2001 ProKennex IRF 13th World Junior Racquetball Championships

The Orlando Fitness & Racquet Club
Orlando, Florida: December 16-20, 2001

The 2001 Pro Kennex 13th International Racquetball Federation [IRF] World Junior Championships concluded on Thursday at the Orlando Fitness & Racquet Club in Orlando, Florida with U.S. Juniors again dominating the field. The U.S. Junior National Team won gold medals in nine out of twelve singles divisions.

Teen sensation Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) earned a gold medal in the boys' 18-and-under after dominating the competition throughout the tournament. He defeated Zack Miller (Alta Loma, Calif.) 15-2, 15-3 in the finals. "I felt very sharp all week," Huczek said. "I felt like my shots were crisp and that I moved well in this tournament." Huczek also plays on the men's' professional International Racquetball Tour [IRT], where he is currently ranked 11th in the world.

Steven Klaiman (Bellaire, Texas) defeated Brandon Shoemaker (Findlay, Ohio) in straight games to claim the boys' 16- title. "I played well all week and Brandon played well all week," said Klaiman. "I just feel good that I was able to come out on top today." Klaiman defeated Shoemaker 15-12, 15-6.

In the boys' 16-, Joey Lakowske (Corvallis, Ore.) defeated Gilberto De Los Rios (Mexico) by dominating the entire match, 15-7, 15-3. Also winning titles for the U.S. boys' were Jose Rojas (Stockton, Calif.) in the boys' 10- and Joseph Lee (Baton Rouge, La.) in the boys' 8-.

Kristen Walsh (Salt Lake City, Utah) repeated as the girls' 18- World Junior champion by defeating Krystal Csuk (Naperville, Ill.) in straight games 15-11, 15-2. The first game was tight and Walsh actually found herself down 11-9 at one point. After a timeout she took control of the match and never looked back. "Since this was the last junior tournament that I could compete in, it was really important to me to win," Walsh said. "There's always that extra pressure of repeating and wanting to go out big."

In the girls' 16-, Adrienne Fisher (Centerville, Ohio) earned a gold medal after finishing second in 2000. She defeated Ashley Legget (Klamath Falls, Ore.), 15-2, 15-3, in a rematch of the girls' 16- National Junior Championships. Legget also earned a silver medal in the girls' 14- when Mexico's Nancy Enriquez defeated her in a tiebreaker 5-15, 15-4, 11-4.

In the girls' 10-, Wesley Toland (Parkin, Ark.) earned a gold medal in a tight match with Kaitlin Inglesby (Portland, Ore.) 15-14, 15-13.

The IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships are held each December to determine the world's strongest junior racquetball squad, as well as name individual world singles and doubles champions in age divisions. Division play is separated in two-year increments, between 6-and-under and 18-and-under, and is conducted in single elimination format in championship rounds, with consolation rounds played in blue, red, and white satellite divisions. The U.S. has won the overall team competition every year and although the final tally is not yet complete, all indications are that they will continue their streak.

Play continues through Thursday at the Orlando Fitness and Racquet Club, located at 825 Courtland Street. There is no charge for admission; spectators are welcome to view the action.

The tournament began with nearly 250 of the world's best junior racquetball players from around the world, but has narrowed down to the two best in each division. Divisions are separated in two-year increments from 6-and-under to 18-. Players earn points for their respective national teams as well as compete for individual world titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

After a slow start, the U.S. boys' team bounced back to place at least one player in every singles age group final. The boys' 18-, 16-, and 8- divisions feature an all U.S. final with lone players competing in the boys' 14-, 12-, and 10-.

In the first boys' 18-, semifinal U.S. Junior National team members Zack Miller (Alto Loma, Calif.) and Cory Martin (Kenosha, Wisc.) faced one another with Miller controlling most of the match for a 15-8, 15-8 victory. The other semifinal pitted U.S. Junior Team member and United States Racquetball Association [USRA] Junior Player of the Year Jack Huczek against Mexico's Eduardo Ortega. Huczek dominated the entire match, as he has every match thus far into the tournament, winning 15-1, 15-1.

