2021 ACL World Championships Preview: Singles
The biggest event of the year is finally upon us….yes the World Championships! For some, this event is an opportunity to solidify their rankings, while others will desperately try to improve their standings in order to avoid the gauntlet that will be the pro qualifier. By now we have seen enough from players to have a good idea of what we “should expect”….but in this game, anyone, at any time, could go on a run!
This event reminds me of a quote I used to use when coaching a High School Rugby team before State or National tournaments:
“Champions know success is inevitable. They know the best way to forecast the future is to create it.”
With that being said, lets jump in and break down each of the four brackets!
Bracket A:
Top Left:
There is a shining star of the singles season thus far. A man who is widely recognized as the most down to earth players in the game. He puts bags in the hole and even recently displayed his version of a cut shot….Daymon Dennis. I mean at this point, how can you bet against the guy. All year we kept waiting for him to come back to earth and join us mere mortals. The only player to finish top 5 in all 4 National events this year….I won’t be the one to pick against him. He doesn’t have the easiest of roads. I see him having to face the winner of Phillip Haydon and Michal Lucas Jr to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.
Duncan Clemmer has had a very solid rookie season coming in at a 9 seed. I see him battling his way past Hunter Yaklin and Scott Schultz (although Schultz can be nasty at times). Unfortunately for Clemmer, he has one of the hottest players in the game in his sub section….*enter* Dave Sutton. Sutton has been on a tear recently and is finding his groove at the perfect time. Ultimately Sutton faces off against DD in the quarterfinals
Bottom Left:
Jimmy McGuffin is sitting at a 4 seed. It shouldn’t be suprising…but this season, it did surprise me to see him sitting this high. I guess we have been spoiled in recent years by epic McGuffin matches, but he is about as steady as they come. The ACL’s darling at the moment, Kamryn Belvin is looking to add to her already impressive resume by putting together another strong run. I think she will be challenged by Young Gun from Colorado, Tae Harris, who has all the shots. I’m calling an upset, Harris over Belvin in a close one…but ultimately, McGuffin finds a way to win this sub section.
As a fan of the game I really like this section. I am hoping we all get spoiled and see a match between Mike Harvey and Justin Lang. Both players are crazy talented…Lang tends to be more steady…Bu I think Harvey has the type of game where he could win a National….It’s not easy path for either player though. Don’t be surprised if Lang or Harvey gets “upset” and loses to Leslie McIver or Derrick Mentzer. The former, McIver, needs a solid finish in singles to solidify his pro status for next year…could added motivation be enough to carry him passed Lang?? Time will tell. When it is all said and done..I am going with Harvey vs McGuffin in the quarterfinals
Top Right:
Devon Harbaugh has turned a corner this year. He went from top 25 player who had potential to a player you could win any event he attends. His game looks polished this year and despite him not liking to show up for podcast interviews, I have been impressed with his performance and love his game. I see him facing off against the winner of Sarah Cassidy and Storm Hogg. Cassidy has been solid all year and Hogg has consistently put himself in the mix. Give me Harbaugh over Hogg
Tony Smith is the main attraction in the sub section. He has been susceptible to early losses in singles, but this time singles isn’t being played in the morning. An afternoon start I think does wonders for Tony and he stays the course. A sneaky good first round match-up is Sam Finley vs Kyle Hutley. Either player could give Jordan Kimbrell (is anyone having a quieter successful season than Kimbrell?!?!?) an epic match. Everytime I pick Finley to make a splash, she trips up. So reverse psychology…Hutley sneaks passed Finley and upsets Kimbrell to face off against Smith. We get the match we all want in the quarterfinals…Harbaugh vs Smith
Bottom Right:
I think it’s time for Jay Rubin to go on a run. He was tripped up early by Kid Wonder at the last National..but I like his draw and this is a business trip for the man who has the best follow through in the game. I’d love to watch a match between Doss and Searle..both who I think would give Rubin a match, but when it’s said and done, I am going with Air Rubin.
