CLAWSON, MICHIGAN – The week following a tournament typically feels like a hangover. The players are moving slow, the energy is low, and the environment is just a little sleepy.

Week 1 wasn’t much different, with player after player filing up the driveway, as if they were doing the “walk of shame”…until Dibble showed up. The guy was bouncing off the walls, “I missed you guys! I missed this!”

And then when Brent arrived and Dibble realized there was a new addition to the league, which means an opportunity for a new best friend, he was like a rescue dog vying for attention from a prospective family – tail wagging, jumping up and down, “Pick me! Pick me!”

His injection of energy was just what the doctor ordered.

GAME OF THE NIGHT

Dibble brought that energy to the Game of the Night, where he partnered with his new best friend, Brent. Really, they are best friends. Of the 12 games in week 1, Dibble latched on to Brent in four of those games (insert laughing emoji).

Their Game 6 opponents were Galz and KP, who took an early 7 – 0 lead after the top of the first inning. The besties shook off their opponent’s quick start and put together their own 19 – 1 run, giving them a 19 – 8 lead. During that stretch, Dibble score nine points against Galz, while Brent posted 10 points against KP, powered by a 10 – 5 advantage in the top of the sixth inning.

KP encouraged Galz, reminding his partner that the game doesn’t start until a “choke” is in play (i.e., one team holds a 10+ point advantage and must close the game). Galz savors opportunities like this, and promptly responded with two points to close the deficit to 19 – 10.

It was KP’s turn to put up or shut up. He delivered a four-bagger, while Brent managed just three points. A 12 – 3 win in the top of the seventh inning knotted the game at 19 – 19 **AND** positioned Galz to clinch the match by completing the “comeback” (and securing a “choke” for Dibble and Brent).

Galz and Dibble both threw cornholes with their first two bags. Clutch performances in a tense moment. Galz’s third bag missed long and right, but stayed on the board for a 7 – 6 advantage. Dibble applied pressure with a third straight cornhole, requiring Galz to score on his final bag to keep the game alive. Galz always goes down swinging, and played for the cornhole. His bag was a little too firm and skipped over the hole, falling off the back of the board.

The game was over, and Dibble missed an irrelevant airmail attempt. His 9 – 7 advantage was enough to win, 21 – 19, and the friendship strengthened.

MUSHROOM STAMP MOMENT (“MSM”)

The first MSM of the 2022 season belongs to JV. In Game 10, JV threw a perfect block with his first bag of the round. Barker navigated it perfectly, slipping his bag around the block and into the hole. Without hesitation, JV threw an airmail and hit it!

Barker missed long off the back with his second bag.

JV immediately hit another airmail, leaving his blocker in place.

Barker again missed off the back.

JV went up again, draining a third consecutive airmail, leaving his blocker for Barker to contemplate.

Barker’s last bag was off the back again, unable to navigate the laundry on the board.

JV won the round 10 – 3, which gave his team a 12 – 4 lead and broke the game open. He and Erik finished the job, winning easily, 21 – 7. He played the round perfectly with a block, airmail, airmail, airmail. That’s professional-level cornhole, which is why he earns this week’s mushroom stamp moment.

NEWS AND NOTES

• Brent reinforced his championship performance by earning the top spot in the Power Rankings this week and had a +12.1 point differential for the night (i.e., averaged wins of 21 – 9). His 19.7 KPM, 6.1 points per round, 71% accuracy, 1.62 cornholes per round, and 7 – 0 record were dominant. He added five 10-point rounds and two 12-point rounds to his week 1 resume
• Dibble avoided having Brent FOMO and kept pace with an 18.3 KPM, 5.7 points per round, 71% accuracy, 1.43 cornholes per round, and 4 – 2 record (all four wins were as Brent’s partner). Impressive numbers under any circumstance, but especially so considering the long layoff he’s had
• JV was great in earning the MSM, but his numbers are head-scratching – his 14.1 KPM is good. But he pulled that off on just 49% accuracy, which is sub-par. JV was basically boom (cornhole) or bust (errant shot) all night, but his “booms” sure were amazing
• Barker somehow went 0 – 5 despite putting up good numbers – 14.5 KPM, 73% KPM, 4.7 points per round, and a 12-point round. His biggest downfall was “only” hitting 0.88 cornholes per game. Nonetheless, the donut in win column was shocking and unusual. Don’t get used to that
• Erik dropped a 12-point round, which helped him to a 14.7 KPM (#4 in the Power Rankings), 4.7 points per round, 65% accuracy, 1.03 cornholes per round, and 2 – 3 record. This is a great start to the 2022 campaign, showing Erik continues to build on the growth he’s demonstrated the last few seasons
• Galz went 2 – 5 overall with a 14.2 KPM, 64% accuracy and 4.5 points per round. His 0.98 cornholes per round was un-Galz-like, but expect that number to rise as the season progresses
• Paul was last in this week’s Power Rankings at #8, but his numbers were good! He continues to increase his accuracy, shooting 63% this week. He also hit 0.88 cornholes per round and 4.3 points per round, earning a 13.3 KPM and 3 – 3 record. Paul also outscored his opponent head-to-head in four of his six matches
• KP finished second in the Power Rankings this week with an 18.4 KPM. He also averaged 5.8 points per round, 76% accuracy, 1.38 cornholes per round and produced a 4 – 3 record. He also recorded two 10-point rounds and two 12-point rounds