2023 east coast challenge
https://wlos.com/news/local/east-coast-challenge-lawn-bowling-tournament-club-unique-sports-carrier-park-western-north-carolina#
| 2023_ecc_final.pdf |
2023 East Coast Challenge – Asheville, NC
During the first weekend in May, we held the 21st annual East Coast Challenge (ECC) – it was held on a TrueDraw synthetic green in Asheville, NC. This was only the third venue to host the ECC (started in 2000) with Williamsburg, Virginia hosting once & all others held in Pinehurst, NC. This event pits fifteen of the best NED & SED players in a Ryder Cup style format. Each division’s teams are broken into three groups of five players…with a minimum of one female per group. Each day there are three rounds against each group of five from the opposing division with the format being Triples/Pairs on Saturday and Fours/Singles on Sunday. Each win is worth 2-points & all ties are worth 1-point.
Play took place on two stunningly beautiful days, contrary to the forecast predicted. The NED & SED tussled with great shot making. It was an eye-opening experience for players on both sides as the green was running between 15.5-16.5 seconds with wide & true draws on every rink. I would highly recommend this as a stop for any bowler.
NED Team: Ryan Hastu, Patrick Duffy, Michele Arculli, Ted Tragard, Joe Kelly, Veronica Sum, Jerry Demello, Cory Stawartz, Larry Stawartz, Melanie Shaw, Steve Shaw, Scott Snyder, Clark Mycoff, Maz Zankowski and Alan Winson.
During the first weekend in May, we held the 21st annual East Coast Challenge (ECC) – it was held on a TrueDraw synthetic green in Asheville, NC. This was only the third venue to host the ECC (started in 2000) with Williamsburg, Virginia hosting once & all others held in Pinehurst, NC. This event pits fifteen of the best NED & SED players in a Ryder Cup style format. Each division’s teams are broken into three groups of five players…with a minimum of one female per group. Each day there are three rounds against each group of five from the opposing division with the format being Triples/Pairs on Saturday and Fours/Singles on Sunday. Each win is worth 2-points & all ties are worth 1-point.
Play took place on two stunningly beautiful days, contrary to the forecast predicted. The NED & SED tussled with great shot making. It was an eye-opening experience for players on both sides as the green was running between 15.5-16.5 seconds with wide & true draws on every rink. I would highly recommend this as a stop for any bowler.
NED Team: Ryan Hastu, Patrick Duffy, Michele Arculli, Ted Tragard, Joe Kelly, Veronica Sum, Jerry Demello, Cory Stawartz, Larry Stawartz, Melanie Shaw, Steve Shaw, Scott Snyder, Clark Mycoff, Maz Zankowski and Alan Winson.
1st Day
Round One - NED 6 points/SED 6 points
*A good feeler round with each team getting used to lightning quick pace. Team Hastu with a convincing win over Team Ricucci. Team Arculli, scraped out a win against the SED National Ladies Pairs champs of Nilsen/Wall*
NED Trips Teams 1-2/Pairs 2-1
Round Two - NED 4 point/SED 8 points
*NED trips team Duffy loses game late, while Cory Stawartz makes clutch last bowl for team win*
NED Trips Teams 1-2/Pairs 1- 2
Round Three - NED 4 points/SED 8 points
*NED teams Duffy & Tragard dominant wins*
NED Trips Team 1-2/Pairs 1-2
After day one, the NED is behind 22-14 in the race to 36 total team points.
2nd Day
Round Four - NED 6 points/SED 6 points
*NED needing a winning round but could only muster a split round. Michele Arculli escaped (former NED player) Rusty Hein 18-17. Team Duffy dominates in only round Fours win. *
NED Fours Team 1-2/Singles 2-1
Round Five - NED 4 points/SED 8 points
*In a MUST WIN round for the NED, they finished 2-4. Pulling out two amazingly contested, down to the last bowl wins. In Singles – Ted Tragard winning 18-17 over Momkes and Team Duffy winning 14-12 in a nip/tuck battle against Team Ricucci. Sadly, all other games were not closely contested*
Round 6 was not played due to it being mathematically impossible for the NED to outright win the event. With the final tally being SED 36 and NED 24. Congratulations to the SED!!!