In the boys' 16- Brandon Shoemaker (Findlay, Ohio) continued his string of upsets, this time against fellow U.S. Junior National team member Travis Woodbury (Arlington, Va.) in two very close games 15-13, 15-14. Tuesday, Shoemaker knocked off the No. 2 seed Agustin Tristan (Mexico) to advance to the semifinals. Tomorrow he will face the No.1 seed and U.S. Junior National team member Steven Klaiman (Bellaire, Texas) who narrowly earned his way into the finals over Dan Sheppick (Milwaukie, Ore.). Klaiman dropped the first game 15-8, but gathered himself to take the next two 15-11, 11-4.

Joey Lakowske (Corvallis, Ore.), the only U.S. team member left in the boys' 14-, advanced to the finals in straight games over Cesar Guzman (Mexico) 15-10, 15-6. He will face Gilberto De Los Rios (Mexico) in the finals. De Los Rios was victorious over his countryman Armando Martinez 15-4, 15-10.

Jose Rojas (Stockton, Calif.) advanced to the finals in both the boys' 12- and 10- divisions. Rojas is the defending world junior champion in both divisions and has cruised through the competition this year without dropping a game in either division.

Jose's brother, Marco, made the finals in the boys' 8- along with Joseph Lee (Baton Rouge, La.). Rojas defeated Daniel Baeza (Mexico) in a tight match that went to a tiebreaker. Baeza dominated the first game 15-4, but Rojas stepped his game up a notch to finish the match with 15-9, 11-6 victories.

The girl's 16- division also featured an all U.S. semifinal with Ashley Legget (Klamath Falls, Ore.) and Adrienne Fisher (Centerville, Ohio) both advancing to set up a rematch of the girls' 16- National Championship finals. Fisher was victorious in that match but Legget aims to get revenge.

Legget also earned the right to play for the girls' 14- title by defeating Samantha Salas (Mexico) 14-15, 15-7, 11-4. She will face Nancy Enriquez (Mexico) who downed Elise Wilson (Bristol, Conn.) 15-4, 15-4.

The girls 12- division is the only gold level division that doesn't feature an American in the finals. Paola Longoria (Mexico) and Eleni Guzman (Mexico) will battle it out with a world title on the line.

The U.S Junior team received a large boost in the point standings today with sixteen of a possible twenty-four players earning a spot in the semifinals. No. 1 seed Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) continued to cruise through the field by defeating Carlos Bacmeister (Mexico) 15-5, 15-2. 

In what many considered the most entertaining match of the day, No. 7 Cory Martin (Kenosha, Wisc.) upset No. 2 Abraham Pena (Mexico). Martin lost the first game 15-10 but evened things out by taking the second 15-8. Both the players and the crowd turned it up a notch in the tiebreaker. With every point there was a roar, in either Spanish or English, depending on the outcome. Martin was able to pull ahead at the end of the game to close out the match 11-7. Also advancing to the semifinals in boys' 18-and-under were Zack Miller (Alta Loma, Calif.) and Eduardo Ortega (Mexico).

In the 16- the U.S. was able to advance four players into the semifinals to guarantee an all U.S. final. Reigning U.S. National 16- champion Steven Klaiman made quick work of Jesus Jasso (Mexico) 15-6, 15-4. Dan Sheppick (Milwaukie, Ore.) and Travis Woodbury (Arlington, Vir.) also advanced in straight games. Brandon Shoemaker (Findlay, Ohio) upset No. 2 seed Agustin Tristan (Mexico) in one of the closest matches of the day. After dropping the first game 15-9, Shoemaker gathered himself and pulled out the match win with two narrow victories 15-14, 11-10.

The U.S. was only able to advance one player in the boys' 14- division after dropping two of three matches. Joey Lakowske (Corvallis, Ore.) was the lone American to advance to the semifinals. Reigning 14- National champ Matt Johnson (Farmington, N.M.) was upset by Armando Martinez (Mexico) 15-11, 15-8 and the 2000 Sports Illustrated Young Sportsman of the Year, Chris Coy (Elk City, Okla.) was defeated by Mexico's Gilberto De Los Rios.

Rounding out the U.S. players to advance in singles competition were: Nick Arturo (Anchorage, Alaska) and Jose Rojas (Stockton, Calif.) in boy's 12-. Rojas also advanced to the semifinals in the boys' 10- along with Joseph Lee (Baton Rouge, La.) who is doing double duty by earning a spot in the boy's 8- semifinals as well. Andy McGuffey (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Jose Rojas (Stockton, Calif.) also advanced in the boys' 8-.

