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….