After a devastating 0-5 season Captain Clay’s Balls Out with stalwarts Jack, Gail & Rich, delivered an amazing performance to capture the win in their playoff game over Don’t Stop Ballieving. The Ballievers Jen, Carla and Brooke aided by Jim Woodcock substituting for the vacationing Captain Jill could not extend their winning streak from Game 5 into the playoffs, losing 12-5 to Balls Out. Congrats to Balls Out who managed their first and final win of our 2024 season and Condolences to the Ballievers who have earned the dreaded Wooden Spoon.

Our second and third games last Friday established the teams who will play for the 2024 Campbell Bocce League Championship. On Friday August 30^th we will open with a game between Captain Dianne’s Just Rolling Into It and Captain Karen’s Rollmasters, the winner earns the third place season title. The Championship game immediately follows dinner and Captain Kellys undefeated Ballbarians, Chris, Jim Woodcock and Scott will be playing Captain Travis’ Throwing Shade with Jim Leon, Bob and Gerda. It should be a blockbuster.

STANDINGS

The theme for our Championships is High Steaks. The menu is below and I would appreciate an RSVP from each player, plus a heads up if you are planning to bring a guest. Please let me know what you can contribute and I will post.

Championship High Steaks

Deviled Eggs – Gerda

Cheese Platter – Cris

Salami Platter – Dianne & Rocky

Cold Prawns and Cocktail sauce – Lynne & Jim

Ribeye Steaks  – Chris

Twice baked potato – Chris

Summer Heirloom Tomato Platter – June & Rich

Green Salad – Jill & Jaime

Cupcakes – Kelly & Travis

Gin & Tonics – Chris

Wine – need volunteer

Beer – Karen & Brooke

Yes, this Friday when the Play offs commence at 6:30, the ball is truly in your court. Four teams have an equal chance of making the Championships. The top four teams, Ballbarians, Just Rolling into it , Throwing Shade and Rollmasters will face off for a championship berth on August 30th.

We will start the ball rolling with the infamous Wooden Spoon competition between Balls Out and Don’t Stop Ballieving, Captain Clay with teammates, Jack, Gail and Rich have this one last opportunity to climb out of the basement and a 0-5 season if they can deliver a curve ball to Captain Jill with her roster of Jen, Carla and Brooke. It could be a repeat of last week’s game however when the Ballievers were ball of fire and fried Balls Up 12-8.

Our second game will be between second and third place, Just Rolling into It and Throwing Shade. The winner will advance to the championship. The Ballbarians in first place will keep the ball rolling for the night’s final game with fourth place Rollmasters, again the winner advances to a whole new ball game.

Our theme is Mediterranean Nights, cocktails and appetizers are at 6pm. Please let me know what you can bring and I will post on our website.

Hummus & pita chips – Gerda

Veggies with Tzatziki – June & Rich

Meze Platter – Olives, Stuffed grape leaves, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini – Jen & Bob

Figs with Gorgonzola – Clay

Shish kabobs, Beef & Chicken – Chris

Tomato, Cucumber & Feta salad – Lynne & Jim

Arugula & Fig salad – Dianne

Zucchini Salad- https://playswellwithbutter.com/shaved-zucchini-salad/ – Karen & Brooke

Orzo salad – Leslie

Baklava – Chris

CBL Negroni’s- Chris

STANDINGS

Our Take Me Out to the Ballgame last Friday was surely reminiscent of a Giants game at San Francisco’s first professional stadium, Candlestick. No Willie Mays, no Beatles, no “the Catch” and certainly nothing as earth shaking as the ’89 Giants-A’s World Series game but still a memorably chilly evening of great Bocce and great ballpark style food.

This Friday we can hope for warmer weather, but best be prepared with your favorite Hawaiian shirt and possibly a jacket for Asian Luau and our fifth and final game of the regular CBL season. The night’s first game will begin with the top two teams Ballbarians and Throwing Shade at 6:30. As usual cocktails and appetizers begin at 6pm.

STANDINGS

Our theme and menu is Asian Luau, please let me know what you can bring and I will post.

