Rolling Thunder, a nine-ball pool team based in Sumner, recently won the Pierce County Championship tournament and was invited to compete at the American Poolplayers Association Nationals tournament.

Rolling Thunder is a team of six guys ranging in age from 23 to 61-years old. Team captain Jim Phipps is joined by Jim Cowart, Jake Phipps, Joey McCloskey, Mark Madsen and co-captain John Mangan. Their scorekeeper of five years, Marsha Mangan, is an honorary member but she doesn’t play the game herself.

“I am part of the team, I just have no interest in actually playing. They have tried for three years to talk me into it. I love watching them play and keeping score but I’m not real competitive. In school I kept score for the wrestling team,” she said.

Mangan said she isn’t a pool shark, but she’s still considered more than a scorekeeper. She’s the co-captain’s wife and she described herself as a true mother hen. She won’t be allowed to keep score at nationals because the rules in Las Vegas won’t allow it, she said. But at this year’s championship, the team insisted APA present her with a trophy of her own.

Nationals will take place Aug. 15 to 19 at the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas. To earn the necessary travel funds, Rolling Thunder’s home bar — Bottomz Up Bar and Grill at 1005 Main Street in Sumner — will host a Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament June 30. Interested parties should register at the bar by 1 p.m. but as of press time, the team hadn’t decided on a buy-in amount.

Rolling Thunder will also have a booth at Rhubarb Days selling 50/50 raffle tickets. Half of the proceeds will assist their trip to Las Vegas and the other half will go into a raffle reserve for one lucky winner.

For more information, please contact Jim Phipps at 253-961-5555 or Marsha Mangan at 253-732-8270.