Singles draws for 2016 IRF World Junior Championships

The playoff draws are available now for the 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and there are some interesting possibilities as they play for the podium positions come Saturday.

In Girl’s U18, there is only one possibility for a team-mate final, as only the two Mexicans are on opposite sides of the draw. In fact, only Mexico and the USA have two players in the draw. The other four are each from a different country: Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala.

Erika Manilla of the USA is the top seed, as she was undefeated in Group A of qualifying. But fellow American Jordan Cooperrider is the 4th seed, so the two USA players could meet in the semi-finals, rather than the finals.

Mexican Erin Rivera is the 2nd seed, and her team-mate Denisse Maldonado is seeded 5th, so the two Mexicans could meet in the final, although Maldonado would need to beat Cooperrider and then probably Manilla to get to the final.

Cristian Longoria of Mexico is the #1 seed in Boy’s U18, but his team-mate Victor Camacho is also on the top side of the draw as he is seeded 13th. Similiarly, the Americans Wayne Antone and Kevin Vazquez are the 4th and 5th seeds, respectively, so they could meet in the quarterfinals. Also, the two Ecuador players and two Bolivian players are on the bottom of the draw.

If team-mates are going to play each other in the Boy’s U18 final this year, it will have to be either Canadians of Costa Ricans, as the other countries with players two players in the draw have them on the same side of the draw. Given this it is perhaps appropriate that a Canadian and a Costa Rican faceoff in the the Round of 16.

Note, for those thinking that Cooperrider would be 3rd seed in the Girl’s U18 playoffs rather than the 4th seed, you need to understand that there are two possibilities for the playoffs. Only the players with the 1st or 2nd seed will be in those positions regardless of the possibility chosen for the playoffs. The choice is determined by a random process after all group stage matches for that division are complete. This seeding process is used to reduce the likelihood of gamemanship by players who may chose to lose a match if they believe that will get them a more favorable seeding for the playoff round.

Look for live streaming of matches from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.

28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Girl's U18 Singles

1) Erika Manilla (USA) v. 8) Andrea Martinez (Guatemala)
4) Jordan Cooperrider (USA) v. 5) Denisse Maldonado (Mexico)

3) Flavia Meneses (Bolivia) v. 6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
2) Erin Rivera (Mexico) v. 7) Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador)

Boy's U18 Singles

1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 16) Carlos Medrano (Honduras)
8) Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. 9) Devin Halko (Canada)

5) Kevin Vazquez (USA) v. 12) Gun Hee Lee (Korea)
4) Wayne Antone (USA) v. 13) Victor Camacho (Mexico)

3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) v. 14) Julian Cruz (Guatemala)
6) Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica) v. 11) Trevor Webb (Canada)

7) Juan Cueva (Ecuador) v. 10) Set Cubillos (Colombia)
2) Christian Chavez (Ecuador) v. 15) Noe Rivera (Bolivia)

Girl's U16 Singles

1) Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
8) Briana Jacquet (USA) v. 9) Daniela Herrera (Colombia)

5) Abril Prado (Bolivia) v. 12) Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador)
4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. 13) Josefa Parada (Chile)

3) Andrea Ramirez (Mexico) - BYE
6) Ingrid Robledo (USA) v. 11) Marjolaine Parent (Canada)

7) Brenda Laime (Bolivia) v. 10) Frances Vazquez (Puerto Rico)
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE

Boy's U16 Singles

1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) - BYE
16) Spencer Bell (Canada) v. 17) Johan Adasme (Chile)

9) Sergio Acuña (Costa Rica)
8) Kaleb Osborne (Canada) - BYE

5) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras) - BYE
12) Rafael Gatica (Chile) - BYE

13) Mitchell Turner (USA) - BYE
4) Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia) - BYE

3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) - BYE
14) Geovani Mendoza (Guatemala) - BYE

11) Pablo Gallegos (Ecuador) - BYE
6) Andres Montero (Costa Rica) - BYE

7) Javier Nathan (Guatemala) - BYE
10) Dane Elkins (USA) - BYE

15) Sergio Ortega (Honduras) v. 18) Felipe Cardona (Colombia)
2) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) - BYE

Girl's U14 Singles

1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) v. 16) Josefino Tora (Chile)
8) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) v. 9) Nathalia Pinero (Ecuador)

5) Juliette Parent (Canada) v. 12) Elena Dent (USA)
4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico) v. 13) Cassie Prentice (Canada)

3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) v. 14) Daniela Herrera (Colombia)
6) Nikita Chauhan (USA) v. 11) Sofia Freer (Costa Rica)

7) Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) v. 10) Jazmin Aguilar (Guatemala)
2) Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) v. 15) Yun Chaeen (Korea)

Boy's U14 Singles

1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) - BYE
16) Luis Perez (Guatemala) v. 17) Guillermo Gutierrez (Colombia)

9) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) - BYE
8) Ari Weissbrot (Chile) - BYE

5) Antonio Rojas (USA) - BYE
12) Charly Chavez (Bolivia) - BYE

13) Josue Bermeo (Ecuador) v. 20) Rafael Gatica (Chile)
4) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) - BYE

3) Ian Frattinger (Canada) - BYE
14) Felipe Cardona (Colombia) v. 19) Mingi Lee (Korea)

11) Jose Cardona (Guatemala) - BYE
6) Esteban Rodriguez (Costa Rica) - BYE

7) Sahil Thakur (USA) - BYE
10) Juan Flores (Ecuador) - BYE

15) Tomas Oyhanart (Argentina) v. 18) Sean Sauvé (Canada)
2) Jose Ramos (Mexico) - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball....