This was the week of big returns, with both Mark Losenegger and Dean Disch reappearing on the Euchre scene. Welcome back gentlemen! With their teams, the Pipe Benders and the Cowboys, respectively, struggling in the second half with just one win each, the return of Mark and Dean was greeted with much anticipation. Unfortunately for the Pipe Benders, Mark Losenegger’s pipes were a little rusty after sitting idle for so long. Couple that with the fact that Pipe Benders’ Chris Booth and Ryan Arneson barely avoided a skunk in the seventh game when Dave Willborn and Steve Dower held them to a single point, the Pipe Benders didn’t have much of a chance of “disposing” the Cowboys. The Cowboys cantered past the Pipe Benders by 31 points.

With the 409 (points) in hand at the end of the match, the Riley Shufflers were able to wipe away any threat from the J&M Bar River Rats. Winning seven of the first eight games, the Shufflers took a 42-point lead. But the River Rats quickly warmed up, winning the next eight games giving them a 7-point lead halfway through the match. Then it was the Shufflers who took control once again, winning seven of the next eight games to retake the lead by 30 points, and gaining an additional 12 points in the last eight games to win by 44.

The Harley Blue Express arrived at the station on time and with a full payload once again. This time the race was against the mounts of the Riley Mounties. Using their best horses, the Mounties were still no match for the power generated by the Express. The Mounties arrived at the station eight lengths behind the Express. Opie Taylor and Charlie Steinhauer were the chief engineers this week, stoking up 111 points for the Express.

Kleeman’s traveled just a short distance to make hay at the S’Wisco Taphaus. With the baler greased and ready to go, the Hay Shakers were able to stack 74 more bales than the Swiss cheese the Cheese Eaters were able to produce. Cheese Eaters Ed Wettach and Keith Wenger had this week’s low score of 71.

As for the high score for the week, with Chris Hook as his partner, Tom Schulenberg went from a skunk last week to generating, with Chris’ assistance, this week’s high score of 115 points. The Norsk Pranksters were able to trick the Tyrol Trolls out of a win by 21 points.

Standings: Harley Blue Express 5-0; Kleeman’s 5-0; Riley Shufflers 5-0; J&M Bar 2-3; S’Wisco Taphaus 2-3; Norsk Cowboys 2-3; Norsk Pranksters 2-3; Jones’ Plumbing 1-4; Riley Mounties 1-4; Tyrol Trolls 0-5.

Schedule for February 6th: S’Wisco Taphaus @ Harley Blue (7:00); Riley Shufflers @ Kleeman’s (7:30); Norsk Pranksters @ Norsk Cowboys (8:00); Jones’ Plumbing @ J&M Bar (8:00); Tyrol Trolls @ Riley Mounties (7:00).