WCD SEASON 5 ACTION
Edwards untouchable in stunning event three win - defeating David Beattie in what will surely be remembered as one of the best WCD Finals yet!
Didsbury Saloon, and threatened to best the WCD recorded average record for the first half of the match. Edwards faced off with an in form David Beattie - with both men putting in a quality final. The win shoots Edwards into 7th place on the Order of Merit and it appears he will not stop there. Beattie now puts himself into the 6th position just ahead of Edwards.
Edwards (77.3) vs Beattie (77.1) 8-5
Edwards won the Bull and brought out the heavy artillery in the first leg hitting 140 and 131 to set up 32, holding his throw in 19 darts, he then followed that up in the leg opening 140 and hitting a 177 on his way to a 15 dart break of throw. Beattie then returned the favor the next leg with three ton plus scores on his way to a 14 dart break of throw. Edwards then hit the matches first 180, and checked out tops first time of asking for a 16 dart break. At 3-1 up Edwards was able to hold throw at in 20 darts getting him half way to his first win. Edwards kept it rolling with another set of ton plus scores then checking out 32 on dart number 20. It appeared there was no going back after Edwards held his throw the next leg in 21 darts. But he then seemingly took his foot off the gas for a leg and Beattie won the longest leg of the match making it 6-2 and it was that win that kick started David Beattie as he then threw 5 perfect darts the next leg breaking by hitting double four with dart number 13. Edwards looked to be out of sorts for the next leg but it was Beattie that could not find a double allowing Edwards to make it 7-3. Beattie however was not done yet hitting a beautiful 25,25,tops checkout - leading to yet another Stunning 13 dart leg with Edwards sitting on 58 after 12.
The men traded opening 140's in the next but Edwards hit a second - and when only 100 was the response Edwards hit 95 to leave 81 after 12 darts, eventually taking the match out on double two with dart number 18.
Edwards made his second final after defeating another in form WCD regular in Clay Birse - who appears looks to be ready to storm the order of merit himself after todays performance.
Edwards VS Birse 7-2
Birse started off perfectly with a 180 but was unable to find the form that seen him through his previous match afterwards, although he did take the first leg of this match hitting double one. Edwards then reeled off the next 3 legs before Birse after double trouble took out 60 and made it 3-2, but Edwards scoring was too much knocking in 9 ton plus scores in the next 4 legs and not allowing Birse to throw another double.
Edwards hit the highest average of the day in his Quarter final with a 79.4 average as he blasted through Rey Gumangan 6-2, who had just beat Chris Bovaird 6-3 in the last 16. In his top 16 match Edwards whitewashed George Boyden 6-0.
Beattie VS Galacio 7-3
As for Beattie he put in only a 65 average in his semi final defeat over Richard Galacio - who also looked in good form through the day. Beattie raced to a 2-0 lead before Galacio took out 50 with his third dart to bring it within one. Beattie however took the next three with out much resistance before a two dart 58 finish stopped the rot making it 5-2. The men then traded holds of throw before Beattie wrapped things up with double one.
In the Quarter final Beattie walked through Justin Rorick who had just won through his top 16 match 6-1 over Neil Weston. Battie hit a 67 average in his top 16 whitewash win over youngster Patrick Thorpe.
Birse made his first semi final with a thrilling 6-4 win over 7 time event winner and WCD number three Bill McDowall, after defeating WCD newcomer Eugene Earnshaw 6-2.
Galacio made todays semi final defeating Von Bagni 6-1 in his quarter, Bagni had come through a last leg decider with Jason Thorpe who narrowly was defeated. Galacio brushed aside Keith Johnson 6-1 in his last 16, Johnson had just completed a 6-0 white wash over Lori Earnshaw.
LOGAN 'COWBOY' CROOKS RIDES OFF FROM THE SALOON WITH $250 IN PRIZE MONEY, AND A 6TH WCD TITLE WIN, AFTER A DOMINANT 8-2 VICTORY OVER WCD NEW COMER JIM EDWARDS
The WCD held it's second event of season 5 - and what an event it was, 25 players paid to play and 16 players from that group of took home cash from of the nearly $650 prize pot - with the Winner and 6 time WCD event winner Logan Crooks walking away with $250.00!
That win now puts Crooks back into the number 2 spot on the WCD order of Merit.
This was a difficult room to win in but Crooks played so majestically all day, he appeared to make it seem almost easy, capping things off with an outstanding Final display against Jim Edwards, with a nearly 82 average.
