SHELBYVILLE - "Four down," called Charlie Webb, holding up four fingers to indicate to the scorer that double ringers had canceled each other, near the end of the Class A men's championship match that paired him against Gary Urish of Green Valley on Monday.

The score stood at 39 for Webb of Mascoutah and 38 for Urish. Webb put two more around the stake, hoping to close the match, but Urish put his shoes on top of Webb's and again no points were counted.

On the final toss, Urish put one shoe on and laid one up close. Webb took his time, swung each shoe back and forth, aimed and eventually fired a double to win the match and his fourth state title in front of a crowd of 100.

"Every time we play, it has always been close," Webb said, "so I knew it was going to be a tough match, but then you always expect a competitive game at this level."

On the women's side, Kelly Russell, 40, of Colona easily defeated all comers over Labor Day weekend on her way to winning her fifth state championship.

"I started playing several years ago after my husband, Shawn, practically dragged me out to the backyard to give me a lesson. He would spot me 25 points and still beat me. But I eventually became interested in the game and soon began practicing every day."

She soon progressed to the point that her husband convinced her to enter the state tournament in Galesburg in 1998.

"She finished in fifth place in class 'D,' but she kept at it, and in 2004, she won her first state championship and has not lost since," Shawn Russell said.

The Elder state title was won by Marvin Kramer of Fulton, a world champion with many state titles to his credit. He defeated Ervin Starwalt of Toledo, who also has won several state titles.

"It was a very good game, but it turned out the same as last year," Kramer said. "I won that contest, too, but two years ago when it came down to the two of us, he beat me."

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