DBP Drunktathlon (Mears, MI)
With the nuptials of Dan Kidle and Katie McFadden just around the corner, all 7 of Dan’s “friends” joined him for a bachelor party Monkeyball tournament. The venue was Sandhill Beach on the outskirts of Pentwater, Mich., the third tournament for this beach locale. Young Kidle had won the previous two beach outings, but would this group allow him to win a third on his home court?
The tournament was just one event in the weekend-long DBP Drunktathlon. Alex Seyferth led after day one’s events (Individual Flip Cup, Beach Sand Shot, Frisbee Distance Toss, Wii Bowling and Sporcle Trivia), and he was randomly placed in the relatively weak bottom half of the bracket. The top half was full of world-ranked talent with #1 Andy Frushour facing #7 Dan Kidle and #9 Casey Frushour pitted against #14 Andy Kidle. The winner of DBP event #6 would certainly earn his 100 Drunktatlon points.
Andy Frushour emerged from the Group of Death (a soccer reference since Event #7 was gambling on the USA-Ghana World Cup match later that afternoon) to face Matt Young in the winners bracket final. Although world #42 Young was a virtual no-show at the 2009 World Championships, the kid’s got game. I mean, who can forget the Frushour-Young match at MB4? Young took a 9-0 lead in the qualifying round before Frushour reeled off 15 straight on his way to a runner-up finish. But on this day at Sandhill, Matt Young outscored Frushour in a high-scoring 15-11 match to reach the championship.
Meanwhile, the losers bracket was full of interesting story lines. Andy Kidle was eliminated after two losses to two top-ten players. To make matters worse, he finished tied for last with Arvind Gowda who spent the day throwing Monkeyballs overhand. This kind of toss will most certainly never catch on at the World Championships. Alex Seyferth and his American flag swimsuit started his Drunktatlon Day Two downward spiral after dropping two of three games, his lone win over Gowda. After a four-hour car ride from the family camp archery fields, Pete Wahl was greeted at Sandhill with two immediate rounds of Individual Flip Cup and two quick MB losses (he, too, though, beat Arvind). Casey Frushour survived the Group of Death long enough to finish fourth, and Dan Kidle finished third with two losses to Andy Frushour.
Dating back to last August, Andy Frushour finished third at Worlds, second on Labor Day, and entered the Sandhill event winning five straight tournaments. But this time, he’d have to win back-to-back matches against Matt Young to continue his winning streak. Game one was a quick W for the world’s top-ranked player, so it came down to the pivotal if necessary game. Matt Young took all the drama out of the finale, laying a quick 15-6 beat down on the commissioner to take the title.
Young’s victory, coupled with solid performances in Beach Sand Shot 2 and Wits & Wagers (although not as solid in Beach Bocce and Beer Pong Derby) vaulted him in to a second place Drunktatlon finish. Casey Frushour surged past a crestfallen Alex Seyferth to take the bronze by only 5 points, while the guest of honor proved to be an expert drinker/leisure sport athlete and took home the prized gold medal. (Also of note: Best Man Andy Kidle took home the well-earned last place “I SUCK at Sports and Drinking” pink medal.)
See you all on July 17. Dan says you’re all invited to the reception. No need to RSVP, just show up. No gifts necessary.
Champion: Matt Young
Runner-up: Andy Frushour
# of Players: 8