2021 Wiffle®Ball Championship Preview
It’s that time of year again.
That’s right, the last full weekend of July is among us which means it’s time for the greatest wiffle event on earth: The Wiffle®Ball Championship.
Last year, thanks to a multitude of health precautions, the tournament was able to carry on amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020’s tournament was headlined by the Maple City Magic besting Granny’s Quilt in the championship game to take home the Hometown Cup. Prior to the championship the Magic defeated the New Carlisle Newts, while Granny’s outlasted the Cult West Warriors in the semi-final games at Migley Field. As is customary at The Championship, the top performer of the Hometown Cup Finals is awarded the Kaylor Keck Marquee Player Award. Last year Magic captain Wes Ellis was awarded the Kaylor Trophy for his efforts.
What is the event?
The Wiffle®Ball Championship is a slow-pitch wiffleball tournament set up by Koby Keck of the New Carlisle Newts and his slew of volunteers. The tournament has traditionally coincided with the New Carlisle Hometown Days summer festival, taking place at the adjacent little league complex. Although the festival itself was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was able to carry on. Thankfully however, Hometown Days returns this year and projects to be better than ever!
To learn more about the festival, click here: https://www.hometowndays.net/.
The wiffleball tournament has occurred yearly since 2005. Pool play occurs across the New Prairie Little League fields on the last Saturday of July. The tournament occurs the following day with the top four teams advancing to historic Migley Field to play in the Hometown Cup Finals. The 2021 Championship is slated for July 23-25.
To learn more about the history of The Championship, click here: https://www.hometowncup.com/history
The tournament’s Home Run Derby is held at Migley Field on the Friday before pool play. Maple City Magic catcher Jared Jonkman won his fourth consecutive Golden Bat last year. This year’s format is a little different thanks to the inaugural Hall of Fame Game. Home Run Derby prelims will be open from 5-6:30pm (ET). From there, the top 8 qualifiers advance to the bracket finals at 7:15.The cost to enter the Derby is $5 per person and is open to everyone.
Following the Derby, the inaugural Hall of Fame Game will take place featuring some of the best the tournament has ever seen. First pitch is slated for 8:08pm (ET). Here are the teams:
Blue Team
Wes Ellis
Danny Hernandez
Koby Keck (Captain)
Drew Luther
Jay Ryans
Seth Shail
White Team
Shane Anderson
John Arndt
Garrett Curless
Jared Emmons (Captain)
Matt Serge
Scott Soos
Immediately following the derby, players and fans alike are encouraged to migrate to the New Prairie Little League Fields and watch the postgame firework display.
The 2021 tournament will feature 80 teams duking it out over the course of Saturday pool play and then a single-elimination tournament on Sunday. Pool play will consist of 4 games, with 16 pools of 5 teams. At the end of pool play, the top 48 teams will be seeded and a tournament will follow on Sunday. The winners will be declared the 2021 Champions of Wiffle®Ball and will receive t-shirts, hats, and their names etched into history on the Hometown Cup.
Now that we’re through what the tournament is, let’s look at who will be playing in it. Keep in mind I am just one person. This is for fun. I try to touch on as many teams as I can, however, I don’t necessarily know every single player and team in this tournament. If you think I’m sleeping on you or your team, let me hear about it on twitter… just make sure you retweet this article first.
Without further ado, the 2021 Wiffle®Ball Championship Preview:
The Championship Wiffleball Power Index (WPI) Top 15
Maple City Magic
New Carlisle Newts
Cult West Warriors
Granger Panthers
Granny’s Quilt
Mechanics
Woo Crew
GP Black
County Line Kings
Twin Branch Billy Goats
Team Combat
Borussia Hills Wildcards
Looney Wifflers
CCW Hot Players
Will Waves
The Championship Wiffleball Power Index (WPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of performance going forward. WPI represents how many runs above or below average a team is. Game predictions account for opponent strength, BAC levels, field, and rest between games and, and are used to simulate the tournament 10,000 times to produce tournament projections. Numbers update daily.
