Winter Day League Grand Champion Thunderbirds, front row, left to right: President Cheryl Kasselmann, Captain Lloyd Smith, Co-Captain Ron Jacobs, Bev Loding and Ardys Smith; back row: Richard Squillace, Alex Potapoff and Bernard Blake
Winter Night League Grand Champion Bocce Knights, front row, left to right: President Cheryl Kasselmann, Captain Dave Ruedlin, Co-Captain Muriel Milewski, Jan Ruedlin, Carol Gwilt and Dick Gwilt; back row: Amy Potapoff, Alex Potapoff and Roger Milewski
Pat Milich
More and more players are jumping aboard the PebbleCreek Bocce Ball bandwagon as the sport’s popularity continues to soar to new heights.
A record was set in the Winter Season when 626 players signed up to compete on 64 teams in the Wednesday and Friday Day Leagues and the Tuesday and Thursday Night Leagues. Spring Season play got underway in mid-March with a total of 504 players on 53 teams and, according to Bocce Association Treasurer Mollie McErlean, early registrations already are being submitted for the Fall 2016 Season.
The enthusiasm surrounding the Bocce organization was on full display on March 16, when players gathered for the annual Spring Picnic at Sunrise Park and Bocce Association President Cheryl Kasselmann announced the following winners of all four Winter Season Leagues:
Tuesday Night League: 1st place Bocce Knights; 2nd place Hare and Hounds; 3rd place Bocce Swingers
Wednesday Day League: 1st place Thunderbirds; 2nd place United 40; 3rd place Free Agents
Thursday Night League: 1st place Pickle Ball Anyone?; 2nd place U-Nighted 40; 3rd place Court Jesters
Friday Day League: 1st place Hare and Hounds; 2nd place Bocce Bandits; 3rd place Bocce Bears
The Grand Championship trophies were presented to the Thunderbirds team which defeated the Hare and Hounds to capture the Day League title and to the Bocce Knights who outplayed Pickleball Anyone? to take top honors in the Night League competition.