The eleventh annual North Carolina Club Teams Championship was, as usual, about much more than croquet and competition. Club rivalries were left on the court, while old friendships were renewed and new ones made. Club leaders discussed ideas for strengthening NC croquet at all levels.

In addition to providing immaculate courts, Grandfather Golf & Country Club, Linville Ridge Croquet Club, and Eseeola Croquet Club prepared wonderful daily lunches. The Sandwedge on top of Linville Ridge was the setting for the tournament dinner and the North Carolina Annual General Meeting on Friday evening. There were few players who were eliminated from the tournament on Saturday who did not attend the scrumptious brunch at Grandfather.

Eighty-four players entered, typical for this event but remarkable for a state championship. Three-time defending champions Meadows Mallet Club sent ten doubles pairs, and were the only club with players in every flight.

4th Flight, with twelve teams, featured many moments of outstanding play. Seven-year-old Matthew Essick scored four wickets on a last-turns 2-ball break. Gene Blystone & Emilie McCormick, and Rhonda Summer & Danna Huneycutt, were the first two teams of the tournament to score 26 points. Callie Cagney ran a 7-hoop break.

Three teams in 4th Flight were students from Gamewell Middle School, new to tournament play. All three teams progressed daily, giving their opponents several close matches, and David Maxon & Katie Simmons pulled off a confidence building victory on Thursday.

Meadows Mallet Club players swept the top three positions in this flight. Meadows players were nearly as dominant in 2nd Flight, and this was more than enough to ensure Meadows Mallet Club their fourth straight NC Club Teams victory.

During the awards ceremony Chessie Crosby was recognized for her outstanding contributions to croquet at the local, state, and national level.

[For a complete report see the original posting on the croquetNC.org forums.]

Penwell Trophy

Championship Flight

1st Flight

2nd Flight

3rd Flight

4th Flight