Patti Binkoski, Financial Solutions, and Bruce Bartelt in Round 1 of the Rock Paper Scissors Tournament.

Sara Keck, Financial Solutions, and Bruce Bartelt in Round 2 of Rock Paper Scissors.

Joele Cook and Sara Keck, Financial Solutions, with our own Dale Brown, as referee.

Steve Borgwardt, Brown and Martin, and Patti Binkoski, Financial Solutions, in Round One of Rock Paper Scissors.

Bonk Captures Third Rock Paper Scissors Championship 
May 6, 2011

The seventh annual B&M Rock, Paper, Scissors (RPS) Tournament attracted the largest field in tournament history and produced the tournament’s first three-time winner. Leslie Bonk came back from a 3 to 0 deficit in the championship round against Joele Cook to win 4 to 3.

Bonk easily cruised to the semi finals along with another past champion, Bruce Bartelt. Cook’s journey to the semi finals was a more difficult one. After the preliminary rounds that included participants Patti Binkoski, Ken Stuckert and Mark Bonady, she found herself tied with first time player Sara Keck and past champions Steve Borgwardt and Leanne Bennett. Bennett, playing in her third RPS tournament, often seemed to baffle her opponents with her celebrated strategy of “not having a strategy.” But the pressure of a tie-breaker was too much for Keck and Bennett who were eliminated by Cook and Borgwardt. (Note: this contest also had some of the best food served at the Margarita bar, with Keck’s homemade salsa and Cook’s hot and fresh quesadillas.)

This was the first time Borgwardt was able to make it to the semi-finals since 2007 when he eventually won the crown with masterful throws. But that mastery has eluded him in recent years and although there were glimpses of it this year, Borgwardt demonstrated that he has not regained his championship form as he and Bartelt were no match for the experience of Bonk and the seemingly inconsistent tactics of Cook. Both Borgwardt and Bartelt were retired to the Margarita bar.

With a height advantage and momentum on her side, Cook began the final round with skill and confidence … throwing three consecutive winners against Bonk. No one had come back from a 3-0 deficit in the history of the B&M tournament. But Bonk seemed to refocus and fought her way through several ties to eventually equal Cook’s three winning throws.  Then with a brilliant “scissors” against Cook’s “paper,” Bonk captured the championship.

For the third time in seven years Bonk place her signature on the coveted B&M RPS trophy. “Leanne has always been a tough opponent for me,” said Bonk. “Once I got past her I thought I may have a chance at the overall win. But Joele totally got me out of my game in the finals. I was lucky to be able to come back for the win.”

Bonk was presented with the coveted B&M RPS trophy.