Fall 2021 — Week One
That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the deathbed whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
—Billy Shakes ‘Sonnet 73’
The return of the Fall Pétanque League marks our one year anniversary at the Carreau Club and we are so psyched to be back on the courts tossing some boules for our 4th league season. We are thrilled to have an incredible group of rookies on both Monday and Tuesday and we are especially honored to see so many familiar faces back again to compete for a little slice of pétanque glory. There is definitely some serious talent in the league this season and we can’t wait to break out the hoodies and the sweaters for some Fall hangs and stiff competition.
As the days will be getting shorter, so too is the Fall season an all-too-brief blaze of glory before a grey and pétanque-less winter. Which means this league is of all the more significance. There will be no re-dos, no do-overs, no chance for redemption until the warmer winds of Spring set upon us. And this season’s victors will claim final bragging rights for the year and rest easy in the off months while their victims replay all the blunders and could-have-beens, missed shots and wasted last chances.
The Carreau Club will be back in the Spring for some more league action and rest assured that this will indeed be the last winter in Brooklyn without pétanque. But, as we approach this final hiatus, know that each challenge, each match, and each boule in this Fall League matters. It could spell the difference between a cozy winter by the fire, bourbon in hand, trophy on the mantle and, well, a slightly less cozy version with a sad, empty mantle. So, now is the time to remove any speck of doubt you may have, step in the circle and leave it all out on the courts! Allez baby!
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Things got off to a great start on Monday. Our returning players scoped out the large incoming class of rookies as our coaches gave some quick tutorials on technique and strategy. A few whispers could be heard among the Monday night regulars as they began to recognize that more than a few of the ‘new’ players appeared to know their way around a pétanque court. The League Commissioner announced the teams for the season and then we were off to the races…
In the first frame, Sacré Boule split two blowout games against Bad Boules. Last season’s Rookie of the Year, Adrian, didn’t skip a beat, teaming up with Dana and newcomer Olivier H. to deliver a 10-0 shutout. On the other side of the courts, the rookies from a team without a name led by coach Anna and returning star Steph dropped the hammer on the Boule$hit Artists with two breezy victories.
In the second frame, Sacré Boule took two from the Boule$hit Artists. Mike G., last Fall’s Rookie of the Year came our of retirement and his presence has already been felt on the courts. Meanwhile, Deacon was on point for his team while newcomer Anne-Sophie made a solid first impression. The holy rollers went 3-1 for the evening and look like a team to beat this season. Meanwhile, it seems like the BSAs aren’t going to be able to bluff their way on to the trophy. They better straighten up and fly right or it’s gonna be a long couple of weeks…
On the far side, our mysterious team of mystery made it a clean sweep of 4-0 for the evening making short work of the Bad Boules crew who will need to be better than bad to climb the standings next week. Newcomer but old pétanque soul Oliver S. had a breakout first night going 2-0 and setting the bar for the individual leaderboard.
MONDAY WEEK ONE RESULTS
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Tuesday Night was a lovefest reunion as the pétanque faithful returned for a third consecutive season of league play, joined by a fresh batch of newbies and some old familiar faces from leagues past. A chorus of boos hung over the crowd as the League Commissioner, by decree, broke up the monopolies that had dominated the boule economy of the Carreau Club landscape. But things lightened up as the teams were announced and new alliances formed for the coming contest. Though a gentle spritz evolved into an irksome drizzle and ended our night early, we were able to sneak in two rounds of play to get the juices flowing.
In the first frame, Spaceboules and Great Boules of Fire worked an even split. Both Alysha and Danya were impressive in their league debuts but the latter pointed near perfectly to score a W alongside veteran Woody. Meanwhile Sophie and Brendan were chomping at the bit after a few weeks off and teamed up to issue an 11-0 shutout. On the other side, the self-appointed Dream Team was a nightmare for the Raging Boules, taking both games in the frame. Derek and Hichem turned it on in a 10-7 victory and in the battle of the 6’s, Kasia laid down the law in a 9-5 win, proving again why she is #1 on the all-time leaderboard with a staggering 23-7 career record. If you see her on the courts, run the other way. She just does not lose!
In the soggy second frame, the Dream Team had to settle for a split. Mark and Trish kept it together for a slim victory but Woody and Max held on to steal a close one for Spaceboules in the final game. On the other side, veteran Kyra was baffled at her handicap despite her standing in the Top 10 on the all-time leaderboard. After a mild protest, she teamed up with David R. to deliver an 11-4 win to confirm all of the above. And, in the first handicap upset of the season, Zach and Anne applied enough pressure to prevail over coach Rafik who was making shots left and right.
The table has been set and the dinner bell has been rung. This is a whole new league and it is anybody’s game. Tune in next week for the first of our team challenges!
