It's in the bag

COEUR d’ALENE — Ashley Torgerson has tended to get nervous at key moments in cornhole tournaments.

Anxiety. Pressure. Tension. It's all there when she doesn't want it around.

“I think I've seen myself as a little bit of a head case,” the Post Falls woman said.

But at the Idaho State Cornhole Championships on Friday and Saturday in Nampa, Torgerson was focused and confident. She envisioned the throws she had to make, saw where the one-pound bag had to go and put it there.

Boom. Game over.

“I tried to stay really present in the moment rather than worrying about winning,” Torgerson said. “I think that helped a lot. I stayed calm and played a good tournament.”

Better than good.

The Lake City High School graduate won the open singles division that included men and women and won the singles women's division. She and Michelle Fehrnstrom placed fourth in the open doubles competition and Fehrnstrom placed second in women's singles.

For winning, Torgerson received $400, but more important, she discovered a newfound faith in her abilities and strength in knowing she can overcome adversity.

“It helped me realize what I can do,” she said Tuesday during a phone interview. “Honestly, I’m still shocked. I really didn't think I was going to win."

The Idaho State Cornhole Championships put on by Cornhole Idaho at Mettle Sports attracted 50 doubles teams and 90 singles.

For each turn, a player tosses the bean bag toward the hole on a slanted board 27 feet away. In the hole is three points, on the board is one, but players can cancel each other out. Games are to 21.

Torgerson played 19 games, including four in women’s singles, nine games in open doubles and six games in the competitive open singles division.

She entered this year’s championships with the goal to defend her women's singles title. Winning the open singles division never entered her mind, as the field would feature the state’s best male cornhole players.

But she won the title match, 22-17.

“I just threw really well,” she said.

Torgerson credits that to her mindset: She didn’t expect to win, so she wasn’t nervous.

“I just enjoyed the moment and didn’t worry about the outcome. I was just really enjoying every game," she said.

Based on points earned in competition, she is among the country’s top 50 female cornhole players.

“My goal is to be present and enjoy the moment at each tournament as well as continue to grow and challenge myself to compete at the highest level I can,” Torgerson said. “If one day that leads to being a professional cornhole player, that would be amazing.”

She has been playing cornhole since she was invited to be a part of a doubles team nearly three years ago. A softball player at the time, she wasn’t sure she wanted to try this sport, but she did.

While her team got trounced, she became a fan of the game.

“I had no idea people were that good,” Torgerson said.

The more she practiced, the better she got. Soon, she was winning her share of trophies and prize money.

“I absolutely love the competition,” she said. “I'm just a really competitive person.”

Torgerson participated in sports in high school, including basketball, volleyball and softball, and she played softball at North Idaho College. But eight knee surgeries over the years sidelined hopes to play at a higher level.

In cornhole, she has been injury free.

“I’m at a good stage in life to compete at something I'm not going to get hurt playing," she said, laughing.

She loves the bond of cornhole.

“It has really become a family,” she said.

She plays in local tournaments and said local clubs have contributed to her success.

“They’ve all been a part of my journey in some way,” she said.

To remain among Idaho’s top players, Torgerson cited a few keys.

When she started out, she played about once a month, but winning was elusive. Today, she throws about five times a week. Consistency counts.

“I just got sick of losing,” Torgerson said.

She said the body reacts quickly in sports like basketball and volleyball — without too much thought.

Not so with cornhole, where you have plenty of time to think.

“It's such a mental game,” Torgerson said.

She tries to quickly forget a bad throw.

“Managing the nerves is a huge one," Torgerson said.

Visualization is important. She flips a bag in her hand a few times as she pictures where she wants it to go.

“Then I throw it,” she said.

Next up is the Battle of the Queens, the country's largest women’s tourney, in North Carolina in November. It’s expected to attract a field of about 275.

Torgerson hopes her open singles victory helps other women realize they can compete with the men.

“We can be underestimated,” she said.