News: Summer Pickleball Week 3

Week three was a week filled with blood, sweat, and maybe even some tears. For some, Wednesday was a day for celebration. For others, it was bitter defeat. It may have just been a couple of pickleball games, but it may as well have been The Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Maybe that's just me. Anywho, come take a journey with me, to the days of yesterweek. 

 

Remember when I compared pickleball to Pelennor Fields? Maybe I was just talking about this game. Paul showed up ready to play. Claire was the hero of the moment, filling in as one of Adam's endless teammates. (Is that even legal?) Spin Masters saw the weakness in Paul's eyes, and they immediately snapped into a predatory mode that struck fear deep into their opponents' hearts. While it wasn't a complete blowout, it was clear who was running the court. Amy and Juliana secured the first win pretty immediately, leaving Adam and Claire emotionally eviscerated. Going into game two, Paul had snapped back mentally and was ready to play. The game started off strong for Paul but quickly devolved as Amy and Juliana proved why they were called the Spin Masters. Game two ended with a score of 6-11, leaving Paul in a slightly better emotional state.

 

I'll tell you what folks, it isn't often that these matches go all the way to three games. In fact, I believe this is only the second example so far this season. Like Paul, Dj Spins has seen a bit of a player rotation. This week, we got a surprise visit from SPRD local, Devin Putney. When Devin isn't slinging boats, he's swinging racquets and the time he puts into it is apparent when you watch him play. Jamie and Devin started off strong securing match one relatively quickly, leaving Gina and Kim of The Base Lines with only 5 points. Gina and Kim, or as I like to call them, Gim, were not ready to give up this win. After a lengthy battle The Base Lines proved they were still in it with an 11-6 win, ensuring a third game. This is where things got heated. Both teams were invested. Both teams were ready to lay it all down. Did I see Jamie throw a racquet? No, I must have imagined that. Though it wasn't by any means easy, The Base Lines ended up pulling off the win, scooting them a little closer to the top of the league.  

 

What do you get when the top team in the league plays against one of the bottom teams? Apparently, you get a pretty good game. Thats right folks, this league has a lot of talent, and the difference between the top and the bottom may be smaller than you expect. This season, Dink Pony Club has been dealing with scandal after scandal while Golden Tassels has been racking up the wins. Even so, Dink Pony Club showed up to prove that they were still worthy of some respect. Game one was a surprise to everyone. While Dink Pony Club didn't put up too many points (4 to be exact), they had heart and even some skill to back it up. By game two, DPC had caught their stride. Despite Golden Tassels domination over the league so far, DPC decided they were going to give Ceci and Zach a good game. In the end, Dink Pony Club put up another 6 points in game two. Respectable effort you two. 

 

In recent weeks, The Baselines have begun to make a name for themselves. With the exception of week one, The Base Lines have managed to win every game they've played. In contrast, Paul has lost every game they've played... including week one. Nonetheless, Paul is still convinced that a league win is possible. This game, however, was not where the tides began to turn. In fact, this game went pretty much exactly how you would expect. With pickleball newcomer, Oliver joining in as Adam's partner, the two felt unstoppable. The game began, and it quickly became clear that Paul needed some help. Despite the obvious blood lust emanating from Gina and Kim, they were kind enough to give Paul a few practice serves. The games didn't last long, but everyone had fun which is all that matters... Right? Game one ended 11-4, and game two ended 11-2. When interviewed about the games, Adam had this to say, "Were coming for you next week Gim".

 

This game marks the Golden Tassels 5^th straight win of the season. While the Spin Masters roster is packed with serious talent, it seems as though Golden Tassels has reached an unstoppable status so far. Is it Ceci and Zach's combined decade+ of experience of the court? Is it the matching jerseys portraying Zach punching a lion square in the face? We may never know exactly what is fueling their success in this league, but it does have everyone wondering who, if anyone, can bring them down. Game one was a quick display of power from the Golden Tassels. With a score of 4-11, Spin Masters put up a good fight. In the end, it wasn't quite enough to bring down the duo. By game two, Spin Masters had gotten warmed up. While Golden Tassels ended up taking game two with a score 11-6, the Spin Masters were creeping up on them.

Week 3	Team	W-L	Sets	PF	PA	PD
1	Paul	0-4	0-8	21	88	-67
2	Dink Pony Club	0-4	1 - 8	46	90	-44
3	Dj Spins	3 - 2	7 -5	102	84	18
4	Spin Master	2 - 3	4 - 6	63	76	-13
5	Golden Tassels	5-0	10-0	110	46	64
6	The Base Lines	4 - 1	8- 3	109	67	42