Helen Hawkinson won the top Class A Snowshoes Division in the Snowshoe Open last Saturday at the Becker Courts.

Hawkinson finished 5-2 winning the third game over second place finisher, Tom Prokop of White Bear Lake, 35-19. Hawkinson hit the stake at 70% ringers for the top game of the day. She started pitching softball in the fifth grade at Forest Lake and then became the pitcher in high school. She took up horseshoe pitching later and has become one of the top women pitchers in Minnesota. She finished the seven games with a 57.14%.

Prokop finished 4.5 -2.5 on 53.57%. Third place went to Mark Smith of Darwin with a 50.36%.

In the Class B Blizzard Division, the women pitched well again with Marlys Timm winning all seven games and a 46.07 ringer percentage. Sarah Nelson of Cambridge and Tim Brigner of Pierz finished 5-2 with Sarah taking second place on the tie-breaker.

Dale Novotny of Plymouth won all seven of his games to capture the Class C Flurries Division. Dale hit the stakes at 23.7%, Second place was a tie between Becker’s Dennis Barut and another gal, Carolyn Brigner of Pierz with 5-2 records. Barut, a good worker with the Becker American Legion, won the tie-breaker for second place.

Mark Smith, Class A pitcher from Darwin, built a nice, heated four-court horseshoe facility in Darwin that is currently being used. 

Becker will have their next tournament on Feb. 15 with the Legion serving lunch on the last Saturday for $8.