Bocce On – Yountville June 5, 2025
Bocce: Slow and Fast
It was week five of the bocce season, and attendance was high, which required two rounds of play for each of the three games played. It seems it’s always your team that doesn’t get called to play. Instead, you sit and watch the others, hoping to hear your name next. The waiting time is slow.
On Monday night, the Holkos were waiting and waiting to play their first and second games. Luckily, the wait did not affect them as they won their first two matches. They were immediately called to play their third and were headed home in less than 15 minutes. The fastest game that night! What happened? They were blanked by the father-daughter team of Giulio and Rosella Giuliani, who both rolled bellringers, ending play in record time.
Congratulations to Rosella on her first bellringer! Andrea and Joe Holko were stunned. They packed up Teddy and headed home to nurse their wounds. Don’t worry, they will be back again next week!
Sandy Fagan and Violet Hover had a great night, winning all three of their games. Nancy Caldwell and Charles Burke were off by just one point. In addition to Rosella’s inaugural bellringer, Charles Burke, Mario Pirondini, Joe Holko, Mike Murrell and Lilette Taylor all rolled bellringers. Giulio Giuliani celebrated 2 bellringers!
Wednesday night had 12 teams in attendance and lots of high scoring matches. Lisa and Robbie Whitham and Don Olvarado and Carol Shirmang ended with 24 points. Paula and John Simi were close behind with 23 points. Marianne and Jim Lyon scored 22 points. Phil and Lori Wright finished with 20 points. Don Olvarado, Carol Shirmang and Kathy Phillips all rolled bellringers.
Stella Williams and Mike Muters came to play on Thursday night, winning all three of their matches with the score of 8-1. Jim and Dawn Conley ended the night with 22 points. Kim Richard and Jeff Brown were close behind with 21 points. Dawn Conley, Kim Richard, Jeff Hartung, Chris Hartung, Danny Brown, Mike Muters and Stella Williams all rolled bellringers.
Week six started with 15 teams on Monday night. Sandy Fagan and Violet Hover continued their streak with 24 points. Nadine Monroe and Lilette Tyler and Carol Thistlewaite and Kathy Ainsworth also had great nights, winning all of their respective matches. Sharron O’Neill and Priscilla Hegner were close behind with 23 points. Joe and Andrea Holko and Gary Grant and Debbie Stack ended their nights with 21 points. The bell was rung for Debbie Stack, Sharron O’Neill, Carol Thistlewaite, Mike Murrell, Charles Burke and Nadine Monroe, who all rolled bellringers during play. A small squirrel was watching us play from a tree on Monday night. More on that later.
Wednesday night play was dominated by the teams of Don Olvarado and Carol Shirmang and Guido Muratori and Robin McKee-Cant, who won all three of their games. Paula and John Simi were, again, close behind with 23 points. Lisa and Robbie Whitham ended with 22 points.
Terry Bremer rolled her first bellringer of the season. Carol Shirmang, Lisa Whitham, Marco Wright and Keith Thomas also rolled bellringers. No mention of a squirrel on Wednesday.
Thursday night fielded 11 teams, with Kim Richard and Jeff Brown and Stella Williams and Mike Muters winning all of their games. Bob and Renee Garske ended the night with 21 points. Stella Williams, Mike Muters, Ernie Cabral and Jeff Brown all celebrated bellringers.
Rita Simke and Rob Stout reported an interested squirrel on Thursday night, stating, “During play, he started watching Court 4, then moved over to observe players on Court 3! He almost got hit by a red ball on Court 2, so hustled a tad faster over to Court 1! But, never with any urgency.” They’ve decided to name him Pallino. Keep an eye out next week, players. If he wants to join, he’ll have to sign the waiver and pay his dues!
Memorial Day Monday is not an official Yountville Bocce Club playing day, but about 20 Monday team players and their spouses and friends gathered for a holiday BBQ and non- official bocce play. No scores were kept, but a few non-official bellringers were rolled (by visiting friends!).
Wednesday night had nine teams in attendance. Carol Shirmang and Don Olvarado continued their perfect play, winning a total of four games as they played one extra to help Steve Rogers and Marco Wright get their third game completed. Unfortunately, they only get to count three games, so add another 24 points for Carol and Don! Lisa and Robbie Whitham also had a great night, winning all three of their matches. Paula and John Simi were close behind with 22 points. Paula celebrated her first bellringer! Also rolling bellringers were Phil Wright, Steve Rogers and Don Olvarado, who had two bellringers during play.
Thursday night had a great turnout with 12 teams in play. Gregg and Robin Beach and Tom and Elaine Scarlett won all of their games. Jeff and Chris Hartung finished with 21 points. Rob Stout and Rita Simke ended with 19 points. Dana Dellascio and Fred Espinoza tried playing some defensive moves in their first two games with no luck. But Dana scored her first bellringer in their third game and they got the win! Boy Howdy! Thursday night had a total of nine bellringers, which could be a record. In addition to Dana, congratulations to Mark Fogelman, Elaine Scarlett, Danny Brown, Bob Garske, Chris Hartung, Mike Muters, and both Gregg and Robin Beach!
Looking for all the bocce stats? They are posted at the bocce shed every week.
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