High-water mark
668.5716
career-best overall
92.9% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 668.5716 at 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) — 92.9% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2013-04-19
Morning Wood
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1490
peak 1517 · rated over 8 contests ⓘ
Contests
9
in the data
First seen
2013-04-19
latest 2025-09-26
Best ToY finish
#1335
Master 2013
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
1 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
of 9 contests
Avg finish
top 61%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
626.10 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 637.65 (-11.55)
Walk rate
56%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±26.02
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 163.21 · weakest Pork (155.62)
Road miles
1,535
mi across 9 mapped stops · furthest 1275 mi
Schedule strength
47%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1561)
Purse competed for
$5K
listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 2 state-championship entries
Master avg
637.65 / 720
8 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.
A tough matchup
6–1
behind in the head-to-head
SKUNK RIVER BBQ ahead in 86% of their meetings
SKUNK RIVER BBQ has come out ahead in 6 of their 7 shared contests.
The weak link
−7.6
points behind their best meat
Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.59 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 13%.
- Pork avg 155.62
- Chicken avg 163.21
- 1 calls in 8 entries
A strong matchup
5–1
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 83% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of GLAZED & CONFUSED in 5 of their 6 shared contests.
The comeback
6.5 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 6.5 years, then back at Fire in the Foothills (2025-09-26).
- last seen 2019-04-05
- back 2025-09-26
Chicken nemesis
6 of 6
shared chicken entries lost
B & C SMOKERS ahead 100% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, B & C SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 6 of 6 shared chicken entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
LOVE 2 Q has landed one call behind them 2 times.
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.
159 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3648 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 38%
- Peak
- 1505
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 8 contests to 9, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#3667 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 20%
- Peak
- 1490
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#3647 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 13%
- Peak
- 1502
No shared contest yet.
Level with Morning Wood on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#3660 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 63%
- Peak
- 1515
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 8 years after Morning Wood did, first appearing in 2021.
⚔ Head-to-head#3673 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1514
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 3 years before Morning Wood's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#3655 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1490
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WANNA B'S | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| SKUNK RIVER BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| GLAZED & CONFUSED | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH i QUE | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| 913 BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| B & C SMOKERS | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| MEAT MITCH | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| MAXIMUM LOIN | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| SOCIAL SMOKERS BBQ SQUAD | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 173.1428 | 151.9772 | 163.21 | top 54% |
| Pork Ribs | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 176.0228 | 144.0000 | 162.84 | top 49% |
| Pork | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 172.0000 | 132.5368 | 155.62 | top 67% |
| Brisket | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 171.4284 | 137.7260 | 157.26 | top 63% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KS | 7 | 0 | top 56% |
| NC | 1 | 0 | top 100% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 1 | 0 | top 100% |
| Large (40+) | 7 | 0 | top 56% |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
12.4 yrs
2013-04-19 → 2025-09-26
Busiest season
2026
1 contest
Contests a season
1
across 9 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
KS
7 of 9 contests · 3 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
8
0 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
9 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 163.21 · weakest Pork (155.62)
Walk rate
56%
a top-10 call in 5 of 9 contests
Overall top-10 rate
11%
1 of 9 contests
Master average
637.65
out of 720 · 8 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
253
186–250 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
1,535
9 mapped stops · furthest 1,275 mi
Schedule strength
1561
average field rating faced — tougher than 47% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$4,625
listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 2 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
6.5 yrs
2019-04-05 → 2025-09-26
Power rating
1490
peak 1517 · #3658 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
- First call 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
- First overall top-10 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score668.5716 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
- Career-best overall score668.5716 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
- 2015
- Peak power rating (1517) VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge
- 2018
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.0228 10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge
- 2026
- Most recent contest Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.5 | 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) | 2013-04-19 |
| +4.3 | 10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge | 2018-04-20 |
| +2.7 | VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge | 2015-04-17 |
| +0.9 | VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE) | 2014-04-25 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.5 | Fire in the Foothills | 2025-09-26 |
| -9.7 | VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits | 2019-04-05 |
| -5.9 | 8th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge | 2016-04-22 |
| -4.6 | 9th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge | 2017-04-21 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 100% | 80.5% | 80.5% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 89% | 86.1% | 86.1% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 48% | 91.2% | 91.2% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 73% | 88.1% | 88.1% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 75% | 89% | 89% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 47% | 90.8% | 90.8% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 49% | 90.1% | 90.1% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 10% | 92.9% | 92.9% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-15 | Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME | — | — | 10 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2025-09-26 | Fire in the Foothills 🏅 King, NC | 25 / 25 (579.3716) | 25 (151.9772) | 24 (144.0000) | 25 (145.6684) | 25 (137.7260) |
| 2019-04-05 | VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits 🏅 Overland Park, KS | 47 / 53 (619.8624) | 10 (173.1428) | 28 (164.5256) | 52 (132.5368) | 48 (149.6572) |
| 2018-04-20 | 10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS | 22 / 46 (656.4916) | 30 (162.8228) | 3 (176.0228) | 44 (150.2516) | 20 (167.3944) |
| 2017-04-21 | 9th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS | 47 / 64 (634.2176) | 31 (165.7144) | 60 (148.5144) | 50 (158.8688) | 39 (161.1200) |
| 2016-04-22 | 8th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS | 45 / 60 (640.5712) | 29 (166.9144) | 38 (164.0000) | 46 (158.2512) | 47 (151.4056) |
| 2015-04-17 | VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS | 22 / 47 (653.6112) | 17 (166.8228) | 17 (168.0000) | 22 (163.9656) | 41 (154.8228) |
| 2014-04-25 | VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE) Overland Park, KS | 32 / 65 (648.5028) | 55 (153.7028) | 40 (158.2628) | 7 (172.0000) | 20 (164.5372) |
| 2013-04-19 | 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) Overland Park, KS | 7 / 73 (668.5716) | 23 (164.5716) | 6 (169.1428) | 21 (163.4288) | 8 (171.4284) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1955 (60 pts) | #1508 (135 pts) | #2026 (60 pts) | #2029 (60 pts) | #2010 (60 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1870 (75 pts) | #2012 (60 pts) | #1205 (235 pts) | #2030 (60 pts) | #1873 (85 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #2212 (60 pts) | #2286 (60 pts) | #2304 (60 pts) | #2260 (60 pts) | #2266 (60 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #2274 (60 pts) | #2353 (60 pts) | #2349 (60 pts) | #2326 (60 pts) | #2345 (60 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #2055 (75 pts) | #1988 (100 pts) | #1977 (100 pts) | #2139 (75 pts) | #2214 (60 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #2084 (75 pts) | #2167 (75 pts) | #2161 (75 pts) | #1535 (180 pts) | #2013 (100 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1335 (180 pts) | #2000 (85 pts) | #1406 (190 pts) | #1974 (95 pts) | #1436 (170 pts) |