Cornhole tournament a chance to have fun, help Apple Butter Makin’ Days

By: 
Steve Chapman

Brad DeLay (left) and Casey Staudt take turns tossing cornhole bags during the tournament. (Photo by Steve Chapman)

The Mt. Vernon Area Chamber of Commerce and the Apple Butter Committee held the inaugural Lawrence County Cornhole Championship at the green space on the Mt. Vernon town square Saturday, Aug. 7. An estimated total of about 75 people attended the event.

The tournament:
The event was a fundraising effort for the Apple Butter Makin’ Days Committee. Twenty-two teams, each consisting of two people paid $20 to take part in the tournament. Many of the teams gave themselves colorful names, such as: The Hole Enchilada, Game of Throws, Air Mailers, Forr Baggers, Hair Bag, The Cornholios, 21 or Bust and From the Baggins.
The teams played a double-elimination competition; each team square off with another and attempted to be the first to reach 21 points. The ones that did so went into the winners’ bracket, while the others went into the losers’ bracket. The teams continued to play until only the top three were left to win trophies. They were: first place, From the Baggins (Dallas Ellis and Ryan Mayberry); second place, The Cornholios (Dylan Burks and Cody Evans), and third place, Air Mailers (Billy Bieber and Spencer Ferguson).
The trophies were not the only prizes. 417 Athletics offered $100 cash to the first competitor to make a “four bagger” during the tournament, after the prize was announced. Dallas Ellis made a four bagger near the end of the tournament and took home a crisp, new $100 bill. Also, during the tournament, the chamber sold tickets for a 50/50 drawing. Brian Bowman, owner of the Flounder’s Fish and Chips food truck had the winning ticket and was awarded $103; he donated half of his winnings back to the chamber.

Tournament an opportunity to have some fun:
Many of the people who took part of in the tournament, while not avid players of Cornhole, came out to enjoy being outside and meet new people. Brad DeLay, representing the Rotary Club with his niece, Jenna DeLay, joked that he was taking part because he was “voluntold,” but added that he saw it as a chance to introduce more people to the Rotary Club.
“We’re a service organization like the Chamber of Commerce, so we just wanted to come out and help out; also get the word for Rotary out there that we’re a part of the group, get the high schoolers in with the InterAct Club and try to get a little more in-depth in the community.”
DeLay also said he was “having a blast” during the tournament.
“(I enjoy) just being out in the open, with everybody around,” he said. “I think it’s fun to try to get that next step into getting back to normal where people are out doing outdoor things.”
Jenna said she also had a great time.
“I think it’s really fun,” she said. “We haven’t been doing too great (at cornhole), but the fun is what’s more important.”

Perpendicular Worship, Covenant Baptist Church’s youth praise band, gave a mini-concert during the tournament, and some of the band members also took part in the competition. Kassidy Anderson, one of the band’s vocalists, said she took part because she wanted to help the community and make some new friends.
“I thought it would be fun, and it’s a good experience for the community, just meeting new people and stuff like that,” she said.
The chamber raised $680 during the tournament; the money will go to the Apple Butter Makin’ Days entertainment fund.
 

Category:

Lawrence County Record

312 S. Hickory St.
Mt. Vernon, MO, 65712
www.lawrencecountyrecord.com

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