Quarterfinal day produces drama at World Junior Championships - Boy's Divisions

There was much drama Thursday - quarterfinal day - in the boy's divisions at the 26th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in Cali, Colombia, including three tie-breakers in the U18 singles division.

The U18 match that did not go breaker was between Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Nicolas Bousquet, which was won by Iwaasa - the top seed in the draw, 15-5, 15-10. Iwaasa will play Bolivian Mario Mercado in the semi-finals on Friday, as Mercado, the 5th seed, upset the 4th seed Adam Manilla of the USA, 15-14, 5-15, 11-9.

On the other side of the U18 draw, last year's champion Conrado Moscoso of Bolivia was three points from being out of the tournament against Mexican Franciso Mar, who had an 8-2 lead in their tie-breaker. But Moscoso found a way back into the match, and won it 11-7, as Mar was assessed a technical for throwing the ball out of the court. Reportedly, the incident was more accidental than intentional, but by the rules a ball that leaves the court from a player's action between rallies is a technical, so Mercado lost a point.

Moscoso will play Andres Acuña of Costa Rica, who defeated the other Mexican in the draw, Eduardo Garay, 6-15, 15-6, 11-5. Garay was a semi-finalist last year.

Thus, Mexico will be shutout of the medals in Boy's U18 for the first time in several years. A Mexican has claimed at least one of the four medals in U18 every year from 2008 on, which is when The Racquetball Blog's records of the event begin.

In Boy's U16, it will be Cristhian versus Christian in one semi-final, as Cristhian Mina of Bolivia defeated Mexican Alejandro Almada, 9-15, 15-5, 11-9, and Christian Chavez of Ecuador beat Felipe Lopez of Colombia, 15-10, 15-11.

There's a Cristian on the other side of the draw, as top seed Cristian Longoria will face American Mauro Rojas in the semis, after they won their respective quarterfinals. Longoria beat Set Cubillos of Bolivia, 15-8, 15-10, and Rojas beat fellow American Wayne Antone, 15-11, 15-0.

The semi-finalists in Boy's U14, are top seed Eduardo Portillo of Mexico, Jordan Barth of the USA, Mexican Mario Ruiz, and Andres Montero of Costa Rica.

In U14 doubles, Canadians Chris Culhane and Simon Comeau upset the 4th seeds Nicolas Zhindon and Pedro Reyes, 15-11, 15-14. After winning the first game, the Canadians were down in game two 14-4, but managed to come back and win 15-14.

The elimination round continues Thursday with the semi-finals on Friday and finals on Saturday. There will be live streaming of the semi-finals and finals from Cali via the IRF Network.

There will be live streaming of the semi-finals and finals from Cali via the IRF Network for free.

26th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
Cali, Colombia

Boy's U18 Singles

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Nicolas Bousquet (Canada), 15-5, 15-10
Mario Mercado (Bolivia) d. Adam Manilla (USA), 15-14, 5-15, 11-9

Andres Acuna (Costa Rica) d. Eduardo Garay (Mexico), 6-15, 15-6, 11-5
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Francisco Mar (Mexico), 5-15, 15-11, 11-7

Semi-finals - Friday

Coby Iwaasa (Canada) v. Mario Mercado (Bolivia)
Andres Acuna (Costa Rica) v. Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia)

Boy's U16 Singles

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-8, 15-10
Mauro Rojas (USA) v. Wayne Antone (USA), 15-11, 15-0

Cristhian Mina (Bolivia) d. Alejandro Almada (Mexico), 9-15, 15-5, 11-9
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) d. Felipe Arenas (Colombia), 15-10, 15-11

Semi-finals - Friday

Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. Mauro Rojas (USA)
Cristhian Mina (Bolivia) v. Christian Chavez (Ecuador)

Boy's U14 Singles

Quarterfinals

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Julian Homberger (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-0
Jordan Barth (USA) d. Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia), 15-4, 15-0

Mario Ruiz (Mexico) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-3, 15-8
Andres Montero (Costa Rica) d. Gerson Miranda (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-7

Semi-finals - Friday

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. Jordan Barth (USA)
Mario Ruiz (Mexico) v. Andres Montero (Costa Rica)

Boy's U18 Doubles

Semi-finals - Friday

Erik Garcia & Francisco Mar (Mexico) v. Andres Aviles & Pablo Sauma (Costa Rica)
Sawyer Lloyd & Adam Manilla (USA) v. Conrado Moscoso & Mario Mercado (Bolivia)

Boy's U16 Doubles

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Jordy Alonso & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. Graham Frattinger & Trevor Webb (Canada), 15-3, 15-11
Christian Chavez & Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) d. Darragh O'Donoghue & James Ryan (Ireland), 15-11, 15-8

Jordan Barth & Justus Benson (USA) d. Gonzalo Paco & Marco Zambrana (Bolivia), 14-15, 15-3, 11-2
Alexander Pirie & Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica) d. Set Cubillos & Felipe Arenas (Colombia), 15-14, 15-12

Semi-finals - Friday

Jordy Alonso & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. Christian Chavez & Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador)
Alexander Pirie & Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica) v. Jordan Barth & Justus Benson (USA)

Boy's U14 Doubles

Quarterfinals - Thursday

Santiago Garcia & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Sergio Ortega & Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-4, 15-7
Simon Comeau & Chris Culhane (Canada) d. Pedro Reyes & Nicolas Zhindon (Ecuador), 15-11, 15-14

Julian Homberger & Andres Montero (Costa Rica) d. Ricardo Diaz & Dane Elkins (USA), 11-15, 15-0, 11-4
David Cordoba & Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. Julian Cruz & Geovani Mendoza (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-2

Semi-finals - Friday

Santiago Garcia & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. Simon Comeau & Chris Culhane (Canada)
David Cordoba & Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) v. Julian Homberger & Andres Montero (Costa Rica)

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