Minnesota State Handball Association

2011 Spring Classic and State Open Singles
University of Minnesota Rec Center, Minneapolis, MN
April 29 – May 1, 2011

The 2011 Minnesota State Open Singles tournament reached a century high attendance record – not quite the numbers we had four decades ago but a high for this century.  The University of Minnesota Rec. Center and the tournament committee did an outstanding job, again, running a first class event.

So was this the year that someone would be able to unseat Matt Hiberin the Open singles?  Once again the crowd was looking for an Andy Nett vs. Hiber finals.  But first, Pete Crouser had something to say. Pete dispatched Isiah Jones 13 and 9 in the quarters and looked like he might take Hiber in the semis with a 21-15 first game.

Hiber methodically won the second game while Pete chased everything.  Hiber won the tie-breaker convincingly after a strong start.  Andy Net breezed through the lower bracket to meet Matt in the finals.  The match did not disappoint with Nett showing his pro style and dominating Hiber in the first game.  Hiber showed his game in the second and a tie-breaker for the chamionship was set.  Nett smoked with kills from either hand and anywhere on the court winning the deciding game 11-3.

The A division featured experience versus youth in the John Nakasone vs. Brandon Glaze final.  Youth won the very tight match at 20-21, 21-20, 11-7.  Tyler Stoffel took third place over Jess Fleck and Will Camisa took consolation honors.  It is great to see products of the college programs in Minnesota collecting trophies in the top divisions.

Michael Miller continues to improve winning the 2011 B Division over the steadily improving Drew Engelmeyer.  Both these guys should be challenging for the A title soon.  Matt Johnson outlasted Nick Olson for third place in an 11-8 tie-breaker.  Pat Macdonald took home the consolation trophy.

David Miller blew through the C Division with no opponent getting more than 7 points!  Aaron Victorin-Vangerud advanced from the 14h seed before he ran into the Miller buzz-saw in the finals.  Adalberto Cordero Jr. defeated Vern Miller for third and Kara Smith took consolation honors in a division with more than 50% tie-breakers.

A very strong Golden Masters (50+) A division featured some very one-sided matches.  Tim Fichtel beat everyone in the round robin.  Brett Broxey took second place.

The Golden Master (50+) B division had some new and old faces and proved to be very competitive.  George Langhorst defeated Mark McQuillan who advanced to finals after Sheldon Silberman had to forfeit after a leg injury in the semis which left the third place trophy for John Kunesh.  Bob Victorin-Vangerud won the consolation bracket.

The Super Masters (60+) division brought some new faces to the show as several have crossed into the magic 60’s.  Still, no one could defeat the real master John Nett.  Bob Milliken tried and put up a good fight but John just has a great command of the court,  Mike McQuillan gave Nett the toughest match but ended up in third place.  Greg Taylor survived to get the consolation prize.

Ah, to be young again!   Well, that is not what the Diamond Masters (70+) were thinking.  They may have played like it though.  A pretty spry Paul Ernster defeated a scrappy Don Krocak to get the top honors and Bill Boyd captured third.

It was great to see a nearly full draw for the Women Division – a definite product of the college programs.  Jennie Zhu defeated Lindsay Mortland for the championship and Jessica Bohlken defeated Jessica Knudson for third.  Let’s hope some these folks can continue and compete at the national level.

Thirty-three competitors vied for the top spot in the Novice Division.  What great testament to the various YMCA and college programs at recruiting and training and engaging new players!  Drew Cristiansen won the coveted trophy defeating Andrew Dziekan in a very entertaining match.  Jason Kraus took home third place and Tom Werner took both consolation and iron man honors after six matches in three days!

Open Singles

Preliminary Round

· Tom Nett (Winona) def. Steve Tamminga (Minneapolis) 21-12, 21-15

· Isiah Jones (Fargo, ND) def. John Stoffel (No Mankato) 21-13, 21-10  

· Travis Owen (Aberdeen, SD)def. Mike Wells (Good Thunder) 21-11, 21-7

· Mat Langhorst (Duluth) def. Tim Kappes (Maplewood)  21-16, 21-17

Quarterfinals

· Matt Hiber (Shoreview) def. Tom Nett  21-8, 21-11

· Pete Crouser (St. Paul) def. Isiah Jones 21-13, 21-9

· Travis Owen def. Ryan Maloney (St. Paul) 21-11, 21-15

· Andy Nett (Winona) def. Langhorst 21-2, 21-4

Semifinals

· Hiber def. Crouser 15-21, 21-17, 11-1

· Nett def. Owen 21-14, 21-4

Finals

·  Nett def. Hiber 21-11, 14-21, 11-3

Third Place

·  Owen def. Crouser 21-9, 21-8

Consolation 

· Isiah Jones def. Ryan Maloney forfeit

 

A Singles

Preliminary

· Matt Callanan (Mankato) def. Dane Swanson (St. Paul) 21-8, 21-14

· Will Camisa (Minneapolis) def. John Laliberte (Shoreview) 21-18, 21-12

 Quarterfinals

· John Nakasone (St. Paul) def. Callanan 21-15, 21-19

· Jesse Fleck (Minneapolis) def. Bailey Chandler (St. Paul) 21-14, 21-6

· Brandon Glaze (Eagan) def. Billy Craig (Makato) forfeit

· Tyler Stoffel (North Mankato) def. Camisa 21-12, 14-21, 11-8

Semifinals

· Nakasone def. Fleck 20-21, 21-17, 11-2

· Glaze def. Stoffel 21-19, 21-13

Finals

· Glaze def. Nakasone 20-21, 21-20, 11-7

Third Place

·  Stoffel def. Fleck 21-8, 21-6

Consolation 

· Will Camisa def. John Laliberte 21-15, 21-20

  

B Singles

Round of Sixteen

· Mark Mylan def. Jesus Cordero (St. Paul) 21-19, 21-17

· Matthew L. Johnson (New Brighton) def. Andrew Schneider (Mankato) 21-4, 21-15

· Brent Friedrichs (North Mankato) def. Wes Bussler (Minneapolis) 21-10, 21-16

· Ben Olson (Minneapolis) def. Matt Larson (Winona) 21-3, 21-10

· Nick Olson (Minneapolis) def. Joe Nordahl (Edina) 21-6, 21-14

· Patrick Macdonald (Minneapolis) def. Rodney Piepho (Owatonna) 21-5, 21-6

Quarterfinals

· Drew Engelmeyer def. Mylan forfeit

· Johnson def. Friedrichs 21-8, 21-17

· Nick Olson def. Ben Olson 21-12, 21-17

· Michael Miller (St. Paul) def. Macdonald 21-12, 21-10

Semifinals

· Engelmeyer def. Johnson 21-4, 21-4

· Michael Miller def. Nick Olson 21-8, 21-12

Finals

· Michael Miller def. Engelmeyer 21-9, 21-9

Third Place

·  Johnson def. Nick Olson 18-21, 21-17, 11-8

Consolation 

·  Patrick Macdonald def. Matt Larson 21-5, 21-8

 

C Singles

Round of 16

· David Miller (St. Paul) def. John Schomaker (St. Paul) 21-1, 21-6

· Tikhon Esaulenko (Plymouth) def. Rebecca Michels (Minneapolis) 21-14, 21-5

· Louis Kunesh (St. Paul) def. Josh Hoflock (Mankato) 21-18, 14-21, 11-8

· Vern Miller (St. Paul) def. John Johnson 21-5, 21-9

· Alberto Cordero, Jr. def. Kara Smith (Minneapolis) 7-21, 21-15, 11-5

· Luis Ramierez (St. Paul) def. Bill Lundblad (Inver Grove Heights) 21-16, 21-20

· Aaron Victorin-Vangerud (Minneapolis) def. Jeff Bruzek (Minneapolis) 21-5, 21-5

· Aaron Grimmer (Woodbury) def. Steve Tyykila (Woodbury) 21-2, 21-7

Quarterfinals

· David Miller def. Esaulenko 21-10, 21-0

· Vern Miller def. Kunesh 21-6, 21-11

· Cordero def. Ramierez 18-21, 21-12, 21-9

· Victorin-Vangerud def. Grimmer 21-7, 21-9

 Semifinals

· David Miller def. Vern Miller

· Victorin-Vangerud def. Cordero 21-7, 21-9

Finals

· David Miller def. Victorin-Vangerud 21-2, 21-6

Third Place

· Cordero def. Vern Miller 21-14, 21-20

Consolation 

· Kara Smith def. John Johnson 21-14, 21-9

 

Golden Masters (50+) A Singles (round robin)

· Tim Fichtel (Mendota Heights)

· Brett Broxey (Brookly Park)

· Michael Burke (St. Paul)

· Glenn Solin (Duluth)

  

