Last Saturday after a pot luck dinner, the Santiago Horseshoe Club finished their season-ending double-elimination tournament.

Two teams were 3-0 and two teams were 2-1. 

In the first round, the two undefeated teams played with Russ Girtz and Don Caseman, winning over Steve Hemish and Gary Spoden.

Among the 2-1 teams, Brian Wipper and Ron Ruch defeated Anthony Stack of Becker and his partner, so they finished fourth. Brian and Roto went on to play Steve and Gary, each team with one loss. Steve and Gary came through with a win to move on to the championship game against undefeated Russ and Don. Brian and Ron finished in third. Russ and Don won by 20 points to capture the double-elimination tournament. Steve and Gary finished in second.

Russ Girtz, who lives near Monticello in Big Lake Twp., has put his name in to run for president of the Minnesota Horseshoe Club for the next year at the state tournament on Labor Day weekend. Russ has been very active working with the Santiago Horseshoe Club and also with the Becker Club that has been going for 10 years.

The 12-week Santiago league was won by Scott and Troy Alickson. They are sons of Rich Alickson. Finishing in second, one game off the pace was Dennis Baruit and George Peterson, both of Becker. Brian Wipper and Jerry Rajkowski took third and Lefty Kleis — former Becker Mayor — and Wayne Johnson rounded out the money winners in fourth place.

Jim Aleckson of Becker, who helped start the league back in 1990 and has pitched in all 35 years, had to drop out after the seventh week. He has been bothered by a right knee for almost two years. It buckled (the knee) on him coming to his front steps on July 2 and he banged up his right knee and hit the edge of the top step just above his eye.