HRT Write-Up
Top Left Bracket:
#1 Andrew vs play-in winner – If you can get Andrew on Lane…. nah, can’t do it. Hope Emily and Carli enjoy the pre and post HRT festivities. Andrew on to Rd. 2.
#16 Alex vs #17 Tayla – These two were virtually even come skeeson end, no matter what metric you use. Going with Tayla here in a tight one. She was just a touch more consistent, might give her the edge she needs to advance.
#9 Marissa vs #24 Sandy – too much power here for Sandy, this might get Marissa going early…
#8 Chuck vs #25 Liz – Going with Liz in the upset. Liz keeps it close, then her hundos catch fire in the tiebreaker round…. Liz on to Rd 2!
#1 Andrew vs #17 Tayla – Andrew isn’t quite himself as he started to feel the pressure, but he does enough to close out Tayla and advance. Ho hum.
#9 Marissa vs #25 Liz – Marissa puts an end to Liz’ hot rolling from Rd 1 and has really found her form up the middle. Marissa on to the next round.
Elite 8 match – #1 Andrew vs #9 Marissa – Marissa keeps her hot rolling going and Andrew starts to feel a liiiiittle tight. Come Rd 2 and Andrew wishes he had a water close by. Marissa closes him out with a last ball hundo in Rd 2, sending Andrew to the rails! Marissa on to the Final Four!
Bottom Left Bracket:
#4 Steve vs play-in winner – Steve gets his groove on and starts to make his bid for yet another HRT. Steve on to the next round.
#13 Johnny vs #20 Katie – This is a great match, and I expect it to go the full three rounds. I’ll take Katie in a nailbiter as she makes just enough hundos to pull the upset.
#12 Ramit vs #21 Sebastian – Battle of the #1 and #3 rookies, with Ramit especially having an amazing skeeson. THE ONLY PERSON WITH A 40 STREAK??? Am I reading that correctly? *Insert mind blown emoji here* Great skeeson Sebastian……..Ramit on to the next round.
#5 Ben (WTF Ben?????) vs play-in winner – Welp, hope Chelsea and Shannon wear pajamas because one of them is getting put to bed about 0.5 seconds after the match starts. Who would have thought finishing #28 would get the reward of having to face a disgruntled Ben with a chip on his shoulder. That is if Ben even shows up. FIFTH?? Do you even get a player’s card for that? Haven’t seen a second half collapse like this since the Falcons/Patriots Superbowl. Sigh, Ben advances.
#4 Steve vs #20 Katie – Katie makes a good effort, but Steve just has a knack for finding ways to win. The limited field also gives Steve a big advantage, as he is less likely to be too drunk to roll at his peak = trouble for everyone. Steve on to the next round.
#12 Ramit vs #5 Ben – David vs Goliath (well, Goliath of skeesons past at least). Ramit comes out swinging and puts forth a huge effort, but 40s just won’t cut it this round. Ben shakes the Justin out of his hundo form and gets in a groove. Ben to the Elite Eight.
#4 Steve vs #5 Ben – Two faces on the Mt. Rushmore of Skee (unless you ask Rob) do battle with the winner taking on Marissa to get to the Finals. Ben can’t help but think about where he is going to sleep if he gets there and takes her down, and without 100% focus he isn’t getting past Steve, who is in the ZONE at this point. Ben crashes and burns like he did Week 8, and Steve rides his hot form to the Final Four.
Top Right Bracket:
#2 Dawson vs play-in winner – WOW – Dawson all the way up to the #2 spot. Love it. Is it his time!?!? Dawson gets off to a hot start, and even though I anticipate a solid showing from the other roller, Dawson moves on.
#15 Greg vs #18 Jennings – Should be a great battle, but you can’t teach experience. Greg has put in the time, and it pays off here, sending him to the next round.
#10 Robo vs #23 Viggy – Robo can roll with the best of them when he is on, and always plays his best in the HRT. Viggy is going to need to hit a super high percentage of hundos to offset Robo, and it’s just too tall an order. Robo moves on.