Pool Play Preview
Anderson Division
Truffle Butter
2nd Appearance
Record: 6-1
Division Titles: 1
Playoff Appearances: 1
The Naturals
6th Appearance
Record: 20-11
Playoff Appearances: 5
Big Daddy Hacks
4th Appearance
Record: 6-9
Playoff Appearances: 3
Lucky Strikes
1st Appearance
Multiple Scorgasms
3rd Appearance
Record: 0-8
Sunday locks: Truffle Butter
On the bubble: The Naturals, Big Daddy Hacks, Lucky Strikes
Best shot at Migley: Truffle Butter
Player to Watch: P Ryan Galiher (Truffle Butter)
Starting things off, we have the Anderson Division. For me, this pool is fairly straightforward. Leading the pack are the Truffle Butter. This is Truffle Butter’s second year playinging The Championship, although their pair of namestays have ample experience at Migley. Captain Ryan Galiher already has his name on The Cup thanks to his 2018 run with the Newts, while LF Zarek Finley has spent his Sunday’s as a member of the Newts in the ORWBL. These two are expected to lead the way for a squad who projects as one of the best hitting teams in the tournament. As a first year team in the ORWBL, Truffle Butter is now very accustomed to the slow pitch style. Rat will always be solid at the plate, as he is one of the most consistent hitters at the tournament. The big question mark for Truffle Butter will be the play of the eldest Galiher brother, Sean. His fabled HR power will be a deciding factor in whether Truffle Butter is able to make a Migley run come Sunday.
The Naturals are no stranger to this tournament, sneakily being one of the longer-running teams in The Championship. With ample experience not just at the tournament, but in collegiate baseball, The Naturals have proved they will be no pushover when Sunday rolls around, notably upsetting a 2-seeded Landsharks chalk full of ORWBL talent back in 2018. Last year this Chicago-based squad was derailed by a flat tire on their way home from the tournament… perhaps this year they’ll at least have The Cup to keep them company.
Big Daddy Hacks faces an uphill battle in their quest to make it to their fourth Sunday in as many appearances thanks to the aforementioned established teams. Having perfected the 2-2 Sunday record in the past, a potential scare awaits them in first-year squad the Lucky Strikes. Composed of New Carlisle kids, there is always a potential for an upset in the town’s biggest event of the year.
John Arndt Division
Maple City Magic
11th Appearance
Record: 61-14
Division Titles: 7
Playoff Appearances: 10
Hometown Cup Finals: 7
Championships: 1 (2020)
Homiesexuals
1st Appearance
American Giants
5th Appearance
Record: 16-8
Playoff Appearances: 4
Knights
8th Appearance
Record: 7-23
Playoff Appearances: 2
Sharks
1st Appearance
Sunday locks: Maple City Magic
On the bubble: Homeisxuals, American Giants, Knights
Best shot at Migley: Maple City Magic
Player to Watch: P Wes Ellis (Maple City Magic)
The reigning champion Maple City Magic march into this year’s Championship eager to become the first back-to-back winners since Cult West’s mid-2010’s tear. Captained by Kaylor Trophy winner Wes Ellis, the Magic have arguably the best 1-2 punch in the entire tournament in Ellis and outfielder Caleb Jonkman. As two of the best all-around players The Championship has to offer, Maple City has the highest floor in the tourney. HR guy Jared Jonkman and the sure-handed Shane Anderson’s hot tournament was a major reason why the Magic were able to mash their way to the championship last year. If the Magic are to repeat in 2021, they’ll need similarly hot Sundays from these two. Despite losing the always-underrated Drew Luther, the Magic are as well-positioned as anyone to hoist The Cup this year.
The mid-pack of the John Arndt Division is truly where the fun begins for this pool. Between the Homisexuals, the American Giants, and the Knights, a spot in Sunday’s tournament is certainly up for grabs. It’s hard to rank these three, but I like the Homisexuals to come out of this pool as the two seed. Braydon Flagg and Rylen McBride are just the latest crop of talent to come from the nearby New Prairie High School. Alongside slugger Noah Brettin, these young guns project as one of the more interesting squads in the tournament. Despite their inexperience, they have flashed major potential to be a cinderella on Sunday morning.
