The USA Racquetball Junior Championships wrapped up on Sunday in Des Moines, Iowa, and the overall participation was 81 players, which significantly fewer than in recent years, but is likely due to the pandemic. However, the participation was almost evenly split between boys and girls. There were 44 boys and 38 girls (54% to 46%). We noted in our 2019 summary that there seemed to be more girls participating at the USA Junior Championships, and it’s nice to see that trend continuing even with the pandemic.
The Boys and Girls U18 Champions are Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL) and Annie Roberts (Gresham, OR), respectively. But both finals were see-saw matches that needed a tie-breaker to decide the winner. Hansen beat Julius Ellis (Stockton, CA), 15-2, 6-15, 11-3, for the Boys title, while Roberts came back from a game down and 10-5 down in the breaker to narrowly defeat Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO), 4-15, 15-8, 11-10.
Both were remarkable performances. The boys final was interesting, because there was a contrast in styles. Hansen is a smooth player, while Ellis is a bundle of energy bouncing around the court. Yet it was Hansen who was more emotional between rallies, especially in the breaker, while Ellis was calmer, but clearly disappointed after the match was over.
Roberts - we believe - played in her final Junior Championships, and ends her junior career having won singles in each of the last four competitions. She won Girls U16 Singles in 2019 and 2018 and Girls U14 Singles in 2017. That record bodes well for her future, if she’s interested in continuing to play racquetball. Roberts also competed in the Women’s National Team division in Des Moines and has entered some Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) events, so it does seem like she’s interested in pursuing a racquetball career.
Sometimes the U18 Singles champions win U18 Doubles as well, but that didn’t happen this year. Roberts didn’t play doubles, and Hansen and Andrew Gleason (Johnston, IA) lost the Boys U18 Doubles final to Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA) and Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY), 15-8, 4-15, 11-8. There are a couple remarkable aspects to that result.
First, it was partially a successful title defense, as Shea won Boys U18 Doubles two years ago with Dylan Pruitt; 2019 being the last time the Junior Championships were held. That’s despite the fact that Shea was “playing up” in 2019 - competing in an older age division than necessary. We know that because in 2019 Shea and Chauhan won Boy’s U14 Doubles.
Moreover, Shea and Chauhan’s competing in U18 doubles this year was also playing up, as they competed in Boys U16 Singles and faced off in the semi-finals with Shea winning in two close games, 15-13, 15-12. But that’s not all.
Because players were allowed to play three divisions this year, Shea and Chauhan also entered Boys U16 Doubles, and they came 2nd! Seriously. It was a five team round robin, and in the deciding match Nikhil Prasad (Fremont, CA) and Gatlin Sutherland (Great Falls, MT) defeated them, 15-14, 15-11. Thus, Shea and Chauhan have won Boys U14 Doubles (in 2019) and Boys U18 Doubles (this year) and Shea has won Boys U18 Doubles twice, but they have yet to win Boys U16 Doubles. And they may never do so, if they age out of that division this year (that would happen if they turn 17 in 2021).
A couple of interesting stories on the girls side. One is Naomi Ros of San Antonio, who won Girl's U16 Singles, and did so convincingly, as she only gave up more than six points in one of the eight games she won en route to the title. Also, Ros, as the 5th seed, defeated the 1st, 2nd and 4th seeds to get the win. In the final, she defeated 2nd seed Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN), 15-5, 15-12, after beating top seed Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA), 15-6, 15-3, in the semi-finals.
What makes that all the more remarkable is that Ros didn’t play in 2019, and we’re not sure she’s ever played in the Junior Championships previously. She wasn’t in either the 2018 or 2017 Junior Championships. To win a competition your first time out is difficult, but to do it in such a convincing fashion is astonishing.
Although Mahoney will likely be disappointed in not being in a singles final this year after being in three in the previous two competitions, winning U14 in 2018 and 2019 as well as being U16 runner up in 2019, she did win Girl's U18 Doubles with long time partner Julia Stein (Murrysville, PA). But it wasn’t easy, as they needed tie-breakers to pull off wins in both the final and semi-final. They defeated Estefania Perez (Manteca, CA) and Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO) in the final, 15-13, 6-15, 11-9, and got to the final with a comeback victory over Ros and Shane Diaz (San Antonio), 11-15, 15-12, 11-5.
All in all, the 2021 USAR Junior Championships had some great matches and fun results. If you want to look back on some of the action, check out the USA Racquetball Livestream channel for the event, where over 40 matches are archived.
