US Junior National Results

The USA Racquetball Junior Olympic Championships - their Junior Nationals - wrapped up on Sunday in East Lansing, Michigan. One hundred and eighty-five players participated, and there have been some upsets - more on the boys' side than the girls'. We're going to highlight the 14 & under and up divisions, as those are the players who were shooting for spots on the US Junior National Team that will compete at the IRF World Junior Championships in the Dominican Republic this December.

The number 1 seeds won all of those National team divisions, except one, and in that one, the number 1 seed lost in the semi-finals.

On the boys' side, Jose Rojas led the charge from Stockton, California, as he won the 18 and under championship, defeating third seed Taylor Knoth in the final, 15-11, 15-11. Rojas also won the doubles crown with partner Jose Serrano, defeating Bradley Kirch and John-Craig Chisholm in the final.

Marco Rojas, Jose's brother, won the 16 and under division, as he beat Jose Diaz, 15-8, 8-15, 11-8, in an all Stockton, Califonia final. This was the only final that did not feature a #1 seed, as Diaz - the 4th seed - beat the top seed Nick Montalbano in the semi-finals. Marco Rojas was seeded 2nd.

Rojas and Diaz teamed up for 16 & under doubles, but surprisingly did not win the division, or were even in the final, as they lost to Dylan Reid and Joseph Lee in the semi-finals. Montalbano and Joshua Hungerford then beat Reid and Lee in the final, while Rojas and Diaz took the third place match.

Zachary Wertz won the Boy's 14 and under final, which featured no players from Stockton, defeating Sam Reid, 15-9, 15-10. Wertz also won the 14 & under doubles title, teaming up with Adam Manilla to defeat Nicholas Riffel and Sam Reid, 15-10, 15-1.

In girls play, all three #1 seeds won their divisions in 14, 16 and 18 and under. Sheryl Lotts won the 18 and under title, defeating Danielle Key in the final, 15-10, 13-15, 11-7. Aubrey O'brien defeated second seed Devon Pimentelli, 15-11, 15-10, to win the Girls 16 and under title.

Finally, in Girl's 14 & under, top seed Kelani Bailey defeated third seed Samantha Simmons, 15-8, 14-15, 11-4, final. But the surprise in that division was Mercedes Arias, who was seeded 7th, but finished 3rd by defeating 4th seed Abbey Lavely in the third place playoff. Earlier she defeated second seed Sabrina Viscuso in the quarter finals, but lost to Simmons in the semis.

In girls' doubles, O'brien and Key teamed up to take the 18 and under title, while Jessica Munoz and Amanda Lindsay were a surprise winner in 16 and under as they were the lowest seeded team in the Round Robin playoff. Bailey won a second title: the 14 & under doubles crown with Abbey Lavely.

2009 USA Racquetball Junior Olympic Championships
SINGLES
Boys
18 & under
(1) Jose Rojas (Stockton, CA) d. (3) Taylor Knoth (Milwaukie, OR), 15-11, 15-11
16 & under
(2) Marco Rojas (Stockton, CA) d. (4) Jose Diaz (Stockton, CA), 15-8, 8-15, 11-8
14 & under
(1) Zachary Wertz (Kenner, LA) d. (3) Sam Reid (Portland, OR), 15-9, 15-10

Girls
18 & under
(1) Sheryl Lotts (Bedford, OH) d. (2) Danielle Key (Gilbert, AZ), 15-10, 13-15, 11-7
16 & under
(1) Aubrey O'brien (Auburn, CA) d. (2) Devon Pimentelli (San Bruno, CA), 15-11, 15-10
14 & under
(1) Kelani Bailey (Norfolk, VA) d. (3) Samantha Simmons (Crofton, MD), 15-8, 14-15, 11-4

DOUBLES
Boys
18 & under
(1) Jose Rojas & Jose Serrano (Stockton, CA/Stockton, CA) d. (3) Bradley Kirch & John-Craig Chisholm (Syracuse, NY/Marlborough, MA), score unknown
16 & under
(1) Joshua Hungerford & Nick Montalbano (Milwaukie, OR/West Islip, NY) d. (3) Dylan Reid & Joseph Lee, (Portland, OR/Baton Rouge, LA), 15-6, 15-7
14 & under
(1) Adam Manilla & Zachary Wertz (Centennial, CO/Kenner, LA) d. (2) Nicholas Riffel & Sam Reid (Loveland, CO/Portland, OR), 15-10, 15-1

Girls
18 & under
(1) Aubrey O'brien & Danielle Key (Auburn, CA/Gilbert, AZ) d. (2) Lily Berry & Sheryl Lotts
(Columbus, OH/Bedford, OH), 15-13, 15-10
16 & under
(3) Jessica Munoz & Amanda Lindsay (Burlington, WA/Oregon City, OR) d. (1) Courtney Chisholm & Devon Pimentelli (Marlborough, MA/San Bruno, CA), 15-13, 15-14
14 & under
(2) Abbey Lavely & Kelani Bailey (Cuyahoga Falls, OH/Norfolk, VA) d. (1) Hollee Hungerford & Sabrina Viscuso (Milwaukie, OR/Auburn, CA), 15-5, 10-15, 11-2
(note: these divisions were three team round robins; result listed is for match between the first and second place teams)

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