Don Uhing and Scott Spencer are proven contenders after the first summer of Lakeland cornhole competition, but Zane, 21, and Zach Kern, 18, had targets on their backs May 28.
The brothers looked the part of favorites, wearing matching pinstripe baseball jerseys for the lawn game league where participants throw 16-ounce bags of corn kernels at raised platforms, aiming for the 3-point hole in a race to 21.
There are other front-runners, though, too.
One duo claimed to be the “guys that beat the White Sox over there,” teasingly referencing the Kerns, while others were still looking forward to challenging the upstart brothers.
“We'll see what we can do tonight,” Gary Sharp said.
Lakeland cornhole Fridays began last summer with 34 teams of two participating in the lake community south of Blair. Carie Miller had the idea and made plans for the league, and it was formed as COVID-19 paused most other organized summer pastimes.
With youth sports and family activities returning this summer, there's about 10 fewer teams, but still plenty of enthusiasm toward play. Laurie Kern said 10 boards are usually active with matchups starting at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. each week — a schedule built by Miller.
“It's a great way to get to know your neighbors,” Kern explained. “Have fun. Talk to each other.”
This year, the community is also introducing food trucks to the Friday events. Lakeland folks and their children munched on hot dogs May 28.
“Usually, even after the games, we'll all stand around and talk,” Kern said. “Get to know each other even more.”
While friendships have grown through cornhole, play can still come down to flat-out competition. Zane and Zach Kern said there's good reason all the other pairings seem to want to beat them this year.
“Because we're the best team in the league,” Zane said. “We're not here just to take part, we're here to take over in the wise words of Conor McGregor.”
Zach couldn't have said it better himself.
“Yeah,” he said. “We're going to win.”