Don’t count the American Giants or Knights out, however. The Giants have yet to miss a tournament in their four years, having consistently finished 3-1 on Saturday. This group of vets will not beat themselves, although their age is certainly a question mark given the youth of the Homisexuals and Knights.
Led by Union Mills Goon Squad catcher Camden Bashaw, the Knights have been playing in this tournament as long as I can remember. Traditionally a “too young” team, these sluggers are ripe for a big leap in this year’s Championship. Along with Bashaw, Adin Newman is certainly a name to watch for bystanders thanks to both his bat and prowess on the mound.
Nick Arndt Division
County Line Kings
3rd Appearance
Record: 8-3
Division Titles: 1
Playoff Appearances: 2
Warsaw Whitecats
10th Appearance
Record: 38-15
Division Titles: 4
Playoff Appearances: 7
Dirtbags
5th Appearance
Record: 6-13
Playoff Appearances: 3
Unexpected BJ’s
3rd Appearance
Record: 2-7
Smanghawks
1st Appearance
Sunday locks: County Line Kings, Warsaw Whitecats
On the bubble: Dirtbags
Best shot at Migley: County Line Kings
Player to Watch: JP Kehoe (County Line Kings)
The Nick Arndt division features the first pool covered thus far where the Bye is essentially a crapshoot. Both the Kings and Whitecats are bringing star-studded squads to this years Championship. Featuring a nice combination of youth and experience, these teams are built very similarly despite specializing in different parts of the game. Both feature very experienced veterans in County Line’s Tony Koch and Warsaw’s Whit Huffer. Koch is a former ORWBL MVP and has formed a solid connection with Kings manager Mike Forrester. The left-handed Forrester’s lineup features yet another MVP in all-around stud JP Kehoe. Kehoe is among the upper-echelon of players in the entire Championship, possessing a rare combination of hitting, fielding, and pitching. The powerful Kehoe can place the ball wherever he wants in the field… including over the fence. These three form the base of a powerful lineup who will look to make heavy use of the longball come Sunday morning in their quest for Migley.
Warsaw, on the other hand, are one of the more solid defensive teams in the tournament. Outfielder Chaz Boyd is a constant threat to bring would-be home runs back into play, while Whit’s pitching will do its best to keep those threats to a minimum. Don’t think this is just a small-ball team, however, as the lefty Zach Christy is a rising star at the plate. Having played in his fair share of big games already, Christy’s smooth swing will look to give Warsaw the push it needs to finally make it to Migley. With a solid core, the Whitecats are an all-around team who won’t be afraid of anyone once bracket play starts.
For the Dirtbags, Unexpected BJs, and Smanghawks, they face an uphill battle in securing a bid in Sunday’s tournament. Despite this, nothing is set in stone until the games are played. The Dirtbags, in particular, are a team to keep your eye on. Having gone through their fair share of ups and downs at The Championship, these young wifflers may finally be due for a breakout year. Former ORWBL Mechanics Jake Meyers and Hunter Groves possess sneaky-solid bats, fully capable of sending balls flying into the street. While the Dirtbags may still be a few years away from making a run for Migley, an upset or two on Sunday wouldn't’ surprise me in the least.
Curless Division
Bourissa Hills Wildcards
10th Appearance
Record: 26-24
Division Titles: 1
Playoff Appearances: 8
CCW Hot Players
5th Appearance
Record: 16-8
Division Titles: 2
Playoff Appearances: 4
Read About It
2nd Appearance
Record: 1-3
Hot Heads
1st Appearance
Can O Corn
2nd Appearance
Record: 0-4
Sunday locks: Bourissa Hills Wildcards, CCW Hot Players
On the bubble: Read About It
Best shot at Migley: Bourissa Hills Wildcards
Player to Watch: OF Brendan Dudas (CCW Hot Players)
What a pool. The Wildcards and CCW game projects to be one of the better pool-play games on Sunday, with both teams fully capable at making a Migley run on Sunday afternoon. Since adding ORWBL MVP candidate DJ Hill to their roster last season, the Wildcards have truly jumped up a level from a competition-standpoint. DJ has one of the smoothest swings in the game, being able to place the ball all over the field. Yet DJ’s best skill may be his homerun swing… which oftentimes results in base-hitter Zach Rehlander touching home. Along with catcher Allen Ament, the Wildcards are one of the more well-rounded teams you’ll find; what with their solid defense and consistent hitting. While they have made noise in the tournament in the past, they’ve lacked the firepower to break through to Migley. This year’s team is arguably the best Bourissa Hills has fielded since the franchise’s Jemmons days. Don’t be surprised to see these Wildcards playing in the finals on Sunday.
