Weekend Round Up - Crowther beats Huczek & Vanderson

Chris Crowther had two surprising wins to take the Seattle Open, a Tier 4 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), on the weekend. Crowther beat Jack Huczek in the final, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3, and Shane Vanderson, 11-1, 11-2, 11-4, in semi-final. Huczek and Vanderson were the top two seeds of the tournament with Crowther as third seed.

Huczek was hampered by an injury to his quadricep that kept him out of the US National Doubles Championship. Nonetheless, it's a great victory for Crowther.

Vanderson defeated Taylor Knoth in the third place match, 7-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-2, 11-5. Huczek defeated Knoth in the other semi-final.

Grant Barker was the winner of the Winter Classic, another Tier 4 IRT event, in Overland Park, Kansas. Barker defeated Kevin Buehler in the final, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2.

In the semis, Barker beat Daniel Pflaster, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7, while Buehler needed a tie-breaker to get past Travis Kern, winning 11-7, 5-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7.

Coming up this weekend is the San Diego Open, a Tier 3 IRT event. Crowther and Vanderson are both entered in that event, and joining them are Rocky Carson and Mitch Williams.

Follow the bouncing ball....

WPRO - Latest rankings

The latest Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) rankings have been released, and there's little change in them. Only one change in the top 10, in fact, as Angela Grisar and Jennifer Saunders have flipped places with Grisar now 7th and Saunders 8th.

Cristina Amaya and Doreen Fowler have also flipped places with Amaya now 19th and Fowler 20th.

WPRO Rankings - February 14, 2009

Rank - Name - Country - Points
1 Paola Longoria, Mexico 1297.00
2 Rhonda Rajsich, USA 1267.9
3 Cheryl Gudinas, USA 628.2
4 Kerri Wachtel, USA 593.5
5 Kristen Bellows, USA 576
6 Adrienne Fisher, USA 362.9
7 Angela Grisar, Chile 245
8 Jennifer Saunders, Canada 234.25
9 Jo Shattuck, USA 216.23
10 T.J. Baumbaugh, USA 214
11 Veronica Sotomayor, Ecuador 198
12 Krystal Csuk, USA 196
13 Keely Franks, USA 180.25
14 Diane Moore, USA 164.25
15 Samantha Salas, Mexico 133.05
16 Vivian Gomez, USA 128.50
17 Jackie Paraiso, USA 120.00
18 Susy Acosta-Mendoza, Mexico 112.70
19 Cristina Amaya, Colombia 106.50
20 Doreen Fowler, USA 98.75

Follow the bouncing ball....

Weekend Round Up

This weekend had two Tier 4 events on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT). Eric Desrochers won the 36th Keystone Classic in Winnipeg, Manitoba defeating Lee Connell in the final, 11-4, 11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 11-4.

Connell was also runner up in last year's Keystone, losing to Tim Landeryou in three straight games. After going down two games on Sunday, he was determined to not have that happen again, and with some great serve returns Connell was able to get back into the match, winning games three and four to force a tie-breaker.

But in game five Desrochers was able to get the momentum back and win the match. Both players made several great diving gets and spectacular shots.

In the semi-finals, Desrochers defeated Colin Mohr, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6, and Connell beat Kurtis Cullen, 11-0, 11-3, 11-5.

In Arlington Heights, Illinois, Andrew Price defeated Geoff Goldblatt, 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, to win the 2010 St Valentine Day Massacre. Price won his semi-final by default, as Juan Martinez was a no show for their match. In the other semi, Goldblatt beat Zach Archer, 12-10, 11-3, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8.

Follow the bouncing ball....