2015 Plunger Toss Recap

I will attempt to recap a storied, Cinderella story of four boys who started a tournament that captured the hearts of a town and were ultimately crowned with trophies, adoration, and accolades as men and heroes.

Round Robin Play

The round robin went by very quickly and very methodically. There is nothing of note to remark on here. The wins came very easy and a strong system of play was unwittingly developed by a casual suggestion for the tossing order. The first two launchers would hunt the bowl in search of ringers and points and the last two would go for the easy points and defense. This aggressive offense meshed with stalwart defense lead to big and prolific victories. Most in double digits, several as much as thirty points. Not much was expected from team E-Bowl-a that day but quietly they found themselves seeded atop the bracket upon the morning's end heading into the playoff rounds.

Round One

This round was against a much lower seeded opponent. Four middle aged women (average) who were quite drunk. The were actually very drunk. Dangerously and recklessly drunk. One woman insisted she was better if she threw overhand. At the end of one end she thought she needed to get up higher so stood upon the cold, slippery porcelain pot. Upon releasing her plunger overhand she lost her balance and fell from a height. We thought she was going to snap her leg like a twig when it appeared to get lodged in the bowl during her tumble but she was drunk limber and popped up without a second thought, laughing hysterically. The team of destiny took this round 29-2.

Round Two

This was the beginning of the dramatic fireworks that seemed to follow our heroes throughout the rest of the tournament. Spirits faded quickly in this match-up as the opponents went up 30-2 in the first two ends. This is an insurmountable deficit to overcome on most days, but this was not most days. Chipping away with timely ringers and closing down their opponents with staunch defense, the darlings of the town found themselves in a tight situation down to the last throws of the final end. A nail bitingly close count at the final horn found our heroes ahead 34-32. It is unconfirmed to this point but it is likely the greatest comeback in plunger toss history.

Round Three

The boys met a team in round three that was methodical and experienced. They played for points and did not taken unnecessary risk. This was a back and forth battle defensive battle. The force cups would not collect in the bowl for either squad until the back half of the match. The opponent squad drained a dramatic drop from heaven and stood staring at a ten point advantage. That was until the Tugboat toed the line. Impossibly he dropped his plunger on top of theirs and negated their ringer. This clutch defensive effort saved the match from getting away. After another fruitless end, the unknown outsider Tugboat fired another bowl buster and it was over. Despite the opponents attempting to hustle in an additional end after the horn, it stayed over. Team E-Bowl-a outlasted their opponents by a score of 13-9 in another heart wrenching triumph.

Round Four

Another tight battle awaited our heroes in the fourth and second to last round. The semi-finals was much like the previous round with ringers taking a holiday. A couple were exchanged but both teams were in a dead heat moving toward the horn. Our boys were down a couple but tied it up just after the horn. Mass confusion ensued as a winner was required. There was also a fracas on the adjoining sheet as the two teams became heated over a call. All this madness calmed and it was determined that both teams would select one player to toss one plunger, closest to the bowl advanced. The rink was ringed with fans, only three teams remained and after two quick tosses, there would be but two. The plungers soared through the air on the way to determining one team's fate. As luck would have it, the force cup closest to the bowl belonged to the team of destiny. This was the closest and most thrilling victory. 

Championship

The near altercation of the previous round had left the opposition rattled. Nerves where also weighing on everyone's mind, well almost everyone. The unknown, outsider, lone gunman, Tugboat was unshaken showing an indifference and in-deference rarely seen during such a harrowing occasion. The local lads had stomachs tied in knots and knees that were shaky at best. Filled to the brim with adrenaline the finals commenced. The offence showed up early with an authoritative ringer in the first end. The rest was just putting in time until the horn rang out like a warning to the townsfolk that a new champion had been crowned after a 13-2 masterpiece. 

Celebration

After the obligatory photo shoot with the winners and the trophies, the men made their way through the throng of onlookers who had gathered to witness this moment in the history of a town, the history of a sport, the history of a nation. Handshakes, hugs, high fives, and pats on the back were the only things that slowed the historic victory march at this point. Strangers united in adoration poured their accolades upon the men. Passing vehicles stopped to offer congratulations. It was a spectacle that is rarely seen in sport today. The amount of goodwill and sportsmanship was almost overwhelming. The trophy made its rounds that night. This author can't rightfully account for all the hi-jinx that befell it that night as he was absent from this point on but that trophy was well traveled and the celebration raged into the night. Long live the 2015 Alma Plunger Toss Champions!