Rojas & Jacquet winners at 2019 USA Racquetball Junior Olympics

USA Racquetball’s Junior Olympic Championships were held on the weekend in Portland, Oregon, where Antonio Rojas (Stockton, CA) was a double champion and Briana Jacquet (Port Arthur, TX) closed out her junior years with a 3rd consecutive title. Rojas won both Boy’s U18 and U16, while Jacquet successfully defended her Girl’s U18 title.

Rojas needed a tie-breaker to win the U18 title, as he went the distance in defeating Micah Farmer (Trophy Club, TX), 13-15, 15-13, 11-4. But he won the U16 title in two straight games by beating Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL), 15-6, 15-12. The Boys U14 title went to Nikhil Prasad (Fremont, CA) who came back from a game down to defeat Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA), 11-15, 15-9, 11-5.

In the girl’s divisions, Jacquet beat Nikita Chauhan (San Ramon, CA), 15-7, 15-5, in what was a rematch of the 2018 final, as well as the 2017 U16 final, which Jacquet also won. Like Jacquet, Annie Roberts (Gresham, OR) won for the 3rd time in as many years, taking the a 2nd consecutive U16 title by coming back from a game down to defeat Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA), 8-15, 15-11, 11-9. But Mahoney won the U14 title by defeating Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN), 15-5, 14-15, 11-8.

Participation - Cause for concern?

One hundred and thirty eight players competed in Portland, which is the lowest number in 14 years that we’ve been following the tournament. It’s only three fewer players than last year’s 141, and there were two other years of 142 and 143 participation in 2012 and 2013, respectively, so this year’s level may not ring alarm bells with USA Racquetball.

But there is a curious aspect to the participation. It’s boys participation that is down, not girls. There were 87 boys this year and last at Junior Olympics, which are the first years that there have been fewer than 110 boys participating. However, for the fifth year there were at least 51 girls in the draw, so the percentage of girls has been over 30% five years running; it was 37% this year.

We’re sure that USA Racquetball would like to have more kids playing at the Junior Olympics overall, but it’s good that there are more girls playing.

2019 USA Racquetball Junior Olympics
June 19-23, 2019 - Portland, Oregon

Boy's U18 Singles - Final

Antonio Rojas (Stockton, CA) d. Micah Farmer (Trophy Club, TX), 13-15, 15-13, 11-4

3rd Place

Ben Baron (Phoenix, AZ) d. Cayden Akins (Keller, TX), 15-4, 15-6

Boy's U16 Singles - Final

Antonio Rojas (Stockton, CA) d. Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL), 15-6, 15-12

3rd Place

Andrew Gleason (Johnston, IA) d. Krish Thakur (Tracy, CA), 15-13, 15-13

Boy's U14 Singles - Final

Nikhil Prasad (Fremont, CA) d. Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA), 11-15, 15-9, 11-5

3rd Place

Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY) d. Gatlin Sutherland (Great Falls, MT), “(-115)-6, 15-7” [sic]

Girl's U18 Singles - Final

Briana Jacquet (Port Arthur, TX) d. Nikita Chauhan (San Ramon, CA), 15-7, 15-5

3rd Place

Graciana Wargo (Clearwater, FL) d. Shane Diaz (San Antonio, TX), forfeit

Girl's U16 Singles - Final

Annie Roberts (Gresham, OR) d. Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA), 8-15, 15-11, 11-9

3rd Place

Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO) d. Shane Diaz (San Antonio, TX), 15-7, 15-3

Girl's U14 Singles - Final

Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA) d. Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN), 15-5, 14-15, 11-8

3rd Place

Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR) d. Arya Cyril (Dublin, CA), 15-2, 11-15, 11-6

Boy's U18 Doubles - Final

Dylan Pruitt (Sykesville, MD) & Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY) d. Cayden Akins (Keller, TX) & Ivan Hernandez (Norwalk, CA), 15-3, 15-13

3rd Place

Cody Boucher (Gilford, NH) & Lucas Shoemaker (Bettendorf, IA) d. Ben Baron (Phoenix, AZ) & Micah Farmer (Trophy Club, TX), forfeit

Boy's U16 Doubles - Final

Andrew Gleason (Johnston, IA) & Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL) d. Julius Ellis (Stockton, CA) & Krish Thakur (Tracy, CA), 15-2, 14-15, 11-2

