2002 Tri-State

[Steve Moneypenny]

Well, the match is more than half way over. There were quite a few improvments form last year, like the end of day stats, which i is good, but i'm not sure how well i like it.

I shot in Production B Class. Had a great time, a lot of good/great stages, very challenging. I don't feel that i shot well at all, way too many misses.

So how did everyone else do?

[Chriss Grube]

It was a good match. I shot ok had a few stages I'd like to shoot over but it looks like the ones I screwed up on got 95% of the shooters. It was a dot match. I wouldn't have wanted to shoot that with irons. I took my time on the first stage and got a good one under my belt, unlike the A8 match where I started out 55 points in the hole. I ran it at about 85% and seemed to finish pretty good. I was 6th overall after the first 2 days. The vendor tables were a little, ok a lot thin. Only one vendor selling glasses and flashlights. The caterer was supposed to be there for breakfast but wasn't. We ended up running back to town to grab breakfast. Overall it was a good match. The round counts are high (most ran 30+). Good balance of hosing and longer shots. It is a new match administration from previous years. I think they made a couple mistakes that will be corrected from the experience. Ron Rodgers did a great job for first time out as MD of a big match.

[Steve Moneypenny]

your definitley right chris, lot of big stages definitley a Race gun match, even open gunners usually had one reload per stage only one stage with a manditory reload.

The range staff did an excellent job. i am anxious for results. i can definitley tell they are getting a good reputation the match is growing.

[vluc]

Results are up..the Enosverse was well represented and did quite fine.  Mtrout40 and Dowter were there (shoot with them regularly), I met Flex and Steve Anderson, Chris Grubbe, Smoney I've shot with before in IDPA, and today I ran into Bseevers and 3quartertime.  If others were there, i aplogize as i did not get a chance to meet you.

166 total shooters, 66 Limited, 23 L-10, 56 Open, 19 Production and 2 revolver.  Not bad in an Open style match.  Mtrout40 won HOA and Limited, Flex took A Limited, Smoney B Production.

For those of you that have not met some of these folks, Flex and Smoney are big, grain-fed folks.  I lost Flex twice yesterday (don't ask me how) and was unable to fill him and the 2 Steves with some of Latrobe's finest product.  Ah well, there's always next week.

Hats off to both Mtrout40 and Dowter.  Both worked the match with poor Dowter having to do some major running all day over at the wall.  Congrats to Matt for winning.  Now about those lessons.....

(Edited by vluc at 6:29 am on Sep. 23, 2002)

(Edited by vluc at 6:30 am on Sep. 23, 2002)

[Flexmoney]

Vince,  I don't know how we lost you after the match...sorry about that.  (We were in slow-motion by that point)

We did find 3qt and BillS and the local pub.  I hope that shot OK after we keep them out late.

I didn't see Chris anywhere.

I tanked a couple of stages (usually when 3qt and Bill came to watch...I am trying to find a way to blame them.  I am sure they will remind me to shut-up and use my front sight).

The RO's were pretty darn good.  There were a few times taht we had to remind some that a bullet just has to touch the line, not break it.  Over all, they did a great job...and we were pushing them quite a bit.

(More later...I haven't seen results yet.)

[Steve Moneypenny]

I headed home, don't drink, so unless their finest was water.....

vince, more info.... any idea on when results will be posted for us non sunday evening atendee's ... or what awards looked like.

[vluc]

hehe...Latrobe has two fine products...besides Rolling Rock there is Lenature Pastuerized water....

Results are up on the USPSA website under matches.  Some of the results are garbled because of the new software they are running.  had i known that I would have written the results...they were posted at the club around 5:00 or so.

Awards are plaques and/or trophies...they will be mailed as they are putting names on them.  They go to Division Winners, High Lady, High Senior, High Super Senior and High Junior.  One award for every five competitors in a class.  Both mailed out after the match.