First, however, the ‘Cards will need to worry about the CCW Hot Players. Composed of players from the fast-pitch Circle City Wiffleball League in Indianapolis, CCW is a force to be reckoned with. CCW commish Brendan Dudas headlines these Indy wifflers. Dudas is one of the best wifflers in the country thanks in large part to his prowess at the plate. Dudas is a 3-time CCW MVP and is highly decorated with national awards. He is one of the best wifflers at this tournament and his presence alone makes CCW a serious threat. The righty is joined by his slew of fast pitch teammates: equating in the potential for an (un)surprising run on Sunday.
After turning heads earlier in the slow-pitch tournament circuit, Read About It comes into The Championship as a trendy sleeper pick. Led by Will “Bones” Bartus, these Granger wifflers will be scared of no one in the tournament… they just have to get there first. They have their work cut out for them, however, with the strong two teams headlining this pool. Along with Billy Goat extra Justyn Fox, Read About It may have the makings of an upset should they come into the tournament with their bats set to “HOT”.
Ellis Division
Woo Crew
6th Appearance
Record: 23-6
Division Titles: 4
Playoff Appearances: 5
Leps 2
5th Appearance
Record: 7-12
Playoff Appearances: 3
Truffle Butter White
2nd Appearance: 4-2 (.667)
Playoff Appearances: 1
Sage Road Sinners
1st Appearance in 2021
Little Frickers
7th Appearance
Record: 4-20
Sunday locks: Woo Crew
On the bubble: Truffle Butter White, Leps 2
Best shot at Migley: Woo Crew
Player to watch: OF Walt Griffin III (Woo Crew)
Woo Crew is an easy favorite in the Ellis Division with their star-studded trio of Jimmy Tumpane, Walter Griffin III, and Brandon Terry. Jimmy is an established veteran who’s seen it all on the field. His biggest skill may be his work in the front office, however, as he again brings back the duo of Terry and Griffin III. These two have exploded onto the wiffle scene in recent years. Between their powerful bats, webgem-worthy plays in the field, and general intensity, the Woo Crew has a strong base to rely on throughout The Championship. When these guys are hot there is not a pitcher in the game who can slow them down and they’re a good bet to make a Migley run.
Truffle Butter White and Leps 2 are similar in their status as second teams for established ORWBL squads. Both turned some heads last year with their play. Leps 2 is less experienced this season, however pitcher Luke “Utah” Armstrong’s control on the mound and Zach Brassell’s play in left will certainly keep them in games. If Hudson Lake Heat ORWBL star Addison Kuntz and his fantastic mustache can heat up at the plate, Leps 2 will be in for yet another Sunday visit. For Truffle Butter White, year two could be the year these experienced wifflers make the leap and scare some teams on Sunday. ORWBL namestays Erik Detmar and Ian Garavalia form a nice 1-2 punch both at the plate and in the field for TB White. If the rest of their fastpitch roster can adjust to the slow pitch game as well as these two have, look out!
I wouldn’t go so far as to call the Sinners a sleeper, however they are worth keeping an eye on. Their pool play game with Leps 2 will be a bloodbath thanks to the two teams’ familiarity with one another. Just don’t count on the Siners playing Sunday.
