2017 Kansas City Open: Nine Wicket Series Returns to Kactus Creek Croquet Club

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Registration is open for the Kansas City Open nine-wicket croquet tournament to be held over two days at the end of July at Kactus Creek Croquet Club in Parkville, Mo.

The KC Open is the final regular-season tournament in the Midwest Croquet Association's Nine Wicket Series for 2017 and players' last chance to add to their points totals before the MCA Championship.

Please note: In 2017, the Pro Division takes its turn to play on Saturday — July 29. The lower divisions play on Sunday, July 30, this year. In 2016, the Pro Division played on the Sunday of KC Open weekend. Because of court availability, the divisions alternate days each successive year.

Sign up by Monday, July 24, at 6 p.m. Email kccroquetclub@gmail.com, or mark that you are "Going" on the Facebook event page.

Tournament entry fees are $20 for MCA members and $30 for nonmembers. [More information about membership.]

Lunch is not provided; however, Kactus Creek has a refrigerator and grill on site.

Last Turns Action Hero

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After a day of battle at the 2017 Eagles' Landing Missouri Open, the MCA Pro Division title came down to a last turns run by Matt Smith as he claimed a tight 26-20 win over Matt Griffith on Saturday afternoon.

The event was held at Eagles's Landing Golf Course in Belton, Missouri and drew 17 of the MCA's best battling in Pro and Gold divisions half of the Gold players falling into a Silver Division playoff.

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Early Results: 2017 Missouri Open

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BELTON, MO -- The full report will be posted when available. Scores from the 2017 Missouri Open championship games follow:

2017 Missouri Open Game Times

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BELTON, MO -- The 2017 Eagles' Landing Missouri Open format is set with nine players competing in the Pro Division and seven competing in the combined Gold and Silver Division. All divisions start at 8:30 a.m. at Eagles' Landing Golf Course at 4200 Bong Ave, Belton, Missouri 64012. The following Pro players have byes for round one of the day and do not play until 9:45 a.m.

  • Matt Smith
  • Matt Griffith
  • Greg Clouse

The format for Pro is three blocks of three with the top two advancing from each block into a six-player knockout.

PRO SCHEDULE: challonge.com/17missouripro

Update (7/7, 1:15 p.m.): The format for Gold and Silver has changed due to a player withdrawal. Seven players are now competing in the combined division. The revised tournament structure is in development and subject to change; however, Gold and Silver are likely to break down this way:

Round one losses will send three players to the Silver Division, which will be a round robin.

Round one wins will send three players to join one additional player, who will have a round one bye, in the Gold Division bracket. The Gold Division will be a double-elimination bracket.

At this point, the most important thing for Gold and Silver players to know is that they all must be on site by 8 a.m. to register and get organized. Games will begin at 8:30.

GOLD/SILVER SCHEDULE: challonge.com/2017missourigoldsilver

NOTES:

  • Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your first game
  • All players should have 45 minutes for lunch and the club house will be open
  • Coolers are not permitted at Eagles's Landing, but we will have a water jug
  • Entry fee is $20 for MCA members, $30 for non-MCA members

Reminder: Sign up for the Missouri Open by June 30

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On Saturday, July 8, beautiful Belton is the place to be for the Missouri Open, the second tournament of the 2017 MCA Nine Wicket Series.

Sign up by Friday, June 30. Email kccroquetclub@gmail.com, mark that you are "going" on the Facebook event page or RSVP on Croquet Nation.

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Two Volunteers Needed for Sunflower Wickets Benefit on June 2

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The MCA seeks two more volunteers to supervise games at the Sunflower Wickets Croquet Tournament in Olathe in the afternoon of Friday, June 2.

The tournament is a benefit for the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm in Olathe, and MCA has supported it with equipment, officiating and tournament administration for many years.

The golf croquet games run from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m. on the day of the event. Sunflower Wickets will be held at the Olathe Community Center, 1205 E. Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS 66061.

Email Dylan if you are able to volunteer.

Read more information about Sunflower Wickets.

Millican Smashes the Pro Ceiling

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The MCA Pro Division now has a female player listed on the page of title champions. Deborah Millican worked through the long grass of the Lee's Summit T-Bone Tournament held this past Saturday at Howard Park in Lee's Summit to finish with a 25-9 win over Billy Bob Breeden to claim her first Pro title. It's a wonderful moment for the MCA and for croquet in general as the sport has always been marketed as gender and age equal. Scroll through that list of champions and you'll see the MCA is well represented across all demographics.
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Gabe Gets Gold at 2017 Lee’s Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament

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Gabe Airrington took his success at the Lee’s Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament to the next level on Saturday.

Returning to Howard Park, the site of his first tournament victory in the Silver Division in 2015, Airrington went undefeated in combined Gold/Silver Division block play in the morning and knocked out the four and two seeds to take first place in the Gold playoff in the afternoon. His block wins over the eventual Silver Division finalists, Eddie Mondt and Wanda Jackson, and his triumphs in the Gold Division proved he belongs in the Gold group in 2017 after a dominant 2016 in the Silver Division.