[BSeevers]

I got to meet many more BE people. It was a great match, very challenging and was run so fast I felt like I was on a conveyer belt. 5 on my squad so we were loading, shooting or pasting, not sitting, for 6 hours. 3 of us won an award!! It had a lot of rounds and was difficult. I helped Kyle win by pretending I was watching him. My performance was unbelieveable. I crashed early in the match, 3 or 4 misses, 1 no shoot and a LEFT target and still won A??

I had some of the most fun I have ever had at a match. The only negative was the food situation, especially breakfast or lack of after was announced that there would be. Good job Kyle and Steven.

(Edited by BSeevers at 8:02 am on Sep. 23, 2002)

(Edited by BSeevers at 9:06 am on Sep. 23, 2002)

[Bill Schwab]

How did I miss this match?  Where was it advertised????  I did nothing all weekend, I could have easily made it to the match!!!!

[Steve Moneypenny]

It was in frontsight and on the USPSA website.

[Flexmoney]

Bill Schwab,

THE Ohio Section match is this weekend...just so you know.  

-------------

Back to the Tri-State...

Real tough match on the Lim10 and Production guys, I think.  The stages were complex...really tight on time in the walk-thru(s).  Some of the stages weren't by the book (more than 8 from a shooting position, for example).  There were some stages where you had to run by targets...but, I don't think I would call them 180 traps.  Those are the only things I can think to work on..oh, and the food.  That could use some improvement.

Good staff.  Well run.

Our crew had a great time.  Glad we got to meet so many people.

We almost had to meet the AAA folks...when we came out after the shooter's meeting and our gear was locked in the car...with the keys.

The staff worked hard to help us make the right calls...then SMoney's dad did some voo-doo majic and we were in...but running pretty late.  Our first stage was Stage 1...couldn't be farther away.  They had a shuttle running and took us right there once we got our gear.  Once we got there, all flustered, Steve A. realized that he didn't have his needed shooter's packet, so he stayed in the shuttle and went back for it.  Once he returned and the shuttle left...he realized that his gear was still in the back of the shuttle.  Another trip.  Tough start!!!  

Overall...a great experience.

(3qt, how did you like it?)

(Edited by Flexmoney at 2:40 pm on Sep. 23, 2002)

[MTrout40]

Hi all!!

  First I would like to thank you all for the nice remarks, and for coming out and shooting with us.  I hope you all had a good time.

 As for the food, those of you that have shot our matches before know the food was one of the best parts of our match.  I don't know what happened this year (I heard rumors but I won't start spreading them here) but be assured that sad display of catering will not happen again.  Sorry if it inconvenienced any of you.

  As for results, I will also have them posted on East Huntindon PSA's web site (listed below) including an overall final and stage sheet (which USPSA does not have).  I'm not sure how they are going to do the awards, but I won HOA with combined divisions.  So that would give me the HOA award, Kevin Dale the High limited spot and David Olhasso the High Open.  I'll keep you posted on the awards when I hear more.

Thanks again!!

Matt

http://www.geocites.com/ehpsa  

[Flexmoney]

Matt,

Way to go!  You dominated that match.  Cool that you will be posting the combined overall.  It's always nice to see how that shakes out too.

[BamBam]

I liked the stages this year (but then again I had an Open gun).   The "Tail Gunner" stage was a cool and different stage unlike anythign I had ever done before.  And my first time going against a texas star.  Tough 11 stage match to test everythign you can muster.  The only improvements would be a little more Limited/production friendly, better food available before during and after the match, maybe a vendor with the parts we all need and count on at a major match, and clear notice that our slots were locked in prior to the match.  All easy to fix, and the facilities/bays at East Huntington are excellent!!   My wife won high lady so I am eager to see how impressive the trophy is at a $75 "trophy only" match.  I know a few years back they were super impressive!!

[3quartertime]

First thanks to all the folks that ran the match.  It was my first big one and it was by far the funnest time I've had playing the game!!!

Ramble alert code orange!!!  As a confessed compulsive rambler I apologise for the preceding long post.  But in my defense 'this' time I have something really cool to ramble about.

