Results for December 15: The Pipe Benders cross-threaded almost every pipe they attempted to install, while the Pranksters didn’t miss using a single trick from their bag. Partners again this week, Jordy Schmitz and Rodney Latham, recovered from last week’s skunk, by duping 114 points out of the Pipe Benders. Chris Hook and Corey O’Hearn added another 112 points, giving the Prankster’s a 118-point win over the Pipe Benders.

With 2 points in one game and two other games of just 4 points, Kohl Wenger and Ed Wettach ended the night with this week’s low score of 76 points. The Shufflers were able to steal a total of 76 lbs of cheese from the Cheese Eaters’ ice chest that they conveniently left unattended. Couples Randy Skogen and Tom Meyer, along with Steve Vogt and Dewey Haag, did the most damage to the Cheese Eaters when each couple confiscated 111 slices of that precious cheese.

The match between the Cowboys and team Uff-Da would be the deciding factor as to whether a play-off match would be required to determine the first half winner. If The Cowboys won, they would tie team Uff-Da with a 7 and 2 record, thereby forcing a playoff. If team Uff-Da won, they would secure the first half title outright and capture a position in the championship match to be played at the end of the season. Tom Magnuson and Bruce Milestone wanted nothing to do with having a playoff match. They came out swinging and scored 114 points for team Uff-Da, followed closely by Mary Humphrey and Jim Day who added another 113 points. But it was the skunk handed to Roger Olstad and Dave Willborn by Tom and Bruce; and Dan Meinholz and John Baumgartner holding Don Field and Steve Dower to just 1-point in the third round that stole the horses right from under the Cowboys. So, with a 61-point win, it was an early Merry Christmas for team Uff-Da as they became the winners of the first half.

After the loss by the Cowboys, the match between the Express and the Hay Shakers lost its impact on the playoff picture. But, as they say, the game must go on. The Express led by 1-point after the first round, but their boilers were running low on water and only one Express couple was able to produce enough steam to exceed 100 psi. On the other hand, several Hay Shakers were able to stack enough hay to pull out a 55-point win. Jerry Judd and Jeff Goebler, with this week’s high score, stacked the most with 115 bails to their credit, while Barb Judd and Roger Truttmann stacked another 113 bails for the Hay Shakers.

The Trolls, for the third time this year, had to forfeit due to a lack of players. This time it was the River Rats that received the easy win.

January 5, 2023 Schedule: Uff-Da @ Express (7:00); River Rats @ Shufflers (7:00); Cowboys @ Pipe Benders (7:00); Hay Shakers @ Cheese Eaters (7:00); Trolls @ Pranksters (7:30).

First Half Final Standings: Uff-Da, 7-1; Cowboys, 6-2; Express, 6-2; Hay Shakers, 6-2; Pipe Benders, 4-4; Pranksters, 4-4; River Rats, 3-5; Shufflers, 3-5; Cheese Eaters, 1-7; Trolls, 0-8.