1st Bryan Benwitz rose to the top of the weekly standings with a 3-1 +497 record and a stingy 339 per-game average for his opponents. A 504-368 win over Helen Flores was a nice way to start the evening, and his bingo list had a bit of flair to it with a nine-letter NEMATODES (to go with the more mundane METERING and LEAFIEST). Sadly, in the next game, Bryan would run into the commonly-encountered obstacle named Andy Bohnsack, and that was where Bryan picked up his only loss of the evening, 396-419. It was a totally different story against Richard Lauder, as Bryan got his second exactly-600-points game of the year, winning 600-239 thanks to bingos of EXPIRING, PYRITISE, and FLINTED. Strangely, that 600-pointer wasn't even the highest game of the night, as Andy had a 616 in a separate game (buoyed by AGONISED for 149), good for highest score this year. Bryan concluded his evening with a less bombastic 354-331 victory against Dave Kinzer.

2nd Thomas Reinke went 3-1 +326 with a sizzling 475 per-game average. He scored very close to that average with a 474-362 win against Steve Hartsman in round one, finding TRUEBRED and DANCIEST to Steve's DATELESS. Thomas was (deservedly, some might argue) smothered by bingos in round two as he lost 437-461 to Charles Reinke; his valiant NOVATING was no match for ISOGONY, RECOILER, UNITEDLY, and AVIATES from his opponent. A later rematch saw the tables turned, as Thomas had five fully vengeful bingos (EXHORTED, TAPIOCA, FOOTLES, SNOUTING, RESILES) to Charles' meager REBELLED in a 532-430 win. Thomas also beat Dave Kinzer 457-321 to add to his win total.

3rd Steve Hartsman overcame early adversity to finish 3-1 +95 and snag third place by forty spread points. That alluded-to adversity was a 362-474 loss to Thomas Reinke which put Steve in a sizable hole early. However, he climbed right out of that hole with a 451-324 triumph over Helen Flores, with a 104-point PESKIER being his single, albeit potent, bingo (Helen had TANGIEST). Steve's success continued as he found PINNULA and DEMOTES while beating Sara McLaughlin 409-346. Squaring off against Andy Bohnsack in round four, with a middling-to-moderate amount of glory at stake for both sides, Steve managed to seize the means of bingo production, holding Andy to zero bingos (a rarity) while getting three himself: ARIETTES, HEEDING, and TEASING. The result was a closer-than-perhaps-expected 423-406 win.

Dave's 101-point LEATHERY, which also won him some prize money, was word of the week.

Experts
Bryan Benwitz3-1 +497
Thomas Reinke3-1 +326
Steve Hartsman3-1 +95
Charles Reinke3-1 +55
Andy Bohnsack2-2 +278
Helen Flores2-2 -96
Richard Lauder2-2 -251
David Kinzer1-3 -81
Sara McLaughlin1-3 -400
Dora Kilburn0-4 -423
Intermediates

 
NameWin% W   L  T  Avg  Opp Avg Bingos  Avg Phonies % v2
Experts
Thomas Reinke70.41526404493975092.365711.230
Charles Reinke671467204493985062.325310.527
Bryan Benwitz66.41256314363733892.0692.30
Andy Bohnsack61.6955914183863122.01103.211
Steve Hartsman56.3534114063881571.65106.43
Lynda Finn52.9746603893862011.444211
Randall 5011029737410.5000
Mary Parrish5022035340451.25000
Richard Lauder47.7727913783982401.58166.70
Dennis Lloyd45587103703971701.3274.16
James Rollins40.517250360383431.02370
Carol Ormand4010150320370160.64000
Mark Kenas39.1548404294512822.0462223
David Kinzer36.938650359388760.7445.30
Ron Malzer36.416280354414420.9524.80
Sara McLaughlin355610403563981300.8132.30
Chloe 33.312027839500000
Ed Nawrocki306140362383241.214.20
Helen Flores29.4409603494051150.8554.30
Kelsey Stanczak15.4211026139730.23000
Nalina Cherr9.1110026640230.27000
Dora Kilburn8.72210300390160.7000
Beth Amos004030939410.25000
Jordan Barger001031446211000
Lesley Salas004029639810.25000
Buffy Hogan004033542310.25000
Ryan Adams004032138900000
Kimberly 001026236600000
Jessica Pasch002029634700000
Alison Jennings003022032600000
Intermediates

Bingos
Thomas Reinke10TRUEBRED DANCIEST NOVATING NARRATED ONERIEST EXHORTED TAPIOCA FOOTLES SNOUTING RESILES
Bryan Benwitz9METERING NEMATODES LEAFIEST DUPERIES TAVERNAS EXPIRING PYRITISE FLINTED GRIEVING
Charles Reinke9STRIATA CONGEALS ISOGONY RECOILER UNITEDLY AVIATES HOSPICE REAVERS REBELLED
Richard Lauder9RERISEN FRANTIC GOATEES RAISERS TREENAIL BLINDEST SINCERE makeout glueish
Andy Bohnsack8ANDIRONS ANTERIOR AGONISED MILKIER RACIEST TOLUENE LIMPETS TEDIOUS
Steve Hartsman7DATELESS PESKIER PINNULA DEMOTES ARIETTES HEEDING TEASING
Helen Flores5BUILDING TANGIEST RARITIES INTONES SINGLES
Dora Kilburn3RENOVATE ELOPERS INNINGS
David Kinzer2LEATHERY SNOUTIER
Sara McLaughlin1OUTSEES
31-Dec: NO SCRABBLE CLUB ON NEW YEARS EVE7-Jan: Scrabble at Covenant Church14-Jan: Scrabble at Covenant Church21-Jan: Scrabble at Misty Mountain Games