Cochran on the way to his 2010 Nine-Wicket Singles title
The USCA returns to Kansas City today to host the 2014 Nine Wicket National Championship at Liberty Memorial. It is arguably the most visible setting the sport has enjoyed since the days of Wimbledon. I suppose there is Central Park, but even those courts are sort of hidden away. Players will be in wide-open view near the Memorial and the National WWI Museum which all rests at the southern part of downtown Kansas City.
Twenty-six players will be on hand chasing national titles, but all eyes will be on George Cochran as he will chase his fourth singles title and further cement his status as the King of Nine-Wicket croquet. If he can win, he will be the first player to win back-to-back nine-wicket singles titles.
Of course, since the USCA left KC after 2011, the Missouri Croquet Association has transformed into the Midwest Croquet Association and launched a full nine wicket croquet series. After two years of play, a few players from that group will certainly be looking to challenge. At the top of the list is USCA Midwest Regional VP, Matt Griffith, who has knocked off all of the top MCA players in the last six weeks and now has a perfect 8-0 MCA record. He's knocked out 2014 Series winner Dylan Goodwin (17-5 this year) twice, while also taking down 2013 overall champion Paul Miller (4-1 this year) in a one-point game at the KC Open on August 3. This past Saturday he faced Greg Clouse (8-3 this year) in the semifinals and came away with a 23-22 win.
I don't know the rest of the national players that well, but I would expect John Warlick (+0.5 USCA) and Doug Moore (+1 USCA) to both make some noise in the event as well. It's going to be a real dogfight.
Today is singles and doubles action will follow all day Saturday. The doubles playoff is scheduled for Sunday morning. Spectators are welcome.
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYERS
Greg Clouse
George Cochran
Dylan Goodwin
Matt Griffith
Paul Miller
Douglas Moore
Roy Morgan
Dave Nelson
Don Oakley
John Warlick
Jodi Adams
Greg Adams
William Berg
Ellen Fox
William Fox
Steve Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Michael Kearns
Ron Millican
Deborah Millican
Jim Ratzlaff
Joshua Reed
Amy Romines
Gail Rubin
NO FLIGHT INDICATED
Ed Mondt
Nathan Oberg
Nine-Wicket Singles Champions
2013-George Cochran
2012-Stephen Morgan
2011-Matt Smith (Web Article)
2010-George Cochran (Web Article)
2009-Matt Smith (Web Article)
2008-George Cochran (Web Article)