Monkeyball

13 of the top 25 Monkeyballers in the world gathered at Mason High School for the second annual Indoor Classic.  With 39 participants, the tournament was the 2nd biggest ever non-Worlds event.  After a bit of a struggle in during morning qualifying, #19 Jim Wenzel got hot at the right time and slugged his way to his first-ever tournament win.  In the championship against Matt Young, the 6′7″ silky-smooth Wenzel dropped a 12-Monkeys in game two to take control of the match.  In the semis, Wenzel bested Casey Frushour in three games while Young topped MB6 runner-up Dan Kidle, also in three games.

Other highlights and notes:

• This tournament was stacked — you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better field at a non-Worlds event.  8 of the top 13 were there, as were the winners of all 6 World Championships.  There’s no doubt Wenzel earned this win.
• Sparty dropped by MHS for some photos and some Monkeyball.  I think a few of the U-M fans in the house got sick of the 15-minutes of looped MSU fight song.
• Speaking of Sparty, he also competed in our 2nd rendition of the Big Rack Challenge. 28 players each paid a dollar for this single-elimination mini-tournament (first held at MB6). A match is simply one round of MB — the score from my 4 ropes, against yours — with the high score moving on.  Jeremy Foco beat Dan Kidle to take home the $28 top prize.  (VIDEO: Sparty lost to Indiana Hoosier supporter Chuck Trinoskey in the first round.)
• This tournament was alcohol free. I haven’t done any scientific research on this, but anecdotally I’d say some people perform better without beer while others definitely need a few in the system to reach peak performance.
• Ryan Lepeak is helping MBall grow in the Jackson, Mich. area. He brought about 10 ballers with him from southern Michigan, and there is certainly some talent in the bunch.  Don’t be surprised to see a quarterfinalist from this crew at MB7.  (Also, Lepeak and Pudil will be representing MB at next month’s MegaGate 2011 in Vegas.)
• Jim Wenzel dropped a 12-Monkeys in the championship (all 4 ropes on the 3-Limb), but Kristin Foco also 12-Monkeyed Dean Allen, and Dan Kidle also had his first-ever 12-Monkeys.
• We had a great crowd at Mason HS most of the day, and one of these years all those folks will stay for the championship.  As the winner’s sister-in-law said, “this feels a little anticlimactic” with the gym so quiet.  Wenzel’s brother Joe also noted the family is on a two-tournament win streak after his win at November’s Kinawa Open.

Champion: Jim Wenzel
Runner-Up: Matt Young
# of Players: 39

Brackets/Results (PDF)

CHAMPIONSHIP
Jim Wenzel d. Matt Young, 15-6, 15-9

SEMIFINALS
Matt Young d. Dan Kidle, 7-15, 15-11, 15-11
Jim Wenzel d. Casey Frushour, 8-15, 15-8, 15-12

QUARTERFINALS
Matt Young d. Chuck Trinoskey, 7-15, 15-10, 15-3
Dan Kidle d. Ned Huestis, 15-9, 15-7
Casey Frushour d. Dean Allen, 15-4, 15-13
Jim Wenzel d. Andy Frushour, 4-15, 15-5, 15-6