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Published: Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013 / Updated: Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 03:27 PM

Fort Mill’s Blanks and partner win cornhole doubles title

FORT MILL -- 

Danny Blanks already knew he ranked among the best cornhole players in the world. Now the rest of the world does, too.

Blanks and Shane Andrews, returned from this month’s American Cornhole Organization World Championships in Tunica, Miss., as winners of the doubles competition, laying claim to the top-team title in the sport.

“Feels great knowing we brought the title back to the Carolinas,” said Blanks, a Fort Mill resident who teamed with Andrews, a Bessemer City, N.C., resident.

Blanks wasn’t expecting so strong a result, having taken off almost half a year from organized play due to much-needed family time following the birth of his son. Blanks threw in two tournaments during that time and practiced the week before the championships.

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to throw as well as I did,” he said.

Even with time away, Blanks spent the past year entrenched in the top-10 of the sport’s world rankings. The rust was too much to overcome in singles play, where he finished 17th.

“Just wish I could have took the singles also but had a great time,” Blanks said. “I believe the four months I took off hurt me, but I practiced the week before, so no excuses. I will try to bring it home to Fort Mill next year and win some majors for us this year.”

The doubles title came at the expense of more than 100 teams. The field narrowed to 32 for the main bracket. In the final match, Blanks and Andrews beat the current team of the year: Jay Dotson and Brandon Hill. Defending champs Eric Zocklein and Chase Lackey lost to Dotson/Hill in the semifinals.