Soo #05: AC Nationals Down to Four

Ian HarshmanIn the singles quarterfinals, Danny Huneycutt's uncharacteristically shaky form continued, which allowed me to win 2-0. Dan Pailas gave plenty of fight but likewise went down 2-0 to Stuart Lawrence. Brian Cumming v. Chris Patmore opened with a quick Cumming triple, but Patmore fought back with an extended 3-ball ending and leveled the match. The third game was more error-prone, Cumming winning. Simon Jenkins v. Stephen Morgan had some similarities, particularly in the error-prone game 3. Morgan survived, ending an impressive run by Jenkins, who had started the singles blocks 0-4.

The singles plate is underway as a flexible Swiss. Jim Bast and Wayne Davies are undefeated.

The pegged-down doubles match had to wait for the end of the Jenkins v. Morgan quarterfinal, leaving just over an hour to play. The match has once again been pegged down in game 2, and will resume first thing Friday.

Jeff Soo vs Stuart Lawrence
Brian Cumming vs Stephen Morgan

2017 USCA AC Nationals Singles Knockout:
croquetscores.com/2017/ac/us-national-championship/singles-ko 

Soo #04: AC Nationals-Into The Knockout

Danny Huneycutt jokes with his opponentWhen Simon Jenkins beat Ian Harshman in the final round of the block, he made three people very happy: himself, Mike Taylor, and Sherif Abdelwahab, all of whom were now in a playoff for 4th place in Block B. And he made two other people, well, sigh in resignation: Harshman, who would be the fourth player in that playoff, and the tournament manager.

And, five hours later, Jenkins was still smiling, having played his way into the main singles knockout. He and Taylor then began their doubles semi-final with Danny Huneycutt and Stephen Morgan. Huneycutt and Morgan won the first game, and the match has been pegged down in game 2.

Meanwhile, the other doubles semi-final was able to start much earlier. Stuart Lawrence and Jeff Soo beat Wayne Davies and Daniel Pailas in two games. Lawrence tripled to finish the first, adding to the day's relative flurry of peeling.

The knockout shapes up as follows:

Jeff Soo vs Danny Huneycutt
Daniel Pailas vs Stuart Lawrence
Brian Cumming vs Chris Patmore
Simon Jenkins vs Stephen Morgan

Full Results: croquetscores.com/2017/ac/us-national-championship

Soo #03: Tiebreakers Dead Ahead

Mike TaylorWhile there were some faster games today, there were still plenty of games going to time, including a 14-11 barn-burner in which Jenkins played Aunt Emma tactics to beat Pailas. Pailas has now beaten the top four seeds in his block but lost to two of the lower-ranked players; he can guarantee a spot in the knockout by winning his final game. A four-way tie for second place remains possible in this block. As does a four-way tie for fourth place. Which could also happen in the other block. The manager rather hopes that none of these scenarios transpires. But it does look highly likely that playoff games will be needed to determine the Elite Eight.

Some key matches for the final block games:

Huneycutt v. Lawrence: Lawrence is already in the KO; Huneycutt needs a win, or a loss from Bast.

Bast v. Osborn: An Osborn win and a Huneycutt loss creates at least a three-way tie for fourth in Block A

Patmore v. Morgan: Morgan is already in; Patmore assures himself a spot by winning

Cumming v. Taylor: Taylor desperately wants a win, although even with a loss he could still make a playoff

Jenkins v. Harshman: Jenkins still has an outside chance to make a playoff with a win; Harshman can guarantee at least a playoff spot with a win

AC Worlds: Mulliner 3, Maloof 2

Screenshot from the Livestream. Note that 66 viewers were still tuned in. (L to R) USCA President Johnny Mitchell, Stephen Mulliner and David Openshaw

THE COMEBACK KID

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA -- In a final that had everything, England's Stephen Mulliner repeated his Saturday performance and once again came back from an 0-2 deficit to American David Maloof to claim his first WCF World Association Croquet title. The scoreline went down as 22-26, 9-26, 26-21, 26-19, 26tp-0 for Mulliner in an 11.5 hour epic that stretched out from the morning start to an under the lights finish at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The entire final was broadcast via Livestream by Sherif Abdelwahab. Simon Jenkins brought audio commentary to the live feed in the afternoon and did what must have been six or seven hours of stellar solo commentary (minus a brief break provided by Reg Bamford). The live feed carried through to the awards and in what was unprecedented step forward for the sport. At it's peak, the Livestream broadcast had 144 viewers, while the text commentary also remained strong with 121 followers at peak. Add to that 200 spectators at the venue.

Other winners on day included Ian Lines for the Plate, James Death for the Bowl and Stephen Forster for the Shield.

FULL CROQUETSCORES.COM KNOCKOUT BRACKET: croquetscores.com/2016/ac/wcf-world-championship/main-ko

WCF EVENT REPORT: www.worldcroquet.org.uk/index.php/latest-news/195-stephen-mulliner-is-the-new-ac-world-champion

TEXT COMMENTARY: croquetscores.com/2016/ac/wcf-world-championship/commentaries/7649