What a trememdous experience!!!  The team ancient guys are the greatest.  I've never met any face to face before but was warmly welcomed by one and all.  I got to talk to all the previous mentioned except for Chris Grube and MTrout40.  I heard Chris was there on Sat. but we just didn't run into each other.  I didn't meet MTrout40 because I'm such a newbie I didn't know who he was!!!  Just by luck stage 8 was my best one.  Maybe being RO'ed by a GM helps !!!  

I got the honor of watching Flex, Steve A. and Smoney shoot.  THAT was cool.  Those guys are real students of the game and boy can they shoot!!!  Flex and Smoney are big guys that move real smooth.  Steve A. is,,,well I've got one question,  'Is that your real voice or are you just messing with us!!!'

I couldn't have picked a better squad to shoot on.  B 'tripletap' Seevers, Bam Bam,  his wife Lorie and John Sears.  WOW!!!  What a great bunch of folks to spend the day shooting with.  It was fast paced but we made the decision to go at our own speed.  The benefit of squading with great shooters.  BSeevers and Bam Bam are great guys and really fun to watch shoot.  Lorie is the best lady shooter I've seen.  John shot better than his class too.  No surprise the awards will have most of my squads names on them!!!  

The match through my eyes was fun but really,  really challenging.  I tanked four stages pretty bad but shot my skill level on the other seven.  I would have liked to have done much better but I learned too much to feel bad about my performance.  I agree that it was more of an open gun friendly set-up.  But a limited gun won it,  so...  I would have really loved to see MTrout40 shoot the match.  I can't imagine shooting a limited gun as fast or faster than the guys on my squad.  Unbelievable!!!   Matt is a young guy that you would expect to meet at any college or something.  Too unreal that he is that good so fast.  Like I said I wish I would have know who he was,  it would have been cool to say I met him.  I'm sure I'll be reading his book or buying his tapes some day soon!!!  The other impressive young fella is Brian Balsley.  I don't know if he's a forum member but if he isn't could one of you guys tell him he should wait untill he's old enough to get a drivers license before he starts blasting by all those A's, M's and GM's!!!  ( sorry but he looked just a few years older than my kids!!!)  LOOK OUT IPSC!!!  I have zero complaints about the match.  

On the personal side it was a 6 and a half hour drive for me and every second was worth it.  BSeevers allowed me to ride with him for most of it, ( except for the times he made me walk!!!) and kind of buddy up with him during the match,  I feel like I made a new IPSC friend.  When he gives you advise he knows what he's talking about!!!  I suggest you all book a 'car-ride-training-discussion'  soon before his rates go up.  I think it cost me lunch and a beer or two!!!  But it was priceless.  Thanks Bill.  Flex is the type guy you would expect to see at the sports bar rooting for his buckeyes.  Who would guess a guy that beefy could move so quick.   His girlfriend Jennifer is a good shooter also,  from what I saw she outshot me,  but than most did so,,,  How cool is it to find a girl that likes IPSC!!!   Don't know yet.   Steve A.  is probably the most intense guy I met.  I must have ask him 100 times how he classified the first time in 'A'.  I think I got him all situated about which gun to shoot though.   Lucky I set him straight before he takes that Berretta out to the national and whips everyone!!! Boy would that be embarrassing!!!  LOL   Noisy bars really play hell with my failing hearing,  thanks for putting up with me fellas.  Flex and Steve,  my memory is just about as bad as my hearing.  I don't remember the name of the fella with you guys.  If hes not a forum member tell him I enjoyed meeting him also!!!

Overall I learned way more than I thought I would,  met a bunch of guys ( and girls) that impressed me with their character and openess and had a weekend I will be talking about for months.

P.S.  I do have one complaint.  I think I was the only member of team ancient wearing 'The Shirt'.   What's up with dat!!!

