By Sally Brock
Guest Writer
Thirty-one area pickleball players completed round five of the Summer Ladder League hosted by Mountain Lakes Pickleball at the Clay County Sports Complex on Saturday, Aug. 9.
In ladder league competition, pickleball players self-rate their skill levels and are placed on the “rungs” of a ladder based on that rating. Men and women compete together. Players are matched weekly with adjacent players on the ladder and compete in either three or four games. Each player accumulates an individual weekly score to determine their position on the ladder, up or down for the following week.
Round five included many close scores throughout the ladder. Joe Abaton moved to the top of the ladder and Scott Johnson advanced to the second slot for the final round of play. Lyndell Holt and Connie MacCorkle qualified for the third and fourth slots.
League organizer Dave Strothmann noted that MacCorkle was the first woman to place in the top bracket for the final round of competition in all of the prior ladder leagues he has coordinated.
Players also compete for the top cumulative points percentage. Chuck Walden currently leads at 95.7 percent with 158 of 165 total possible points won over the five weeks of competition.
Perfect scores in all games for round five were achieved by Abaton, Josh Peebles, Chuck Walden, Linda Miller and Dan Dones.
The players completed the sixth and final round on Saturday, Aug. 16. There were 29 players from Hayesville and surrounding towns competing in the final round of the event hosted by Mountain Lakes Pickleball.
Four very skilled players entered round six in the top ladder bracket. After the morning of competition Abaton was named ladder champion. Scott Johnson and Lyndell Holt tied for second place and MacCorkle took fourth place.
Players also competed for the top cumulative points percentage. Peebles took first place with 95 percent after winning 230 of 242 total possible points over the six weeks of competition. Walden took second with 94 percent and Albaton placed third with 93 percent points won.
Mountain Lakes Pickleball members thank Dave Strothmann for his work in organizing and coordinating the very competitive and fun event for area players.