Matt Griffith with his Singles and Doubles Trophies
PARKVILLE, MO -- The 2017 USCA 9 Wicket Nationals played out in a beautiful setting along the Missouri River at English Landing Park in Parkville, Missouri, in hot for September conditions on extremely challenging turf. It was estimated that 16 players participated in doubles and singles in Championship and First Flight over September 22-24, 2017.
The Championship singles final featured Matt Griffith against Macey White late Sunday morning after the singles semifinals. White took out Greg Clouse 17-14 to reach the final, while Griffith ended my tournament with a 23-15 win to advance.
First Flight Champion Ron Millican. Click to Zoom.With the un-expected hops here and there, turf impressions and deep to thin grass, there was plenty of interactivity in the final and an active deadness board. Griffith had a quick early break to get through H5 with blue, but was unable to get an attack toward White's red and yellow position at H2. After a lot of back and forth, it was White that had the first opportunity to establish control as he worked red out to the doubles, but failed to get red into hoop scoring position at H6 while trying to roll yellow into position for the same hoop.
After a lot of interactivity that included the shot of the day when White hit a long-angled hoop shot at H7 to get red alive, Griffith got the first extended break together when he took black through H5 out through H11. From there Griffith kept control of the rotation and took a 20-14 win for the national title. Unofficially, that represented his third appearance in the 9 Wicket Nationals Singles final (2014 and 2016).
In other action, Griffith and partner John Warlick took the Doubles National Championship with a 4-1 record. In First Flight, Ron Millican defeated Steve Jackson 24-10 to claim the singles title. Jodi Adams and Deborah Millican won the First Flight doubles title with a win over Jackson and partner Justin Marciniak.
USCA 9 WICKET CHAMPIONS
Cutthroat (One-Ball Six Player Croquet)
Player Report by Dylan Goodwin