Cloud 9 takes Hot Shot Cup
By Joseph Mathias
On Saturday, August 21, there were eight dart players gathered together at Wah Long to compete for the always-popular Hot Shots Cup. The challenging team came up from Kent and represented Cloud 9; Mary Todd, Terry Hales, Ken Brainerd and Gerald Freeman. Putting their beloved and hard-earned Challenge Cup was Wah Long’s Butch Nice, Sonny Verzola, Chris Emerson and Erik Iwata.
The match finally got underway once Kenny, the friendliest bartender on God’s green earth, got everyone set up with their beverage of choice. Somebody cranked up the music and Wah Long got things started, quickly taking the first two games. Cloud 9 won their first game and then traded the next several games, but Wah Long continued to lead, 4-3. Chris hit a Low Ton in game eight to leave Sonny a 131 out, which he took without a sweat, giving Wah Long a two-game lead, their second of the match.
Ken and Gerald stepped it up, helping themselves to their first lead of the match after winning four in a row. Cloud 9 fired back quickly, tying the match at seven apiece. Then it was 9-9.
Gerald hit a T15 and a D-Bull to set up Ken for a S-Bull to give Cloud 9 the lead, 10-9.
Even with a flurry of 7-counts from Erik, Cloud 9 managed to extend their lead to two games after twenty.
Wah Long, being as resilient as they are, battled back to win three in a row to regain the lead 12-11. But Cloud 9 came raging back to tie it up again at 12.
Terry and Mary would raise the bar and lead Cloud 9 in another 3-game win streak to lead 15-12.
Erik hit three straight 7-counts to get his team back in the match, 15-13. Although Cloud 9 could taste the win, and Ken hits a D-Bull out, 16-13.
And just when you thought Wah Long was cooked in game 30, down four houses and points, Erik and Butch battled back, pounding the 15s until Butch finally hit the last Bull to take out the game! Cloud 9 has proved all day long they were tough to handle, and although it was a close game, Ken relied on his cool nerves when he hit a single 15, his least favorite number on the board to win the game and the match 17-14.
Congratulations to Cloud 9 on winning their third Cup, and especially to Mary for winning her second Cup inside a month!
Both teams showed outstanding sportsmanship and played a great match. It could’ve easily gone either way in this one.
