The 2023 champions Jill Lewis and Randy Planck
Donna Gillen
Imagine being at the symphony. The first note you hear is from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5; the trumpets blast with a powerful force! That is the experience this writer had watching the third Randy’s Rowdy Rascals Tournament. The first serve was a powerhouse, yet the return was just as powerful and with the gracefulness of an orchestral piece responding to such power. There was a flow of rhythmic response to each precise return. The talent on the court those three days was breathtakingly beautiful, just like a perfect symphonic performance. The awe of individual talents, the flow, and the power, made for a mesmerizing dance; it was hard to take one’s eyes away.
Randy’s Rowdy Rascals were at it again for the best of the best men’s championship. This event, as it has been in the past, pairs a 3.5 player with a 4.0 player in a random drawing. This year the final day of the three-day event happened to be May Day. If you recall, the last week of April and the first day of May were very sunny, on the warm side, and a bit breezy. However, there was a blaze of rapid play action on the courts. This year there were 12 participants (three were awesome ladies) competing for prizes and the recognition to be the duo to beat!
Troney Hutchins and Jim Lewis were the tournament directors. As directors, they were grateful that Candy and Steve Rickert moderated the event. Their responsibilities included keeping track of the schedules and scores as well as the presentation of the prizes.
This year’s winners were:
1st Place: Yooper and Bambi aka Randy Planck and Jill Lewis
2nd Place: Double D’s; Dave Bee and Dave Fredricks
3rd Place: Rollin’ Thunder; Dan Schimmelpfennig and Eric Rohlman
Other participants were T’s and B’s Cook, played by Troney Hutchins and Brenda Cook; Leftist or We Are Not Righties duo of Mike Harter and Greg Fisher; and last but not least, Beauty and the Beast with Lori Orth as our beauty and Jim Lewis playing the part of the beast.
All participants had a spirited and exhilarating time with fast action play, as well as a celebration feast afterwards, where the prizes were awarded.