This sub section is sneaky good. You have the big Names like Hissner and Sims, but could we see Langworthy rekindle memories of 2017?? Aj Sims will have his hands full as Jordan Langworthy has been getting better all year. Ultimately, I think everyone in the subsection is playing for 2nd best as its late in the year and Adam Hissner just doesn’t seem to lose late in the year. Hissner vs Rubin in the quarterfinals
Quarterfinals:
Daymon Dennis over Dave Sutton
Mike Harvey over Jimmy McGuffin
Tony Smith over Devon Harbaugh
Adam Hissner over Jay Rubin
Bracket B:
Top Left:
In non-round limited events, robots tend to do pretty well. Trey Burchfield has been ridiculous this season in singles. Don’t get me wrong, he has had a few hiccups, but there aren’t many players who would be looking forward to playing Burchfield early on. A potential match-up between Glen “Bones” Gundle and Bill Hadley could be a marathon match. While I think both players are very talented, I don’t see either player outlasting Trey. Burchfield cruises in his best draw of the year.
Matthew Morton has the talent to win a National…we have all seen it….just not recently. I really want an opportunity to watch him play live. The few matches I have seen recently, it looks like the young gun has added a few shots to the arsenal…perhaps this has caused mechanics issues? Who knows…but the kid is crazy talented. One guy who will give absolutely ZERO f@#ks about how good Morton can be is Rookie Keith Perry. Perry has been very solid for his first year and I think a match between he a nd Morton could be a great one to watch. Leston Allen is just so tough to predict. Could he strut in and win the whole damn thing?? Absolutely. Has he been playing enough to be that sharp? There lies the question. I think his talent carries him passed Michael Grube, who has also had a very solid season. Give me Perry vs Allen in a match to see who earns the right to play the Robot in the Quarterfinals
Bottom Left:
Eric Anderson is the big name of this sub section. A big Advantage he has?? Two of the better players he could potentially face, Chad “the Athlete” Braun or Jacob Beamer…Anderson has faced a million times. I think he is set up for a deep run with a solid draw.
Jamie Hudson in a potential Match between Scott Eberly would be entertaining to watch. Hudson has silently had another solid year. Mike Ferreira has burst onto the scene this year and has solidified himself as a top 25 pro. I do think he runs into trouble though as Andreu Labrador has played well lately. The winner of this match takes on Hudson. I had spoken in my last article about betting on singles and trusting what we have seen thus far…I am going against my gut here and following my own advice…Mfer vs Anderson in the quarterfinals
Top Right:
Bernacet has arguably had the most successful rookie season to date. A player who, when gets hot, seems unbeatable. My insider sources tell me the boards are playing ridiculously fast…..Bernacet has a need for speed. These conditions could be setting him up for a big weekend. Josh Groce seems like he has had tough draw after tough draw all season. His second round match vs the winner of Stranger or Habbiban is no easy task. I think Stranger squeaks passed Haseem, but Groce is a bit too polished for Stranger. Board conditions are just too perfect for Bernacet and he slides his way into the quarterfinals
Call me crazy…but it is the world championships and it just seems fitting that Frank Modlin goes on a deep run. I think Mr. Game Changer, patent and all, cruises to a match-up against Greg Geary. Geary just seems to be a bit off to me this season. Now he is a 10 seed..I get it..he is having a solid season. I just consider him a top 25 player. Gimme Modlin vs Bernacet in the quarterfinals in a marathon match
Bottom Right:
The ladies of the cornhole kingdom are praying for a Ryan Smith vs Eric Ryder showdown. Absolutely ZERO sleeves will be worn..and every day is upper body day. Ryan Smith has been getting better every National…and that is SCARY. A match I desperately want to see is Tyler Parent vs Jordan Power. I think each of them has the talent to be a top 15 player next year. An early win over top competition could be the boost either one needs to go on a run. Power has been playing better as of late..give me Power to face Smith.
They don’t call him Big Game James for nothing. It’s the end of the year…World Championships…and that means James Baldwin will be at his best. Despite a talented subsection, I think he emerges near the top when all is said and done. Don’t be shocked if you see OG cornhole “playa” Chuckie Love give Noah Wooten a match (even beat him). In the end, give me a locked in Baldwin vs Power in the quarterfinals.
Quaterfinals:
Trey Burchfield over Leston Allen
Eric Anderson over Mike Ferriera
Frank Modlin over Steven Bernacet
James Baldwin over Jordan Power
Bracket C:
Top Left:
In a previous article I wrote, I discussed solid bets to make when making choices in Singles. Besides Daymon Dennis, the safest bet to make this year?? Cody Henderson. Henderson has yet to win an event, but has finished top 5 in 3 of 4 nationals this year…it’s impressive. I think his biggest hurdle early on is a second round match vs Kaylee Hunter. Hunter just seems primed for a big upset….but again, I am following my own advice and not trusting my gut. Henderson wins over Hunter and Mike Jacques (also crazy talented and underrated) to earn a quarterfinal spot.