It was a truly valiant effort by the NED. While the SED won in mostly dominant fashion there were a myriad of factors to our detriment. It was the first time the event was held in May since the inaugural year back in 2000 -History, it was moved from May because it gave an advantage for SED players who played all winter, while NED players were just coming out of “hibernation” from not playing bowls for 4-6 months, . Also, the green, with its amazing pace of 16 seconds was something half of the NED’s players never came close to experiencing. Finally, we lost 4-5 experienced players due to health or work issues (since this was a rescheduling from last Oct 2022 postponement). Thankful for the players who stepped up to replace fellow NED members.
In closing, it’s truly one of the most beloved events on the East Coast. Love seeing the friendship/competitiveness/respect/sportsmanship with our East Coast cohorts. Thank you to the Asheville club, its members & Terry Reincke for making this come to fruition. From the practice days to the Friday night dinner to the event itself…all flawless. Thank you to Jackie Tucker for giving of yourself for the weekend as the non-playing umpire. And once more thank you to my teammates who played out of their comfort zone & tried this beautiful surface.
We are ready to try to reclaim the Paul Motta Cup in 2024!!!
Round One - NED 6 points/SED 6 points
*A good feeler round with each team getting used to lightning quick pace. Team Hastu with a convincing win over Team Ricucci. Team Arculli, scraped out a win against the SED National Ladies Pairs champs of Nilsen/Wall*
NED Trips Teams 1-2/Pairs 2-1
Round Two - NED 4 point/SED 8 points
*NED trips team Duffy loses game late, while Cory Stawartz makes clutch last bowl for team win*
NED Trips Teams 1-2/Pairs 1- 2
Round Three - NED 4 points/SED 8 points
*NED teams Duffy & Tragard dominant wins*
NED Trips Team 1-2/Pairs 1-2
After day one, the NED is behind 22-14 in the race to 36 total team points.
2nd Day
Round Four - NED 6 points/SED 6 points
*NED needing a winning round but could only muster a split round. Michele Arculli escaped (former NED player) Rusty Hein 18-17. Team Duffy dominates in only round Fours win. *
NED Fours Team 1-2/Singles 2-1
Round Five - NED 4 points/SED 8 points
*In a MUST WIN round for the NED, they finished 2-4. Pulling out two amazingly contested, down to the last bowl wins. In Singles – Ted Tragard winning 18-17 over Momkes and Team Duffy winning 14-12 in a nip/tuck battle against Team Ricucci. Sadly, all other games were not closely contested*
Round 6 was not played due to it being mathematically impossible for the NED to outright win the event. With the final tally being SED 36 and NED 24. Congratulations to the SED!!!
It was a truly valiant effort by the NED. While the SED won in mostly dominant fashion there were a myriad of factors to our detriment. It was the first time the event was held in May since the inaugural year back in 2000 -History, it was moved from May because it gave an advantage for SED players who played all winter, while NED players were just coming out of “hibernation” from not playing bowls for 4-6 months, . Also, the green, with its amazing pace of 16 seconds was something half of the NED’s players never came close to experiencing. Finally, we lost 4-5 experienced players due to health or work issues (since this was a rescheduling from last Oct 2022 postponement). Thankful for the players who stepped up to replace fellow NED members.
In closing, it’s truly one of the most beloved events on the East Coast. Love seeing the friendship/competitiveness/respect/sportsmanship with our East Coast cohorts. Thank you to the Asheville club, its members & Terry Reincke for making this come to fruition. From the practice days to the Friday night dinner to the event itself…all flawless. Thank you to Jackie Tucker for giving of yourself for the weekend as the non-playing umpire. And once more thank you to my teammates who played out of their comfort zone & tried this beautiful surface.
We are ready to try to reclaim the Paul Motta Cup in 2024!!!
