MARYSVILLE, WA – The Lakewood Croquet Club’s (LCC) annual single elimination, match-play tournament (where competitors battle in one-on-one matches in a nine-player “bracket”), saw the crowning of its third different winner in three years, as current LCC Singles and Doubles Champion “Mr. Fantastic” Kevin Sutton added to his trophy case, eliminating Nikki Gepner in the finals to capture his first “Champion of Freedom” title.

Sutton also notched victories over Kristina Johnston and the other half of the Gepner tandem, “The Franchise” en route to the final round.

The opening round proved to be the most eventful in the tournament’s short history, as a number of top competitors bowed out early. Last year’s winner, “King of Qualifying” Tom Carmony, was ousted in his opening match by Nikki Gepner. The 2006 winner, Jenn Farrell, saw the same fate, as she was eliminated by Jeff Gepner. Perhaps the biggest upset of the opening matches saw former Champions Cup winner Mr. Brian S. Johnston III downed by his sister-in-law, Angela, in only her second LCC match.

The victory gave Sutton four of the five LCC “Major” championships: The LCC Championship (from winning last September’s Champions Cup XII), the Poison Championship (from August 2007’s Poison IV), the LCC Doubles Championship (from June’s Coleman Challenge) and now the Championship of Freedom from the Independence Invitational.

2008 Independence Invitational Results

Qualifying Round
Nikki Gepner d. Dianne Learned

Opening Round
“Mr. Fantastic” Kevin Sutton d. Kristina Johnston
“The Franchise” Jeff Gepner d. Jenn Farrell
Angela ??? d. Mr. Brian S. Johnston III
Nikki Gepner d. “King of Qualifying” Tom Carmony

Semi-Finals
“Mr. Fantastic” Kevin Sutton d. “The Franchise” Jeff Gepner
Nikki Gepner d. Angela

Championship Final
“Mr. Fantastic” Kevin Sutton d. Nikki Gepner

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