This week at the Backyard was fairly quiet from a Saskatchewan Cornhole League perspective, so I combined two weeks into one blog. Even though we never had any league play, we still saw over 400 people playing cornhole in the Backyard in the first week of May. The feedback we hear from every event is the same, cornhole is so much fun, and the Backyard is the best place to play the game. Friday night’s Funholio was the scene of four people celebrating their birthdays. Friday night events are the best way to enjoy a birthday, and people often reserve spots for their group.
Last week we reimbursed 14 players who registered for Nationals in British Columbia. Once registered, confirm and ensure we have your jersey size and the name you want on it.
We are still looking for players for the Backyard Cup on May 25, 2024. We still have room for players no matter the skill level. The format will always have you playing someone in your skill level, so it is the best way to play as part of a bigger team. So come on out for the time of your life.
Lady BOSS OF THE TOSS is set for June 09, 2024! The Backyard will showcase a women’s only day of tossing. The games will begin at 10 AM with three tiers of singles play. We have altered the PPR limits to ensure the Social Division is just that. Social will be under 4.5 PPR; Tier 4 will be from 4.5 PPR to 6 PPR, and Tier 3 will be over 6 PPR. The entry fee is $10 per event to ensure we get plenty of ladies out. Getting 50-60 ladies out to play in these events would be beautiful to see.
Registration is also now open for the event of the year at the Backyard. Make sure you register not only for the Prairie Throwdown but also for the Blind Draw on Saturday night. It will be so much fun playing outside during the Throwdown for some great cash prizes, but it will be equally fun inside playing while the band King for a Day plays for us again. Last time we had the band playing, we sold the event out, so make sure when you register for the Throwdown to secure your spot for the Blind draw as well. We are also asking you to prepay for your registration, so remember to email your entry fee for both the ThrowDown and the Blind Draw to saskcornholeassociation@gmail.com
On Monday, May 06, the ladies’ night had their wind-up to wrap up their incredible season. Over 30 players played throughout the season in a combination of singles, doubles, and switcholio formats. The night consisted of a potluck meal, prize money for winners, and the ever-popular awards voted on by the women. The winners were:
Most Improved – Karen and Marla
Glow Girl – Molly and Glenda
Coach – GMA JO and Marla
Sportsperson – Kim and Courtney
Once again, thank you to Damara and Crystal for looking after this most important night. The Ladies Night, for some, has been an easy, low-pressure way to play cornhole and learn the game. Some players have gone on to play more competitively, and some love to play and enjoy Monday night. It takes dedication to continue to offer this night, and Damara and Crystal have been crucial in providing the opportunity.
The Hawks and Pigeons were flying with a drop in the night on Tuesday night. This is a new concept instead of running another season. Every night is an individual event, so you do not have to commit to the entire season to win money. In the Hawk division, it was a tale of two events. The round-robin saw Caesar and myself leading the leaderboard, but once the bracket started, Newson was sitting in the King Seat waiting for the B-side winner. Patches was heating up as he faced Caesar firing a 9.56 PPR to beat Caesar and head to the final. In game one, Patches continued his hot throwing of over 9 PPR and then completed the double-dip in game two to take the win.
High PPR’s
Caesar – 8.62
Patches – 8.44
Newson – 8.26
In Pigeon play, we had Kim leading the way, being the only player to go 4-0. I have said here many times that the money is not handed out after the round-robin, and on this night, it was so true again. Smokejumper sat in the King Seat shooting well at the right times. Cornhole is funny that way; sometimes, it is not an overall high PPR that wins, but taking advantage of your opponent when you have the chance. Kim and Jax had an epic 26-round battle in the B-final to see who would face Joey. 26 rounds is a long game to hold your nerves and continue to shoot well, but with a 9-4 last end, Jax, with a 6.69 PPR, won the chance to double-dip his stepdad in the final. I can imagine these two throwing against each other all the time at home, which always makes for an interesting game. Joey did not waste any time beating Jax 21-7 in 11 rounds.
High PPR’s
Kim – 7.96
The Kid – 7.48
Shawn – 7.1
In the Penguin division, we had seven players come out to play. The final was interesting because it featured Kim and Dave. Kim and Dave are one of my favorite couples that play cornhole. Game-wise, it reminds me of Crystal and myself. I seldom win against Crystal and am unsure if Davey has ever won against Kim. Dave, however, was looking to break the trend of Kim’s wins. Dave jumped out to an early lead at 9-3 before Kim turned it on to win 24-9. Good throwing, you two.
I also want to mention Quentin, who has been a regular on Penguin Night. I want to highlight what your game can look like when you come out and play regularly. Below is a comparison of his 120-day and 30-day stats.
120 Day /30 Day
PPR 4.16 / 5.17
4 IN 1% / 2%
ON 21% / 30%
OFF 37% / 31%
As you can see, this is amazing work by Quentin. His statistics are improving, and this is exactly what a Wednesday night Newbie/Penguin night can do for your game.
High PPR’s
Kim – 5.88
Quentin – 5.42
Davey Boy Smith – 5.33
POWER RANKING –
TIER 3 Power Ranking.
- Jonathan– did not play this week
- Spilly – Aslo did not play.
- Patches—I think Andrew is officially back to his true form. Patches’s game is hitting its stride at the right time, and if he can continue on this trajectory, he will finish on the podium at the Nationals in August.
- Newson— Drops to fourth, but it is very close with these top four players
- Caesar – Darren is always a tough player to play. He will keep full pressure on by being in the hole first. He is mostly a runner, but if you are not on your hole game, he will make short work of you.
TIER 4 Power Ranking. – I left the rankings the same as there was not much to go on this week.
- Bonnie Day— Did not play
- B-RAD – did not play
- Joey – with an impressive win on Tuesday night, the Smokejumper climbs his way into the three spot
- Jax – I have to do it because Jax may not be in Tier 4 very long. He has only been playing for a month and a half but already has the consistency of a high-level player. His progress in the game is awesome to watch, and once he figures out throwing both sides of the bag and situational throwing, he will be tough to beat for any skill. With a second-place finish, he sneaks into my top five
- The Kid – Lucas remains in my top five. He shot an impressive PPR on Tuesday and at times was the player to beat.
