Happy hunting ground
Top 15%
average finish here
Cedar Fest BBQ is their spot: an average finish in the top 15% across 2 visits.
- 2 visits
- best finish 4th
- average top 15%
Panther Creek Cookers
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1583
peak 1583 · rated over 9 contests ⓘ
Best runs
3
straight top-10s
Contests
11
in the data
First seen
2015-02-26
latest 2018-04-06
Best ToY finish
#904
Master 2017
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
3 podiums
Overall top-10s
4
of 11 contests
Avg finish
top 30%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
673.99 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 667.21 (+6.78)
Walk rate
55%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
3
best run (overall)
Consistency
±11.78
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 168.71 · weakest Pork Ribs (165.55)
Road miles
3,763
mi across 11 mapped stops · furthest 924 mi
Schedule strength
23%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1532)
Master avg
667.21 / 720
11 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (7 found in this team's record)
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
High-water mark
685.0632
career-best overall
95.1% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 685.0632 at Sonny's Smokin Showdown (INVITATIONAL ONLY) — 95.1% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2018-03-02
A tough matchup
6–0
behind in the head-to-head
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has come out ahead in 6 of their 6 shared contests.
A strong matchup
4–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of THE BREADMAN in 4 of their 4 shared contests.
An April team
Top 18%
average finish in April
Something about April: average finish in the top 18% across 3 contests, versus top 30% the rest of the year.
- 3 April contests
- top 30% the rest of the year
The long haul
3,763
road miles between contests
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,763 miles across 11 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 924 miles to Sonny's Smokin Showdown (INVITATIONAL ONLY).
- 11 mapped stops
- furthest 924 mi
The metronome
±1.64%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.64% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 92.7% of a perfect score
- 11 contests
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.
43 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1236 of the rated field
- Contests
- 47
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 26%
- Peak
- 1632
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Panther Creek Cookers)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Panther Creek Cookers has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1241 of the rated field
- Contests
- 67
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 16%
- Peak
- 1582
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Panther Creek Cookers)
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 63 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#1238 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 23%
- Peak
- 1583
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 13 contests to 11, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#1237 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 42%
- Peak
- 1591
No shared contest yet.
19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 42% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#1234 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 43%
- Peak
- 1583
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 7 years after Panther Creek Cookers did, first appearing in 2022.
⚔ Head-to-head#1240 of the rated field
- Contests
- 26
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 35%
- Peak
- 1646
No shared contest yet.
Level with Panther Creek Cookers on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LA PASADITA | 8 | 5 | 3 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| HONKY-TONK SMOKERS | 8 | 5 | 3 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| FAT BOYS BBQ - TEMPLE, TX | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| CLARK CREW BBQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| JOE'S COOKSHACK | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| BUCKSHOT BBQ - TX | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| THE REPUBLIC OF 'QUE | 5 | 4 | 1 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN HOT BBQ | 5 | 3 | 2 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| OLD 99 MEAT CO. | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Hot J's | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| BUTCHER BBQ | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| LoneStar Que Crew | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 175.4056 | 157.7028 | 166.95 | top 33% |
| Pork Ribs | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 172.5828 | 158.8800 | 165.55 | top 42% |
| Pork | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 177.1544 | 159.9768 | 168.71 | top 30% |
| Brisket | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 177.7144 | 145.0512 | 166.00 | top 32% |
“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.
