IRT - Crowther wins Carl Myers Memorial tournament

Chris Crowther won the 6th Carl Myers Memorial Racquetball Tournament - a Tier 2 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) - in Garden City, Kansas on the weekend, defeating Shane Vanderson in the final, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6.

Vanderson had upset top seed Ben Croft in the semi-finals, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3, while Crowther beat Andy Hawthorne in the other semi-final, 11-2, 11-2, 10-12, 11-9.

Crowther and Vanderson teamed up in doubles and took the Pro Doubles title, beating Hawthorne and Tony Carson in the final, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9.

Crowther and Vanderson got to the final with a win over Dustin Webster and Alex Ackermann in the semi-finals, 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 11-4. Hawthorne and Carson beat Croft and Jared Torres in the other semi-final, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4.

This coming weekend features an IRT Tier 1 event in Tampa, Florida: the Florida Spring Break Pro/Am.

6th Carl Myers Memorial Racquetball Tournament - Garden City, Kansas

Final

Chris Crowther d. Shane Vanderson, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6

Semi-finals

Shane Vanderson d. Ben Croft, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3

Chris Crowther d. Andy Hawthorne, 11-2, 11-2, 10-12, 11-9

Doubles final

Chris Crowther & Shane Vanderson d. Andy Hawthorne & Tony Carson, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9.

Semi-finals

Chris Crowther & Shane Vanderson d. Dustin Webster & Alex Ackermann, 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 11-4

Andy Hawthorne & Tony Carson d. Ben Croft & Jared Torres, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4

Follow the bouncing ball....

CPRT - Clouse successfully defends CPRT Nationals title

Woody Clouse successfully defended his Classic Pro Racquetball Tour (CPRT) Nationals title in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, as he defeated Jimmy Lowe in five games, 9-4, 9-5, 7-9, 5-9, 9-6. Clouse, the #1 CPRT player, defeated Travis Aldinger last year, and was also in the finals two years ago when he lost to Cliff Swain.

Clouse reached the final with a win over George Bustos, 9-4, 9-2, 6-9, 9-4, while 3rd seeded Lowe beat 2nd seed Craig Lane, 1-9, 9-8, 9-5, 9-2.

2012 CPRT Nationals, Las Vegas, Nevada

Final

Woody Clouse d. Jimmy Lowe, 9-4, 9-5, 7-9, 5-9, 9-6

Semi-finals

Woody Clouse d. George Bustos, 9-4, 9-2, 6-9, 9-4

Jimmy Lowe d. Craig Lane, 1-9, 9-8, 9-5, 9-2

Follow the bouncing ball....

WPRO - Rankings, Longoria remains at #1

The Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) has released its latest rankings, which include results from the Wilson Tour for Hope event in Cincinnati at the end of January. That was a satellite event, and only a few players participated, so there aren't many changes in the rankings.

Paola Longoria, winner of every WPRO event this season, remains the #1 WPRO player, followed by Rhonda Rajsich, Kerri Wachtel and Samantha Salas, in postions 2-4, respectively.

The only changes in the top 10 are Cristina Amaya's move up to 7th ahead of Susy Acosta-Mendoza, who drops back to 8th. Also, Da'monique Davis has cracked the top 10 for the first time, as she's 10th.

In the next ten, Kristen Bellows, a former top 4 player, continues to move up the rankings in her return to WPRO competition; she's now 11th, ahead of Angela Grisar, who was 10th previously, but has fallen back to 12th.

Former #1, Cheryl Gudinas, who had knee surgery in the fall and has only played one tournament since then, has also fallen back and sits in 16th spot now.

The next WPRO event is next weekend March 8-11 when the Mile High Pro-Am happens in Denver, Colorado.

WPRO Rankings - February 27, 2012

Rank - Name - Residence - Points

1 - Paola Longoria, Tijuana, Mexico - 1366.00

2 - Rhonda Rajsich, Phoenix, AZ - 1226.40

3 - Kerri Wachtel, Cincinnati, OH - 495.40

4 - Samantha Salas, Monterrey, Mexico - 460.30

5 - Adrienne Fisher, Centerville, OH - 409.25

6 - Krystal Csuk, Chicago, IL - 356.00

7 - Cristina Amaya, Cali, Colombia - 342.65

8 - Susy Acosta-Mendoza, Chihuahua, Mexico - 331.50

9 - Jennifer Saunders, Winnipeg, Canada - 294.00

10 - Da'monique Davis, San Antonio, TX - 206.75

11 - Kristen Bellows, Pleasant Grove, UT - 200.90

12 - Angela Grisar, San Ramon, CA - 193.00

13 - T.J. Baumbaugh, Reston, VA - 192.50

14 - Christie Huczek, Trophy Club, TX - 150.25

15 - Linda Scales, Euless, TX - 140.00

16 - Cheryl Gudinas, Naperville, IL - 136.00

17 - Aimee Ruiz, Woodbridge, NJ - 100.00

18 - Laura Brandt, Ft. Lauderdale, FL - 96.50

19 - Sharon Jackson, Shelbyville, IN - 96.10

20 - Keely Franks, Euless, TX - 70.00

Follow the bouncing ball....