1st Annual Mid-Lake Challenge

December 14, 2018
Rochester, NY
by Fritz Odenbach

In the 1st annual Mid-Lake Challenge, Shadow Lake Golf and Racquet Club challenged Midtown Athletic Club for Rochester bragging rights. It was truly a memorable day with lots of fun and competitive play. More than 60 players competed in both men's and women's matches as well as mixed and even singles play. Both teams filled their rosters with a mixture of A,B and C level players. Shadow Lake captain, Mandy Odenbach Newell, revealed her lineup that morning to the "underdog" Midtown Team, led by captain Hillarie Parrinello..

The matches were two out of three sets with a tiebreaker played in lieu of a third set. A point was awarded for each set won. On paper, Shadow Lake was a stronger team, but when the going got tough, Midtown got going. An amazing 15 matches went to a third set tiebreaker, and Midtown ran away with a 13-2 record in those pressure packed tiebreakers. Final score of the day: Midtown 45 and Shadow Lake 38. The fans could tell that Midtown players were not expecting to win by the way they were obnoxious winners and taunted the dejected Shadow Lake Team. Shadow Lake Hut Assistant Coach Fritz Odenbach was immediately fired from his position and is now looking for a new job.

Lessons learned:
-Shadow Lake sucks at tiebreakers and needs tiebreaker lessons.
-Both teams need new team uniforms (both teams were not creative, wearing all black).
-Midtown women ruled the courts.

Shadow Lake has officially challenged Midtown for a spring 2019 beat down.