3rd Place

Kamahela Britos (Honolulu, HI) & Cody Thomas (Stockton, CA) d. Hudson Farmer (Trophy Club, TX) & Armando Perez (Pasadena, CA), 15-6, 15-0

Boy's U14 Doubles - Standings (Round Robin)

1. Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA) & Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY)
2. Nikhil Prasad (Fremont, CA) & Gatlin Sutherland (Great Falls, MT)
3. Benjamin Horner (Ankeny, IA) & Krish Maini (Sun Prairie, WI)

Girl's U18 Doubles - Standings (Round Robin)

1. Nikita Chauhan (San Ramon, CA) & Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO)
2. Hannah Carver (Spokane, WA) & Megan Carver (Spokane, WA)
3. Graciana Wargo (Clearwater, FL) & Shane Diaz (San Antonio, TX)

Girl's U16 Doubles - Standings (Round Robin)

1. Annie Roberts (Gresham, OR) & Alondra Canchola (Stockton, CA)
2. Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA) & Julia Stein (Murrysville, PA)
3. Elena Mathew (Corvallis, OR) & Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR)

Girl's U14 Doubles - Standings (Round Robin)

1. Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN) & Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR)
2. Arya Cyril (Dublin, CA) & Esha Cyril (Dublin, CA)
3. Katie Bain (Gresham, OR) & Shelby Levens (Gresham, OR)

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria wins singles & doubles at 2019 LPRT Teamroot.com Classic

Paola Longoria completed an undefeated season on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Sunday, as she won the Teamroot.com Classic - the last event of the 2018-19 LPRT season - in Overland Park, Kansas. Longoria defeated Samantha Salas, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7, in the final. The win was Longoria’s 9th of the season, and eight of those final wins were against Salas.

Longoria and Salas teamed up to play doubles in Kansas, and they won the title by defeating Alexandra Herrera and Monserrat Mejia, 15-3, 14-15, 11-8, in the final.

The wins confirm Longoria as the #1 LPRT player in both singles and doubles. She has been the season ending #1 player 10 times, including the last 8 seasons, which is the more than any other player has done either overall or consecutively.

If you missed any of the action, you can watch it via the LPRT YouTube channel.

2019 Teamroot.com Classic
Overland Park, Kansas - June 14-16, 2019

LPRT Singles - Final - Sunday

1 Paola Longoria d. 2 Samantha Salas, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7

LPRT Doubles - Final - Sunday

1 Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 3 Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia, 15-3, 14-15, 11-8

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria & Salas to faceoff in final of 2019 LPRT Teamroot.com Classic

There have been no upsets at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Teamroot.com Classic in Overland Park, Kansas on Saturday, so LPRT #1 Paola Longoria will play #2 Samantha Salas in the final on Sunday at noon. In the semi-finals, Longoria defeated LPRT #4 Alexandra Herrera, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4, and Salas beat LPRT #3 Maria Jose Vargas, 5-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-3.

Salas reached the final, but she could have gone out in the quarterfinals to Nancy Enriquez, who won the first two games of their match, and had three match points in game four. But Salas fought them all off, and scored four points to go from 8-10 down to win 12-10. Salas was then able to win the tie-breaker to complete the comeback, winning 8-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6.

Also in the quarters, Vargas needed a tie-breaker to defeat her doubles partner Natalia Mendez, 6-11, 11-8, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4, and Herrera went four games with 5th seed Rhonda Rajsich, 11-3, 11-5, 9-11, 11-3.

The singles final will be Sunday at noon. The doubles semi-finals are Saturday night at 7 and 8 PM with the final Sunday at 1 PM. You can watch the action live via the LPRT website, or the LPRT YouTube channel.

2019 Teamroot.com Classic
Overland Park, Kansas - June 14-16, 2019

LPRT Singles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1 Paola Longoria d. 8 Cristina Amaya, 11-2, 11-2, 11-4
4 Alexandra Herrera d. 5 Rhonda Rajsich, 11-3, 11-5, 9-11, 11-3

3 Maria Jose Vargas d. 6 Natalia Mendez, 6-11, 11-8, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4
2 Samantha Salas d. 7 Nancy Enriquez, 8-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6

LPRT Singles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1 Paola Longoria d. 4 Alexandra Herrera, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4
2 Samantha Salas d. 3 Maria Jose Vargas, 5-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-3

LPRT Singles - Final - Sunday

1 Paola Longoria v. 2 Samantha Salas - Noon

LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1 Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4 Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera, 15-5, 15-9
3 Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 2 Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-5, 15-7

LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Sunday

1 Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 3 Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

2019 LPRT Teamroot.com Classic - Rounds of 32 and 16

The 2018-19 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) season wraps up this weekend in Overland Park, Kansas, where 22 players will compete in the Teamroot.com Classic, an event with Grand Slam level prize money. Eight of the top 9 players and 15 of the top 20 will be hoping Kansas is just like home. Paola Longoria - the LPRT’s #1 player - will be trying to complete an undefeated season. If she does so, it will be her 5th undefeated season. Longoria has already assured herself of the #1 ranking for the 8th straight season.

