December 6, 2010 Gig Harbor Sportsmans Club Plate Match Report

13 Entries         Match Winner:  Lee Lewis

                            2nd Place:  George Flaherty

                                   3rd  Place:  Mark Wuesthoff

 

   3 Ladies made up a class tonight:  Class won by:  Randa Aho

                             There was a tie for 2nd Place in the Ladies Class between:  Helen Todhunter and Jessica Spadoni

 

      Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, and welcome back to Gig Harbor Sportsmans Club.  It's the First Monday in December and time for another Gig Harbor Sportsmans Club Plate Match.  It was a heavily overcast evening, temperatures in the lower 40s, but the heaters were out, the lights on the pistol range were all up and running, the lighting was great, and we had a hot, closely contested and stimulating plate match.  13 Guns  came out to play tonight, and they were greeted with all the fun and competition anyone could ask. 

      We were honored and pleased to have 3 Ladies enter the fray tonight.  No one can say that the weather on the cusp of winter daunted these Ladies.  We grow them tough at Gig Harbor Sportsmans Club.  Helen Todhunter, a veteran of many of our plate matches returned tonight, and the ranks of the Lady Plate Shooters was swelled by two new shooters, Randa Aho & Jessica Spadoni.  Welcome ladies, we hope you had a great time and will attend our matches as often as you are able.

     Many thanks to our Match Staff, for putting on a great match as always.  Thank you to our Match Director, Mike Blondin, for presenting and directing the match.  Thanks ever so much to our Scorekeeper and DJ, George Flaherty, for running the board and  dealing and calling the duels.  A special thanks also goes to Mathew and Wolfgang Seagraves for setting up the stage, and having it ready to rock with time to spare prior to the start of tonight's match.  It was a fun, well-run match gentlemen, and we shooters appreciate it.

     After George was kind enough to put this reporter on the trailer, he then dueled with James Austin.  James had been having a sort of on-and-off night, but on this duel he bore down and crossed the line just a bit ahead of George.  Duel to James.  George took his frustration out on our Match Director, Mike Blondin next, showing him the door and the quick route to the trailer.  Lee and James dueled next, with Lee having a great run, and putting James on the trailer with so many of the rest of us.  George next dueled with Wolfgang Seagraves, and shortly Wolfgang took his place on the trailer, sitting next to his LadyFriend Jessica Spadoni.

     Now George advanced to a duel with Mark Wuesthoff.  George, as is his habit, was shooting his Smith  & Wesson 1911 against Mark's trademark Smith & Wesson Revolver.  Under the circumstances, it was hard for Smith & Wesson to lose, but not quite as hard for Mark.  George had a great run and crossed the line just a bit before Mark.  James drew a duel with Lee Lewis

next, and Lee, his NightHawk charging talons-first into the duel, succeeded in doing what few ever can; putting James Austin on the trailer.  Exit James.  In the last of the semis, Lee just outran George by a very narrow margin, indeed.

     Now we are down to just three:  George Flaherty has 3 numbers, Lee Lewis has 2 and Mark Wuesthoff has 1.  George draws

Mark, who wins the duel, keeping his 1 number but dropping George to 2.  George draws Lee next, and in a fast accurate run, barely hangs on to his 2 numbers, and dropping Lee down to just 1.  Mark steps up to duel with George at this point, George wth 2 numbers to Mark's 1.  Not tonight Mark, and George opens the door for Mark, showing him the path to the trailer. 

     At this final pairing of the evening, George has 2 numbers to lee's 1.  The shooters are loaded and ready, the command to fire is given, and George and Lee go for All Of'em.  When the thunder ebbs, and the dust settles, Lee's popper rests on the bottom, and folks, we're not quite done yet!!

     Once again, George and Lee are loaded and ready.  Once again we have a duel between the North and the South.

The North is represented by George's Smith & Wesson from way up North in Massachusetts, and the South is represented by Lee's NightHawk from way down South in Arkansas.  The shooters get the command to fire, the thunder rolls, the plates clatter and fall, and both of the poppers head for the dust.  After the thunder ebbs, and the dust settles and the smoke clears, Lee Lewis' popper lies tight to the ground, and Lee Lewis wins tonight's Gig Harbor Sportsmans Club Plate Match. 

     OK Folks, that's it for this match, on this night.  We'll meet right back here on Monday December 20, 2010 at 6PM and see what action the plates present then.  Until then, we know who the hot guns are, we know who we look up to and desire to emulate, and safe technically correct practice will guide us along to road to overcoming more experienced and currently faster guns.  Practice hard and often, remember your priorities.  1st is Gun Safety.  2nd is Accuracy.  Only when those requirements are fully met does one concern themselves with 3rd - Speed!!  Don't forget our Weekly Sunday Afternoon Clays Matches right here at GHSC, and we'll see you here for another plate match in two weeks, on December 20, 2010 at 6:00PM.  Till then, always remember:

 

                         "SPEED IS FINE!  BUT ACCURACY IS FINAL!!!"

 

Hal