By state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 8 | 0 | top 18% |
| MO | 2 | 0 | top 58% |
| FL | 1 | 0 | top 76% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 1 | 0 | top 26% |
| Large (40+) | 10 | 0 | top 31% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 18% | 2018-04-06 |
| *Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown | 2 | 10 | 0 | top 34% | 2018-02-16 |
| Cedar Fest BBQ | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 15% | 2016-04-01 |
The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
3.1 yrs
2015-02-26 → 2018-04-06
Busiest season
2018
4 contests
Contests a season
2.8
across 4 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
TX
8 of 11 contests · 3 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
8
3 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
11 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls
Strongest meat
Pork
averages 168.71 · weakest Pork Ribs (165.55)
Walk rate
55%
a top-10 call in 6 of 11 contests
Overall top-10 rate
36%
4 of 11 contests
Best top-10 run
3
straight contests
Master average
667.21
out of 720 · 11 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
1,054
891–579 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
3,763
11 mapped stops · furthest 924 mi
Schedule strength
1532
average field rating faced — tougher than 23% of rated contests
Power rating
1583
peak 1583 · #1239 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2015
- First tracked contest Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.9544 Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown
- First call Cedar Fest BBQ
- 2016
- First overall top-10 Cedar Fest BBQ
- 2017
- First overall podium *Humble Rodeo & BBQ ( WFC Qualifier)
- 2018
- 10th tracked contest Sonny's Smokin Showdown (INVITATIONAL ONLY)
- Career-best overall score685.0632 Sonny's Smokin Showdown (INVITATIONAL ONLY)
- Career-best single call (Brisket)177.7144 Sonny's Smokin Showdown (INVITATIONAL ONLY)
- Peak power rating (1583) *Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off
- Most recent contest *Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.1 | Cedar Fest BBQ | 2016-04-01 |
| +14.9 | *Humble Rodeo & BBQ ( WFC Qualifier) | 2017-02-03 |
| +11.9 | *Humble Rodeo and BBQ | 2018-02-02 |
| +11 | *Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off | 2017-03-31 |
| +9.4 | Cedar Fest BBQ | 2015-04-10 |
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 75% | top 34% | 95.1% | 94% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 100% | top 7% | 95.1% | 93.5% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | top 6% | 91.1% | 91.1% |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 45% | 92.7% | 91.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-04-06 | *Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off Cedar Park, TX | 17 / 69 (668.5140) | 34 (161.7028) | 10 (171.9656) | 26 (165.7256) | 12 (169.1200) |
| 2018-03-02 | Sonny's Smokin Showdown (INVITATIONAL ONLY) unrated Orlando, FL | 37 / 49 (685.0632) | 36 (167.3712) | 48 (162.8232) | 16 (177.1544) | 5 (177.7144) |
| 2018-02-16 | *Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX | 10 / 38 (678.1368) | 14 (169.6684) | 10 (171.9772) | 9 (170.2628) | 13 (166.2284) |
| 2018-02-02 | *Humble Rodeo and BBQ Humble, TX | 12 / 145 (676.5256) | 21 (168.5600) | 32 (167.4400) | 16 (171.4056) | 22 (169.1200) |
| 2017-03-31 | *Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off Cedar Park, TX | 8 / 70 (661.7028) | 25 (160.5828) | 29 (158.8800) | 2 (174.2628) | 11 (167.9772) |
| 2017-02-03 | *Humble Rodeo & BBQ ( WFC Qualifier) Humble, TX | 3 / 136 (684.4684) | 3 (175.4056) | 71 (160.5372) | 5 (175.4172) | 15 (173.1084) |
| 2016-04-01 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cedar Park, TX | 4 / 67 (656.0112) | 31 (157.7028) | 12 (165.7256) | 13 (166.2856) | 15 (166.2972) |
| 2015-10-03 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 164 / 606 (667.3940) | 205 (167.4056) | 149 (169.1544) | 412 (159.9768) | 99 (170.8572) |
| 2015-10-02 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 165 / 187 (653.6340) | 34 (174.8572) | 165 (159.9656) | 137 (165.1084) | 181 (153.7028) |
| 2015-04-10 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cedar Park, TX | 13 / 53 (651.8624) | 12 (166.2628) | 3 (172.5828) | 6 (167.9656) | 43 (145.0512) |
| 2015-02-26 | Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX | 25 / 61 (655.9544) | 15 (166.8800) | 41 (159.9888) | 30 (162.2628) | 17 (166.8228) |
Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)
Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #904 (390 pts) | #1139 (295 pts) | #1822 (120 pts) | #876 (445 pts) | #1261 (240 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #1317 (210 pts) | #2353 (60 pts) | #1854 (125 pts) | #1872 (120 pts) | #2059 (110 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #1167 (240 pts) | #1235 (245 pts) | #976 (355 pts) | #1118 (295 pts) | #1431 (180 pts) |