Highland County duo ranked No. 1 in World Rankings

Tossing a canvas bag 27 feet away, with the sole purpose of sinking the bag in the target – a hole sawed into the awaiting board – is more than just a game of cornhole amongst friends on the weekend for Jay Dotson and Brandon Hill.

This Highland County duo is currently ranked No. 1 in the world in the American Cornhole Organization as they are set to play in the ACO World Championships of Cornhole VII this Saturday.

The championship event will take place at Harrah’s Tunica (Miss.) for four days in January where the top players of cornhole will compete in not only the doubles event, but the singles champion will be crowned as well, with Hill currently the No. 5 ranked singles player in the world and Dotson the 21st ranked player.

But the question is, how did each one of these players first get involved with the game?

Hill, who is a 2008 graduate of Whiteoak High School, said he began playing the game while attending a graduation party.

“My uncle (Jack Stagge) is a former champion, and he first got me into it,” Hill said. “I was at a graduation party and began to play and eventually went to a tournament.

“With the success I’ve had, I can honestly say I wouldn’t be a part of a No. 1 ranked team without Jay as my partner.

“I trust Jay with my life. He’s a good friend, a good friend of the family, and he makes it tough on our competitors.”

Dotson, a 1986 graduate of Lynchburg-Clay, also spoke about his start with cornhole and how he teamed up with Hill.

“It was just a campground game,” Dotson said. “I knew the ACO was around, but I worked third shift, but three years ago I started traveling around and playing.

“I went to school with Brandon’s dad (Darin) and we’re friends, but he was partners with his brother, so Brandon and I decided to play as a team and have gone from there.”

The duo haven’t just competed in local gatherings, but have traveled to numerous Midwest states, and in the process have become the top-ranked team.

To get to the top of the ladder, the duo had to win regional and major tournaments, and after each tournament, they earned points.

From there, the top six finishes they had in the regionals count toward their final score with the maximum points earned from the regionals being 150, as the winner of each regional gains 25 points. The points are then added from the majors and the scratch games that each player takes part in.

For Dotson and Hill, of 150 points possible at regionals, they earned 149, winning five times at that level. From there, they’ve earned 50 at the majors and 266 from scratch games for a total of 465 points. The second-place team of Matt and Bret Guy have 464.33. Matt Guy is the No. 1 ranked singles player in the world.

One of their first big-time competitive tournaments was in Georgia, where the duo didn’t combine for their best score but eventually returned and started their current streak of winning – and winning big.

“When we first played in Georgia, we didn’t do very well,” Hill said. “At that event in Georgia, we were really fired up because we knew how good we’ve been playing … but we were too excited and not focused.

“Then we went to Hamilton (Ohio) and played well … actually, Jay shot well, and I shot well enough. In Virginia, we had to play a big-time match, and Jay came alive and was on fire.”

As they travel to Mississippi, Dotson and Hill know what challenges await them at the seventh annual world championship, and history is on the line as well because this was the first year the ACO had a doubles division, where they were the 2012 Team of the Year.

“We know we have a target on our back, but it’s exciting,” Dotson said. “There has been a lot of hard work put into this over the years, and there has been a lot of luck, too.

“You never know what’s going to happen at one of these events because our opponents could shoot lights-out.”

Hill said it’s an honor to be a part of this event and to be ranked No. 1.

“It’s been awesome … to be able to say I’m ranked in the world at something, it’s an honor,” Hill said. “Getting here wasn’t easy – I got more than a few ‘butt-whoopin’s’ when I first started – but it really has been fun.”

As for Hill, being his first full year in the ACO, he’s proved he belongs among the top players in the world with his No. 5 singles ranking.

Hill has compiled 322.33 individual points, as he and two other players all have the same total points. In the individual regional scoring, Hill has 148 of 150 possible points, along with 134.33 scratch points and 40 points in the majors.

“I’ve been playing competitively for four or five years, but this is the first in the ACO,” Hill said. “I try to practice 45 minutes to an hour per day or every other day, and about two weeks before a tournament, I’ll shoot hard for about 10-20 hours, sometimes more before a major.”

The competition also drives Hill as he spoke about one for the first times he ever played, when he had to decide if he wanted to pursue the game at a more competitive level or not.

Since his first tournament, Hill has gone on to play in Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky and Mississippi.

“The first tournament I went to, I got smoked. It was at MacD’s Pub in Wilmington, and I shot with my dad,” Hill said. “After that tournament, I thought, ‘do I want to keep playing and put my nose down and practice?’ It took a little while, but I went back, played better and won a few times.

As for all the travel, the match that stands out for Hill was the time he defeated Matt Guy in Mississippi in last year’s singles championship. Hill was the first player to eliminate Guy in the annual King of Cornhole tournament.

“It was special beating Matt because he’s the No. 1 ranked player, and I was the first one to do it,” Hill said. “I played solid, had some lucky breaks and kept the pressure on.

“Beating him makes me think of what I can do and what I’m capable of.”

Hill said he’d be lying if nerves were never a part of his competitions.

“I don’t think a lot when I play … I stay focused on the board and then to force the other guy to make a tough shot,” Hill said.

Dotson said traveling to the different tournaments is like a vacation, as he too has traveled all over the Midwest. Dotson also talked about how the players he goes against in tournaments are their friends once the competition is complete.

“It’s camaraderie,” Dotson said. “We battle, but after the day is done, we are all friends.”

In looking forward to this weekend, Dotson said when he first began, it was because he wanted to see what he could accomplish. “When I worked third shift, I didn’t have the time available, but with different work hours now, I have the opportunity to play at the level I want,” Dotson said. “I always thought I was good enough, so I wanted to see how good I was.

“The money is fairly good, too, and that’s a big reason why I keep playing. In all honesty, it was exciting when we found out we were No. 1, especially by less than a point. I was just happy when I found out, and I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

Dotson said he learned the game by playing at the Elks.

“In the summer, the Elks has tournaments on Wednesdays, and there are a lot of very talented people who play in those every week,” Dotson said.

Hill wrapped up the conversation by talking about the game itself.

“Cornhole is a great game anyone can play,” Hill said. “The game is fun, and we want the sport to continue to grow. Like I said, If you put your mind to it, you can do it.”