Mike Pate
The Robson Ranch Texas Toss Cornhole League conducted its Fall 2024 playoffs in November in the Cimarron gym. Matches were fierce but friendly, competitive but cordial. And when the resin dust settled, the Air Mailers, captained by Steve “Cap’n Crunchtime” Courtney, claimed their third Texas Toss World Championship, topping each of their Division A playoff opponents. Meanwhile, in the Social Division, sixth seed Ace in the Hole Gang, co-captained by Armando “Catch Some” Reyes and Reggie “One Way or the” Rother, beat the odds and its competition, earning the Division B title.
All playoff matches featured a best-of-three game format. To reach the Division A finals, the second seed Air Mailers bested intra-division rival Team Leprecorn in the quarterfinals and overcame Corn with the Wind, the Spring 2024 champs, in an exciting semifinal matchup. In the finals, they squared off against the first seed Sand Baggers, captained by Larry “Moon” Walker. The Sand Baggers, by virtue of their regular season 33 wins, earned a first-round bye and met Toss This in their semifinal match, dismissing them in two games.
In the first game of the Division A finals, Air Mailers duo Chris “Sure Shot” Walton and Greg “Gig ‘em” McElyea prevailed over their Sand Baggers rivals 22-13. The Baggers stormed back in game two, as Larry Walker and John “With Bated” Brefczynski teamed up to top their Air Mailers competitors 19-9. The rubber game of the championship was tied up at the midpoint. In the bottom three innings, the tandem of Mike “ATM” Pate and Donna “Pitch Perfect” Henry found their groove and powered the Mailers to a 21-7 win.
After the win, Courney said, “We’re excited. The team practiced hard all season long, and it’s fun to see it pay off.” Sand Baggers captain Walker quipped, “This season was a big step for us, but we’re not done yet.”
In Division B, the road to the finals for Ace in the Hole Gang was uphill all the way. Seeded sixth, they defeated the third seed Corn Dawgs in quarterfinals action and dispatched the fourth seed Mamas & Papas in the semis. In the finals, they faced first seed Team Willet, captained by Tony “Sesame Seed” Buiniskis. After a first-round bye, Team Willet confronted seventh seed Wild Bunch in their semifinal matchup, topping them two games to one.
In the Division B finals, Team Willet struck first, winning the first game 18-6 on the hot hand of Rick “Mind Your Own” Bidne, who shut out his opponent. Ace in the Hole came roaring back in the second game, a dominant performance by both Armando Reyes and Perry “Ten Pin” Bohling, evening up the match with a decisive 32-3 win. In the final game, Ace in the Hole Gang, led by Shellie “The Shark” and Keith “The Key” Williams, surged to an early second-inning lead and held on to win 15-10. Game, match, and championship!