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08/01/2022 11:41 AMFor the better half of the past seven decades, the Deep River Horseshoe League (DRHL) has given athletes of all ages from towns across Connecticut an opportunity to get together and compete in the sport of horseshoes. The DRHL is hosting its 67th season this year and, with three weeks to go until the playoffs, Week 13 action in the pits featured some big victories and even bigger record-breaking performances.
Joe Heery, who competes for the Rangers, is the president of the DRHL. Recently, Heery was looking at a league newsletter from 1956, which was shortly after the DRHL was founded. The league had 12 teams back then. Now, the DRHL features 18 teams and has had as many as 20 teams in previous seasons.
With the league’s growth, Heery said that the competition has only gotten stronger. The DRHL features a diverse group of athletes that ranges from new players who are looking to develop their game to older players who have years of experience and are aiming to continue building the horseshoe community. Heery feels that the DRHL is lined up for a heated battle as several teams are striving to make the playoffs heading into the home stretch of the season.
“The competition has gotten tougher. We have several new players that are continuing to develop their game. We’ve got a lot of older players that want to play horseshoes. It’s a good activity to get out and meet people,” Heery said. “It’s a lot more competitive this year. It will be interesting to see how things shake up over the next three weeks and see who makes the playoffs.”
This year, the DRHL has 54 players competing between its 18 teams. Every team is divided into groups of three with each squad featuring one player apiece from the A, B, and C divisions. Players are placed into these divisions based on their average scores. The 18 players with the best averages play in the A Division, the next 18 compete in the B Division, and the next 18 are in the C Division. Every team’s average is no more than two points away from any other team.
On a weekly basis, each matchup in the league consists of six games that are played at the First Congregational Church in Deep River. The A player teams up with the C player, after which the A player competes with the B player, followed by the B player competing with the C player. Then, each group will play once more. In the end, each individual player plays four total games of horseshoes in a given match.
During Week 13 play, members of the DRHL’s A Division accomplished something that had never happened in the league’s 67-year history when three players recorded a series of more than 150 points on the week. Sheryl Serviss, a Deep River resident who plays for the Tigers, posted a score of 157 to lead the pack in the A Division. Clinton resident Mark Goodale, who competes for the Marlins, scored a 155 to place second in the division. Wethersfield resident Mike Didomizio, a member of the Padres, finished with a 153 to take third place and cap off a historic performance among the league’s A Division pitchers on July 25.
“Four weeks in a row, you’re getting people who are getting outstanding scores. Now, we’ve had four people top 150,” said Heery, who lives in Old Lyme. “That’s a first. We have never had anybody do it. That’s tossing some shoes.”
Heery also noted the strong performances of several other members of the A Division throughout the 2022 season. Heery said that standouts such as Old Lyme resident Billy Beckwith of the Red Sox, Westbrook resident Kris Toohey of the Cardinals, and Haddam resident Mike Zanelli, Sr., of the Giants have been turning in some impressive scores all year long.
In Week 13, the DRHL’s A Division throwers averaged a season-high total of 124 points with 16 of the 18 players topping the century mark. At the beginning of the season, the league’s A Division players are averaging about 101 points per week. Heery said that there has been noticeable growth as everyone in the division has made great strides in the pits as the campaign has unfolded.
“The A Division is all your top players. They’ve been around for a while, and some of them have been playing horseshoes for 30 years,” Heery said. “When we started the season, the average was only 101 points. You can see they’ve progressed.”
There were also several B Division players who made their mark during Week 13 play. Jeremy Davis of Chester led the Reds to a 5-1 victory over the Pirates by posting a division-high series of 123 for the week. Dennis Allen of Westbrook finished as the second-best scorer with a 115, helping his Rangers gain a 3-3 split with the first-place White Sox. Ted Dubay of Colchester placed third in the B Division with a series of 113.
For the C Division, Bill Black of Guilford notched the high score on the week with an 85. Toohey and Paul Stevens of Higganum were tied for second place as both players tossed a score of 81.
No matter what division they’re competing in, Heery said that everyone in the league is always looking to improve their game in terms of both mechanics and working on little things such as how the stick is standing. As the league’s teams try to secure the postseason bids, Heery knows that the growth of the players in all three divisions will be prove crucial to any success.
“Some of the B players have really stepped up and had a good season. Jeremy Davis has become one of the top B players. Sheryl Serviss was a C player last year. She’s moved up and has been coming on strong the last couple of weeks,” said Heery. “We’re all competitive, but we’re all trying to improve our game. Little things make a difference.”
The top eight teams in the standings will qualify for the DRHL Playoffs. Following Week 13 action, the White Sox are in first place with their record of 46.5-31.5. The Orioles are in second place with a mark of 45-5-32.5 and are followed by the Giants (45-33), Marlins (44.5-33.5), Royals (42-36), Cardinals (42-36), Pirates (41.5-36.5), and Tigers (41.5-36.5) for the top eight spots. The rest of the standings include the Padres (41-37), Red Sox (39-39), Rangers (38-40), Reds (38-40), Dodgers (37.5-40.5), Cubs (35.5-42.5), Braves (34-44), Yankees (32.5-45.5), Mets (30-48), and Angels (27-51).
The Orioles moved to within a half-game of first place by claiming a 4-2 win over the Dodgers in Week 13. The Giants earned a 4.5-1.5 victory versus the Red Sox to move into third place, becoming the first team to record more than 100 doubles by reaching a total of 106.
There is still potential for plenty of shaking up in the standings as the postseason draws closer. There are several teams vying for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with other clubs trying to make the top eight during the last weeks of the regular season. As the season winds down and victories become pivotal, Heery said that each player on every team must be ready to compete.
“A couple teams have a chance. You can go down to the 14th team in the league,” Heery said. “Of course, you’ve got to come up with some wins. Your supporting cast has to be there.”
When the regular season ends, the DRHL Playoffs will begin with first-round play on Monday, Aug. 22, followed by second-round action on Thursday, Aug. 25. Each of those rounds will consist of a best-of-5 series. The DRHL’s championship match and season-ending picnic will both take place on Sunday, Aug. 28, featuring a best-of-7 series to decide the title.
Heery feels proud about how much the DRHL has grown over the years. The league features talented throwers from a variety of towns, and it means a lot to Heery that everyone has a chance to “throw some shoes” on a nice summer night each week.
“We’ve had some memorable individuals who have played in the league for years and years. They’ve contributed a lot. It tells you that the word gets out there,” said Heery. “We’re from all over. We go all the way to North Branford. We’ve gone to Wethersfield, Middletown. It’s a large diameter.”