Well congrats again to Pickett and his High Point crew on representing Dallas just a year after Feldman and his Oak Creek team took Dallas to Nationals. So is there a contender to 3 peat?
I am surprised at how poorly the strength has been distributed between the respective flights and definitely brings into question the seeding system used and how teams are allocated to flights. There are 2 “flights of death” and some very good teams that will not see post season play while some weaker squads will be there. Surely the best teams should fight it out for all the glory?
Flight A – the 1st pool of death
Contenders:
Royal Oaks Rothwell – deep and talented but have not replaced the likes of Baker and Feldman at singles. Definitely in the conversation to win the spring but not sectionals and nowhere near where they were last year
Brookhaven Harlee – Ramos is back to partner LaSelle and Todd Bailin is a super player. I think I saw Wittington advertising for P90X or the insanity workout and will be tough on the singles line but that is their weakness unless there is some other ringer to be added
Lifetime Hill – adding Johan and Coach are big for this team and with Featherstone playing great this team is strong at singles but lacks dubs depth.
Garland Sisk – Great singles depth and we know John is good at picking up solid self-rates. These guys are legit and will be tough
Also in the flight:
Hackberry, McKinney, HP/Bazan & Lakes/Petersen
Flight B –
Contenders:
GlenEagles are the team to beat here! Culley & Brown proved themselves in cotton bowl; Brownlee is starting 8 from Picket’s nationals squad
Oak Creek Herget – small but quality roster!
Also in the flight:
Canyon Creek, TBAR/Miller, Collin County, GHill/ Allen, Garland 2/ Sisk
Flight C – Cake flight!
(ridiculous! Only JCC has seen any postseason action. Corey’s team is not the team of last spring so shouldn’t be seeded at all. I don’t understand how this flight was determined?)
Contenders:
JCC – Reiman continues to do great things with this team but they won’t be taking anyone by surprise this year. Shulman is a fantastic player and good captaining got him a 4.5 computer rating for a player clearly with 5.0 level ability
Also in this flight:
El Dorado, LTime/Arcaria, DFW, Garland/ Breukner, Village, Fair Oaks – yes one of these teams will be at the QT……….
Flight D – death flight #2
Contenders:
Brookhaven – Deep and strong roster with some nice additions! Feldman, Billy Roberts, Brandon Myers healthy again, Matt Cecere, Paul duToit! These guys are contenders to beat Royal Oaks at Cities
Lakes/Way – Wow! These guys are strong. Getting back Oberg from 5.0 to partner Pollock and then Welwood and Jannesch drift down from 5.0 and they add Blake Wittacker for Singles depth this team is dangerous!
TBar – perennial contenders
Greenhill – come so close so often and with Griggs back their singles is strong but I suspect will be on the outside looking in again
Also in this flight:
Somabut, LBH, DCC & Oak Creek Myrick
QT: Lakes/ Way, L/Time/ Arcaria, Oak Creek/ Herget, Lifetime/ Hill
Cities: Royal Oaks, Brookhaven/ Bartlett, JCC, GlenEagles & Lakes/ Way (QT winner)
Winner: GlenEagles as an upset pick!!
Early season rankings:
1. Royal Oaks
2. Brookhaven/ Bartlett
3. Lakes/ Way
4. GlenEagles
5. Lifetime/ Hill
6. Brookhaven/ Harlee
7. Garland Sisk 1
8. TBar
9. JCC
10. Oak CReek
11. Greenhill
