Christian Dinsmore, Peggy Degler tops in Maricopa Madness pool

Christian Dinsmore and Peggy Degler tied for first place in the inaugural Maricopa Madness pool, and they both managed to do so without even picking Florida over Ohio State in the championship game.

The contest was sponsored by Orbitel Communications, Maricopa’s Native New Yorker restaurant and inmaricopa.com.

Dinsmore, who says he is “competitive by nature,” won the tie-breaker and a year’s worth of free digital telephone service from Orbitel Communications and a Suns Night Out that included dinner and drinks at Native New Yorker before being ferried to and from U.S. Airways Center by Maricopa`s 5th Avenue Limousine & Sedan Service.

“I am not really a huge NCAA fan, but having a stake in the tournament makes the games more fun to watch,” Dinsmore said. “I would like to think there was a lot of skill involved with making my picks, but the truth is that it was probably more luck than skill.”

Second place got $250 to spend on Native New Yorker wings and other food and a year of Orbitel HD and DVR service.

“I was really excited to be able to join a community contest such as this and even had my husband, mother and some neighbors join also,” said Degler, “The contest program was easy to follow and made for watching March Madness that much more fun.”

She said her son, who goes to ASU, and her husband have sports on 24/7, “so I knew a little bit about the teams playing.”

Last place “winner” Kecia Pike, who entered “for the fun of it,” received inmaricopa.com apparel.

“Mainly I went with my gut feeling – and although I don’t watch college basketball, I am aware of the teams and usually how well they do from hearing things over the years.”

Photo by Aaron Thacker