Frick, Waters, Hustvet take top spots in 2005 Final Four contest

After three weeks of basketball madness, The Standard has crowned the winner of the 2005 NCAA Final Four contest. The field was fairly tight with nearly 60 percent of competitors choosing either Illinois or North Carolina to sweep through the bracket. In all, the contest’s top 31 finishers selected the Tarheels to top the Illini for the championship.

Ultimately, Luana’s Karen Frick took the top prize of $75 Waukon Bucks with 159 points. Kim Waters of Dorchester was a close second with 158 points while Waukon’s Tom Hustvet finished competition third with 155 points. Waters will receive the runner-up prize of $25 Waukon Bucks for her efforts during March Madness.

Overall, 126 of this year’s 369 participants thought Illinois would emerge as the victor. Another 90 selected North Carolina to win. Duke was a distant third with 33 votes while Wake Forest had 20 competitors select their squad. Oklahoma State was picked 19 times, Arizona 14, Connecticut 12, and Kentucky ten. Fourteen other teams received nine votes or less to win this year’s tournament.

Listed here are the top finishers in The Standard’s 2005 NCAA Final Four Contest.

Karen Frick 159

Kim Waters 158

Tom Hustvet 155

Chase Schaller 150

Nick Farley 146

Ellen Lenth 144

Nancy Brandt 144

Seth Schaller 143

Brandon Wilder 141

Chad H. Drenth 141

Jane Butler 140

Robert Campbell 139

Adam Martin 139

Linda Kruse 139

Darwin Johnson 139

Linda Riek 138

Brianna Harris 137

Cody Schmitt 137

Dave Kurth 136

Kirk Johnson 134

Carter Kammeyer 134

Jim Winters 134