
Sandy was returning as 2 Time Defending National Cricket Champion trying to tie the legendary Marilyn Popp as the only female to win 3 straight Cricket Championships. Sandy drew, what some coined as "the bracket of Death" with Cali West, Bette Cunningham, Marlise Kiel and Renee Ripol. She dropped 2 legs to Cali but went on to sweep the rest of her games and win her bracket to advance to the Knockout Round where she met fellow K-Girl and 3 Time Cricket Champion Paula Murphy. Paula came out on top 3-0 leaving Sandy with a Top 8 finish.
Friday was the 501 Nationals and Sandy was certainly happy to be competing again after missing so many of the events at the previous location due to family scheduling conflicts. Taking full advantage of the change she again won her bracket and advanced through the knockout rounds beating Mary Margaret Satterfield 3-0 and K-Girl Stacey Pace 4-2 to reach the Finals and a rematch against Paula. It seems strange to say think that you could win a National Championship while laboring so much with your throw, but that's exactly what she did. Far from her best form, she claimed her first ADO 501 National Championship with a 5-2 victory. It is the 4th National Championship of her career.
The issues with her throw continued throughout the Las Vegas Open where she teamed with Mary Margaret to finish Top 8 in Cricket Doubles losing to the talented Cali West and Robin Curry. They met the same team in 501 Doubles and bowed out in the first round. She teamed with Connley Litton and Robbie Phillips in Mixed Triples and with Robbie in Mixed Doubles finishing Top 8 in both events. In Singles she struggled with her outs and finished Top 16 in 501 and earned Top 4 in Cricket Singles losing to Paula in the Semi-Finals.
So a busy January comes to an end and another season is underway. So much of Sandy's success lies in the great products by her amazing sponsors in Winmau, L-Style Global, Flying Bull Darts and Dutchman Darts.