Timmy Jonas needs a solid singles finish to avoid having to go play in the pro qualifier. His road isn’t easy. A great match to watch would be Jonas vs Brevon Valdivia. I give the nod to Valdivia as he has made deep runs twice this season, but don’t be surprised if you see the Tik Tok master sneak in. I love my Bags Board back pack…and seriously if you do not own one, it’s a must buy. That being said, Nic Feinstein has the unfortunate luck of playing Cheyenne Renner in the first round. Renner is a straight assassin. The only female player to be ranked in the top 10 of PPR….she is scary good. I think Renner vs Valdivia, in a showdown of Ultra Bags, is inevitable.
Bottom Left:
Jordan Camba is having an excellent season. Up until the last national, you could have made an argument for him as MVP…..but he was ultimately left off the ballot. Does this give him a little added motivation?? For me it would, but we will see. If he locks in, I think he handles his sub section, but will have a tough match between the winner of Jon Kitchen and Doug Zaft.
Eddie Grinderslev has been getting hot in singles at the right time. He hasn’t gotten over the hump quite yet, but when he isn’t under the bright lights…he is an assassin. In all honesty, the only player I see who could potentially challenge Eddie is good ole Bob Vonch. Could Bob brighten up his white New Balance shoes and cause some problems?!?! Yep! But I just don’t see it happening. Grinderselv vs Camba in the best Quarterfinal match-up
Top Right:
It only seems fitting that Matt Guy make a deep run at the final National event of the year. I think this is the best draw he has had all year. If he can avoid fatigue, I think we see the GOAT make an epic run. Mr Cornhole Science, Anthony Ayon, has a tough draw having Matthew Sorrells in the first round. I think Sorrells vs David Morse would be a fun one to watch. Morse has been playing solid and I think he earns a spot to play Matt Guy in this sub section final.
Jay Corley is quietly having a great season. Coming in as a 10 seed I think he has the game to cruise to an eventual match-up against the tough Corey Morrison (another very underrated player). Morrison has won these matches before, but I will give the nod to Corley here. Matt Guy vs Corley in the quarterfinals
Bottom Right:
Of course Bret Guy would be on the same side of the bracket as his dad. Bret Guy, unlike his dad, has a tough sub section, in my humble opinion. It is loaded with young talent that doesn’t give a shit who they play. Nate Stevens vs Logan Virgilio is a solid first round match. If you look at rankings, you’d think I was crazy, but Logan is a rookie, and has had tough draws in singles. I’ve seen enough of his game to know he has the skills to be a polished player…eventually. Right now I think Stevens is a bit more polished and faces off against a young gun, Tyler Cobb, who I have been singing praises for all year. Tyler Cobb made his splash on the broadcast when paired with Harbaugh in the pro shootout. If he plays with confidence, I think he plays Bret guy in the sub section final. The problem is, Bret Guy is really, really good.
Kevin Allen burst onto the scene recently with his win on a broadcast over Ryan Windsor. A contrast of styles, I think a match between he and Hunter Thorne would be fun to watch. Hunter has the flash, but if Allen is locked in he is a tough out. Ultimately, the rising start that is Jimmy Youmans sneaks passed his opponents and sets up an epic battle against Bret Guy in the quarterfinals
Quarterfinals:
Cody Henderson over Cheyenne Renner
Jordan Camba over Eddie Grinderslev
Matt Guy over Jay Corley
Bret Guy over Jimmy Youmans
Bracket D:
Top Left:
Ryan Windsor sitting at the number 1 seed for this bracket just feels right. There are a few names like Ricky Gonzalez and Eric Stowe who could present some issues, but when it comes down to it…Windsor is playing like Windsor again. Enough said
Dillon Turpin is a name I have mentioned a bunch recently as he has been playing well as of late. If Jay Dotson gets off to a better start, that match could be one to watch..but which Jay-Bird will show up? A sneaky good opening round game, if you threw away current rankings, is Scott Lane vs Danel Ressureccion. Lane has been playing well recently, but Danel has the ability to play with the best. When all is said and done, I firmly believe Jamie Graham is standing. Graham, coming off a dominant 2020 season, has been somewhat lackluster in singles. He looks like his is spinning the bag again and throwing confidently. I am predicting the match I want to see (hopefully we get to call…make sure to check out the K9 unit court on facebook as the Big Asp boys will be commentating the D bracket in Singles and Doubles) windsor vs Graham in the quarterfinals. Ok ok I know..shameless plug…lets continue.
