Men's Leagues Recap - Week 8
Morning League
The picture atop the Men's Morning League didn't change over the last two weeks — Joe Taylor and John Reeves are still the team to beat — but they made sure nobody could sneak up on them either, padding their total from 11 to 13 points and stretching the gap out to two full points over the field.
Right behind them, the second-place picture reshuffled. Pete Lewis and Wally Ornsteen and Brian Wiacek and Blaine Schwabe each racked up two points to move into a tie for second at 11, while Rob Davidson and Wayne Gilbert — part of that same three-way tie for second back in Week 6 — stalled out at 9 points and slid to a share of fourth alongside a fast-closing Doc Barbera and Ron Hiser, who jumped from 7 to 9 over the stretch.
The middle of the pack saw some of the most encouraging climbs. Peter Christine and Peter Bass picked up four combined points to go from 9th (6.0) into a three-way tie for 6th at 8.0, joined by Tim Alley and Daryl Benner. Meanwhile, Chuck Plummer, Peter Davidson, Mark Hurlbut and Brad Hastings, all sitting comfortably in the top half after Week 6, went cold and were passed by the group chasing them.
Further down, John Swall/Mike Hynes and Phil Taylor/Barrett Silver were two of the league's hottest teams over the stretch, each doubling their points from 3 to 5 and climbing four spots into a tie for 12th. At the bottom, Jim Cosgrove and Lee Simard picked up a point to move past Scott Craig and Malcolm Foster, who remain alone in last place at 2.0 after two scoreless weeks.
With the centennial celebration bearing down on August 1, the race for the top spots is tightening — and Joe Taylor and John Reeves will need to keep their foot on the gas to hold off a hard-charging pack.
Evening League
The co-leaders split apart over the last two weeks. Pete Lewis and Dan Specht, tied atop the standings with Jason Pafundi/Ken Steele back at Week 6, caught fire — reeling off three points to take sole possession of first at 16.5. Their old co-leader, Jason Pafundi and Ken Steele, meanwhile, went cold, staying stuck at 13.5 while the field surged past them, dropping all the way from 1st to a share of 6th.
The biggest riser of the stretch might be Daniel Wall and Leonard Wall, who jumped four spots — from 6th up into a tie for 2nd at 15.0 — alongside Mike Prentice and Reed Prentice, who climbed from 3rd with a two-point week. Not far behind, Ryan Feltis/Don Shiminski and Damon Elinwood/Spencer McDaniel each picked up three points to muscle into the top five, and Arthur Poland/Paul Kelsey rode a similar surge from 11th to 8th.
Down the board, Bob Boutelle and Keith Shea turned in the most dramatic climb in the league — up seven spots from a tie for 23rd to a tie for 16th after adding three points. Bill Soares/Joe Rose and Clayton Giggey/Herb Sears also pushed their way up out of the cellar tier.
Not everyone gained ground standing still, though. Adam Gamage/Jed Weaver, Cale Benner/Nate Simmons, and Matt Corson/John Sproul all held flat on points and watched the pack climb past them. And Dickie McKenney and Ben Sawyer, tied for 21st at Week 6, now find themselves alone in last place at 5.5 after two scoreless weeks.
With the centennial celebration on the horizon, the Evening League race has genuinely reshuffled — no lead is safe with this much movement in just two weeks.