The Americans' completed a sweep of the quarterfinals in the girls' 14- division with wins by Adrienne Fisher (Centerville, Ohio), Jesi Fuller (Albuquerque, N.M.), Ashley Legget (Klamath Falls, Ore.), and Da'Monique Davis (San Antonio, Texas). All of the girls' were able to advance with straight game victories.

In the boys' 16-, Steven Klaiman (Bellaire, Texas) survived a scare against Cesar Castro (Venezuela) with a come from behind victory that featured loud ovations from both the U.S. and Venezuelan crowd. After dropping the first game, Klaiman was able to gather himself, with the help of his fans, to win the next two games 15-11, 11-4. Travis Woodbury (Arlington, Va.), the runner-up at junior nationals, also advanced over Marcelo Laprea (Venezuela) 7-15, 15-6, 11-5.

14- junior national champ Matt Johnson (Farmington, N.M.) advanced to the quarterfinals with a straight game victory over Mike Keddie (Manchester, N.H.).

Jose Rojas (Stockton, Calif.) is trying to repeat his double-gold medal performance last year in the boys' 12- and 10- divisions. He also won both divisions at the junior national championships this past June. Rojas breezed through both divisions today by defeating Alejandro Martinez (Mexico) 15-4, 15-5 in the boys' 12- and Alonso Tamez (Mexico) 15-0, 15-0 in the boys' 10-.

It was not all roses for the U.S. today however as Mexico made a big move in the standings by winning many early round matches over their U.S. counterparts. "I'm not worried yet," said Huczek. "It always seems like we are down at the beginning but the U.S. team has always pulled through when the pressure is on." The U.S. has won every world junior championships since the tournament began in 1987.

It was a tough first day for Florida juniors at the tournament but there is still plenty of racquetball to be played. Andrew Blackwell (Palmetto), Geoffrey Hunter (Naples), Mathew Hunter (Naples), Page Hunter (Naples), Tyler Kirkland (Orlando), and Justin Meadows (Clermont) all fell victim in their first round matches Sunday. Because of the Olympic format that is used, and the fact that many of the players are competing in multiple divisions, none are completely out of the tournament.

Blackwell will still has a shot at the 8-and-under multi-bounce division, in which he will play Jose Ronquillo (Mexico) on Monday. Geoffrey and Paige Hunter, brother and sister, will team up in 12- mixed doubles and younger brother Mathew will try to earn a medal in 10- singles.

Brad Slocum (Sarasota) was victorious in his first round match against Fritz Bischoff 15-1, 15-10 before falling to Canada's Hugo La Prise (Quebec) in a close match 15-5, 14-15, 11-8. Slocum will team up with Clay Burris (Brandon) in boys' 16- doubles on Monday. Burris won by forfeit over Columbia's Oswaldo Dinbdo. Also scheduled to play on Monday is Orlando's Chris Greaney in boys' 10- singles.

Mathew McElhiney (Bradenton), the reigning 18- world doubles champion, took his first step to repeating when he and partner Sanjay LaForest (Queens Village, N.Y.) defeated Brandon Cortese (Kentwood, Mich.) and Shannon Kohl (Jenison, Mich.) 15-3, 15-9. McElhiney also won his boys' 18- singles match against Lee Connell (Canada) 15-9, 15-10.

This year the tournament returns to Florida, where it originated, after being held in Fountain Valley, California for the past six years. In 1989, Miami hosted the first IRF World Junior Championships (then called the World Junior Orange Bowl Racquetball Championships) and again in 1990.

The tournament is held each December to determine the world's strongest junior racquetball squad, as well as name individual world singles and doubles champions in age divisions. Division play is separated in two-year
increments, between 6-and-under and 18-and-under, and is conducted in single elimination format in championship rounds, with consolation rounds played in blue, red, and white satellite divisions.

Seven countries are represented in the tournament with the United States leading the way by fielding 128 players. Mexico is second with 74 players followed by Canada, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, and Columbia. The United States has dominated the competition, winning the overall team title since the tournaments inception.

Orlando tapped to host 2001 World Junior Racquetball Championships