In earlier action, Jessica Parrilla made a successful return to the tour by defeating Adrienne Haynes, 11-5, 11-7, 11-2. Parrilla has been out with a knee injury suffered at the end of last season. In the 16/17 match, 17th seed Monserrat Mejia beat 16th seed Carla Muñoz, 11-2, 11-8, 12-10.

Also in the Round of 32, there were two matches that required 5th game tie-breakers. In one, 12th seed Cassi Lee came back from 2-1 down to defeat 21st seed Marie Gomar, 11-3, 11-13, 4-11, 11-7, 11-8, and in the other 14th Sheryl Lotts did the same in getting by 19th seed Erin Rivera, 3-11, 11-2, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10.

In doubles, 2nd seeds Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas were one point from being eliminated in the quarterfinals, as they dropped the first game to 7th seeds Nancy Enriquez and Jessica Parrilla, but they were able to pull out game two, and then won the tie-breaker, taking the match 10-15, 15-14, 11-2. Mendez and Vargas will play 3rd seeds Alexandra Herrera and Monserrat Mejia in the semi-finals Saturday night, as Herrera and Mejia beat 6th seeds Susana Acosta and Cristina Amaya, 15-7, 15-8.

Top seeds Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas defeated 9th seeds Ana Laura Flores and Erin Rivera, 15-13, 15-1, to set up a semi-final showdown with Brenda Laime and Masiel Rivera, who were straight game winners over Sheryl Lotts and Carla Muñoz, 15-11, 15-6.

The singles quarterfinals will be Saturday morning (11 AM & Noon) and semi-finals Saturday at 5 PM and 6 PM. The singles final will be Sunday at noon. The doubles semi-finals are Saturday night at 7 and 8 PM with the final Sunday at 1 PM. You can watch the action live via the LPRT website, or the LPRT YouTube channel or its LiveStream channel.

2019 Teamroot.com Classic
Overland Park, Kansas - June 14-16, 2019

LPRT Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1 Paola Longoria - BYE
17 Monserrat Mejia d. 16 Carla Muñoz, 11-2, 11-8, 12-10

9 Masiel Rivera - BYE
8 Cristina Amaya - BYE

5 Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
12 Cassi Lee d. 21 Marie Gomar, 11-3, 11-13, 4-11, 11-7, 11-8

20 Jessica Parrilla d. 13 Adrienne Haynes, 11-5, 11-7, 11-2
4 Alexandra Herrera - BYE

3 Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
14 Sheryl Lotts v. 19 Erin Rivera, 3-11, 11-2, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10

11 Ana Laura Flores - BYE
6 Natalia Mendez - BYE

7 Nancy Enriquez - BYE
10 Brenda Laime - BYE

15 Susana Acosta d. 18 Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9
2 Samantha Salas - BYE

LPRT Singles - Round of 16 - Friday

1 Paola Longoria d. 17 Monserrat Mejia, 11-3, 11-1, 11-4
8 Cristina Amaya d. 9 Masiel Rivera, 1-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-2

5 Rhonda Rajsich d. 12 Cassi Lee, 11-4, 11-3, 11-3
4 Alexandra Herrera d. 20 Jessica Parrilla, 3-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7

3 Maria Jose Vargas d. 14 Sheryl Lotts, 11-8, 11-1, 11-5
6 Natalia Mendez d. 11 Ana Laura Flores, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9

7 Nancy Enriquez d. 10 Brenda Laime, 11-6, 11-1, 11-9
2 Samantha Salas d. 15 Susana Acosta, 11-4, 11-4, 11-2

LPRT Singles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1 Paola Longoria v. 8 Cristina Amaya - Noon
4 Alexandra Herrera v. 5 Rhonda Rajsich - Noon

