A local bags league has wrapped their inaugural season in the community.
According to Michael Joseph, the league was the idea of Guy and Alene Johnson, with Alene serving as league commissioner and Michael serving as league director of operations. Alene and Michael worked together to create a schedule, weekly results tracker, and group communication system for league participants. The league ran from June 1st through July 29th, was hosted at various participant’s homes each week and averaged 14-16 players a night.
The regular season top five wins leaders were Guy Johnson and Michael Joseph both having 34 wins respectively. Alene Johnson had 25 wins, Andrzej Blacharski and Graham Carl each had 19 wins.
The season finale tournament was hosted by Clint (aka Curt) and Jen Stanerson. A double elimination bracket with 17 players included some exciting matchups and some great tournament “upsets”. The tournament started with a “play in game” for Megan Rife & Jackee Austerman resulting in Jackee advancing to the winner’s bracket. Donovan Eastburn (8 seed) suffered a first-round loss to Jen Stanerson (9 Seed & Most Improved Player Award winner). 11 seed Katie Carl took down 6 seed Kelly Joseph also in the first round. Another upset was 15 seed Josh Rife losing to 17 seed Megan Rife in the loser’s bracket to end the night early for Josh Rife. Mid-season addition, Maggie Babcock, did lose in the first round, but bounced back in the loser’s bracket by taking out Shane Austerman and Katie Carl before suffering her second loss to Graham Carl. League Commissioner, Alene Johnson, lost to Nate Willems in the second round but had some exciting games to stay alive in the loser’s bracket with wins over Lauren Eastburn, Jen Stanerson, and league win’s leader Guy Johnson before seeing her night end with a second loss to Nate Willems.
Michael Joseph and Andrzej Blacharski met in the semifinals of the winner’s bracket in which Michael Joseph prevailed after trailing early to head to the championship round. Nate Willems showed a determined and a strong focus through the loser’s bracket by ending the night for night for three players to emerge in the finals. In the Championship game, Nate Willems gave Michael Joseph his first loss in the tournament to force a winner-take-all final game. With some great exciting rounds back and forth, Michael Joseph came out as the tournament champion for this inaugural season and perhaps the J&J Bags League Hall of Fame.
“Yes, the games and tournament were fun, but more importantly, it was just great to get out and hang out with friends,” Michael said. “Meeting new people within our community that we maybe ‘knew of, heard of’ but didn’t really know was also a season highlight. Our children were able to make new friends as well. I know was able to find new common likes with people I did not know shared common things.
“Lastly, to every person that attended the bags league one week or another, I say thank you and I hope you all realize how each of you are great representations of this amazing Mount Vernon Community and allowing me to be part of it.”
J and J Bags League season ends
August 10, 2023
SYSTEM
Alene Johnson and Jen Stanerson participate in the bags league this year.
