Arizona OPEN 2003 Saturday, Mar 15 Finals ... Championship Singles -------------------- Paul Bennett bt Bob Cherry 26 2 to advance to finals Mic Mehas bt Paul Bennett 21 19 Championship Doubles -------------------- Mic Mehas and Jim Butts bt Jim and Teri Spoonhour 17 13 to advance to finals Mic Mehas and Jim Butts bt Don Fournier and Ren Kraft 15 11 First Flight Singles -------------------- Ron Hendry bt Sandy Brown 23 15 First Flight Doubles -------------------- Carol Cherry and Bob Whitmore bt Sandy Brown and Ron Hendry 15 14 Commentary: --------------- Under partly sunny skies the Arizona Open finals began promptly at 8:00 AM Saturday. Rory Kelley had cooperation from the mower and the lawn speed was perfect. A warm fire in the big pit kept the spectators from getting a chill. The playoff for the Championship Doubles started the day and Mehas and Jim Butts overtook Jim and Teri Spoonhour 17 13 to advance to the finals against Don Fournier and Ren Kraft. Carol Cherry and Bob Whitmore teed up against Sandy Brown, a partime Phoenix resident, and Ron Hendry, making his first appearance in Arizona. Carol Cherry and Bob had earned their place in the finals by winning their last 5 games in ladder playoff. They beat everyone in the tournament when they beat Sandy Brown and Ron Hendry 15 14. Great tournament win for Bob Whitmore and Carol Cherry. Next Paul Bennett played Bob Cherry in Championship singles. Paul came out with blue into the blue corner, Bob with red to the yellow corner. Paul shot black thru 1 with a setup at 2 and shot the hoop, then went back to corner 1. Bob lagged up with yellow to hoop 1. Paul then shot blue up to the north boundary in front of 3. Red stayed and Black went next to blue. Yellow came into the game and gave red a rush to corner 3. Paul rushed black to hoop 2, made hoop 2 and rushed black down to hoop 4, took off to red and rushed yellow up to hoop 3. Blue made hoop 3 and rushed black out of bounds on the south boundary. Red shot at blue and went out by corner 1. Black made an all round break using yellow and blue to the peg. Yellow was left NW of 6 and black routed blue to red leaving black near hoop 4 for blue's break. Yellow shot off into corner 3 since it was wired from every ball except red and black on the line in corner 1. Blue finished the game 26 2. Meanwhile, Ron Hendry took the opportunity to run a few breaks in his game against his partner Sandy Brown. Ron won on time 23 15. Championship Doubles was a close game. Donny and Mic played the out game while Jim Butts took about 8 hoops. Kraft kept close behind making it through 1 back before Donny came in. The game turned in the last 30 minutes and Mehas and Jim Butts won 15 11. In Championship Singles, between Paul Bennett and Mic Mehas, there was an interesting final game. Ren Kraft, tournament referee, was called in to resolve a dispute early on regarding the start of the game. Mic was refusing to play the game after Paul started the game with Blue and Black. At one point Mic forfeited the match by saying so and packing up his mallet, but the crowd started cheering "Play the Game ... Play the Game". Under very close supervision and a 45 second clock, the game proceeded. Blue was in corner 1 and red, black and yellow were out of the game. Blue setup and made 2 then red came in and blue setup at 3. Red hit blue and sent it down between 1 and 2 while taking position at 2. Black hit yellow away from hoop 1 but with an angled hoop shot, Mic made hoop 1 and ran a break around to 3 back. Paul's blue ball hit in and took it around to 1 back (missing a roquet on red but jawsing the blue inside red's hoop). Red tried but failed to clear 2 by jumping blue. Black shot at hoop 1 but missed and hit a ball in the game instead. It had to be replaced. Yellow was dead on blue and red and lagged up at 3 back. Then blue took contact to red and cleared 1 back hit yellow and rolled yellow up to 2 back while trying to get position. Blue setup at 2 back and on the turn tried to get black thru 1 but failed. Later on, blue attacked Mic's balls in corner 4 and sent black the yellow ball. Black ran a break around to 4 back and jawsed partner in 3 back. Blue cleared 3 back and made 4 back in next shot. Mic set a rush in corner 1 to corner 2 and Paul shot into corner 2. Mic picked up black for red and sent blue out into the court. Blue shot at yellow but missed and Mic ran around with red to the peg wiring black from blue to end the game on time 21 19. All the players gathered around for trophy presentations. The Kachina dolls are special reminders of the Arizona Open. The players will remember the sunshine, the great friendships, and the plenty of croquet we all enjoyed. This year we had a triple elimination ladder for First Flight Singles and everyone got lots of games in during block play. Some head home today on Saturday while many others leave tommorrow morning. See you all back on the court soon. And please come on back. Sincerely, Paul Bennett Tournament Director FINAL STANDINGS --------------- Championship Singles -------------------- 1. Mic Mehas 2. Paul Bennett 3. Bob Cherry 4. Maynard Smedley (Rory Kelley/Pat Roach) 5. Ren Kraft 6. Jim Spoonhour 7. Bill Hixon Steve Johnston 9. Don Fournier Johnny Mitchell 11. Jim Butts Stuart Brodsky 13. Teri Spoonhour Missy Ramey Art Parsells Doug Grimsley Gordon Milse Dick Tucker Championship Doubles -------------------- 1. Mic Mehas and Jim Butts 2. Don Fournier and Ren Kraft 3. Jim and Teri Spoonhour 4. Doug Grimsley and Steve Johnston 5. Johnny Mitchell and Bill Hixon Paul Bennett and Stuart Brodsky 7. Bob Cherry and Patty Dole Art Parsells and Missy Ramey 9. Dick Tucker and Gordon Milse First Flight Singles -------------------- 1. Ron Hendry 2. Sandy Brown 3. Bob Riddell 4. Carol Cherry 5. Len Lyon 6. Bob Kays 7. Aviv Katz Bob Whitmore Philip Peters Gardner Pond 11. Phyllis Butts Pam Johnston First Flight Doubles -------------------- 1. Carol Cherry and Bob Whitmore 2. Sandy Brown and Ron Hendry 3. Len Lyon and Bob Kays 4. Pam Johnston and Philip Peters 5. Phyllis Butts and Bob Riddell 6. Gardner Pond and Aviv Katz