There is an old lawn game that’s taking the region by storm. The concept is rather simple. Players take turns throwing bags full of corn. One in the hole secures three points, while a bag on the board gets one. Play continues until a team or player reaches the magic score of 21. Some call it Dummy or Bags. Others refer to it as Bango. The locals call it Cornhole.

I’ve been playing off and on since I was a youngster. Nothing competitive. Mostly for fun. I’ve thrown a few bags at Beaver Stadium, and my lovely bride and I are usually early exits in the furious mixed couple competitions in the 17728. I would say that I am a decent player, but my game is absolutely nothing compared to one of my friends.

Heath Heller is the man when it comes to Cornhole. He is very modest, but this guy can certainly throw. Heath plays in a few major competitions throughout the summer. At one time, he was even the fifth-ranked player in Pennsylvania. Heath loves the game, and he recently started a small gig called BACKYARD BOARDS and MORE. He builds beautiful custom boards and hosts several leagues and tournaments.

“Cornhole is trending,” Heath explained. “It’s the perfect pastime for all ages. I’ve seen it grow from something we played as kids in the backyard, to major competitive tournaments through the nation. You will even find some of the larger events now on ESPN.”

Matches are played with two sets of different bags, two platforms, and two to four players. The American Cornhole Organization Official Cornhole Rules call for double-seamed fabric bags measuring six by six inches and weighing up to 16 ounces. Bags should be filled with dried corn kernels.

The cornhole boards are two by four feet with a six-inch hole centered nine inches from the top. Each certified board is angled with the top edge of the playing surface 12 inches above the ground. A regular court places the holes 33 feet apart, or 27 feet between the bottoms. Need a board? I will let Heath know.

Cornhole can be played as either doubles or singles. In doubles play, four players split into two teams. One member pitches from one platform and the other throws from the other. The first side of players alternate pitching until both players have thrown all four of their bags, then the players pitching from the opposing board alternate in the same manner.

Cornhole matches are broken down into innings, and each player throws four bags per. A cancellation scoring method is typically used to determine a winner. In the most common version, the total score for each team is totaled after every inning, and the difference of the two is awarded to the team with the higher score. For example, if one team lands two bags in the hole and one on the board for seven points, and the other team lands one bag in the hole and two on the board for five points, five points from the round would cancel out, and the first team would score two points. A cornhole match is played until the first player or team reaches 21 points. The winning team does not need to win by two or more points in most games. Make sense?

Heath and BACKWOODS BOARDS have hosted many fundraising events through throwing bags. His lovely daughter, Delaney, has been battling cancer since she was a kid. She has a great smile and is an inspiration to many. Delaney is an amazing young lady and has defied all odds. Perhaps that’s another story for a different time. She is an exceptionally sweet kid and is an expert at cornholing for a cause.

“My family and I always try to give back whenever we can.” Heath continued. “Hosting tournaments is something we do to help raise funds. Obviously, we have a special place for many worthy causes including the Ronald McDonald House.”

Join Heath and me for a very special Cornhole Tournament at Pier 87 on Saturday, July 21st. Bags fly at noon, and all proceeds go directly to the Ronald McDonald House of Danville. Registration is $50 per team, and there will be two separate brackets — Competitive and Social. Only 32 teams per each division, so get on the horn. Register by reaching out to Ginnetta Reed at 570-271-7937/glreed@rmhdanville.com or call the Pier at 570-435-0290.

Each player will receive a custom t-shirt and lunch. Tons of raffles, door prizes, 50/50 drawings and much more. Booze is available for purchase. Several sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please reach out Ginnetta for more information. Should be a most excellent time. Cheers.