Post Messenger Recorder -

With just two weeks left in the first half, only the Cowboys and Hay Shakers have a chance at a spot in the 2019 championship match for this half. With a Cowboy bye this week, and one for the Hay Shakers next week, the Cowboys were ecstatic to get a win over the Jones Plumbing Pipe Benders on November 15th. At a minimum, the win assured the Cowboys of a first half playoff match and an excellent chance of winning the half outright. All they need is to win their final match against the Shufflers next week (not happening), or for the Hay Shakers to lose to J&M Bar this week to become first half champs.

In the match between the Cowboys and Pipe Benders, Cowboys Dean Disch and Harold Schlimgen holstered 118 points for the week’s high score, losing just one game, their second, to Ross Neshiem and Mark Losenegger. Ferdie Schmitz and Marvin Thompson brought another 112 points to the rodeo for a solid 47-point Cowboy round-up.

The Mounties traveled to Harley Blue in Blue Mounds, the new home of the Express, to secure their first win of the season. Chief Mounty Tom Magnuson and teammate (and mother) Janice Magnuson snagged 114 points for the 21-point Mounty win. Engineers Dale Herfel and Dave Steinhauer could only shovel in 76 points for the Express while teammates Charlie Steinhauer and Steve Thoni scooped up 110 points.

In the battle between the third place teams, the Riley Shufflers and the J&M Bar River Rats, it was the Shufflers who had game coming out of the match with a 25-point advantage, forcing the Rats to the river’s edge and into fourth place. Stan Hook and Derek Skogen had all the right moves, shuffling in 44 points more for the team than their opponents. Derek and Stan were perfect through the first seven games, losing only their final game to Jessie Gehin and Honker (Dan Palmer) to end with 113 points. Ed Chancellor and Randy Skogen, also in the groove with 111 points, finished plus 36 over their opponents. That’s plus 80 by these two couples, the rest of the Shufflers not so lucky.

The S’Wisco Taphaus Cheese Eaters and the Kleeman Hay Shakers, hometown rivals, fought for the honor of blowing the Swiss Alphorn. Unfortunately, the Cheese Eaters over-indulged in cheese and with full mouths came up 55 breaths short of blowing the horn. It took a total team effort by the Hay Shakers to rattle loose enough points to beat the Cheese Eaters, with Barb Judd taking a well-deserved break from the boys. Steve Sponem and Rick Skindrud shook out 113 points while Jeff Judd and Al Zimmerman shook another 110 points loose. Ed Wettach and Giff Hoesly added 110 points to the Cheese Eaters score of 373, while Robin Reuter and first time player Mike Nevil provided just 74 points toward the Cheese Eaters’ efforts. Steve Vogt and Pat Maclean (Riley Shufflers) tied Robin and Mike for this week’s low score of 74 points.

Standings: Norsk Cowboys 7-0; Kleeman’s 6-1; Riley 4-2; J&M Bar 3-3; Norsk Pranksters 3-3; S’Wisco Taphaus 2-4; Harley Blue Express 1-5; Jones’ Plumbing 1-5; It’s Time 1-5.

Schedule for November 29: Harley Blue @ Riley Shufflers (7:30); Kleeman’s @ J&M Bar (8:00); Norsk Pranksters @ It’s Time (8:00); S’Wisco Taphaus @ Jones Plumbing (7:00); Norsk Cowboys – Bye.