Four tie for top prize in bracket contest

    None of the four winners in this year’s Imperial Republican Final Four bracketology contest picked Baylor as their national champion.
    If they had, they would have kept the $400 prize money in Imperial Chamber Bucks all to themselves.
    Three of this year’s winners, Jenna Schultz, Tyler Pribbeno and Madelyn Clermont, all picked Gonzaga to win it all. The fourth, Tracy Pribbeno, chose Michigan.
    All four of the winners finished with 37 correct picks in this year’s contest. That compares to 47 correct picks in the 2019 contest.
    Attribute that to some bracket-busting wins by Oral Roberts, Oregon State, Syracuse and UCLA in the first two rounds.
    While three of the four bowed out, UCLA came all the way from the play-in games to the Final Four. Save for a miraculous three-point bank shot at the buzzer in overtime by Gonzaga and they would have found themselves in the championship game against Baylor.
    Perhaps that game took too much out of Gonzaga because they found themselves playing catch-up the whole game to Baylor, who dominated in the 86-70 win.  
    Results of the contest were delayed to this week in order to complete a double-check of all the brackets, which ultimately revealed the four-way tie.
    Final standings of this year’s contest, along with the sponsors who made it possible, are as follows:
Finals standings: Jenna Schultz, 37; Tyler Pribbeno, 37; Madelyn Clermont, 37; Tracy Pribbeno, 37;  Chris Lee, 36; Gene Heathers, 36; Nate Vitosh, 36; Doug Pribbeno, 36; Penny Strand, 36; Chad Ostmeyer,  35; Chandra Thayer, 35; Ethan Clermont, 35; Jo Leyland, 35; Brian Lee, 35; Donita Pribbeno, 35; Donna Werkele, 34; Joe Borowski, 34; Alex Strand, 34; Leslie Chavez, 33; Tino Chavez, 33; Tricia Moreno, 31; Brian Carman, 31;  Chance Thayer, 31; Nathan Borowski, 29; Zariah Carman 27.    
Sponsors: 509 Broadway; Adams Bank & Trust, Member FDIC; Adams Lumber; Beverage Barn; Chase County Community Hospital; Einspahr Construction; Enders Lake Golf Course; Frenchman Valley Coop; Grosch Irrigation; HFC Egress Windows, HomeTown Agency; Imperial Country Ford; Imperial Manor, Parkview Heights; Imperial Republican.
    Imperial Yost Farm Supply; Johnston Real Estate; Pinnacle Bank, Member FDIC; Pivot Electric; Pizza Hut; Platinum T-Shirts & Embroidery; Simon Bros Roofing; State Farm Insurance - Linda Maiden; Trinidad Benham; Trustpoint Insurance; Wauneta Crossroads; Waypoint Bank.