratulations!

Another season goes into the history books. But, believe it or not, we are only 5-6 weeks away from September and the 2013-2014 chapter. That’s plenty of time to fine tune your game and hit the ground running. Keep your eyes and ears open for the Boasters League registration, join the box ladders, and start swinging away.