     

[Steve Moneypenny]

well, i was never given one... i'm also kind of honor bound to wear my company logo, my boss can be mean (read headeded mom/military vet).

next, i (moneypenny) had a really messed up voice because of the cold....

anderson, he needed to take a major chill pill. but was having a bad day. i think kyle was having the best day on our squad, i rarely get D hits, but that day, i had 11 misses. which was horrid compared to my normal performance.

[Flexmoney]

hey...those drop-out targets were cool.

I don't see them on GT Targets website though???

If you haven't seen them...the target starts out hidden by a No-Shoot.  Once you hit the activator, the target comes out like a normal swinger, then one of the weights falls off...so the tagets doesn't keep swinging.  It comes to rest (immediately) at about a 20% angle, such that around two inches on the A/B zone stick out to the side of the No-Shoot.  (meaning it doesn't disappear and needs to be engaged)

Running through the stages in my head...I don't feel that there were any shots I couldn't make with a Limited gun.  Shooting Limited10 might have reduced the choices and forced tougher shots...shooting Minor in Production would be even tougher.

[vluc]

You all need to come to EH and shoot more often...we see a lot of this all the time!!  Matt Trout has a devious mind when it comes to stage design, as do Ron Rodgers and watch out for Bill Warble!!  And when it comes to adding steel to a match, Fred, Dave, Larry and the Brookville folks have no equal.  And watching matt shoot is something else...heck, watch him when he shoots IDPA...get a free lesson everytime!

Surprisingly, i was not at all intimidated by the match...was what I've come to expect from this excellent club, and me a production shooter to boot.  Just shoot the best you can and let it all work out.  i was surprised to find myself up there with the production shooters...not that i shot better than most, just made fewer errors.  Only 3 or 4 mikes the whole match, and ended 8th out of the 18 production shooters...shot well above my class...or they shot well below theirs!!  If they give awards for top D shooter, i'll gladly accept it!  (Hmm...more names getting added to the results...)

Darn, another member of the enosverse there...Bam Bam, sorry i did not know...maybe next time!

(Edited by vluc at 9:39 pm on Sep. 23, 2002)

[BSeevers]

You are welcome James. Wow, what a compliment. It was free advice, you volunteered lunch. I am never one to turn it down though

Twix likes to call you the eternal newbie but remember that you showed me something I missed completely on a stage. You shot a good match for a newbie. I think we will see more of you especially at the winners circle.

I really had a good time. Especially BS'ing at the bar.

smoney you have to buy them at this website. Blatent plug for BE

I didn't wear mine as I was trying to intimidate Bam Bam with my Race outfit.

[Steve Anderson]

Well, here are the lessons learned...

This was my first major match, and I learned plenty.

1. When anyone says, "don't lock it, the keys are in there," extract the keys from the vehicle personally, then lock the vehicle personally. I hold no one responsible, but this should not have happened. What i was most upset about was the fact that I felt so good pulling into the lot that day. We ate at Bob Evans and I couldn't stop smiling that morning wanting to get out there so bad.  Then the f'ing keys...

2. When you get your sh#t together, find a way to put the problems behind you.

I had to load mags during the walk thru, dope while pasting, and generally play catch up. I could have asked for more time, but I had already caused enough problems for my squad. Flex told it right, I had to go to the clubhouse twice in 10 minutes. Shoulda used smoney's gun...but in the second stage, I stared at the flowers for a few minutes to try to relax and did...but at the expense of doping time.

3. Tailgunner really bummed me out. I started out fine, calling hits and getting them, but due to the narrow opening, I couldn't tell that the rounds were hitting the wood on the way out. after, the ro told that one eye closed was the way to go. That stage was a confidence blow I didn't need.

(what I needed was shooter girl telling me "there is only the shooting and you know how to shoot.&quot

4.  Dry fire can only take you so far, and cannot replace live fire. I had to fire a mgr. and run a store myself for two weeks right after a week on the beach in florida, and thus had no real trigger time except for club matches in those three weeks. I could have MADE time, but I thought that my dry fire would suffice. wrong.

5. Lunch Breaks are cleansing. I ate with vluc and his crew and wasn't real sociable, but got calmed down OK and shot much better after lunch.

