First time winners on a roll in area cribbage competitions - Ninth annual Fallbrook tournament a success

FALLBROOK – On January 23, cribbage players from all over Southern California gathered for the 9th Annual Fallbrook Avocado Cribbage tournament. Winner of the main tournament was Shelley Berman of La Mesa. In the final match, Berman lost the first two games to Bill Eilers of Laguna Woods, and came back to win the last three games to take the championship. This was the first American Cribbage Congress tournament win for Berman.

Local players in the top twenty-five percent included Bill McGinness, Oceanside; John Taylor, Vista; and Ed Wozniak, Obie Weeks, Joe Fahey and Ray Potwora of Fallbrook.

Rodney Rideau of Long Beach won 11 of 12 games to be the high qualifier in the main tournament. Arlene Shaw of Irvine had a grand slam (won all her games) in the consolation qualifying round, winning eight out of eight with two skunks. Her score set a new record for an American Cribbage Congress eight-game tournament.

The first and second place winners, high qualifier in the main, and winner of the consolation were awarded unique avocado trophies made by local woodworker Bob Jordan out of avocado wood.

Local packing houses Calavo Growers and Del Rey Avocado Company, combined, donated over 600 avocados to the players in the tournament. Every player received a bag of “green gold” (avocados) for just playing. All the qualifiers for the playoffs in the main received another batch of avocados.

Assisting Obie Weeks in coordinating the tournament were Ed Wozniak, Ray Potwora, Sheryl Majeski, Barb Sacic, Ethel Williams, Joe Fahey, Virginia Ballard, Marilyn Shader, Mike Duffy, Luella Brotherton, Norm Peterson and Jan and Bob Stuart.

Peg for the Border tournament

At the Peg for the Border cribbage tournament in La Mesa on January 10, Obie Weeks of Fallbrook won his first tournament. In the final match against Bryan Gurden, Weeks lost the first two games and came back with three straight wins to win the tournament.

Second Chance 2010

At the Second Chance 2010 cribbage tournament held in Laguna Woods on January 3, J.J. Stansfield won his first tournament.