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Mondt is the Man

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Eddie Mondt overcame a slow start to his day to capture the Silver Division championship at the Lee’s Summit T-Bone Tournament. With nine players in the combined Gold and Silver divisions starting the day in group play, Mondt found himself in what might retroactively be named the Group of Death. This group featured the eventual Gold playoff winner in Gabe Airrington and the two silver finalists with Mondt and Wanda Jackson.
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2017 LSTB Blocks and Game Times

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The 2017 Lee's Summit T-Bone Tournament line-ups are set and ready to roll for an 8:30 a.m. start on Saturday. The Pro Division has eight players and will have two blocks for morning play. All players will advance to the eight-player knockout. All Pro players have an 8:30 a.m. game.

The Gold and Silver Divisions will combine and nine players will compete in three blocks. The top finisher in each block will advance to take the top three seeds in the five-player Gold knockout. Gross points will determine which of the two second place finishers will advance to the knockout for the 4/5 play-in game. The remaining four players will compete in a four-player Silver knockout.

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Lee’s Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament Registration Deadline Tuesday

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Last call! This evening at 6 p.m. is the deadline to enter to play in the Lee’s Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament this Saturday, May 6, at Howard Park. Learn about how the divisions are shaping up, how you can help on site on Saturday morning and about one significant rule change for 2017.
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Reminder: Jersey Pickup at Pinstripes

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If you are interested in picking up your jersey at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Pinstripes, please email kccroquetclub@gmail.com so we can reserve the right amount of space. You may also pay tournament and membership fees and sign waivers there.

Members may also pick up their MCA jerseys on site the morning of the Lee’s Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament. If you cannot attend either jersey pickup or the Lee's Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament, your jersey will be mailed to you.

Pinstripes is located in the Prairiefire shopping center on the southwest corner of Nall Avenue and 135th Street in Overland Park.

Four Days Until Lee’s Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament Deadline

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Remember to sign up for the Lee’s Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament, which fires up the Midwest Croquet Association Nine Wicket Series for 2017 on Saturday, May 6.

Register by Tuesday, May 2, at 6 p.m. Email MCA president Dylan Goodwin at kccroquetclub@gmail.com, or visit the Facebook event page to reserve your spot. Please indicate your preferred division.

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Breeden Collects Another KC AC Title

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The Kactus Creek AC Invitational sponsored by CroquetNetwork.com was originally scheduled for Tulsa, Oklahoma, but with minimal interest the event shifted gears and switched to the Kactus Creek Croquet Club in Parkville, Missouri. On relatively short notice, five players chose to join the fray and battle it out April 21-23, 2017. The reward for these brave AC warriors was Friday start in "November-like" conditions, but the event saw improving weather each day.

PHOTO GALLERY | RESULTS

The first two days were a round-robin that eliminated one player to set up a four-player knockout on Sunday. Matt Griffith worked through the block with a 4-0 record to take the top seed in the knockout. There he advanced with a 26-2 semifinal win over Ron Millican, who still needs some convincing on the merits of AC. Billy Bob Breeden took down Dylan Goodwin 24-4 with ease in the other semifinal. That set up what proved to be an interesting final between Griffith and Breeden.

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Register Now for 2017 Lee's Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament

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LEEʼS SUMMIT, Mo. — On Saturday, May 6, the 2017 Midwest Croquet Association Nine Wicket Series gets cooking with the Leeʼs Summit T-Bone Croquet Tournament at Howard Park in Leeʼs Summit, Mo.

Tournament registration is open now. To reserve your spot in the event, email MCA president Dylan Goodwin at kccroquetclub@gmail.com, or visit the Facebook event page. Please indicate your preferred division.

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UP: Tuesday, May 2, at 6 p.m.

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2017 MCA Premium Jersey Deadline Approaches

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For Midwest Croquet Association players and fans that want to go all in to support the croquet mission here in the midwest, the 2017 Premium Membership deadline is Wednesday, April 5, 2017, at midnight. The sign-up form is located here and does not require immediate payment. The MCA will invoice you later.

Notes on the Premium Membership:

  • $95 - Includes the Couples/Family Membership
    plus custom MCA Jersey
  • Additional jerseys can be purchased at $40 each for Premium membership accounts
  • Women's cut offered for 2017. Please specifiy on the form. See PDF for Women's cut. 
  • Discounts on entry fees to MCA Nine Wicket Series events
  • Free entry to the MCA Championship in September for members that qualify
  • E-Newsletter subscription

2017 MCA Spring Notes

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As we rapidly roll into the 2017 season, here's a brief rundown new developments for the 2017 MCA season ...

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE IS OPEN: 2017 MCA membership is open and forms for Basic/Family and Premium (Jersey) membership can be found under the Membership page.

TULSA AC INVITATIONAL: Croquet Network has announced an Association Croquet event to be held April 21-23, 2017 at LaFortune Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. MCA member Billy Bob Breeden is spearheading the event and more info is available under the calendar entry on Croquet Nation.

MISSOURI OPEN SET: MCA president Dylan Goodwin has finalized Saturday, July 8, 2017, for the Third Annual Missouri Open to round out the 2017 MCA Nine Wicket Series. The event will again be held at Eagles' Landing Golf Course in Belton, Missouri.