3 Maria Jose Vargas v. 6 Natalia Mendez - 11 AM
2 Samantha Salas v. 7 Nancy Enriquez - 11 AM

LPRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1 Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
9 Ana Laura Flores & Erin Rivera d. 8 Marie Gomar & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-11

5 Sheryl Lotts & Carla Muñoz - BYE
4 Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera - BYE

3 Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - BYE
6 Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya - BYE

7 Nancy Enriquez & Jessica Parrilla d. 10 T. J. Baumbaugh & Cassi Lee, 15-9, 15-2
2 Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE

LPRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1 Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 9 Ana Laura Flores & Erin Rivera, 15-13, 15-1
4 Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera d. 5 Sheryl Lotts & Carla Muñoz, 15-11, 15-6

3 Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 6 Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya, 15-7, 15-8
2 Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 7 Nancy Enriquez & Jessica Parrilla, 10-15, 15-14, 11-2

LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1 Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4 Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera - 8 PM
2 Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 3 Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - 7 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Bredenbeck & Bailey Lawrence win 2019 USA Racquetball National Singles

Last weekend, Jake Bredenbeck and Kelani Bailey Lawrence won the Men’s and Women’s Team Qualifying divisions, respectively, at the 2019 USA Racquetball National Singles Championships in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Bredenbeck won for the 3rd time, while Bailey Lawrence won for the first time.

In the Men’s final, Bredenbeck crushed - there’s really no other way of putting it - David Horn, 15-1, 15-1. That didn’t seem likely at the start of the match, as they were still tied at 1-1 after nine rallies. But Bredenbeck won the next seven rallies to go up 8-1. Horn called a timeout at 6-1, but that didn’t derail his opponent. Horn called two more timeouts before the game was over, but they only delayed the end, rather than switching momentum.

In game two, Bredenbeck served first, and Horn got a sideout, and then scored first. But that point was all he would get, as Bredenbeck hit a winner between his legs while facing towards the backwall to take the serve back. It was a “you know things are going your way when” kind of moment, and things certainly went Bredenebeck’s way in the final.

Afterwards, Horn said he didn’t have much in the tank, as he’d played two tie-breakers en route to the final. In the semi-finals, Horn had to hold off a comeback by 2nd seed Charlie Pratt, 15-14, 10-15, 11-7. In the quarterfinals, Horn had to comeback to defeat Thomas Carter, 14-15, 15-12, 11-7.

Bredenbeck also played a tie-breaker in the semis, when he beat 5th seed Adam Manilla, 15-12, 7-15, 11-5, but his quarterfinal match against Robert Collins wasn’t close, as Bredenbeck won, 15-4, 15-2.

Bredenbeck’s first US Team title came in 2014, when he also beat Horn in the final. Bredenbeck successfully defended that title in 2015 by defeating Marco Rojas in the final. Horn, who was the defending US Team champion, has now been runner up four times: twice to Bredenbeck, once to Rojas (in 2013) and once to Rocky Carson (2017).

Bailey Lawrence, the 5th seed, had to comeback from a game down to defeat 3rd seed Hollie Scott, 12-15, 15-8, 11-10, in the Women’s Team final. Although in game one, it looked like Bailey Lawrence was going to run away with the match, as she went up 7-0 on Scott primarily by drive serving to the right side - Scott’s forehand - hitting three for aces.

However, Scott called a timeout at that point, and slowly came back, tying the game at 8-8. Scott then went ahead 11-8. Bailey Lawrence called a timeout, but Scott stayed ahead, winning the first game 15-12.

Game two was close early, as they weren’t separated by more than two points. Bailey Lawrence led 6-5, and from there she scored eight unanswered points to reach game point at 14-5. But Scott fought off that first game point, and scored three of her own to trail 14-8.

Bailey Lawrence got a side-out, and called a timeout. But that didn’t help, as Scott got the serve right back. However, Scott couldn’t add to her total, giving the serve right back to Bailey Lawrence, who was able to end the game on her 3rd game point, winning 15-8.

In the tie-breaker, Bailey Lawrence scored first, and although they were tied at 2-2 and 4-4, Bailey Lawrence never trailed. Until the end. Scott tied the game at 9-9 with a forehand pinch shot. She took the lead for the first time on the next rally, when the ball came big off the back wall, bouncing into the front court, where Scott hit a soft backhand drop shot to get her to match point at 10-9.

