Welcome back Pickleball fans for the penultimate Week 7 recap of the county’s hottest pickleballers. As the regular season heads into the final stretch, the competition is heating up with the tournament now less than 2 weeks away and all teams jockeying for seeding for the tournament.
Match 1: Streichers vs the Schmidt’s
After another dominating performance last week, Team Streicher was looking to prove Vegas right for their increased chance to hoist the trophy while Team Schmidt were searching for ways to stop their losing streak. Team Schmidt dusted off the matching team apparel, hoping unity and teamwork could put a crack into Team Streicher. The plan did not work in Game 1 as the Streichers took control early and built a sizeable lead. Despite some very nice volley sequences, The Schmidt’s just couldn’t land the ball in bounds and fell in Game 1 by a score of 11-3. Game 2 saw a total reverse of fortune however, with the Schmidt’s pouncing early and often to build a big lead 10-1 with the serve. Sensing the battle was lost, Jordan Sammy Sosa’d one (purposefully?) into the hayloft as the war moved into Game 3 even at a game a piece. Was this the crack the league had been waiting for? Jill wondered aloud what kind of example this would set for the raucous crowd and loyal fans to give up on a game like that. Jordan fired back that it was just the third quarter and came out in Game 3 using his ambidextrous forehand to complement Jill’s precision and crush the hopes of Team Schmidt. Game 3 went to the Streicher’s 11-6, leaving the Schmidt’s to reach out to the press for new partners with the tournament fast approaching. Does anyone know of a good counsellor that can help save this once promising Pickleball combo? Please inquire below.
Match 2: Streicher’s vs Wagner’s
This Week the Streicher’s volunteered to pull double duty without fear as they looked to take down the Wagner’s. Game 1 saw the Streicher’s come out hot once again, building a big lead early and showing the teamwork befitting a couple who have been married for more than 10 years. Another patented splits move by Jill with some clever court awareness by Team Streicher led to a big win in Game 1, 11-2. Game 2 saw a plethora of high-quality shots and defensive stands from both teams in a highly competitive bout. Juice and Sarah partnered together with some great net play and solid back line defense to keep the game close and within striking distance throughout. As Game 2 drew to a close, Jordan was hobbling with a knee issue and Juice was pulling up with a tight hammy and the crowd drew a collective gasp at every dive. With the tension mounting, the Streicher’s were able to pull through and earn the win by the slimmest of margins, 11-9, to keep their winning streak alive and head into the final week as one of the hottest teams in the league.
Match 3: Zimmerman’s vs Van Ham’s
The playful banter between teams was at an all-time high as Team Zimmerman looked to keep Team Van Ham out of the winner’s circle. Game 1 looked like that would be just the case with Rob and Lisa teaming up to win the game 11-5. After the court exchange and some more playful banter regarding the sunlight’s impact on the ball visibility, Game 2 flip-flopped the Van Ham’s way, winning 11-5 to set up an epic showdown in Game 3. The scoring was close throughout the game with both teams matching one another shot for shot. In the final moments, both team had opportunities to score and put the game out of reach, but stifling defense and a refuse to lose mindset made points hard to come by. A sudden burst by Mark and Kelly though proved to be the deciding factor to propel the Van Ham’s to their first victory of the year with the 11-9 Game 3 win.
Match 4: Morgan’s vs Horstman’s
Match 4 brought about a match of 2 teams looking to find their groove after shuffling the lineup the first half of the season. With Catlyn getting more comfortable with the game after early season foot surgery (I am not sure why Miller City is lame and never taught Pickleball in school) and Allison getting more acquainted with Neil’s playing style after he discovered he and Dawn are expecting 2 babies instead of one, the match proved to be a nice test with the big dance coming up soon. Despite some early mishaps by the lefties on Team Horstman, they were able to pull ahead early by a score of 11-3. Game 2 saw some very intense volleys and nice net play and deep shots by both teams. At one point, we almost witnessed the shot of the year by Ross with a between the legs, backwards return, that unfortunately fell just wide. Team Horstman would wind up victorious in Game 2 11-4, however the match was much more competitive than the score indicated and the Morgan’s are hungry for revenge in 2 weeks.
Match 5: Donaldson’s vs Brown’s
The final scheduled match of the evening featured the Brown’s taking on the Donaldson’s. Game 1 started out as a slobber knocker with the teams tied 3-3 after a solid 12 minutes of play. The combination of stonewall defense by both squads made points a premium to come by. A minor distraction in the form of a crying fan running on the court halted the game momentarily. Was this another ploy by Team Donaldson to break the momentum? We will never know, but Sarah broke away from mom mode and into beast mode to rattle off 5 straight points. After a few more back and forth serves, Game 1 would go to Team Donaldson, 11-3. Game 2 began similarly to Game 1 with points at a premium due to suffocating defense by both teams. In the end it was Team Donaldson that had just a few more shots drop in to take Game 2, 11-3 to earn the match win. This was another match that was way closer than the final score indicated and could lead to an interesting rematch in a couple weeks.
In the end, Week 7 was a smashing success with the fans going crazy as normal and the comradery at an all time high. See you all next week for our regular season finale!