Emmons Division
Hudson Lake Heat
7th Appearance
Record: 25-13 (.658)
Division Titles: 3
Playoff Appearances: 6
Malort! I’ll Have Another
6th Appearance
Record: 22-8
Division Titles: 3
Playoff Appearances: 5
Dumpster Panda Mob
1st Appearance in 2021
Bad Boys 1
2nd Appearance: 1-3 (.250)
Skinny Dings
9th Appearance
Record: 2-29
Playoff Appearances: 1
Sunday locks: Hudson Lake Heat, Malort! I’ll Have Another
On the bubble: Dumpster Panda Mob
Best shot at Migley: Hudson Lake Heat
Player to watch: OF Bobby “Bats” Bushman (Hudson Lake Heat)
Give me the Emmon’s Division to drink the most beers at whatever odds you want and I’d still take it. Featuring a number of teams who really know how to have a good time and balance fun and competition, this pool will have a serious battle for the Bye between the Heat and Malorts. Although they are without captain Jared Monhaut, the Heat are a staple at The Championship, being known for one of the coolest Hometown Days traditions when they ride their bikes down Bray Street from slugger Ben McDonald’s downtown home. On the field is where they really shine, though. With former ORWBL MVP Bob Bushman providing stellar two-way play in left and at the plate, the Heat are a household name capable of taking down any squad at The Championship. Bob’s partner in crime is slugger Ben McDonald. Ben has arguably the sweetest swing in the game, something he’ll put to good use this weekend. Something to keep an eye on is the play of do-it-all Jake MacMillan. Quietly one of the better fielders from every position, Jake’s play will be crucial for a Heat squad missing their manager. Notoriously clutch, Jmac will be a big reason whether or not the Heat are able to make a deep Sunday run.
Right there with the Heat are fan-favorite Malorts. Composed of a number of savvy wiffle vets, these guys epitomize the laid back, drink a beer vibe Satudays at The Championship have. Make no mistake, though. These guys are more than just a fun team. Legendary pitcher Nate Hansen leads the way here hoping to rekindle the fire that led him to winning the tournament in the early 2000s. With his wide array of pitches, strikeouts against this team are a guarantee… something slugger Grant Duncan will surely not let you hear the end of via the patented Malort shot. Having played in a number of big games over the years, the Malorts will not be an easy out by any means on Sunday and perhaps have just enough magic (or Malort) to make a Migley run.
Continuing the theme of having a good time are the Dumpster Panda Mob. Formerly Mo Mookie Mo Problems, Mookie Smith leads this veteran squad who are staples at The Championship. Between Mookie and Emery’s Army legend Eric Johnson, this squad may drink as many as three times more beers than runs scored. However, with slugger Mikey Smith and the sure-handed Ross Strieter, these vets project to be a fully capable opponent on the field, too. Best catch this team later in the day, as their hand-eye coordination will surely diminish as cans are crushed through the day. Should they make it to Sunday (likely) and show up in decent condition (not likely) they make for a tough first round opponent for any Migley-hopeful.
Flagg Division
New Carlisle Newts
15th Appearance
Record: 79-17
Division Titles:11
Playoff Appearances:14
Hometown Cup Finals: 8
Championships: 3 (2007, ‘08, ‘18)
C-Team
2nd Appearance
Record: 4-2
Playoff Appearances: 1
Pink Pandas
1st Appearance
Don’t Touch My Drum Set!
5th Appearance
Record: 6-14 (.300)
Playoff Appearances: 4
Bad Boys 2
1st Appearance
Sunday locks: New Carlisle Newts
On the bubble: C-Team, Pink Pandas, Don’t Touch My Drum Set!
