Records were broken on Sunday evening in the CPL as the league witnessed 8 regular season games in one night of intense Pickleball action. With some much-anticipated league debuts and returning favorites returning to the court for the first time this season, no place in the county had quite the drama as CPL action. With teams recovering from a night of celebrating the Growing Sullivan clan, the barn was left cleaner than a hound’s tooth as every match was a 2-0 sweep for the victors.
Read to see how it played out below:
Game 1: The Schmidt’s vs The Donaldson’s
Tired of the verbal abuse bestowed upon them from their Pirate students, the Schmidt’s were looking to quickly put the pain of Season 1 in the rearview mirror. The Donaldson’s were up for the challenge and ready to ruin Damon and Erin’s season 2 debut. An untimely eye injury to Erin made her a defined target for a barrage of shots from Brian and Sarah early and often as the game got rolling. The Donaldson’s also received an unlikely assist from Theo providing the appropriate mix of distraction to keep the Schmidt’s off their game en route to an 11-2 win in Game 1. After switching sides of the court, the onslaught continued as the Schmidt’s were pickled 11-0 to drop their first match of the year. Witnesses report Theo enjoying a popsicle later in the evening. No link has been made at this time, however suspicions remain that he was working against his beloved parents for the sake of sugared frozen water.
Game 2: The Morgan’s vs The Streicher’s
Another long-awaited return to the court was experienced in Game 2 with the Streicher’s back in action to take on Ross and Catlyn Morgan. The match was riveting in the early stages with both teams getting a feel for the strengths and opportunities of one another. Ross and Jordan had some powerful back and forth shots going toe to toe like Ali vs Frazier. With the battle raging at 7-4 in favor of the Streicher’s, Jordan dealt a massive blow with a howitzer that nearly decapitated Catlyn. In his defense, he did apologize prior to hitting the ball, however I believe the legal system just confirms that to be pre-meditated. Regardless, the blast was enough to earn the point and turn the tide for Game 1 for a 11-6 Streicher win.
Game 2 saw some terrific shots by all four competitors with Catlyn getting some sneaky corner and short shots to fall and Jill lacing some terrific shots down the line. Jill even showed her continued athleticism by nearly doing the splits in the middle of a contested volley. Ross and Jordan continued to duke it out blow for blow but in the end the ambidextrous Jordan was able to land enough shots to win Game 2 11-5 and start the season with a win. After the game, the Streicher’s gave credit to their new paddles acquired over the offseason for the increased velocity and precision generated from their shots.
Game 3: The Keck’s vs The Schmidt’s
After being pickled earlier in the evening, The Schmidt’s retook the center stage looking to get back on track. Unfortunately, the defending champs were there and not ready to relinquish that top spot. Early on the Schmidt’s gave the Keck’s all they could handle in the early stages. Scott and Stephanie quickly rebounded and also targeted the injured eye of Erin (Sorry Erin! We do hope you feel better ASAP). Game 1 ended with the Keck’s on top 11-3.
Game 2 saw some longer volleys and some terrific defensive stops by both teams. AS the Dinks and slams continued, the Keck’s again pulled away and earned the Match win with another 11-3 victory in Game 2.
Game 4: The Brown’s vs The Zimmerman’s
As the action continued into the evening, the next match featured the Brown’s taking on The Zimmerman’s in their season debut. The Zimmerman’s started off Game 1 a little rusty and Chelsea and Kurtis took advantage early building a lead and never looking back en route to a 11-2 win. Game 2 became a lot more competitive as Rob and Lisa returned to their late season form from last year. The volleys were longer and longer and points were more difficult to come by as teams kept the game close throughout game 2 with all 4 titans getting into a groove. In the end though, the Brown’s were able to prevail with a hard fought 11-8 victory to even their season record at 1-1.
Game 5: The Wagner’s vs the Miller’s
The next game of the evening featured the franchise debut for Continental’s first family as the Miller’s were set to battle the Wagner’s who were seeking to give the newbies a proper welcome to the league moment. The Miller’s were able to get on the board early, however points were hard to come by the rest of the affair with Juice and Sarah pouncing on every opportunity and building a big lead to take Game 1, 11-1. Bodies were flying in Game 2 with both Juice and Matt hitting the deck when diving for a shot and slipping on the concrete playing surface. League officials have issued a formal apology to the Miller’s for a failure to disclose recommended footwear prior to game-time, which made it feel like they were playing on ice. The result was unchanged though with the Wagner’s dealing a pickle, 11-0, to the Miller’s to earn the match victory.
Game 6: The Miller’s vs The Brown’s
In an effort to keep all teams with a similar number of games played by season’s end, the Miller’s were back up to take on the Brown’s, who were also playing for the second time of the evening. Some friendly banter was exchanged, then all gloves were off as action intensified on the court. Both teams experienced similar results to their earlier matches in the evening with the Browns winning the match 11-1, and 11-2, respectively. Despite the score, the Miller’s made definite improvement as the game progressed and look to become a force to reckon with by season’s end. The Brown’s finished a dominant day 2-0 outscoring opponents 44-13 along the way as they round into mid-season form already.
Game 7: The (Future) Weisenburger’s vs the Winkle’s
The next duel saw the Curtis ad Rose taking on Ryan and Katie with both teams looking for their first wins of the season. The Weisenburger’s quickly got the monkey of not scoring a point last week against the Keck’s off of their back by scoring in the early stages of Game 1. However, the Winkle’s were on their game with no new USAPA rule changes this week to throw off their feng shui and rattled of quite the run that ended in an 11-1 Game 1 victory. Game 2 saw continued growth for the new franchise with Rose having some impressive dink shots into the kitchen/non-volley zone and Curtis getting in on the action with some impressive shots as well. However, Katie’s strong tennis background and Ryan’s dominance at the net powered the Winkle’s to an 11-3 win to earn the match.
Game 8: The Sullivan’s vs Team Van Vennekotter
The final battle of the evening saw Jessica and Mark of Team Van Vennekotter taking on the Sullivan’s who were also making their season debut in prime time. The Sullivan’s were finally able to put their present from the Easter Bunny to use and came out firing shots at their opponents. Mark and Jessica saw their teamwork continue to grow and put on a show in Game 1 to win 11-2. After a quick pep talk from Jami letting Danny know they needed to hit the ball over the net, the Sullivan’s picked up a little steam. It was not enough, however to overcome Jessica’s scorching shots and Mark’s aggression on the court as Team Van Vennekotter secured the match with an 11-4 Game 2 victory.
We are quickly rolling into week 3 where more history is bound to be made in the CPL. Negotiations are ongoing to have the first off-site league match (needed due to scheduling conflicts). The expansion franchises will go toe to toe with one team assured an opportunity to earn their match win. With the prices of everything else in the world going up, Ticket prices for the CPL remain the same so grab your lawn chair and come on out to enjoy the friendliest, fiercest competition in town.