Seattle Pro-Am - Preliminary Rounds

No rest for the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), as they are back in action this weekend but this time on the west side of the continent at the Seattle Pro/Am. Qualifying involves two rounds plus one match, and that will all go Thursday.

The 5-8 seeds have been reshuffled from last week's Red Swaine Shootout, but Chris Crowther - the surprise finalist from last week - is still on the same side of the draw as Ben Croft and Rocky Carson, both of whom he beat to get to the final last week. Can he do it again?

Another (potential) match that will have some local Northwest interest will be Taylor Knoth, former World Junior Champion, against Charlie Pratt, which will happen in the Round of 16, if Knoth defeats the winner of Joel Barshaw and Josh Hungerford, which is also an all-Northwest battle.

Knoth defeated Hungerford at last year's Seattle Open, and Hungerford won two matches versus Barshaw last year, so you'd expect that Pratt will be facing Knoth in the 16s Friday.

However, you would also have expected Crowther would not have made the finals last week. But that's why they play the games.

The IRT Network begins webcasting from Seattle beginning Thursday at 8 PM PDT, and continuing with the main draw on Friday when the Round of 16 begins at 11:30 AM PDT.

Seattle Pro-Am, Seattle, Washington

Round 1 (128s)

Alex Purcell vs. Connor Laffey

Round 2 (64s)

Ruben Gonzalez vs. Dan Cramer
Hiroshi Shimizu vs. Favian Elmore

Tony Carson BYE
Grant Stalley vs. Joe Workman

Taylor Knoth BYE
Joel Barshaw vs. Josh Hungerford

Arthur Schmeiser vs. Alex Purcell or Connor Laffey
Jansen Allen vs. Jeff Stark

James Slamko vs. Ryan Charbonneau
John Scott vs. Tanner Mattson

Juan Herrera BYE
Peter Wrigley vs. Rafael Filippini

Anthony Herrera BYE
Jose Serrano vs. Andrew Gale

Brad Schopieray vs. Rick Charbonneau
Ryan Meyer vs. Cody Matteucci

Round 2 (32s)

Q8: Ruben Gonzalez or Dan Cramer vs. Hiroshi Shimizu or Favian Elmore
Q1: Tony Carson vs. Grant Stalley or Joe Workman

Q4: Taylor Knoth vs. Joel Barshaw or Josh Hungerford
Q5: Arthur Schmeiser or Alex Purcell or Connor Laffey vs. Jansen Allen or Jeff Stark

Q6: James Slamko or Ryan Charbonneau vs. John Scott or Tanner Mattson
Q3: Juan Herrera vs. Conrad Cole or Mark Brower

Q2: Anthony Herrera vs. Jose Serrano or Andrew Gale
Q7: Brad Schopieray or Rick Charbonneau vs. Ryan Meyer or Cody Matteucci

Round of 16

Kane Waselenchuk v. Q8
Shane Vanderson v. Q1

Charlie Pratt v. Q4
Jose Rojas v. Q5

Ben Croft v. Q6
Chris Crowther v. Q3

Andy Hawthorne v. Q2
Rocky Carson v. Q7

Follow the bouncing ball....