Best shot at Migley: New Carlisle Newts
Player to Watch: OF Noah Shail (New Carlisle Newts)
New Carlisle returns the same roster as last year’s Championship. Led by Hall of Famers Koby Keck and Garrett Curless, the hometown team is as good of a bet as any to win the whole tournament. With an outfield of Joey Schuster and former ORWBL MVP Noah Shail, the Newts boast arguably the best combination of defense and offense in this year’s Championship. Shail in particular will be a name to watch. After last year’s heartbreaking semi-final loss, the Shail figures to be eager to capture his first Hometown Cup
Hernandez Division
Mechanics
6th Appearance
Record: 20-9
Division Titles: 3
Playoff Appearances: 5
White Lightning
7th Appearance
Record: 26-10
Division Titles: 3
Playoff Appearances: 5
Hometown Cup Finals: 1
Chaw Dawgz
2nd Appearance
Record: 2-3
Playoff Appearances: 1
Beer Bandits
4th Appearance
Record: 3-8
Wiffle Warriors
1st Appearance
Sunday locks: Mechanics, White Lightning
On the bubble: Chaw Dawgz, Beer Bandits
Best shot at Migley: Mechanics
Player to Watch: OF Jasen Webb (White Lightning)
Jerdrysek Division
Cult West Warriors
11th Appearance
Record: 64-10
Division Titles:7
Playoff Appearances: 10
Hometown Cup Finals: 6
Championships: 4 (2013, ‘14, ‘15, ‘17)
Lynn Street Leprechauns
5th Appearance
Record: 9-11
Playoff Appearances: 3
The Muffs
11th Appearance
Record: 45-16
Division Titles:4
Playoff Appearances: 10
Hometown Cup Finals: 1
Big Sticks
3rd Appearance
Record: 2-6
Bussin Respectfully
1st Appearance
Sunday locks: Cult West Warriors
On the bubble: Lynn Street Leprechauns, The Muffs
Best shot at Migley: Cult West Warriors
Player to Watch: P Matt Serge (The Muffs)
Cult West leads the way here in a pool chalk-full of wiffle talent. With championship titles to their name, the Warriors once again figure to be a hot pick to take home The Cup. Jay Ryans boasts the best knuckleball in the entire tournament, while the combination of the Soos brothers and Danny Hernandez round out a loaded Cult West lineup. Between their experience, acclimation to winning, and all-around talent, Cult West is a team no one would be surprised to walk away from The Championship as victors. Something to watch for these vets, however, is their depth. The loss of slugger Anthony Rieff is worth keeping an eye on as fatigue is sure to play a factor throughout the grueling weekend. Even with that, though, there is no team I would be more scared to see on my side of the bracket than these Hall of Famers.
The Lynn Street Leprechauns and Muffs figure to battle it out for the second spot in this pool. Lynn Street has taken huge strides in the past few years as manager Nick Brassell has slowly turned the Leps into a very formidable opponent. They are streaky at the plate, sure, but when Dylan Kegley and Jordan Peck get going they can hit the long ball with the best of them. A big X factor for this squad will be the play of Nick “Guy” Wilson. Having not played much this summer, Wilson is arguably the most talented hitter on this roster. Whether or not Guy can get it going will have a lot to do with how far the Leps are able to go this year.
The Muffs, on the other hand, haven’t seen their traditional levels of success in the past few years. However, with the additions of wiffle vets Jake Lawrence and Matt Serge the hope is that The Muffs will be sparked back into their former glory. Serge is one of the best pitchers the game has ever seen. With a solid defense of Erik Mentock and Austin Rieff behind him, The Muffs boast their best squad in years.... One no team should look forward to playing come Sunday.
Bob Keck Division
Pokeballs
2nd Appearance
Record: 5-1
Division Titles: 1
Playoff Appearances: 1
Zone 3 Cyclones
5th Appearance
Record: 20-7
Division Titles: 1
Playoff Appearances: 4
Oddballs
1st Appearance
Busch League
5th Appearance
Record: 5-13
Playoff Appearances: 2
Outlaws
2nd Appearance
Record: 3-3
Playoff Appearances: 1
Sunday locks: None
On the bubble: All
Best shot at Migley: Pokeballs
Player to Watch: (Pokeballs)
The Bob Keck division projects to be the most unpredictable of the bunch. With top to bottom talent, there is no clear victor in this pool. However, the Pokeballs are certainly a team worth keeping your eye on. Filled with fast-pitch studs from the renowned Skibbe League in St. Louis, these wiffle vets walk into their second Championship with high hopes for their first shot at Migley. Although they’ll be without the legendary Sam Skibbe, NWLA namestays Spencer Bogard and Gus Skibbe give the Pokeballs plenty of firepower to work with. Fast pitch teams traditionally have not had a ton of success on Sundays. For Pokeball fans, the hope is this is the year that all changes.
