2015 MCA Championship Player List Update

Updated on Monday, September 7, 2015 at 9:59AM by MCA Website Admin

Updated on Monday, September 7, 2015 at 10:00AM by MCA Website Admin

Updated on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at 11:44AM by MCA Website Admin

Updated on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at 11:54AM by MCA Website Admin

LEAWOOD, KS -- Each year, the MCA headquarters springs into action after the final MCA 9WS regular season event and begins the invite process for the MCA Championship. For those not familiar with the format, MCA members that qualify in the top event of each division (12 in Bronze) get free entry into the championship. Non-members that qualify can still pay a fee to participate in the event. In addition, the MCA will offer a single-elimination Six-Ball Championship on Friday evening (September 18) that is free for members and open to all players with a $10 entry fee.

Click to read more ...

2015 Kansas City Invitational Results

KANSAS CITY, MO -- MCA member Matt Griffith won the 42nd Annual Kansas City Invitational on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri. The event is six-ball (cutthroat) and is likely the longest active running croquet tournament in the US. In 2013, the Palm Beach Invitational celebrated its 45th year, but there is no report of the event running again since that year.

PHOTO GALLERY

The MCA had 11 members participate in the 30-player event with Griffith, Ellie Kemp, Dylan Goodwin, Greg Adams, Jodi Adams, Billy Bob Breeden, Debbie Breeden, Ron Millican, Deborah Millican, Greg Clouse and Jason Johnson all on hand.

The event was held at Fast Eddie Mondt's private residence on two courts. The southern court featured a steep downhill at the turn wickets that provided a challenge all day for players -- funneling most balls that approached directly out of bounds behind the turn stake. Players got two games and the top 12 by place points advanced to two six-player semifinals. From there the top three advanced from each game to the final.

The MCA supports all competitive croquet events in the midwest and all of the players that participated enjoyed the event. 

FINALS LINE-UP
Matt Griffith (W)
Billy Bob Breeden
Greg Clouse
Art Hatchey
Deborah Millican
Ron Millican

2015 KC Open: Griffith Rolls On

PARKVILLE, MO -- This past Saturday, Matt Griffith plowed through the field for his fifth straight MCA tournament title and capped the day with a 32-11 win against Deborah Millican in the Kansas City Open Pro Division final. The event had 21 players overall with 11 in the Silver and Bronze Divisions.

PHOTO GALLERY | OFFICIAL SCORESHEET

The Pro/Gold Division utilized two blocks and Griffith ran through the A Block with a 4-0 record. Deborah Millican gave him the toughest challenge in the morning action, but she eventually fell 18-16. That was Griffith's first game of the day and he then found his groove and notched three pegouts in his final five games.

Click to read more ...

2015 KC Open - Pro/Gold Schedule

PARKVILLE, MO -- The 2015 Kansas City Open Pro/Gold Division will start play at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, August 2, 2015 at the Kactus Creek Croquet Club in Parkville, Missouri. The Pro/Gold event will utilize two five-player blocks (see schedules below) with the top two players from each block advancing to the Pro Playoff (3:30 p.m). The third and fourth place players will go to the Gold Division playoff (3:30 p.m.). The Championship games are scheduled for 4:45 p.m. Fifth place players will be eliminated from playoff play.

Click to read more ...

Record-Breaking Day for Griffith

BELTON, MO -- Matt Griffith steam-rolled his way to a record fourth-straight MCA Nine Wicket Series tournament win claiming a 32-6 win over Greg Clouse in the final at the 2015 Missouri Open at Eagles' Landing Golf Course in Belton, Missouri on Saturday. And with the deepest, 10-player Pro Division in MCA 9WS history, it's not like the rest of the field didn't give it their all on ending Griffith's reign over MCA tournament titles.

Click to read more ...

