World Junior Racquetball Championships - Semi-final results

The finals are set for the 21st World Junior Racquetball Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic hosted by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF). They will be played on Sunday.

American Jose Rojas is one step away from winning his second World Junior Championship in Boys 18 & under. Alejandro Cardona of Mexico has the task of spoiling the end of Rojas's junior career. Rojas comfortably defeated Roland Keller of Bolivia, 15-4, 15-7, while Cardona needed a tie-breaker to get by Taylor Knoth of the USA, 15-8, 14-15, 11-7.

The #1 and #2 seeds will meet in the Girls 18 & under final, as top seed Sheryl Lotts (USA) takes on second seed Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia). Lotts got to the final by defeating Christina Cordova of Ecuador, 15-9, 15-4, in the semi-finals, and Sabja defeated Danielle Key (USA), 15-13, 15-8.

In Boys 16 & under Carlos Keller Vargas of Bolivia will be trying to make history Sunday by being the first Bolivian and only second non-North American to win a World Junior Championship in the 14, 16 or 18 and under Boys divisions. However, he's up against the 2007 14 and under World Junior Champion in Marco Rojas (USA). Vargas defeated top seed Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico, 13-15, 15-8, 11-8, in the semi-finals while Rojas beat Mexican Misael Lejia, 15-8, 15-7.

In Girls 16 & under, Aubrey O'brien (USA) will face Sofia Rascon (Mexico) in the final Sunday in a show down between the 23rd and 26th, respectively, ranked players in the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO). O'brien beat Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-7, 15-4 in one semi-final, while Rascon defeated Adriana Riveros (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-14, in the other.

It's also Mexico versus the USA in the Boys 14 & under final, as Zachary Wertz (USA) faces Javier Estrada (Mexico). Wertz defeated Andres Acuna (Costa Rica) in the semi-finals, 7-15, 15-12, 11-1, and Estrada beat American Sam Reid, 15-7, 15-7.

The Girls 14 & under final will be an all Mexican, all Gonzalez battle, as Ximena Gonzalez plays Lucia Gonzalez. In the semi-finals, Ximena defeated Kelani Bailey (USA), 0-15, 15-14, 11-1, while Lucia took out Masiel Rivera (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-9.

21st World Junior Championship
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Semi-final results

Boys 18 & under
Jose Rojas (USA) d. Roland Keller (Bolivia), 15-4, 15-7
Alejandro Cardona (Mexico) d. Taylor Knoth (USA), 15-8, 14-15, 11-7

Girls 18 & under
Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Christina Cordova (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-4
Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Danielle Key (USA), 15-13, 15-8

Boys 16 & under
Carlos Keller Vargas (Bolivia) d. Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), 13-15, 15-8, 11-8
Marco Rojas (USA) d. Misael Lejia (Mexico), 15-8, 15-7.

Girls 16 & under
Aubrey O'brien (USA) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-7, 15-4
Sofia Rascon (Mexico) d. Adriana Riveros (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-14

Boys 14 & under
Zachary Wertz (USA) d. Andres Acuna (Costa Rica), 7-15, 15-12, 11-1
Javier Estrada (Mexico) d. Sam Reid (USA), 15-7, 15-7.

Girls 14 & under
Ximena Gonzalez (Mexico) d. Kelani Bailey (USA), 0-15, 15-14, 11-1
Lucia Gonzalez (Mexico) d. Masiel Rivera (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-9

Follow the bouncing ball....