Minnesota State Handball Association

The Mankato Handball Experience
October 28-29, 2011
Mankato YMCA, Mankato, MN

 

If you missed it, there was some great handball last weekend in Mankato.  The Mankato Handball Experience combined youth and experience together for a great weekend.  A special thanks to all the out of town players that make this event an annual must attend tournament.  Even though we jammed 58 players into four courts, amazingly we finished the tournament at 7:05 pm (7 pm was the scheduled finish time) on Saturday night.  Everyone got their fill of pizza pie on Friday at Jake’s Stadium Pizza.  With over 30 college players in the tournament, you can go through a LOT of pizza.  The tournament committee would like to thank all of the corporate sponsors, those who sponsored collegiate players into the tournament, and the Mankato YMCA. 

With last year’s champion, Ryan Maloney, breaking his leg playing soccer over the summer, this year’s open bracket was dominated by the Dakotas.  Travis Owen, from South Dakota, lost in a tie breaker to Isiah Jones of Fargo.  The gallery was three or four deep watching these two great athletes compete in the finals.  Many of the students from Minnesota State Introduction to Handball class had never seen open level competition and were amazed at this level of handball!!

Isiah Jones, Travis Owen

The only player that draws bigger than the Open finalists at this tournament is junior player, Tyler Stoffel.  Tyler draws grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and local high school friends to his matches.  We’re sure he must be a talented player, but can’t get a seat to watch him.  Tyler met Brandon Glaze, Minnesota State alumnus, in the A finals.  These two have split in their previous two matches, so it was no surprise it went tie breaker again.  Tyler won 11-8 in the tie breaker. Watch out for both of these up and coming players in the Open division.

Billy Craig, Tyler Stoffel

A few players were in good enough shape and have been awarded this year’s Iron Man awards.  Playing multiple singles and doubles matches in the span of 36 hours is no small feat.  Mike Gustafson, George Langhorst, Lee Johnson, and Boonma Vang all get a big congrats for that. 

Not only did Mike and George Iron Man-up, but they teamed to defeat last year’s doubles champions, Mike and Arne Wells.  The 90+ doubles is where the ages of the team members must add to 90.  While the Wells brothers were hot with their serves in game one, Gustafson got hot in the second and third games, and George caught his third (maybe fourth?) second wind and played great handball from deep court.  Mankato Millennium Champions, Jerry Pietz and Tim Pulis, reunited to add the Consolation title to their long list of tournament achievements.

Arnie Wells, Mike Wells,
Mike Gustafson, George Langhorst

The B bracket featured two players with bright handball futures.  University of Minnesota Nick Olsen’s game has improved dramatically over the past year and junior lefty, Dave Miller, has always done well at the Mankato tournament.  It was a battle of which off-hand held up the best with young Dave coming out on top in an exciting 11-10 breaker.  Welcome to the A division next year, Dave!!!

David Miller, Nick Olson

The seeding committee was pretty close on most of the brackets, but in the C division there were a couple of real surprises.  Joe Schnegelberger and Derek Eggert have just started playing handball less than EIGHT weeks ago.  They were able to sneak by more experienced players into a semi-final matchup with Joe coming out on top in an 11-9 tie breaker.  Let the yapping begin.  Joe then won 11-10 over Josh Hoff in the finals.  There is a lot of talent in the underclassmen at Minnesota State.

Joe Schnegelberger, Josh Hoff

However, some of the underclassmen have a way to go to catch a more experienced cohort at the University of Minnesota.  Amidst the “Purple-out” on Friday night, the Women’s division was an all maroon and gold final on Saturday.  Having enough women entries to offer a division for the first time since 2007, Liz Winberg and Jessica Bohlken advanced to the finals.  Jessica outlasted Liz in two competitive games.

Jessica Bohlken, Liz Winberg

In the Masters singles, Ed Miller claimed the title over George Langhorst.  Ed rules the middle of that court like no other.  He told the gallery, “I’ve got all the shots and can use them at any time.”  Or was that Gary Rohrer at the Ice Box?

Ed Miller, George Langhorst

If you haven’t attended the Mankato Handball Experience, it has found a permanent home on the last weekend of October.  Entries may have to be limited due to court space next year, so get those entries in early!!

