The 2015 Big Lobster Croquet Invitational concluded on Sunday, September 13, 2015 after five days of spirited croquet play on the coast of Maine. The tournament, sponsored by the Woodlawn Croquet Program treated guests to amazing views of Acadia National Park, delicious Maine lobster, and a unique blend of six and nine wicket competition in various Downeast Maine venues. This year, players from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Florida, Virgin Islands, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Canada, competed along with local players from Maine for the bragging rights to be Big Lobster Champions.
The tournament got under way on Tuesday evening with a reception and BBQ at the Common Good Café in Southwest Harbor. Players enjoyed a beautiful evening with outside seating, reacquainting with old friends. The tournament schedule, rules and venues descriptions were distributed. All participants received a Big Lobster Croquet shirt.
Two days of nine wicket doubles competition started on Wednesday under beautiful skies in Southwest Harbor. Courts at the Claremont Hotel, Larry Stettner’s and Eileen Holberg’s homes were used for thirty players competing on 7 teams in the championship flight and 8 teams in the first flight. Each team played six games and the winners in each flight were determined by the record in block play for the two days. The Championship Flight went to a tie breaker with the team of Matt Baird and Art Parsells winning by one wicket. The First Flight, was just as exciting with three teams going head to head in a tie breaker and then net points to determine the winning team, Don Parker and Mark Masserlink. (see complete results below)
The tournament shifted to six wicket singles on Friday morning using Larry Stettner’s court,Tina Hinckley’ s artificial turf court, the two courts at Woodlawn in Ellsworth, and the Tapley Cove Court in Brooksville at the home of Mary Gould and Marcia Chapman. Heavy rain fell until early afternoon, however all 29 six wicket singles players braved the storm and competed. Saturday and Sunday the weather improved and each flight, with the exception of the First Flight had 6 players. This allowed everyone to play against each other once over the two days of block play. The top two players in each flight played off in the championship games on Sunday. (see complete results below)
The nine wicket tournament awards were presented at a lobster dinner on Friday night at the Common Good Café catered by Laurie Ward. On Sunday at Woodlawn, the six wicket awards were presented to the top three in each flight upon completion of each flight’s championship games at a lobster roll luncheon provided by Ben’s Store in Ellsworth. Everyone left on a high note for their final destinations with fond memories of playing croquet in September on the Coast of Maine which is “The Way Life Should Be”.
Tournament standings
Nine Wicket Doubles Final Standings
Championship Flight Doubles:
- Matt Baird and Art Parsells
- David Nelson and Alan Madeira
- Randall McAndrews and Matt Griffith
- Stephen Morgan and Roy Morgan
- George Cochran and Pat Garner
- Jasmine Morgan and Scott Gosnell
- Kevin McQuigg and Lloyd Hadden
First Flight Doubles:
- Don Parker and Mark Masserlink
- Webster Bull and Katie Bull
- Dave Spivey and Mary Shields
- Barbara Entzminger and Ellie Kemp
- Sandra Feeney and Ted Thelin
- Charles Alexander and Tim McCormick
- Dolores Gallagher and Lauren Taylor
- Lynn LeBlanc and Jeff Lawlor
Six Wicket Singles Results
Championship Flight Singles:
- Webster Bull
- Matt Grifflth
- Jeff Caldwell
- George Cochran
- Neil Houghton
- Matt Baird
First Flight Singles:
- Kevin McQuigg
- Lloyd Hadden
- Charles Alexander
- Don Parker
- Oakley Johnson
Second Flight Singles:
- Vickie Johnston
- Pat Garner
- Dave Spivey
- Ted Thelin
- Fred Beck
- Dolores Gallagher
Third Flight Singles:
- Janet Pearson
- Tim McCormick
- Mary shields
- Lynn LeBlanc
- Tina Hinckley
- Sandra Feeney
Fourth Flight Singles:
- Mark Masserlink
- Ellie Kemp
- Barbara Entzminger
- Katie Bull
- Rob Elwell
- Jeff Lawlor