Knights of Columbus crown BBQ kings

A cloud covered morning greeted the 14 teams assembled to grill at the first annual Knights of Columbus (K of C) BBQ Challenge on Saturday morning and while pellet-smoke billowed into the Malta sky, heavy raindrops pelted the roofs of the assorted canopies of the cooks.

"It is supposed to stop raining in about 90 minutes," Jory Schipman, Malta Knights of Columbus Grand Knight told the PCN shortly after the 7 a.m. cooking start time. "I hope the weatherman is correct."

The staging area for the BBQ Challenge was pinched in-between Family Matters clothing store and the Mint Bar in downtown Malta and as the morning wore on, the rain wore off and vendors, a cornhole tournament, barbequed hot dogs and hamburgers, a bouncy house, and other activities filled the daylong event into the night.

Of the 14 teams of four cooks to partake in the first-ever K of C fundraisers, many were local, but one former Malta resident (and Malta High School Class of 1995 Member) Nick Holman is an old hat at BBQ Challenges and the event in Malta was, at the very least, his 12th this summer.

"I don't know if I am good at it, but I do enjoy it," Holman said. "There were different places we could have competed this week, but we wanted to be here because it is a hometown deal and it's a great contest and fundraiser."

At 5:10 p.m. each of the teams turned in their 30-pounds of brisket for judging and to feed the public. A line formed for chow shortly after and stayed about 200-people strong for the next 60-or-so minutes, people loading their plates with baked beans, coleslaw and the different briskets from the teams. Near the end of dinner, the three teams that placed first through third were announced.

Finishing in third place with a total score of 162.5 points and earning a $300 prize was Holman and the Burnt Trees team; a second place with 163 points went to Raiders Barbie-Q's captained by Nikki Weiss and Tasha Hines, earning that team $500, and the first place crown went to the U.S. Border Patrol team South of the Brisket, earning a $1,000 payday, and led by team captain Adrian Constante. When asked what the winning formula for their brisket was, Constante, said "a big heart and a good woman" referring to his wife, Jessica.