90+ Doubles

Quarterfinals

· Mike Wells/Arne Wells d. bye

· Tim Fitchel/Joe Lacey-Gotz d. Jerry Pietz/Ben McAnich, 3, 8

· Mike Gustafson/George Langhorst d. John Goranson/Brent Friedrichs, 9, 6

· John Stoffel/Rich Ryan d. Boonma Vang/Lee Johnson, 4, 7

Semifinals

· Wells/Wells d. Fitchel/Lacey-Gotz, 9, 13

· Gustafson/Langhorst d. Stoffel/Ryan, 13, 17

Finals

· Gustafson/Langhorst  d. Wells/Wells (8), 8, 4

Consolation

· Pietz/Tim Pulis(substitute) d. Goranson/Friedrichs, 12, 13

Open Singles

Preliminary Round

· Dane Swanson d. Matt Larson, 8, 11

· Billy Craig d. Drew Engelmeyer, 10, 17

· Tyler Stoffel d. John Laliberti, 8, 11

Quarterfinals

· Travis Owen d. Swanson, 17, 4

· Mat Langhorst d. Brandon Glaze, 8, 15

· Isiah Jones d. Stoffel, 3, 8

· Mike Gustafson d. Craig, 4, 7

Semifinals

· Owen d. Langhorst, 13, 4

· Jones d. Gustafson, 3, 15

Finals

· Jones d. Owen, (15), 13, 1

 

A singles (drop down from Open)

Quarterfinals

· Craig d. bye; Stoffel d. Larson, 4, 3

· Swanson d. Laliberti, 15, 0

· Glaze d. Engelmeyer, 4, 9

Semifinals

· Stoffel d. Craig, 6, 9

· Glaze d. Swanson, 2, 8

Finals

· Stoffel d. Glaze, 10, (16), 8

 

Masters singles

Quarterfinals

· George Langhorst d. bye

· Richard Hulbert d. Don Tommet, 7, 14

· Ed Miller d. Tom Pearson, 15, 19

· Mark McQuillan d. bye

Semifinals

· Langhorst d. Hulbert, 14, 17

· Miller d. McQuillan, 14, 13

Finals

· Miller d. Langhorst, 4, 11

Consolation

· Hulbert d. McQuillan, 15, (8), 1

 

B singles

Quarterfinals

· Nick Olson d. Andrew Schneider, 3, 5

· Boonma Vang d. Ben McAninch, 8, 16

· Tikhon Esaulenko d. Aaron Grimmer, 17, (5), 5

· David Miller d. Glenn Oslin, 5, 5

Semifinals

· Olson d. Vang, 11, 18

· Miller d. Esaulenko, 7, 7

Finals

· Miller d. Olson, 19, (16), 10

Consolation

· Grimmer d. McAninch, forfeit

 

Women’s singles

Quarterfinals

· Lindsay Mortland d. bye

· Jessica Bohlken d. Danielle Preston, 7, 11

· Liz Winberg d. Jennifer Bertram, 2, 5

· Missy Kohout d. Nicole Jones, 9, 10

Semifinals

· Bohlken d. Mortland, 18,17

· Winberg d. Preston, 13, 14

Finals

· Bohlken d. Winberg, 5, 10

Consolation

· Mortland d. Preston, 5, 9

 

C singles

Round of 16

· Lee Johnson d. bye

· Matt Wills d. Ryan Rizzo, forfeit

· Josh Hoflock d. Jack Bostrom, 6, 11

· Josh Hoff d. Zach McCormick, 3, 12

· Zach Lincoln d. Alex Brendel, 14, 8

· Joe Schnegelberger d. Cody Hanson, 1, 5

· Derek Eggert d. Jared Michels, 2, 2

· Tom Werner d. Tyler Johnson, 2, 0

Quarterfinals

· Johnson d. Wills, 11, 4

· Hoff d. Hoflock 11, 14

· Schnegelberger d. Lincoln, 5, 10

· Eggert d. Werner, 15, (19), 7

Semifinals

· Hoff d. Johnson (14), 8, 10

· Schnegelberger d. Eggert, 16, (9), 9

Finals

· Schnegelberger d. Hoff, 13, (14), 10

Consolation

· Wills d. Michels, (20), 14, 3