Minnesota State Handball Association

Ice Box Invitational Handball Doubles
January 17-18, 2014
St. Anthony AC, Minneapolis

The 20th annual version of Ice Box Doubles Invitational featured some very competitive draws in all three divisions. The five inches of snow early Saturday morning delayed a few starts as travel and parking were pretty challenging. As usual, the closed circuit TV action was a hit as the gallery swelled to three deep for many of the matches. The usual non-stop, great hospitality enhanced by the unique atmosphere of the St. Anthony AC kept everyone satisfied and noisy. Usually a tournament full of closely contested matches and many tie-breakers, a full third of the matches went to tie-breakers. And none were in the A division! Once again, the ventilation crew did a great job and kept the courts warm dry even with the large gallery!

The Open division was defended by last years champs Andy Nett and John Nett as they four-peated, extending their domination to five out of the last six years! Once again, Andy showed his world-class skills taking control of the court and the play. The gallery was treated to some great action watching some very good teams trying to take advantage of wily father John while Andy mostly had his way. Dane Swanson and Nick Olson had a great first game 21-19 against the champs but, apparently woke up the sleeping giant as they did not score a point in the next two games! Ryan Pesch and his father Bruce tried to take a bite and were pretty successful gaining 13 and 16 points in the semifinals – most of the shots came from the left side players. Meanwhile, Tim Kappes and Brian Burke advanced to the finals with some very competitive matches against Dave Miller and Mat Langhorst and then Mike Gustafson and Isiah Jones. It could be that the young Foleys, Donovan and Quinn, took a bit out of Gustafson and Jones in the quarters. The Netts dominated the finals, but there were some great volleys. Unfortunately for Kappes and Burke, most of the points went to the champs.Dave Miller and Langhorst went on to claim the $20 consolation prize in a couple of tight games against Swanson and Olson – could have gone either way. Both semifinal matches in the consolation went to 11-8 tie-breakers so everyone was close.

The A division suffered a couple of last minute changes with a couple of players forced to drop out only a day or two before the tournament. Both of the top two seeded teams brought in substitute players which left the #3 and #4 seeds in position to take the top spot. This division sort of looked like a master or super masters divisions with a lot of experience on the courts. Third seeded Bill Hickey and Don Reiter took advantage, holding their opponents to 5 points or less in the quarters and semis. The Finals against fourth seeded Brett Broxey and John Nakasone was a little more competitive but Hickey and Reiter were pretty dominant as only the final score was in question. Mike Kloos and Tim Fichtel (returning from a knee replacement) took consolation honors over Dean Held and Joe Lacey-Gotz. Joe could not get his serve working in the finals like he did in the semis and the big boys took advantage.

John and Steve Laliberte finally won a tournament taking the B division in an entertaining 2-21, 21-20, 11-8 tie-breaker finals match against Bailey Chandler and substitute partner Mike Leiter. The Lalibertes struggled through a tie-breaker in the semifinals against John Peterson and Steve LeTourneau and some wondered whether they could mount much of a challenge against a very strong Chandler. After the first game of the finals, everyone thought it was over as the eventual champs only scored 2 points. But the father-son team stayed in it and eventually got some breaks and persevered. Chandler and Leiter also had a tough go in the semis against Kristina Rude and Dave Abramson. They may have had a bit more energy after Rude and Abramson barely won the night before in an 11-10 tie-breaker against Tikhon Esaulenko and Joe Nordahl. Things are really looking up for the youngsters playing the game! Jessica Bohlken and Ricky Ness took consolation honors over Esaulenko and Nordahl in a closely contested 21-20, 17-21, 11-8 finals.

Thanks to the St. Anthony AC and the tournament committee of Sheldon Silberman, Emil Weiler, Brian Mahaffy, Steve Tamminga and Larry Larson for making this one of the best tournaments in the Twin Cities.

Open Doubles
Quarterfinals

• Andy Nett (Eden Prairie)/John Nett (Winona) def. Dane Swanson (St.
• Paul)/Nick Olson (Falcon Heights) 19-21. 21-0, 11-0
• Ryan Pesch (Minneapolis)/Bruce Pesch (Ames) def. Ray Miller (St. Paul)/Ian Johnson (Minneapolis) 15-21, 21-12, 11-1
• Tim Kappes (Maplewood)/Brian Burke (St. Paul) def. David Miller (St. Paul)/Mat Langhorst (Minneapolis) 21-11, 21-20
• Mike Gustafson (Otsego)/Isiah Jones (Fargo) def. Donovan Foley (Dellwood)/Quinn Foley (Dellwood) 21-13, 21-19

Semifinals

• Nett/Nett def. Pesch/Pesch 21-13, 21-16
• Kappes/Burke def. Gustafson/Jone 21-19, 21-8

Finals

• Nett/Nett def. Kappes/Burke 21-8, 21-10

Consolation

• D. Miller/Langhorst def. Swanson/Olson 21-12, 21-20

A Doubles
Quarterfinals

• Emil Weiler III (St. Paul)/Curt Schlenner (St. Paul) def. Brian G. Mahaffy (Minneapolis)/Clancy Mylan (Minnetonka) 21-3, 21-16
• Brett Broxey (Brooklyn Park)/John Nakasone (Waconia) def. Mike Kloos (Woodbury)/Tim Fichtel (Mendota Heights) 21-17, 21-7
• Bill Hickey (St. Paul)/Don Reiter (Stillwater) def. Dean Held (Chanhassen)/Joe Lacey-Gotz (St. Paul) 21-5, 21-5
• Jay Spooner (Fargo)/Bill Kelly (Fargo) def. Larry Larson (Plymouth)/Sheldon Silberman (Golden Valley) 21-19, 21-15

Semifinals

• Broxey/Naksone def. Weiler/Schlenner 21-8, 21-13
• Hickey/Reiter def. Spooner/Kelly 21-19, 21-15

Finals

• Hickey/Reiter def. Broxey/Naksone 21-5, 21-3

Consolation

• Kloos/Fichtel def. Held/Lacey-Gotz 21-12, 21-7

B Doubles
Quarterfinals

• Bailey Chandler (Eden Prairie)/Mike Leiter (Eden Prairie) def. Tom Bordenave (Hudson)/Ed Simonet, Jr. (Stillwater) 21-12, 21-4
• Kristina Rude (Minneapolis)/David Abramson (Maple Grove) def. Tikhon Esaulenko (Mankato)/Joe Nordahl (Edina) 21-9, 2-21, 11-10
• John Laliberte (Shoreview)/Stephen Laliberte (White Bear Lake) def. Jessica Bohlken (Hastings)/Ricky Ness (Mankato) 21-8, 21-14
• John Peterson (Shoreview)/Steve Letourneau (White Bear Lake) def. John Johnson (St. Paul)/Lee Johnson (Des Moines) 21-11, 21-11

Semifinals

• Chandler/Leiter def. Rude/Abramson 20-21, 21-6, 11-3
• Laliberte/Laliberte def. Peterson/LeTourneau 17-21, 21-17, 11-5

Finals

• Laliberte/Laliberte def. Chandler/Leiter 2-21, 21-20, 11-8

Consolation

• Bohlken/Ness def. Esaulenko/Nordahl 21-20, 17-21, 11-8