Logan Crooks (81.50) VS Jim Edwards (72.23) 8-2
Everything started right for Edwards who took control of first leg with three ton plus scores before pinning tops for a clinical 17 dart hold of throw, but that seemed to awaken the smooth throwing Crooks as he rattled of some professional looking scoring as he was on a finish after only 9 darts 5 of the remaining 9 legs. Leg 2 Crooks opened with two ton plus scores and checked out 56 defying a 140 from Edwards which left him 32. Crooks then landed the first 180 of the match in Leg three and took out double 10 to take the lead in 18 darts. Leg 4 saw Crooks open with scores of 140, 66, and the second 180 of the match leaving him 115 after 9 darts, pinning tops with dart number 15, and making it 3-1. Edwards opened with 140 on his throw in leg 5, but it was answered with a Crooks 140 and three missed darts with 32 left allowed Crooks to snap up an 85 checkout, for 4-1. Blistering scoring from both men in leg 6 as Crooks opened perfectly with a 174, followed by 140 and 93 to leave only 94 after 9 darts thrown, Edwards too was on a finish after 9 darts as well however leaving 170 after 125,83,123; but again Crooks would hit tops with dart number 15 to make it 5-1. The pair traded 140's again in the next leg but Edwards got what would be his final leg in 18 darts with an 82 finish. In what would be somehow the longest leg of the match, Crooks opened up with back to back 140's and had only 64 left after 12 darts, but a costly error leaving himself 5 allowed Edwards one dart at bull for a 92 finish - which he narrowly missed before Crooks finally hit double 1 to make it 6-2. Back to Back 140's from Edwards was not enough to make up for missed doubles in leg 9, as Crooks was able to steal the leg with dart number 19 - leading to the final, strangest and shortest leg of darts in the match, as after six darts Edwards - scoring with all 6 darts, had only erased 8 points off his score - Crooks however after 6 darts was only 1 dart away from a finish starting 134, and his third 180 - leaving 40 after 12 Crooks hit tops on his first ask for a 13 dart win.
Before that final Crooks found himself against a resurgent Scott Lee in the Semi final.
Logan Crooks (82.20) vs Scott Lee (73.29) 7-0
Logan Crooks took only 20 minutes to perform a whitewash victory over Scott Lee - who showed quite well for himself. The first leg was slow for both players, scores of 140 and 100 did not help Lee stop Crooks holding his throw. Leg two saw Crooks land a 140, and a 126 to set up double 12 leaving Lee just out of reach, Crooks was able to break in 18. Both men found 140's in the next leg but a 133 from Crooks to once again set up double 12 was too much and it was now 3-0. Lee started to find the treble in leg 4 but again a 140 and 135 proved too much allowing Crooks a chance at tops which he took dart number 17. Crooks landed a 180 and 47 out in 15 darts to defy two ton plus scores from Lee who sat on a finish after 12 darts. Crooks then against the throw landed another maximum and took out 60 in two darts for another break in 17 darts. Crooks then at 6-0 opened 100,140, 91 before some wayward darts - still allowing him to pin double 3 with Lee not on a finish.
Crooks ran away with a 6-1 victory over Quarter finalist Carlo Fungo, after starting things off with a cool 6-2 victory over Clay Birse.
Jim Edwards had a tough route to his first final squaring off with Bill McDowall in the semi finals but coming through an exciting last leg decider.
Jim Edwards (67.24) VS Bill McDowall (68.76) 7-6
The match started fairly slowly from both men - but a 180 and 3 for 6 on his doubles allowed Edwards to get a 3-0 lead. Leg four saw the men trade 140's and McDowall added a second and took out 68, letting Edwards know this would not be an easy win. Missed doubles in the next leg however allowed Edwards to make it 4-1, and another rough leg with 8 missed darts at double from McDowall made this 5-1 and was looking bleak for McDowall. Leg 7 saw McDowall find his scoring power with 3 ton plus scores and double 8 for a 17 dart break, he was able to hold throw in the next leg without giving Edwards a shot at double. At 5-3 McDowall blasted in his first 180 followed by a 104 finish for a 15 dart break, leg 10 saw McDowall's second 180, followed by a 123 - leaving 36 after only 12 darts, with McDowall eventually squaring the match on double 2. Leg 11 saw both men squander 9 darts at double before Edwards too the lead again. Leg 12 was the best of the match as McDowall found his scoring boots again hitting three 140's in a row checking out double 18 with dart number 13 to send them into a last leg decider. McDowall's scoring left him and a 140 and 123 from Edwards and a clinical 77 finish was good enough to finally clinch the match.
Quarter Finals: Quarter finalist Carlo Fungo was making his WCD debut and fared well Whitewashing Jeremy Burt 6-0, before an upset win over George Rowland 6-3 before running into a fine form Logan Crooks who finally stopped him 6-1. YC Garcia also made the QF after a solid 6-2 win over Jason Thorpe, he had to play Patrick Thorpe next whom he dispatched 6-1 before running into Bill McDowall whom he pushed but eventually lost 6-4.
A surprise Quarter Finalist in Justin Rorick who made his way there coming from behind to defeat Brent Smyth 6-4, and stunning the four time in a row finalist Woody Cooper 6-2 who was not playing at his best. Rorick then ran into a rival from nearly 20 years ago in Scott Lee who was able to stop his run 6-3. The last quarter Finalist Shane Rattigan blasted through Chris Bovaird 6-1 before running into Jim Edwards in a classic QF match up with Rattigan averaging over 77 to Edwards 70, with 2 180's each. This match ended in a last leg decider as well with Rattigan opening with 177 and leaving a finish after 9 - but he missed 4 match darts - which pounced on hitting 135 while on a bogey 159 - and taking out 24 for the win.