Only the Elite!

It was an intense night of euchre, featuring a reduced roster of just 8 of the top-ranked players of Snowman Series history... Well, 7 actually, plus a last-minute entry in the likes of Chris "The Loner" Spencer.

The rookie had no idea what he was getting into, but good sport that he is, he stepped into the line-up and up to the challenge. Along with veteran partner, Shauna "Table-Talk" Beaudoin, Spencer found himself going toe-to-toe with previous repeat Champion the Snowman in Round One. Snowman & his opening partner Joan "In the Barn" Booth made quick work of their opponents taking a deciding 10-1 win.

At the opposite end of the field, it would be Julia "Trump" Vamos and Alissa "Sharky" Shepherd drawing first-blood against Jamie "Ace" Brewer and Mark "Misdeal" Irwin, winning 10-2. Vamos would also jump to the front of the pack taking the only lone-hand bonus point of the opening round... a feat she would quickly duplicate with another in Round Two.

Vamos's second lone hand granted her another win, this time scoreing 10-6 with Chris "Loner" Spencer, taking down Shauna "Table-Talk" Beaudoin and Alissa "Sharky" Shepherd. Not to be outdone, Eric "Shake the Bush" Snow would also take a loner bonus in the second, on his way to a 10-6 victory with Mark "Misdeal" Irwin, against "Ace" Brewer and first round partner "In the Barn" Booth. Division A saw Vamos and the Snowman in a commanding doule-digit lead, while Division B seemed to be spreading their points evenly throughout, with just 5 points separating the pack.

Round Three would be harsh for both Snow & Vamos, as they were both handed losses. First, Julia, failing to take her usual lone hand bonus, dropped a 10-7 decision with partner "In the Barn" Booth to Jamie "Ace" Brewer and Chris "The Loner" Spencer. Then it would be The Snowman and "Sharky" Shepherd who would fall victim to a 10-5 defeat at the hands of "Trump" Beaudoin (with her first bonus of the night) and Mark Irwin, who would reconfirm his nickname with his first of two "Misdeals" on the night!

Into Round Four the points were tight for Division B. Spencer & Irwin had both made their charges from the bottom half to bring all 4 division mates within a 2-point spread! Both players would also take additional wins to leapfrog to the leader spots in their division. Irwin with a lone-hand bonus would assist his partner Julia Vamos to a 10-5 win over Shauna Beaudoin & Joan Booth, while Spencer would take a similar 10-5 victory along with The Snowman, over Jamie Brewer & Alissa Shepherd.

In a complete replay of the opening round match-ups, Vamos & Shepherd would take another victory over Brewer & Irwin, finishing up with a clean score 10-6. Similarly, Snow & Booth would repeat their win over Beaudoin & Spencer to wrap up the first overtimed game of the night by a 10-7 margin. In both victories, Snow & Vamos would confirm their leadership status in Division A, while partners Shepherd and Booth would fall just short of gaining access to the inner circle. Instead it would be Irwin and rookie Spencer topping Division B, with just 4 points between all four members!

Into the finals, the clock would be shut off, as the top four players squared off in a Best-2-of-3 round for the Championship title. Nicknames would be the call-to-order in the finals, as "Misdeal" Irwin would do so for the second time of the night, and while paying more attention to his female fan/critic (in the guise of "Ace" Brewer), he would leave partner "The Loner" Spencer, pretty much running a one-man show. (Sorry, Mark, but you really left him hanging on the team spirit thing!) Likewise, "Trump" Vamos seemed to have all the top cards, taking another TWO lone-hands on her way to a decisive 2-0 Championship victory, winning in straight sets, 10-5 and 10-4, along with The Snowman.

Congratulations to Julia Vamos on earning her first Snowman Series title, and to The Snowman for a completing the three-peat in CIRE action!

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