Eggrolls – Chris & Jack

Ahi Poke dip with tortilla chips or rice crackers – Leslie

Potstickers – Dianne

Asian Ribs – Travis & Kelly

Teriyaki Chicken – Chris & Jack

Fried Rice – Lynne & Jim

Tropical Fruit Salad – Clay

Asian Salad – Jen & Bob

Coconut cupcakes – need volunteer

Wine – need volunteers

Asian Beer – June & Rich, Gerda, Tiffany & Pete

Pina Coladas – Chris & Jack

It doesn’t happen often, but we were fortunate to have the ideal weather for the League’s third round of games. Hot weather, great music and wonderful food plus the very popular Luxury Lemondade set the scene for another great round of games.

A quick recap: The first game between Captain Dianne’s Just Rolling Into It with Lynne and cleverly picked subs Tiffany & Jim Leon defeated Captain Jill’s Don’t Stop Ballieving., The Ballievers playing with their full roster for the first time this season lost, 12 to 5.

The Ballbarians with Captain Kelly defeated Balls Out led by Captain Clay 13-7. Making their first appearance this season, substitutes Camille Milliner and Garrett Meier performed well, giving the Ballbarians fits for the first few frames.

Travis’ first place Throwing Shade continued their winning streak for the night’s final game, defeating Captain Karen’s Rollmasters 12-7.

STANDINGS

Next Friday July 26, our theme will be Take Me Out to The Ballgame. Let’s hope the weather isn’t reminiscent of Candlestick, but be prepared just in case. Cocktails and appetizers at 6:00, first game begins at 6:30pm with Rollmasters and Balls out. Our menu is below, please let me know what you can bring and I will post.

Popcorn – Jen & Bob

Peanuts – Jill & Jaime

Nachos – Travis & Kelly

Ruffles and Onion Dip – June & Rich

Hot Dogs, Polish and Hot Links- Chris

Chili – Dianne

Toppings  – Karen & Brooke

Potato salad – Clay

Adult Root Beer Floats – Chris

Ice Cream Sandwiches – Lynne & Jim

In English that translates to “the ball is in your court”, and the Rollmasters and Throwing Shade sure took the opportunity to rack up some extra points while they were in the court Friday night. Though it only takes 12 to win, they strategically placed as many extra points on the board as possible, giving them a true advantage in the standings.

Throwing Shade led by substitute Chris Cattich while Captain Travis was generously playing Uber Host to our English visitors Luke and Lucy, with Bob, Gerda and Irish sub Linda Pullman (yes, big sister to our Conor) eventually smashed Captain Clay’s Balls Out with Jack, Gail and Rich in the night’s second game, 15-8. Though it was closely fought until the 8 – 8 mark, some smart rolling and a fantastic four point final frame has given Throwing Shade the number one position in league standings.

Friday’s first game between Captain Jill’s Don’t Stop Ballieving and the Rollmasters led by Chris Cattich and June who stepped in for the vacationing Captain Karen set the tone for extra points. Again it was a very slow start as the Ballievers with Jen, Carla and substitute Charlie Darwin (yes another Brit you all remember, now mother of two) held their own against the aggressive Rollmasters Jamie, June, Chris and sub Jack Darwin (Charlie’s husband and father of the two). But with two former Championship winning Captains June & Chris steering the team, the Rollmasters racked up an impressive 14-7 win and a very strong third place standing.

Captain Kelly’s Ballbarians also ruled the court on Friday (no surprise with Kelly as captain), with Jim Woodcock and Chris Coates anchoring the south end along with Just Rolling into It’s substitute Conor and Lynne covering for Captain Dianne. Just Rolling Into had sub Taylor Missin and Leslie at the north end playing frames against the Ballbarians’ Kelly and Scotty. The Ballbarians got off to an early lead , but Lynne, Leslie, Taylor and Conor rallied strongly to a near tie at the 7 point mark. Kelly & Scott earned the game’s winning point and conclusion 12-7 for the Ballbarians.

STANDINGS

Our third Round is July 12 starting at 6pm for drinks and appetizers. Game 1 starts at 6:30 featuring Just Rolling Into It and Don’t Stop Ballieving. The Theme is Southern BBQ, please let me know what you can bring and I will post.