Bottom Left:
I look at this sub section and I see 4 names that I think could come out and make it to the quarterfinals. Allen Rockwell has been solid in singles all season…is he healthy enough to make a deep run? Dusty Thompson has had a solid doubles season with Jordan Kimbrell, but can he do enough solo to get passed Rockwell? Jeremy Schermerhorn is battling a shoulder injury, but has that blue collar “grinder” mentality. I think a match between he and Brandon Jones would be a good one to watch. When the dust settles, I think Brandon Jones is out there trying to prove he belongs in the conversation. I’ll pick him to get passed Rockwell.
Tyler Poythress reminded people how good he can be at National number 1, but since that time has taken a back seat. He recently announced he will be stepping away from the game after this season. Could he make one last deep run?? Absolutely. Ashton Speas will be tough for Poythress to get passed. Speas seems to be playing very well recently. Ultimately, Erick Davis is just standing there (with that awkward teenage posture) waiting to dominate. Erick Davis meets Jones in the quarterfinals.
Top Right:
The man that doesn’t seem to age, Isidro Herrera, is lurking as the number 2 seed. I see him making his way to the sub section final where he faces the winner of Tom Gustafson vs Peter Zazueta jr. I really want to see this match. Another powerhouse Ultra Bags match-up of two players who I think are on the rise going into next season as singles players. I am going to give the nod to Gustafson this time. Isidro is just so damn consistent…but I don’t like to be boring, so Gustafson pulls out the “upset” and advances to the quarterfinals.
Kaleb Batson is perhaps a year away from being really really scary. Don’t get me wrong, the kid is phenomenal right now and is learning to play a smarter game. His biggest competition is most likely Kyle Malone (although Maya Cupp could get hot). Batson has just been consistently finding ways to solid finishes. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Malone make a deep run through the losers bracket. But Give me a Batson/Gustafson quarterfinal
Bottom Right:
If you have followed along with my previews, or perhaps tuned into the Big Asp Cornhole Podcast before, there is a very good chance you have heard me mention the name Matthew Stout. I really like his draw coming in as the third seed. He has been knocking on the door all season and is the type of player that can be down 10-12 points in a match and turn it around like nothing. If Derrick King plays like THE Derrick King, then we could have one epic 2nd round match. Jeff Reynolds pauses from making bags just long enough to make the trip. He faces off against Danny Seals in a match where getting a word in will be difficult. Reynolds vs Stout just seems right.
This sub section is a bit of a toss-up for me. Vince Pacione has silently had a very solid season. His first round match vs Len Hiatt should be a good one. Len’s ranking has more to do with him missing National events than his actual performance (or lack thereof) on the boards. The winner of that match most likely plays Michael Dinges who is consistently overlooked. Give me Dinges vs James Washington in this sub section final. Stout vs Dinges in the quarterfinals
Quartefinals:
Ryan Windsor over Jamie Graham
Erick Davis over Brandon Jones
Kaleb Batson over Tom Gustafson
Matthew Stout over Michael Dinges
Semi Finals:
Bracket A:
-Daymon Dennis over Mike Harvey
-Adam Hissner over Tony Smith
Bracket B:
-Trey Burchfield over Eric Anderson
-James Baldwin over Frank Modlin
Bracket C:
-Jordan Camba over Cody Henderson
-Matt guy over Bret Guy
Bracket D:
-Ryan Windsor over Erick Davis
-Mattew Stout over Kaleb Batson
Bracket Winners:
Bracket A: Daymon Dennis
Bracket B: James Baldwin
Bracket C: Matt Guy
Bracket D: Ryan Windsor
So there you have it! If you made it this far I thank you for reading and applaud your dedication! I look forward to watching as many of these matches as I can live! If you are down at Rock Hill stop on by and say hi!
As Always, I hope you throw it straight and it’s nothing but four baggers from here on out!
-Sean
