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RACQUETBALL Magazine ONLINE

March - April 1997: Volume 8, Number 2

USA CAPTURES 8TH WORLD CUP AT JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

by Kevin Vicroy

Junior Team USA outdistanced nine other countries to win its eighth World Cup at the 8th International Racquetball Federation Junior World Championships on December 19-22, 1996. The event was held at the Los Caballeros Sports Village in Fountain Valley, Calif.

The United States Junior National Team finished with 1,000.5 points while Mexico placed second with 868.5. Canada took third with 326.5.

There were several double winners among the over 500 entrants. Willie Tilton (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Shane Vanderson (Dublin, Ohio) teamed to capture the boy's 16-and-under doubles title after winning the 16- and 14- singles championships, respectively.

Tilton captured the boy's 16- title by defeating Cesar Urquidi of Chihuahua, Mexico 15-8, 15-10 in the finals. The Colorado native only lost one game throughout the tournament.

Vanderson was even more impressive. The Junior Team USA member won every game his played through the boy's 14- gold bracket. Vanderson defeated Stephen Lewis (Kennewick, Wash.) 15-4, 15-13 in the finals.

1996 Male Junior Athlete of the Year Rocky Carson captured the 18-and-under title. Carson swept the opposition, allowing no more than nine points in a single game. The Santa Maria, Calif., native downed state rival Richie Wagner (Riverside, Calif.) 15-9, 15-4 in the last match.

Current girls National High School Champion, Rhonda Rajsich (Phoenix, Ariz.), took first in the 18- singles and doubles. Teammate Brooke Crawford (Klamath Falls, Ore.) duplicated the feat in the girl's 16- singles and doubles.

Rajsich put away a tough Chantal Turgeon (Quebec, Canada) in the finals 15-12, 15-8 to win her first World singles title. The Phoenix native teamed with 1996 Female Junior Athlete of the Year Sadie Gross (Yankton, S.D.) to win the girls 18-and-under doubles title. The two U.S. Junior teammembers defeated Karina Galina and Adriana Soto of Mexico in the finals 15-9, 15-11.

For Rajsich, it was her third World doubles win. Gross now claims five World titles, three doubles and two singles.

The only athlete to win two world singles crowns at this year's event was David Ortega (Chihuahua, Mexico), who finished first in the boy's 8-and-under singles and multi-bounce singles.

Ortega defeated Bryce Milakovich (Upland, Calif.) 15-2, 15-6 for the 8-and-under crown. Fellow countryman, Emilio Valenzuela (Chihuahua, Mexico) fell to Ortega in the multi-bounce final 11-4, 11-3.

Houston, Texas native Jeremy Robbins completed a racquetball style "hat-trick" with his three gold medals -- taking the boy's 10- singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

FINAL MATCH RESULTS -- SINGLES -- Boy's 18-: Rocky Carson (Santa Maria, Calif.) def. Richie Wagner (Riverside, Calif.) 15-9, 15-4; Boy's 16-: Willie Tilton (Colorado Springs, Colo.) def. Cesar Urquidi (Chihuahua, Mexico) 15-8, 15-10; Boy's 14-: Shane Vanderson (Dublin, Ohio) def. Stephen Lewis (Kennewick, Wash.) 15-4, 15-13; Boy's 12-: Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) def. Trevor Crowe (Portland, Ore.) 15-4, 15-7; Boy's 10-: Jeremy Robbins (Houston, Texas) def. Juan Arzate (Chihuahua, Mexico) 15-12, 15-10; Boy's 8-: David Ortega (Chihuahua, Mexico) def. Bryce Milakovich (Upland, Calif.) 15-2, 15-6; Boy's 8- multi-bounce: David Ortega (Chihuahua, Mexico) def. Emilio Valenzuela (Chihuahua, Mexico) 11-4, 11-3.

Girl's 18-: Rhonda Rajsich (Phoenix, Ariz.) def. Chantal Turgeon (Quebec, Canada) 15-12, 15-8; Girl's 16-: Brooke Crawford (Klamath Falls, Ore.) def. Katie Gould (Ellisville, Mo.)15-13, 15-6; Girl's 14-: Kristen Walsh (Salt Lake City, Utah) def. Maggie DeBord (Lincoln, Neb.) 15-6, 15-13; Girl's 12-: Grace Leutele (Sierra Vista, Ariz.) def. Kimberly Irons (Dublin, Ohio) 9-15, 15-6, 11-6; Girl's 10-: Adrienne Fisher (Centerville, Ohio) def. Derai Darling (Gearhart, Ore.) 15-12, 15-9; Girl's 8-: Marcela Moreno (Chihuahua, Mexico) def. Ashley Willhite (Klamath Falls, Ore.) 15-5, 15-5; Girl's 8- multi-bounce: Eleni Guzman (Chihuahua, Mexico) def. Sarah Moyle (Beaverton, Ore.) 11-5, 11-4.

DOUBLES -- Boy's 18-: Pedro Lara/Ignacio Bustillos (Mexico) def. Mark Bloom/Erin Brannigan (USA) 15-13, 15-12; Boy's 16-: Willie Tilton/Shane Vanderson (USA) def. James Ford/Ryan Staten (USA) 15-13, 15-10; Boy's 14-: Erwin Bernal/Hector Urquidi (Mexico) def. Grant Barker/Jason Jansen (USA) 15-10, 4-15, 11-8; Boy's 12-: Bart Crawford/Steve Klaiman (USA) def. Jack Huczek/Cory Martin (USA) 15-8, 13-15, 11-10; Boy's 10-: Geoffrey Mora/Jeremy Robbins (USA) def. Juan Arzata/Ernesto Guzman (Mexico) 15-0, 15-7.

Girl's 18-: Sadie Gross/Rhonda Rajsich (USA) def. Karina Galina/Adriana Soto (Mexico) 15-9, 15-11; Girl's 16-: Sara Borland/Brooke Crawford (USA) def. Megan Bals/Leisa Marquart (USA) 15-14, 15-6; Girl's 14-: Jeni Fuller/Kristen Walsh (USA) def. Genevieve Brodeur/Veronique Guillemette (Canada) 15-3, 15-8; Girl's 12-: Kim Irons/Crystal Winfrey (USA) def. Lindsey Deutsch/Julianna Mayor (USA) 15-4, 15-6; Girl's 10-: Adrienne Fisher/Jesi Fuller (USA) def. Brandie Hansen/Katherine Stock (USA) 15-5, 15-2.

Mixed 18-: Amanda MacDonald/Kris Odegard (Canada) def. Christina Lewendahl/Dan Darling (USA) 15-10, 15-13; Mixed 16-: Leisa Marquart/Justin Carey (USA) def. Karina Hamilton/Jorge Pasos (Mexico) 15-10, 4-15, 11-1; Mixed 14-: Molly Law/Scott Fisher (USA) def. Krystal Czuk/Seth Taylor (USA) 15-8, 11-15, 11-9; Mixed 12-: Crystal Winfrey/Jack Huczek (USA) def. Adrienne Fisher/Steve Klaiman (USA) 15-8, 15-12; Mixed 10-: Jesi Fuller/Jeremy Robbins (USA) def. Brandi Jacobson-Prentice/James Lunderyou (Canada) 15-6, 15-3.

TEAM RESULTS -- Overall: USA (1,000.5); Mexico (868.5); Canada (326.5); Boy's Team: Mexico (755.5); USA (628.5); Canada (147); Venezuela (54); Argentina (25); Chile (17); Puerto Rico (16); Bolivia (15.5); Guam (12); Honduras (1); Girl's Team: USA (372); Mexico (179.5); Canada (113).