Minnesota State Handball Association

MN State Handball Club
2nd Annual Alumni
Handball Tournament
Mankato State University
Saturday, April 13, 2013

 

The 2nd Annual MNSU handball tournament was a great success again.  As usual, alumni along with family and friends of current players were eligible to play in the tournament.  This is a great opportunity for the current players to thank the alumni for the support they have provided.  This year also included a few local recruits in the tournament.  Play began from 1-3pm with players being divided into pools via the very complex Wells algorithm.  This complex algorithm is harder to crack than Google’s search engine optimization algorithm, and often allows the pool matchups to include old alumni rivals and/or current roomies.  Games were played using rally scoring to control the time of each match.  Additional seating needed to be brought in due to the number of fans.  Some of who were witnessing their son or daughter playing for the first time!!

After pool play was completed, players, fans, and kids were added to the mix for a 2-bounce tournament.  Players were divided by height and separated into four courts where they competed to get to the finals.  Youth dominated the 2-bounce event with 8 year old, Nathan Stoffel; high school recruits, Adrian Anderson and Tyler Stoffel; and MNSU junior, Tikhon Esaulenko, making the finals.  Nathan Stoffel scored first, but after that is was all big brother Tyler.  Tyler’s name will be added to the prestigious 2-bounce trophy in the Handball trophy case.

The 2-bounce and final brackets were all filmed in HD by MNSU’s Information Technology Services Department.  The MNSU handball club will be starting a YouTube like channel to display special events, handball tutorials, and film study for players.  Stay tuned to see clips of all the matches online.  Hopefully, by the end of this semester this channel will be up and running.

Based on pool play results, the participants were bracketed into four divisions.  Regular scored games were played to 15, with an 11 point tie breaker if necessary.  In Division I, it was an all-Stoffel final.  This is the first time Tyler has beaten his defending champion Dad in tournament singles play.  Some of the alumni remarked that Tyler has dramatically improved since they beat him as a 12 year old. 

Semifinals

· John Stoffel d. Tikhon Esaulenko 7, 1;

· Tyler Stoffel d. Billy Craig 7, 3.

Finals

· T. Stoffel d. J. Stoffel 9, 3

 

In Division II, it was current Maverick, Joe Nordahl, taking out alumnus, Chris Delaney.  Some of the alums had not played recently, but shook off the rust as the tournament went on.  Chris had a big lead in the second game, but Joe was not to be denied after losing to roommate Tikhon in pool play.  As a result of this tournament, Chris has agreed to play in the handball ladder we run at MNSU.

Play-in

· Andrew Schneider d. Aaron Grimmer 1, 9

Semifinals

· Joe Nordahl d. Schneider 5, 1;

· Chris Delaney d. Trent Edwards 5, 1

Finals

· Nordahl d. Delaney 1, 13

 

In Division III, all groups were represented: alumni, current players, and recruits.  In the most thrilling match of the tournament, alum Chris Yard and recruit Adrian Anderson served two innings each at 10-10 in the tie breaker.  In the end, a gassed Yard was victorious.  So much for helping with our recruiting efforts.  Adrian made his campus visit this last week and we are hopeful he will become a Maverick in the fall of 2014!!

Semifinals

· Chris Yard d. Josh Hoflock 13, 7;

· Adrian Anderson d. Rodney Piepho 5, 2

Finals

· Yard d. Anderson 10, (10), 10

 

All the players in Division IV have been playing for less than a year.  This division contains the future of Maverick handball.  In the end, recruit Zack Schwartz, who is a product of Mankato West High School’s Life Skills physical education course’s handball unit that was introduced when John Stoffel invited the USHA’s Gary Cruz to Mankato, won over MNSU freshman, Sara Schoborg.

Play-in

· Sara Schoborg d. Megan Heibel 7, 10

Semifinals

· Schoborg d. Shannon Strand 12, (10), 3;

· Zack Schwartz d. Tyler Edwards 14, 13

Finals

· Schwartz d. Schoborg (3), 8, 3

 

Following the tournament, everyone went to enjoy pizza, camaraderie, and receive their awards.  A special thanks to the USHA for providing balls and court stickers for the tournament.  Also, thanks to the WPH for providing shirts for the division winners.  Membership materials were passed out to all participants in hopes they will take advantage of the great benefits provided by both organizations!!