2021 USA Racquetball Junior Championships
July 14-18, 2021 - Des Moines, Iowa
Boy's U18 Singles - Final
Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL) d. Julius Ellis (Stockton, CA), 15-2, 6-15, 11-3
3rd Place
Andrew Gleason (Johnston, IA) d. Kamahele Britos (Honolulu, HI), 15-3, 15-2
Semi-finals
Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL) d. Kamahele Britos (Honolulu, HI), 15-4, 15-2
Julius Ellis (Stockton, CA) d. Andrew Gleason (Johnston, IA), 15-11, 15-14
Boy's U16 Singles - Final
Nikhil Prasad (Fremont, CA) d. Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY), 15-7, 8-15, 11-7
3rd Place
Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA) d. Gatlin Sutherland (Great Falls, MT), 15-14, 15-3
Semi-finals
Nikhil Prasad (Fremont, CA) d. Gatlin Sutherland (Great Falls, MT), 15-14, 15-3
Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY) d. Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA), 15-13, 15-12
Boy's U14 Singles - Final
Eshan Ali (Union City, CA) d. Joseph Marshall (Jackson, TN), 15-7, 15-4
3rd Place
Axel Lopez (Chicago) d. Alexander Pappas (Auburn, CA), 15-9, 15-2
Semi-finals
Joseph Marshall (Jackson, TN) d. Alexander Pappas (Auburn, CA), 15-4, 15-6
Eshan Ali (Union City, CA) d. Axel Lopez (Chicago), 15-7, 15-5
Girl's U18 Singles - Final
Annie Roberts (Gresham, OR) d. Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO), 4-15, 15-8, 11-10
3rd Place
Shane Diaz (San Antonio, TX) d. Julia Stein (Murrysville, PA), 15-7, 15-3
Semi-finals
Annie Roberts (Gresham, OR) d. Julia Stein (Murrysville, PA), 15-7, 15-3
Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO) d. Shane Diaz (San Antonio, TX), 15-8, 15-4
Girl's U16 Singles - Final
Naomi Ros (San Antonio) d. Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN), 15-5, 15-12
3rd Place
Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA) d. Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR), 15-12, 15-9
Semi-finals
Naomi Ros (San Antonio) d. Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA), 15-6, 15-3
Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN) d. Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR), 15-9, 15-8
Girl's U14 Singles - Final
Sonya Shetty (Fremont, CA) d. Andrea Perez-Picon (Manteca, CA), 15-10, 15-10
3rd Place
Aanshi Thakur (Tracy, CA) d. Jordan Ellis (Stockton, CA), 10-15, 15-13, 11-8
Semi-finals
Sonya Shetty (Fremont, CA) d. Jordan Ellis (Stockton, CA), 15-6, 15-7
Andrea Perez-Picon (Manteca, CA) d. Aanshi Thakur (Tracy, CA), 15-0, 15-3
Boy's U18 Doubles - Final
Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA) & Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY) d. Andrew Gleason (Johnston, IA) & Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL), 15-8, 4-15, 11-8
3rd Place
Iain Dunn (Simi Valley, CA) & Paul Saraceno (Simi Valley, CA) d. Kamahele Britos (Honolulu, HI) & Krish Thakur (Tracy, CA), 15-8, 6-15, 11-9
Semi-finals
Andrew Gleason (Johnston, IA) & Timmy Hansen (Wellington, FL) d. Iain Dunn (Simi Valley, CA) & Paul Saraceno (Simi Valley, CA), 15-8, 15-8
Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA) & Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY) d. Kamahele Britos (Honolulu, HI) & Krish Thakur (Tracy, CA), 15-4, 15-5
Boy's U16 Doubles - Round Robin
1. Nikhil Prasad (Fremont, CA) & Gatlin Sutherland (Great Falls, MT)
2. Vedant Chauhan (San Ramon, CA) & Josh Shea (Cortlandt Manor, NY)
3. DJ Mendoza (San Antonio) & Paul Saraceno (Simi Valley, CA)
4. Benjamin Horner (Ankeny, IA) & Edwin Miller (St. Louis)
5. Cody Elkins (Los Angeles) & Omar Bawa (Rocklin, CA)
Boy's U14 Doubles - Standings (Round Robin)
1. Eshan Ali (Union City, CA) & Alexander Pappas (Auburn, CA)
2. Juan Herrera II (Freeport, IL) & Axel Lopez (Chicago)
3. Caleb Marshall (Jackson, TN) & Joseph Marshall (Jackson, TN)
4. Riley Edwards (Gresham, OR) & Joshua Tramm (New Brighton, MN)
Girl's U18 Doubles - Final
Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA) & Julia Stein (Murrysville, PA) d. Estefania Perez (Manteca, CA) & Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO), 15-13, 6-15, 11-9
3rd Place
Shane Diaz (San Antonio) & Naomi Ros (San Antonio) d. Elena Mathew (Corvallis, OR) & Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR), 15-4, 15-9
Semi-finals
Estefania Perez (Manteca, CA) & Erin Slutzky (Chesterfield, MO) d. Elena Mathew (Corvallis, OR) & Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR), 15-4, 15-9
Heather Mahoney (Penngrove, CA) & Julia Stein (Murrysville, PA) d. Shane Diaz (San Antonio) & Naomi Ros (San Antonio), 11-15, 15-12, 11-5
Girl's U16 Doubles - Final
Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN) & Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR) d. Arya Cyril (Dublin, CA) & Esha Cyril (Dublin, CA), 15-4, 15-0
3rd Place
Brielle Fernando (Beaverton, OR) & Gabbie Roseman (Des Peres, MO) d. Kyla Davis (Wildwood, MO) & Riley Graven (Wildwood, MO), 15-0, 15-5
Semi-finals
Ava Kaiser (Lake Elmo, MN) & Kareena Mathew (Corvallis, OR) d. Kyla Davis (Wildwood, MO) & Riley Graven (Wildwood, MO), 15-1, 15-1
Arya Cyril (Dublin, CA) & Esha Cyril (Dublin, CA) d. Brielle Fernando (Beaverton, OR) & Gabbie Roseman (Des Peres, MO), 6-15, 15-0, 11-2
Girl's U14 Doubles - Standings (Round Robin)
1. Aarya Shetty (Fremont, CA) & Sonya Shetty (Fremont, CA)
2. Thea Mattfeldt (Glendale, AZ) & Montserrat Torres (Bellwood, IL)
3. Camila Canchola (Stockton, CA) & Jordan Ellis (Stockton, CA)
Follow the bouncing ball….
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