Long-time Portage area native Nick Mescal gets to do what a lot of people don’t – combine his hobby and his work.
A professional cornhole player, Mescal’s interest in the sport, also referred to as bags, first began when playing recreationally with friends and family.
“Back in 2008, when people started playing bags a lot, we’d play at my family’s Fourth of July cookout, and we’d have an actual little blind call tournament,” said Mescal. “There was one year in particular that me and my cousin won a local tournament and we’re like ‘Hey, you know, we’re kind of good at this.’”
Not long afterward, Mescal started playing in local leagues and tournaments. Meanwhile, he kept dreaming about playing professionally, even playing on television.
He soon learned about a tournament in South Carolina called the Gauntlet that gave participants the chance to play professionally for the American Cornhole League (ACL). The catch: you had to place in the top 32.
With around 900 total participants, that gave Mescal about a 3% chance of winning the tournament.
In 2021, he entered the Gauntlet and played. In the end, he was mere games short of placing in the top 32.
“I was about two games short of qualifying, and it was so heartbreaking,” Mescal said.
Mescal participated in the Gauntlet again in 2022 and once again came up short. He then tried a third time in 2023 with the same result.
Despite the losses, Mescal kept dreaming. Soon, he discovered what is referred to as the Last Chance Conference. The name is telling for the single winner of the Last Chance Conference gets a shot at playing cornhole professionally. It is reserved for those who fail to qualify as a winner at the Gauntlet or have not had a chance to play at the Gauntlet.
As fate would have it, Mescal won the conference.
“I broke down,” he said. “I cried like a baby.”
Shortly after going pro, Mescal’s dream of playing on television came true. While on the Missouri Maze team, he played a game on CBS Sports.
“Being on that broadcast court for the first time felt so surreal. My partner and I were scheduled to play in game six of a seven game series, but before I knew it they were getting us mic'd up and ready to go,” Mescal said. “Once I stepped under those lights, it finally hit me that everything I had dreamed of for the last three years had turned into reality. I focused harder than I've ever focused before, and my partner and I were able to pull off the victory, which ended up being the fourth win and series winner for our team!”
Currently, Mescal is a free agent and waiting to be drafted to his next team.
“I’m looking forward to my next assignment and all that lies ahead – maybe even more opportunities to play on TV,” Mescal said.
To date, between playing recreationally and professionally, Mescal has played cornhole for over 10 years. No matter where his cornhole career takes him next, Mescal’s story is certainly one earmarked with grit, resilience, and perseverance.