Scott served for the match with a drive jam that came off the left wall, then the back wall, and allowed Bailey Lawrence to drive a forehand winner down the right side, getting herself back in the service box. Bailey Lawrence hit a drive Z serve to the left side that Scott hit a backhand return that skipped, tying the game at 10-10.

On her first match point, Bailey Lawrence drove serve to the left side. Scott hit a backhand return that came off the back wall, and Bailey Lawrence ran around it to hit a forehand cross court shot. Scott scrambled over to hit a forehand shot down the line that Bailey Lawrence was able was able to take early, hitting a low cross court shot for a winner, as Scott could not reach it. That winner made Bailey Lawrence a champion for the 1st time, taking the tie-breaker 11-10, and winning the match in three games.

Streak ends

Bailey Lawrence’s victory ends an 8 year streak of victories by Rhonda Rajsich. She was runner up to Rajsich last year, but went one better in taking the title this year. Bailey Lawrence beat the 8 time defending champion Rajsich in the semi-finals, 15-13, 9-15, 11-4, while Scott beat Cheryl Gudinas, 15-7, 15-1, in the other semi. Gudinas was the last player to win the Women’s US Team event before Rajsich, as Gudinas beat Kerri Wachtel in the 2010 final.

Bailey Lawrence won the title despite being the lower seed in all of her matches, as she was seeded 5th. In the quarterfinals, she upset 4th seed Sheryl Lotts, 15-11, 15-1, then beat 1st seed Rajsich in the semis, and 3rd seed Scott in the final. Bailey Lawrence is the first woman to do that, since Aimee Ruiz won the title in 2009, when she was the 10th seed.

In the other quarters, Scott defeated Adrienne Haynes, 15-7, 15-10, Rajsich beat 9th seed Annie Roberts, 15-6, 15-2, and Gudinas got a forfeit win over 2nd seed Erika Manilla.

If you missed any of the action from Highlands Ranch - including the finals - you can see them via the USA Racquetball LiveStream channel.

2019 USA Racquetball National Singles Championships
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
US National Team Divisions

Men's US Team Singles - Final

1) Jake Bredenbeck d. 3) David Horn, 15-1, 15-1

3rd place

2) Charlie Pratt d. 5) Adam Manilla, forfeit

Semi-finals

1) Jake Bredenbeck d. 5) Adam Manilla, 15-12, 7-15, 11-5
3) David Horn d. 2) Charlie Pratt, 15-14, 10-15, 11-7

Quarterfinals

1) Jake Bredenbeck d. 8) Robert Collins, 15-4, 15-2
5) Adam Manilla d. 13) Anthony Martin, 15-3, 15-2

3) David Horn d. 6) Thomas Carter, 14-15, 15-12, 11-7
2) Charlie Pratt d. 7) Dylan Reid, 15-14, 15-5

Round of 16

1) Jake Bredenbeck d. 17) Tyler Thielen, 15-1, 15-3
8) Robert Collins d. 9) Luis Avila, 14-15, 15-9, 11-7

5) Adam Manilla d. 12) Woody Clouse, 15-2, 15-5
13) Anthony Martin d. 4) Jose Diaz, forfeit

3) David Horn d. 14) Preston Tribble, 15-12, 15-5
6) Thomas Carter d. 11) Nicholas Riffel, 15-13, 10-15, 11-5

7) Dylan Reid d. 10) Jeff Stark, 15-8, 15-7
2) Charlie Pratt d. 15) Micah Farmer, 15-3, 15-2

Women's US Team Singles - Final

5) Kelani Bailey Lawrence d. 3) Hollie Scott, 12-15, 15-8, 11-10

3rd place

1) Rhonda Rajsich d. 7) Cheryl Gudinas, forfeit

Semi-finals

5) Kelani Bailey Lawrence d. 1) Rhonda Rajsich, 15-13, 9-15, 11-4
3) Hollie Scott d. 7) Cheryl Gudinas, 15-7, 15-1

Quarterfinals

1) Rhonda Rajsich d. 9) Annie Roberts, 15-6, 15-2
5) Kelani Bailey Lawrence d. 4) Sheryl Lotts, 15-11, 15-1

3) Hollie Scott d. 6) Adrienne Haynes, 15-7, 15-10
7) Cheryl Gudinas d. 2) Erika Manilla, forfeit

Round of 16

9) Annie Roberts d. 8) Cassi Lee, 9-15, 15-15 [sic], 11-4

Follow the bouncing ball....