Singles quarterfinals at 2017 World Junior Racquetball Championships

It was quarterfinal day Thursday at the 29th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships at Lifetime Fitness Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the medalists were determined in the singles divisions.

In Boys U18, Canadian Trevor Webb upset the 2nd seed Fernando Ruiz, 15-1, 15-13, to earn a place in the semi-finals, and assure himself at least a bronze medal. Also, winning in an upset was 5th seed Mauro Rojas of the USA beating 4th seed Set Cubillos of Colombia, 15-13, 6-15, 11-3. But Mexico could still put two players in the final, as Mexican Eduardo Portillo defeated Dane Elkins (USA), 15-7, 15-7, and Gerardo Franco still to play Andres Montero (Costa Rica) in the quarters. Portillo plays Webb, and Rojas faces either Franco or Montero.

Top seed in Girls U18 - Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala - won her quarterfinal match in two straight games, defeating Canadian Alexis Iwaasa, 15-7, 15-3. Martinez will face Bolivian Valeria Centellas in the semi-finals, as Centellas squeaked out a tie-breaker win over Erin Rivera of Mexico, 14-15, 15-8, 11-9.

Also, Centallas's Bolivian team-mate Stefanny Barrios ended American Hollie Scott's dreams of a medal, 5-15, 15-11, 11-5, in the quarters. She'll play 2nd seed Montserrat Mejia of Mexico, who ended American Jordan Cooperrider's junior career by defeating her 15-9, 15-3.

The IRF World Juniors playoff continues Thursday and runs through Saturday. Check out the IRF Facebook page for live streaming of the event.

29th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
Minneapolis, Minnesota

U18 Boy's Singles
Quarterfinals - Thursday

Gerardo Franco (Mexico) v. Andres Montero (Costa Rica)
Mauro Rojas (USA) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-13, 6-15, 11-3

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Dane Elkins (USA), 15-7, 15-7
Trevor Webb (Canada) d. Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia), 15-1, 15-13

Semi-finals - Friday

Gerardo Franco (Mexico) or Andres Montero (Costa Rica) v. Mauro Rojas (USA)
Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. Trevor Webb (Canada)

U16 Boy's Singles
Quarterfinals - Thursday

Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) d. Ian Frattinger (Canada), 15-5, 15-12
Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. Juan Sebastian Flores (Ecuador), 15-0, 15-4

Liam Evangelista (Mexico) d. Sahil Thakur (USA), 15-13, 15-13
Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. Julian Homberger (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-4

Semi-finals - Friday

Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) v. Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) v. Liam Evangelista (Mexico)

U14 Boy's Singles
Quarterfinals - Thursday

Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) d. Felipe Guillen (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-1
Antonio Rojas (USA) d. Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia), 15-1, 15-11

Akul Ramayani (USA) d. Erick Trujillo (Mexico), 15-7, 14-15, 11-9
Hector Barrios (Bolivia) d. Josue Bermeo (Ecuador), 15-0, 15-7

Semi-finals - Friday

Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) v. Antonio Rojas (USA)
Hector Barrios (Bolivia) v. Akul Ramayani (USA)

U18 Girl's Singles
Quarterfinals - Thursday

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Alexis Iwaasa (Canada), 15-7, 15-3
Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. Erin Rivera (Mexico), 14-15, 15-8, 11-9

Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. Hollie Scott (USA), 5-15, 15-11, 11-5
Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Jordan Cooperrider (USA), 15-9, 15-3

Semi-finals - Friday

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Valeria Centellas (Bolivia)
Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia)

U16 Girl's Singles
Quarterfinals - Thursday

Laura Flores (Mexico) d. Daniela Herrera (Colombia), 15-1, 15-0
Nikita Chauhan (USA) d. Cassie Prentice (Canada), 15-14, 15-13

Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. Briana Jacquet (USA), 15-6, 15-4
Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-2, 15-10

Semi-finals - Friday

Laura Flores (Mexico) v. Nikita Chauhan (USA)
Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) v. Romina Rivero (Bolivia)

U14 Girl's Singles
Quarterfinals - Thursday

Micaela Meneses Cuellar (Bolivia) d. Camila Rivero (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-8
Karime Arreola (Mexico) d. Sofia Freer (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-6

Annie Roberts (USA) d. Juliette Parent (Canada), 15-10, 14-15, 11-4
Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-12, 15-14

Semi-finals - Friday

Micaela Meneses Cuellar (Bolivia) v. Karime Arreola (Mexico)
Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) v. Annie Roberts (USA)

Follow the bouncing ball….