Golden Mstrs (50+) B Singles

Preliminary

· Tom Pearson (St. Paul) def. Mitchell Lallier 21-13, 21-18

Quarterfinals

George Langhorst (Moose Lake) def. Pearson 21-7, 21-5

· John Kunesh (St. Paul) def. Mick Dobbins (Oakdale) 16-21, 21-9, 11-5

· Sheldon Silberman (Golden Valley) def. Sergio Gonzalez (Oakdale) 21-18, 21-13

· Mark McQuillan (Shakopee) def. Bob Victorin-Vangerud (Minneapolis) 17-21, 21-16, 11-10

Semifinals

· Langhorst def. Kunesh 21-0, 21-11

· McQuillan def. Silberman 21-16, 19-11 injury forfeit

Finals

· Langhorst def. McQuillan 21-12, 21-19

Third Place

· Kunesh def. Silberman forfeit

Consolation 

· Bob Victorin-Vangerud def. Sergio Gonzalez 21-16, 21-9

 

Super Masters (60+) A Singles

Preliminary Round

· Dan Levey (Minneapolis) def. Don Tommet (Owatonna) 21-2, 21-14

· Bill G. Brown (Shoreview) def. Pete Kaehler (Hudson) 14-21, 21-17, 11-2

· Bob Milliken (Stillwater) def. Ed Simonet, Jr. (Stillwater) 21-5, 21-6

Quarterfinals

· John Nett (Winona) def. Levey forfeit

· Mike McQuillan (St. Paul) def. Greg Taylor (Woodbury) 21-13, 21-14

· Bill Ingram (Woodbury) def. Brown 21-5, 21-2

· Milliken def. Gary Rohrer (Minneapolis) 21-17, injury forfeit

Semifinals

· Nett def. McQuillan 21-20, 21-17

· Milliken def. Ingram 21-15, 21-1

Finals

· Nett def. Milliken 21-16, 21-3

Third Place

· McQuillan def. Ingram forfeit

Consolation 

· Greg Taylor def. Ed Simonet, Jr. 21-13, 21-11

 

Diamond Masters (70+) Singles

Quarterfinals

·  Jim Boyd (Mendota Heights) def. Brian Wessel (Hugo) 21-6, 21-3

Semifinals

·  Don Krocak, (Mankato) def. Boyd 16-21, 21-6, 11-7

·  Paul Ernster (Lino Lakes) def. Jim Noren (Woodbury) 21-16, 21-15

Finals

· Ernster def.  Krocak 21-16, 21-3

Third Place

· Boyd def. Noren 21-12, 21-13

 

Womens Singles

Quarterfinals

· Lindsay Mortland (Mankato) def. Simi Arogundale 20-21, 21-15, 11-4

· Jessica Bohlken (Hastings) def. April Gunderson (North Mankato) 15-21, 21-19, 11-6

· Jennie Zhu def. Darci Naig (Mankato) 21-16, 21-10

Semifinals

· Mortland def. Jessica Knudson (Minneapolis) 21-13, 21-2

· Zhu def. Bohlken 8-21, 21-4, 11-0

Finals

· Zhu def. Mortland 21-13, 21-19

Third Place

· Bohlken def. Knudson 21-14, 21-11

Consolation 

· Simi Arogundale def. Darci Naig forfeit

 

Novice Singles

Preliminary Round

· Dustin Hillman def. Tyler O'Connell (Mankato) 21-9, 21-10

· Tom Werner (North Mankato) def. Mike Ficks 21-18, 21-9

· Jacob Severson def. Sam Nichols 21-8, 21-9

· Aaron Schoenher def. Gary Thompson (St. Paul) 21-12, 21-3

Round of Sixteen

· Andrew Dziekan def. Eric Brostrom (Apple Valley) forfeit

· Taylor Wabiszewski def.Trevor Simmons

· Derek Sedelmeyer def. Hillman 21-20, 21-13

· Jason Kraus def. Werner 21-15, 21-13

· Drew Christiansen def. Devin Sijan (Mankato) 21-5, 21-0

· Severson  def. Crowe21-2, 21-13

· Brian Wegter def. Zach Reimringer 21-11, 21-13

· Royce Duhrman def. Schoenher 21-18, 21-10

Quarterfinals

· Dziekan def. Wabiszewski 21-4, 21-19

· Kraus def. Sedelmeyer 21-4, 21-7

· Christiansen def. Severson

· Duhrman def. Wegter 21-3, 21-14

Semifinals

· Dziekan def. Kraus forfeit

· Christiansen def. Duhrman 21-3, 21-15

Finals

· Christiansen def. Dziekan 21-8, 21-17

Third Place

· Duhrman vs Kraus

Consolation 

· Tom Werner def. Mike Ficks 21-17, 21-9