6. Thanks to "Uncle" Bill Seevers. I shot the last half of the match with him and 3qtr cheerleading and he answered every question I had. I still see more shooting problems than movement possibilities and Bill has the experience to reassure my ideas.

7. After this pressure cooker of a match, I'll always have a funny story and will be able to think that no matter what else goes wrong at a match it won't be as bad as TS02.

A question for some vets...were those stages more or less difficult than a typical major match?

3qtr...Intense? Yeah. you gotta P the E. There are no limits except the ones you impose on yourself. I hope I didn't bring you down with my explanation of my

motivation, but you did keep asking me!

Moneypenny: Chill pill is right. I set high standards for myself, and mikes and no shoots are not in my plans. I enjoyed shooting with you, and will try to get some tactical green mags!

Flex: Thanks for everything, except the cat footprints on my hood. Soon as we swap strengths and weaknesses we'll truly be the new L/E.

SA

[MTrout40]

3quartertime:   sorry I missed ya!!!  I'm glad to see you had a great time at your first "big one"!  Now that we have you hooked on championships, I'm sure we'll get to meet at another one.  Be sure to drop me your real name so I can look our for you.  I really only got to meet Kyle(flexmoney), and that was only because vluc was standing right next to me and mentioned BE.com  Hopefully I will get to meet some more members at the Ohio match.

Mr. Anderson, I would say the TS02 match was slightly on the difficult side, but not as hard as some I've been to.  Major matches are generally more difficult than monthly club matches, at least in my area.  TS01 was a hoser match...almost no no-shoots or hard cover, and everything was fairly close.  

In my opinion, if the TS02 had 7 more stages that were similar to the 11 they had, it would have made a better nationals than this years.  The stages at the nationals were straight forward with all but one having only one way to shoot them. (which was the only one I won because the Super Squad all shot it wrong! lol)  Not much thinking involved.  I think that's what made TS02 so great...there were a bunch of ways to shoot almost every stage.  Shooting AND thinking...scary huh..lol

vluc... I don't know about "a devious mind"...maybe a little twisted!!  Keep in mind though, my stage gave you much more to shoot at when the targets were "at rest"!!  

See yall in Ohio!!!

Matt

[Steve Anderson]

Matt, any word on the side match? I felt like I had one good run in production...

SA

[Dowter]

That was a fun if not a tiring match.  I shot Friday with the ROs and Sponsors and it was almost getting dark by the time we were finished.  When you have a squad of 5 (1RO 1Shooter 1Clipboard 1Guy-on-Deck) things slow down in the pasting department.  

Vluc - Remember to be careful when you run right, especially if you are going to reload while running right.

BTW- I didn't run all day.  My RO squad did a nice job of rotating between Timer, Clipboard and Benchwarming.  My hat is off the Kim Diorisio and Justin Vegso who were great to RO with -  and to Stan Penkala, Ray Jordan, Scott Boor and George Fennell who were great to shoot with.  George Fennell is the guy behind FP-10, the oil that everybody (including Brian Enos)gives rave reviews about.  If you're looking for a top notch oil check out his website - http://www.fp10.com

My only true complaint was the food - rather uninspired stuff but others have brought it up so I'll leave it alone.

My minor complaint is that we didn't have any weak hand stuff.  I didn't even notice this til after the match.  But I'm probably the only one that wanted it since I practice it a lot.

Overall though the match was just as good (if not better) than the the Area 8 which was also a fantastic match.

[vluc]

Dowter...it is engraved in my mind!!  Will run l to r (preferably), but if I don't, will be much more mindful as I do not want to hear that yell again!

Matt...remember...lavender pasters if you have a car as hard cover....and I think the target absorbed any grease....

[Dowter]

Doh!

I meant "Remember to be careful when you run LEFT".

The right handed shooters deciding to run left when they could just as easily run right worried me but everyone ended up being safe.  I had no DQs and only 1 procedural.