#7 Corey vs #26 Ryan – I see this one just like the match above. Corey is just so consistent doesn’t make egregious mistakes. Always puts the pressure on his opponent, and his middle is just too solid to lose early. Corey on to the next round.
#2 Dawson vs #15 Greg – Dawson keeps his momentum going, pounding away at the 40s and 50s, proving to be just too much for Greg here. Greg does his best to keep up, but Dawson puts up big numbers that are hard to keep pace with. Maybe it gets to a tiebreaker round, but I just don’t see it. Dawson advances.
#10 Robo vs #7 Corey – Powerhouse matchup here. I’ll take Corey if I must, he’s just a little more consistent – but Robo could easily take this. As much of a tossup as we could have drawn up. Should be fun to watch! Corey with a last ball hundo to take it.
#2 Dawson vs #7 Corey – Get your popcorn ready. Dawson and Corey trade big frames, but Dawson’s hundos pull away down the stretch of the tiebreaker frame and gets him the victory. Expect to hear celebrations no matter where you are in the bar. Dawson is FIRED UP and on to the Final Four.
Bottom Right Bracket:
#3 Pat vs play-in winner – Nothing against Thomas, but we’re rooting for Dionne. That’s your wifeeee Patty! Early showers for someone, Pat moves on.
#14 Jen vs #19 Nate – Should be a great matchup, and whoever wins certainly has the ability to make a deep run. I’ll give this one to Jen, as Nate had a much improved second half, but Jen had her best weeks 7 and 8, so she’s coming in HOT! Jen to the next round.
#11 Jeff vs # 22 Karen – Jeff had a great skeeson but wasn’t rolling his best the last few weeks. I think he has a nice reset here, and gets things going in the right direction again, just in time. Won’t be easy though.
#6 Brian vs play-in winner – Like Steve, Brian is an HRT monster. Not an enviable position to be in, having to play him in the opener. Brian does his thing, and cruises with big scores up the middle. Brian on to the next round.
#3 Pat vs #14 Jen – This one goes to the tiebreaker. Jen has had good runs in the HRT, but Patty can see the light at the end of the tunnel…. a potential matchup with Dawson looms. Pat does enough work wit his hundos to advance.
#11 Jeff vs #6 Brian – Brian needs to be careful here, as this is the one I think has the biggest potential for an upset. Brian has proved to be a big-time pressure roller in the HRT, and it’s a steep mountain to climb for Jeff. Ultimately, I think Brian escapes, but this one will have the feel that it could have gone either way.
#3 Pat vs #6 Brian – Another heavyweight battle deep in the HRT. How many combined HRTs here? Like Tom Brady counting his rings, going to need two hands. The other 2 spots in on the Mt. Rushmore of Skee – calm down Ev – if there was a Mt. Rushmore of 40 streaks, you’d be on it 😉 I think Pat does JUST enough to outlast Brian here. Going to the tiebreaker frame, possibly even the last ball. Pat on to the Final Four!
FINAL FOUR:
#9 Marissa vs #4 Steve – Marissa comes out firing, but Steve is locked in. Marissa puts up some big scores, but Steve was BORN to play in the HRT. His 50s and hundos put him just out of reach from Marissa, and Steve moves on to the Finals. Another HRT in store??
#2 Dawson vs #3 Patty – This match should be roped off, and tickets sold for the front row. Can Dawson get past his BFF and get to the Finals and win his first HRT? This is going to the tiebreaker round for sure. Dawson, like last round, goes bananas with his hundos – Patty runs some early, but can’t quite pull himself to victory. DAWSON TO THE FINALS!
#4 Steve vs #2 Dawson – The two best rollers of the day square off in epic fashion. This will not be for the faint of heart. I see this as 2-2, with an all-or-nothing fifth frame battle ensuing. IT IS DAWSON’S TIME! Dawson keeps his hot rolling going and outlasts Steve with a big final frame. Everyone goes wild, except for the previous HRT winners who want to keep the winners circle small. Dawson is no longer the 1990s Buffalo Bills.
Dawson is the Skeeson 35 HRT Champ!