Round 3, Southern BBQ

Deviled Eggs- Cris

Southern Pimento Cheese and Crackers – Carla

Pickled Veggies- Chris

BBQ Chicken- Chris

Corn Bread- Jill & Jaime

Mac & Cheese  –Dianne 

Coleslaw- Jen & Bob

Squash casserole -need volunteer https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/old-school-squash-casserole-recipe

Watermelon- Tiffany & Pete

Pecan Pie Bars- need volunteer

Beer & Wine – need volunteers

Luxury Lemonade- Chris

Captain Travis has just pointed out that I have reported the score of the game his Throwing Shade played against Captain Jill’s Don’t Stop Ballieving incorrectly. Well apparently the board was marked wrong and It was actually Throwing Shade who triumphed over the Ballievers. Final outcome was 12- 8 Throwing Shade.

Updated standings are:

That’s Italian for it’s a matter of inches. 

Yes, our Bocce Italiano night was instantly off to a very competitive start as the tape measure appeared early in the first game between Clay’s “Balls Out” team with Jack Campbell, visitor Shannon and regular sub Pete Stahl. New Captain Dianne’s “Just Rolling into It” showed they hadn’t forgotten anything from last season when Leslie, Lynne and substitute Taylor Missin got hot early in the  game and decisively beat Balls Out 11-4.

The night’s second game between “Don’t Stop Ballieving” with Captain Jill, Jen and substitutes Tiffany (having handed off Maverick to daddy Pete) and guest Shannon battled back and forth, one point at a time with Captain Travis’ “Throwing Shade” with teammates Jim Leon and Bob Meier and sub Gerda. Though very close, the Ballievers eased ahead of the Shades winning 12-8. Despite the loss, at the game’s end Captain Travis recognizing true potential wisely tapped substitute Gerda to become a permanent player for the Shades.

As the weather cooled the Rollmasters took the court with Jim Leon subbing for Captain Karen and regulars Chris Cattich, Jamie and sub Bob. They faced off against captain Kelly Simmons’ Ballbarians, with their full roster of Scotty, Jim Woodcock and Chris Coates. The Ballbarians took an early lead, but Rollmasters came back strong to a near tie mid game, finally some terrific rolling by Kelly and Scotty had the Ballbarians leap ahead to close out the game at 12-8.

Final note to Captains, the game ends when the first team makes 12 points. However it is possible to score even more points, if you still have a few balls left to roll. Remember, it can be a decisive factor as League standings are based on both games won AND total points scored (TPS).
Please plan on arriving about 6pm this Friday for drinks and appetizers. The first game starts promptly at 6:30pm between Don’t Stop Ballieving and Rollmasters. Just in case you forgot, I have attached our team roster below, plus our first round standings.
This week’s theme is Viva la Mexico

Round 2 Viva La Mexico

Tortillas – June & Rich

Carne Asada – Chris

Chicken- Chris

Refried beans – Carla

Shredded Cheese – June & Rich

Mexican rice-Gail

Chips, salsas -Gerda

Guacamole – Kelly & Travis

Watermelon with Tajin -Lynne

Shrimp served cold  – need volunteer

Ina Garten’s Fiesta Corn & Avocado Salad- Jill & Jaime

Margaritas- Chris

Mexican beer – need volunteer

Mexican popsicles – Leslie

Yes tomorrow is the Championship and its high stakes for both Carla’s Keep on Rolling and June’s Fugetabocce. Captain Carla’s teammates Rich, Karen & Bob were amazing in the last two games and if they keep on rolling like we’ve recently seen Captain June with Brooke, Jamie and an unnamed substitute will have to be on their toes.

The Playoffs two weeks ago were very exciting. The night’s opener Wooden Spoon match between the Belles and Rollin Stones at 5th and 6th place respectively saw the Belles barely sneaking out a win over Captain Jill, Kelly, Travis and Jimmy for a 12-10 final score. It has been an interesting season for the Rollin Stones, except once in Game 4 they only narrowly lost each game, often looking and playing like victors. The sad result is a consistent 0- 5 win loss record and this year’s Wooden Spoon. Captain LeAnne and her Belles, Dianne, Leslie and Chris let out a big sigh of relief.