The Zone 3 Cyclones made rounds on twitter lately after dropping two studs four days before the tournament started over some unkind tweets. Those losses will hurt, however last year’s elite eight run proves no matter who is on this roster they’ll be a force to be reckoned with once we get to tournament play. Starter Owen Satoski leads the wayIt would not surprise me in the slightest to see them walk away from Saturday with a top seed.
Kaylor Keck Division
Looney Wifflers
5th Appearance
Record: 16-8
Division Titles: 2
Playoff Appearances: 4
Clutch Players
8th Appearance
Record: 36-11
Division Titles: 4
Playoff Appearances: 7
Hometown Cup Finals: 4
The M.O.B.
3rd Appearance
Record: 5-5
Playoff Appearances: 1
Going Yard
4th Appearance
Record: 8-7
Playoff Appearances: 2
Bad Boys 3
1st Appearance in 2021
Sunday locks: Looney Wifflers, Clutch Players
On the bubble: The M.O.B, Going Yard
Best shot at Migley: Looney Wifflers
Player to Watch: C/P John Arndt (Looney Wifflers)
A fairly deep pool, the Kaylor Keck Division features a number of interesting teams. The division is headlined by two teams with as much wiffle experience as anyone in the tournament. The Looney Wifflers and Clutch Players are both among the best teams you’ll find at The Championship. The Looney Wifflers are captained by New Carlisle Wiffleball Hall of Famer John Arndt. John is one of the most experienced players in the game… if not THE most experienced. At the spry age of 50 “Coach” Arndt has seen it all on the field. As one of the brightest minds in the sport, John will always have his team in it with his use of advanced Arndt analytics. Make no mistake, however, despite John’s age he is still a premier hitter. With the ability to put the ball to all field, the eldest Arndt is a terror at the plate. What will really show this squad’s ceiling is the play of pitcher Nate Arndt and outfielder Collin Babcock. The former Jet City Junkballers staples are widely known for their perfectly-fitting games. Collin, a slap hitter, has the speed and bat control to find his way on base in any situation… oftentimes paving the way for the powerful bat of Nate Arndt to hit him in. With so much experience, the Looney Wifflers are serious contenders for Migley.
Perhaps the only team able to match the experience of the Looney Wifflers are the Clutch Players. Andy Seradzki has returned to his former team in hopes of making the squad’s 5th trip to Migley. Although Clutch hasn’t played nearly as much in other tournaments the last few years, they are always a dangerous team especially when the stakes are high. Unrattlable, this squad will need contributions up and down the roster if they hope to return to Migley. If Scott Bartley and company can get hot at the right time Sunday they could very well find themselves making a deep run in the tournament.
Luther Division
Billy Goats
5th Appearance
Record: 21-5 (.808)
Division Titles: 4
Playoff Appearances: 4
Hometown Cup Finals: 1
Will Waves
1st Appearance in 2021
Maple City Magic Purple
5th Appearance
Record: 18-7 (.720)
Division Titles: 3
Playoff Appearances: 4
Hometown Cup Finals: 1
Beef Barn
4th Appearance
Record: 7-9 (.438)
Playoff Appearances: 2
LIL’ SAINTS*
6th Appearance
Record: 3-16 (.158)
Playoff Appearances: 1
Sunday locks: Billy Goats, Will Waves
On the bubble: MC Purple
Best shot at Migley: Will Waves
Player to Watch: P Steeve Keelon (Will Waves)
The Luther division is one of my favorites in the entire tournament for a few reasons. For one, the Billy Goats have always been a personal favorite of WiffleTalk.com. Headlined by ORWBL MVP candidate Lucas Oletti and two-time Cy Young winner Andrew Doran, the ‘Goats have ample star power to bring to the table. Especially considering the emergence of Keigan White and Frankie Minerva as perennial All-Stars, the ‘Goats will be a tough out this weekend. With Oletti patrolling left and Doran dealing on the mound, the Billy Goat defense will ensure they’re in every game. If they’re bats get hot they could easily rekindle the same magic which led them to Migley in their infamous 2018 run.