2015 Missouri Open - Pro Schedule

BELTON, MO - Entries for the 2015 Missouri Open Pro and Gold Division topped out at an odd number of 15 players. That scenario forced a split between the Pro and Gold Division. With 10 pro spots available, eight spots were given to the eight players that made the Pro Playoff at the Lee's Summit T-Bone Tournament. Matt Smith and Paul Miller were awarded the final two spots based on 9W Ranking. The Pro Division will play a three-round morning draw and eliminate two players to get down to an eight player afternoon bracket. Full schedule:

Click to read more ...

2015 Missouri Open Draws Top Talent

BELTON, MO -- As the MCA Nine Wicket Series prepares to take a historic step by partnering with a golf course for an event, it appears as though top players are paying attention. The 2015 Missouri Open at Eagles' Landing Golf Course in Belton, MO., on Saturday, June 6, 2015 now boasts the best Pro field that the Series has fielded. For starters, 2014 USCA Nine Wicket National champion Paul Miller is on the roster as well as runner-up Matt Griffith.Paul Miller

In addition, former two-time USCA Nine Wicket National champion Matt Smith (2009, 2011) has also joined the fray. Smith took some time off from nine wicket croquet and is now ranked #29 on the US list for Association players. And also from the Association world, Billy Bob Breeden will be on hand for the Missouri Open and he is currently #47 in the US Association rankings.

And of course, MCA 9WS mainstays Dylan Goodwin and Greg Clouse will also be looking to breakthrough the talented field as they join Miller and Griffith as the only other players to have won a Pro Series event.

"It's been a long term to goal to partner with a golf course here in the Kansas City area," said Dylan Goodwin, MCA President. "So, it's been great to see the top players here support the event."

With Monday as the entry deadline, 21 players have already committed and there are only two slots left for Pro/Gold. The tentative plan is to start Pro/Gold at 8:30 a.m. with the championship game slated for roughly 4:00 p.m. The Bronze and Silver Divisions will start at noon and should finish by 6:00 p.m.

Click to read more ...

Four Races, Four New MCA Leaders

LEAWOOD, KS -- With the addition of the newly formed Bronze (six ball) development division, the Midwest Croquet Association now has four points races to monitor. After his win at the Lee's Summit T-Bone Tournament, it is no surprise to see Matt Griffith at the top of the GWM Pro Points race with 147 points. Runner-up Greg Clouse follows in second with 117 points, while last year's champion Dylan Goodwin sits in third with 96 points.

Click to read more ...

Griffith Claims Third Straight With LSTB Win

LEE'S SUMMIT, MO -- Matt Griffith continued his dominance in the MCA Nine Wicket Series with his third straight Pro Division win yesterday in Lee's Summit, Missouri at the Lee's Summit T-Bone Tournament. Griffith took down Greg Clouse in the final with a decisive 32-13 win and extended his game-winning streak to 14 games. That is one-shy of Paul Miller's record 15-game streak. Griffith has never lost an MCA Nine-Wicket Series game and now has a 14-0 record.

Click to read more ...

2014 MCA President's Awards

LEE'S SUMMIT, MO -- The MCA announced five winners for the 2014 MCA President's Awards at the beginning of the 2015 AGM Meeting on February 7, 2015:

OFF-THE-COURT: JODI ADAMS
Adams earned the Off-the-Court Award for her management of all MCA revenue and expenses during a record year for MCA revenue. The award also recognizes the work she did in 2013 to transition the MCA to a new bank account to accommodate a name change. Honorable Mention: Greg Adams for his work with Mahaffie Farmstead and Sunflower Wickets. Honorable Mention: Matt Griffith for planning and hosting the USCA Nine Wicket National Championship at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, MO.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: BILL BERG
Honorable Mention: Jason Johnson

JUNIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: TAYLOR AIRRINGTON

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: NATE BENZ
Honorable Mention: Taylor Airrington

GROUNDSKEEPER OF THE YEAR: BILL BERG Berg was awarded Groundskeeper of the year for his work in preparing the courts for the 2014 Kansas Challenge and for the opening of his nine wicket lawn at the Cleveland Croquet Club.

Also see: 2013 MCA President's Awards