The second Playoff game of the night was a repeat between Clay’s High Rollers and Fugetabocce. Unlike Game 5 when Captain Clay with Scotty and two substitutes Tiffany and Gerda managed to defeat the formidable Fugetabocce, they succumbed during the Playoffs 12-6. Once again Captain June will be leading her team into the Championships and the High Rollers will be playing tomorrow for third place.

The real shake up was the night’s last game between undefeated and first place Crushed Oysters, with Captain Chris, Jack, Jim and Jen against Carla’s Keep On Rolling. Carla’s teammates have impressed us with a meteoric rise in the standings. After Game 4 and with only one game left in regular season play they were in 5th place and looked to be heading towards a Wooden Spoon match. They pulled out a win in Game 5 and with the Belles loss that night to the Crushed Oysters, Keep on Rolling had just enough Total Points Scored (TPS) to grab 4th place and a playoff berth. Well they made the most of that opportunity when they defeated the incredible Crushed Oysters 12-8. Congratulations Keep on Rolling you are playing in the Championship tomorrow. The Crushed Oysters will also play in the night’s first game against High Roller for third place.

So High Stakes means High Steaks for dinner. Cocktails and appetizers are at 6:00 pm, with the first game at 6:30, then dinner at 7:15 followed by the Championship and finally the awards ceremony. Our menu is below, please let me know what you can bring and I will post.

HIGH STEAKS

• Deviled Eggs – June & Rich

• Cheese platter – Jennifer & Bob

• Charcuterie platter – Dianne

• Veggies & Dip – Tiffany & Pete

• Ribeye Steaks – Chris & Jack

• Twice baked potato – Chris & Jack

• Summer Tomatoes with Basil – Karen & Brooke

• Wedge Salad – Leslie

• Gin & Tonics – Chris & Jack

• Cupcakes – Cris

• Wine/Champagne – need volunteers

Game 5 two weeks ago was certainly a bit of a shake up.

Captain Carla’s Keep on Rolling pulled out a 12-8 win over Jill’s Rollin Stones for the night’s first match. The Rollin Stones Kelly, Travis and Jimmy now have just one more chance to avoid the Wooden Spoon. Most importantly the win for Keep On Rolling with Rich, Karen & Bob gave them the opportunity to move up from fifth place depending on the outcome and scores of the High Rollers and Belles of the Ball in the evening’s next two matches.

Clay’s fourth place High Rollers played a very hard fought match against the number two team Fugetabocce, captained by June Weaver. The High Rollers with regular Scotty Howard were very skillfully assisted by subs Tiffany & Gerda and secured the win over June, Brooke, Jaime and Pete 12-10. The win didn’t knock Fugetabocce out of second, but it did secure third place for the High Rollers and a playoff berth.

The night’s last match began with the undefeated Crushed Oysters missing their star player Jim Leon. What should have been a golden opportunity for third place Belles of the Ball turned into a crushing defeat 12-4 when Captain Cattich tapped Morgan to fill in for the missing Jim. Morgan’s accuracy and speed had the Oysters saying ” Jim, who?”. Holding Captain LeAnne’s Belles down to a total of just 4 points also meant that Carla’s Keep on Rolling with the same 2-3 win-loss record as the Belles, surpassed the Belles by 3 TPS.

So, Keep on Rolling has moved into forth place after Game 5 and secured a playoff berth for this Friday. The Belles, LeAnne, Dianna, Leslie and Chris will be facing the Rollin Stones for the first game of the playoffs, with the loser earning the Wooden Spoon at 6:30pm sharp

STANDINGS

Our Theme for Friday’s playoffs is Mediterranean Nights, the menu is below. Please let me know what you and bring and I will post.

• Hummus & pita chips – June & Rich
• Veggies with Tzatziki – Jill & Jamie
• Baba Ganoush with toasts – Carla
• Meze Platter – Olives, Stuffed grape leaves, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini – Jennifer & Bob
• Figs with Gorgonzola – need volunteer
• Shish kabobs, Beef & Chicken – Chris & Jack
• Tomato, Cucumber, Red Onion & Feta salad – Gail
• Fig, Pancetta & Arugula salad – Clay
• Orzo salad – Leslie
• Baklava – Chris & Jack
• CBL Negroni’s – Chris & Jack
• Wine – LeAnne