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08/29/2023 10:51 AMTeams arrived early for Week 17 of the Deep River Horseshoe League in anticipation of wanting to get started to see what the final standings would be and what teams would be playing against each other in the playoffs. However, the Bubble Teams (Rockies, Royals, Mets, and Pirates) were focused on trying to make the playoffs.
The Rockies were in seventh place and had a one-game lead over the Royals. If they could win two games against the first place Cardinals, they would secure the seventh seed. Matt Valentin subbed in for Rockies’ Jim Weselcouch. This is Valentin’s first year in the league. At 16 years old, he is the league’s youngest player. In the final week of the regular season, he played against his cousin, Kris Toohey, one of the league’s top scorers. Matt has been filling in as a substitute almost every week. In the two games he was matched up with Toohey, Valentin outscored Kris 52-39. The Rockies won 4-2, and Valentin played a pivotal role in them making the playoff with a personal best series of a 100-point/24-ringer/2-double series and was the leading scorer for the “C” players. In the match of cousins, Toohey edged Valentin 101- 100. Rockies’ Mike Didomizio’s 135-point series was the third-highest for “A” players.
The Pirates were one game out of eighth place as they played the Dodgers. They were in need of a big win and help from other teams. They got off to a great start, winning the first three games, but in Game 4, things began to turn for the worse. Dodgers’ Butch Carotenuto and Joe Machado tossed a double and a ringer in the 12th box for the win, and in Game 5, Carotenuto dominated the scoring with a 40-point game for another easy. The Pirates’ season ended in Game 6, as Machado and Jeremy Davis cruised to a nine-point win.
The Mets were a half-game out of eighth place as they took on the Orioles. After the Mets won Game 1, Orioles’ Paul Stevens tossed a 37-point game for a win and followed it with a 30-point game and another win. The Orioles rolled to their third win in a row in Game 4, winning by two points. The Mets rebounded to win Game 5, and it came down to the last game. A win would give them a chance, depending on the outcome of the Royals — Angels match. The lead in Game 6 went back and forth between the two teams — the score was tied in the eight and again in the 10th, but Mets’ Damin Roberts and Howie Fisher outscored the Orioles 9-6 over the last two boxes to earn a two-point win. The teams split, and the Mets had to wait on the result of the Royals to determine their fate.
The Royals had a half-game lead on eighth place. The Angels had the advantage of at least seven points of handicap in all six games. The Royals would need to notch their eighth 300+ point game for a win. The Angels won Game 1by two points, benefit of handicap. The Royals responded with a win in Game 2. Angels’ Brian Walsh’s 24 points (best game of the season) in Game 3 led to another win. In Game 4, Angels’ Tony Cutone’s 40 points were his season-high game, as they notched their third win by 31 points. Tony continued his hot scoring into Game 5, where he upped his season-best game to 45 points for their fourth win. The fourth loss spelled the end of the Royals’ season, allowing the Mets to take over eighth place. Tony Cutone’s 136 points/37 ringers/8 doubles was the second-leading “A” score. Angels’ Brian Walsh’s 82-point series was the third-best score among “C” players, and Royals’ John Hutra’s 118-point series was second among “B” players.
The White Sox played the Braves and were hoping to hold onto second place. After splitting the first four games, the White Sox won the final two and kept a hold on the No. 2 seed, while the Braves are the No. 6 seed.
The Tigers played the Yankees, and this was another match where both teams were looking to gain spots in the standings. After falling out of first place in Week Seven, Todd Nuhn said the team was saving themselves for the playoffs. Tigers’ Susan Feaster’s season-best 35-point game led the team to victory, but then the Yankees reeled off wins in the next four games and gained the No. 4 seed over the Tigers. Darkness impacted the scoring in Game 6, which was won by the Tigers.
Giants’ Mike Zanelli Sr. was the leading scorer for the “A” division players, with 153 points, 42 ringers, 7 doubles series, as they split with the Reds. The Giants are the No. 3 seed.
Mark Goodale of the Marlins had a season-best series, with a 128-point/29 ringer/3 double series, as they swept the Red Sox, who were led by John Durinick’s 120-point series — first for the “B” players.
The playoff bracket is now set:
No. 1 Cardinals vs. No. 8 Mets
No. 2 White Sox vs. No. 7 Rockies
No. 3 Giants vs. No. 6 Braves
No. 4 Yankees vs. No. 5 Tigers