Results

SOUTHERN MONKEYBALL CONFERENCE OPEN
Il Palazzo Mills - Mountain Brook, AL
April 12, 2008

It was a beautiful, sunny April afternoon at the Il Palazzo Mills in Mountain Brook, Alabama. The beautiful home of Connie and Bill Mills and the first Southern Monkeyball Conference Open. We were blessed with 68 degree weather, a slight breeze and 39 Monkeyballers excited about the opportunity to compete in the hottest game in town. We could have had many more players if it weren't the weekend before taxes are due, the Alabama "A-game" (which drew 73,000 fans), and one former combatant (you know who you are) whose wife wouldn't let him play.   Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee were represented in this contest and more than 50% of the SoMoCo participants were playing for the first time, and it showed in the first round. Most of the veterans sent the newcomers to the loser's bracket early in the contest. Previous tournament champions, Dilbert and Jason Salmon, could not play in this tournament so everyone knew that we would have a first time winner. They only thing that flowed more than the excitement was the beer. And man did it flow.

The tournament was set up so that each court would have a champion and they would play a final four format. Court 1 champion was Monroeville, Alabama's Jay "Sofa" Lominick. Court 2 was represented by Birmingham newcomer Rick Blevins who battled his way thru the loser's bracket. Court 3 had the pride of Auburn University, John "Yes, I'm Humble" Griffith who came out of the losers bracket, and Court 4 champion was Judd "how can I throw the Monkeyballs when I have a beer in both hands?" Patterson, out of the New Orleans Division.

Jay Lominick lost to Judd Patterson (15-9) while John Griffith eliminated Rick Blevins (15-2). John then eliminated Jay (15-10) setting up the final match between undefeated Judd Patterson and once defeated John Griffith. John won two close matches (15-10, 15-12) over the totally "Andygatorized" Judd. It was a great ending to a fun tournament.

John Griffith was the winner of the first SoMoCo Open. Congratulations John!!!

Special thanks go to Michelle and Scott Salmon for helping run the tournament and the Mills' for the use of the Palazzo grounds. It's the most perfect place for a tournament to be held.