Qualifying at IRT John Pelham Memorial / ProKennex Tournament of Champions

A few upsets on Thursday at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) John Pelham Memorial / ProKennex Tournament of Champions in Portland, Oregon, but the big news was that Kane Waselenchuk, the #1 IRT player, would miss the event due to a back injury. Waselenchuk was undefeated this season and last, so his absence throws the tournament outcome up in the air, although on most occasions when Waselenchuk has missed an event Rocky Carson, the IRT’s #2 player, has come out on top.

Two five game matches were played Thursday, and in one Sunji Spencer upset Thomas Carter, 11-3, 4-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-3, to advance to the Round of 16 for the first time. In the other, Charles Pratt came back from two games down to defeat Dylan Reid, 9-11, 10-12, 11-4, 12-10, 11-5.

Other upset winners were Tony Carson over Scott McClellan, 11-5, 11-1, 11-7, and Mauro Rojas’s defeat of Nicholas Riffel, 7-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-0.

The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 10 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be Noon and 1 PM Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:00 PM. All times Pacific.

2017 IRT John Pelham Memorial / ProKennex Tournament of Champions, November 30-December 2
Portland, Oregon

Qualifying Round 1 - Thursday

Q8) Adam Manilla d. John Wolfe, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2
Q1) Robert Collins d. Matthew Goolsby, 11-0, 11-0, 11-0

Sunji Spencer d. Q4) Thomas Carter, 11-3, 4-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-3
Tony Carson d. Q5) Scott McClellan, 11-5, 11-1, 11-7

Q6) Charles Pratt d. Dylan Reid, 9-11, 10-12, 11-4, 12-10, 11-5
Q3) Justus Benson d. Tim Prigo, 11-3, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5

Q2) Jose Diaz d. Sam Bredenbeck, 11-0, 12-10, 11-0
Mauro Rojas d. Q7) Nicholas Riffel, 7-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-0

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Adam Manilla - Noon
8) Mario Mercado v. Robert Collins - Noon

5) Samuel Murray v. Sunji Spencer - 1 PM
4) Daniel De La Rosa v. Tony Carson - 1 PM

3) Alvaro Beltran v. Charles Pratt - 10 AM
6) Jansen Allen v. Justus Benson - 10 AM

7) Felipe Camacho v. Jose Diaz - 11 AM
2) Rocky Carson v. Mauro Rojas - 11 AM

Follow the bouncing ball….