One of the biggest wildcards in this year’s tournament is Will Waves. Although this will be the Pennsylvania natives’ first action at The Championship, they have a plethora of wiffleball experience. Will Waves is made up of players from the Wiff is Life League; a medium-speed pitch league who is a big player at the National Wiffleball League Tournament. Under the same name, Will Waves won the NWLA tournament back in 2018. This rendition of Will Waves is composed of four players all who played major roles in their 2018 fast-pitch tournament victory. League commissioner Jake Davey leads this squad into The Championship fresh off a Wiff is Life League season which saw him finish second in the league in both AVG and HRs. Alongside him will be power hitter Nate Morris and two aces in Steeve Keelon and Austin Berger. It may take a few pool play games for this experienced group to get the hang of The Championship’s style of wiffleball, but come Sunday this is not a squad I would want to see on my side of the bracket.
Maple City Magic Purple is filled with experienced slow-pitchers very familiar with Sunday success at The Championship. Led by ace George Stainko, MC Purple found themselves playing at Migley the same year as the ‘Goats in 2018, albeit on opposite sides of the bracket. Although a third place finish is nothing to scoff at, this year’s team looks quite different than that of a few years ago. George is joined by a number of solid athletes such as Mike Wagner and Cody Van. Add in the big bats of Bo Hofstra and Josh Ruiz can hit their stride by Sunday morning however, and MC Purple could be in for another deep run.
Wrapping up the Luther Division are two teams no stranger to The Championship. Both Beef Barn and the Lil’ Saints are long-time competitors in the tournament and will be no pushovers. Although Beef Barn has had the more recent success of the two, both veteran squads will be ready to pounce on a Sunday spot should the top three teams in the pool underestimate them.
Ryans Division
Granger Panthers
8th Appearance
Record: 40-8
Division Titles:6
Playoff Appearances:7
Hometown Cup Finals:2
Championships: 1 (2019)
Cubs Love Sox
1st Appearance
Diamond Kings
2nd Appearance
Record: 2-3
Playoff Appearances: 1
Large Wallace and his Squad
2nd Appearance
Record: 1-3
OTF
4th Appearance
Record: 6-9
Playoff Appearances: 2
Sunday locks: Granger Panthers
On the bubble: OTF
Best shot at Migley:
Player to Watch: P Griffin Smith (Granger Panthers)
Serge Division
Big Ern’s
7th Appearance
Record: 1-23
Chicago Handshakes
1st Appearance in 2021
Godfathers
7th Appearance
Record: 18-15
Playoff Appearances: 5
Grandmother’s Quilt
6th Appearance
Record: 27-8
Division Titles:4
Playoff Appearances: 5
Hometown Cup Finals: 2
Remember the Tight Ones
1st Appearance in 2021
Sunday locks: Grandmother’s Quilt
On the bubble: Godfathers, Remember the Tight Ones
Best shot at Migley: Grandmother’s Quilt
Player to Watch: Ryan “Rhino” Warmouth
Shail Division
GP Black
3rd Appearance
Record: 11-3
Division Titles: 1
Playoff Appearances: 2
Egg
3rd Appearance
Record: 6-5
Playoff Appearances: 2
Gashouse Gorillas
5th Appearance
Record: 5-13
Playoff Appearances: 2
Homerun or Bust
7th Appearance
Record: 30-9 (.769)
Division Titles: 4
Playoff Appearances: 6
YOLO
1st Appearance
Sunday locks: GP Black
On the bubble: HR or Bust,
Best shot at Migley: GP Black
Player to Watch: Daivyn Davis (GP Black)
Soos Division
Team Combat
4th Appearance
Record: 15-4
Division Titles: 2
Playoff Appearances: 3
MO-Wiff Miracle
1st Appearance
Magic Panthers
1st Appearance in 2021
Febreeze Brothers
2nd Appearance
Record: 2-3
Playoff Appearances: 1
ELITE 260
1st Appearance
Sunday locks: Grandmother’s Quilt
On the bubble: Outlaws, Zone 3 Cyclones, Red White and Booze
Best shot at Migley: Grandmother’s Quilt