Andy’s Horseshoe Team Update

Could lightning strike twice two seasons in a row? Almost. My Lisbon Left-Hand Club Horseshoe league teams, The Rats, were the last place team last season and won the playoffs! This year we finished 14th out of 17 teams and in the first round of the playoffs and in the 1st round of the playoffs we defeated the 3rd place team.

This Wednesday night, we were taking on another team that had a first round upset and it was a back and forth match. A match in the league consists of 6 games and in the playoffs, the first team to 3 1/2 wins, moves onto the next round. We were leading 3 games to 2 and I was done playing my games for the night. I shot better than last week, but still not as well as I have in the past. In that deciding 6th game we were leading for almost the whole game and with two turns left, the other team went ahead by 1 point. The other team shot their last two shoes and got a ringer. Our captain, Mike, needed to get a ringer to cover the other teams ringer and a point that would have tied the game and give us 3 1/2 wins. He got the ringer, but his other shoe just missed getting the tying point! That means overtime and a game 7, Not quite as big as a Red Sox/Yankees game 7, but still a deciding game to move one team into the final four.

The other team has all the momentum and starts off to an early and double digit lead. The guys on our team cut the lead back down to 7, but we couldn't get any closer. Plain and simple, the other team shot very good horseshoes and deserved the win. So our season is over and at least I can watch the end of 'Big Brother' on Wednesday nights! I enjoy shooting shoes, but I really go because of the brotherhood that I've formed with the guys on my team. So to my fellow Rats, Mike, Lad and Noland, here's to another good season and to let's get'em next season!