Minnesota State Handball Association

Minnesota State Handball Association
2018 Open Doubles State Handball Championships
March 23-24, 2018
University of Minnesota Rec. Center, Minneapolis, MN

Andy Nett owns the MSHA Open Doubles.  It took a tie-breaker in 2010 for his first win with father, John Nett.  Last year, younger brother Tom Nett took the place of father John but the Nett Dynasty continues  - a ninth state doubles title for Andy and a second for Tom  There have been only two games lost by Andy and John or Tom in that span of nine years – the tie-breaker in 2010 against Ray Miller and Matt Hiber and 2016 against Ryan Pesch and Donovan Foley.  It looked like this year might go differently.  David Miller joined Ryan Pesch as they worked their way to the finals.  The first game went to the Netts and it looked like the match might be over.  But Pesch and Miller got off to a great start and held the lead in the second game before Andy turned on the Pro after-burners and closed out the match in two games. 21-11, 21-18.  Third place was claimed by David Schiller and the ageless Tom Bowman with another entertaining 11-10 tie-breaker over Mike Gustafson and Mat Langhorst.

It was great to see Nick Brown back in the tournament paired with Michael Miller they came up short in the quarter finals against Miller and Pesch but closed out the consolation championship with an 11-8 tie-breaker against Brian Burke and Donovan Foley – a really entertaining match!

The A Doubles division was reinforced with Golden Master players as there were not enough entries in the 50+ division to fill the draw.  Perennial finishers Mike Wells and John Stoffel took the top honors but were pushed to the edge in the finals against Steve Tamminga and Jim Grota 21-19, 21-13.  The other team from the 50s+, Brett Broxey and Joe Lacey-Gotz squeaked out third place in a thriller over the North Dakota team of Jay Spooner and Patrick Revier 15-21, 21-18, 11-7.  Youngsters Andrew Burkhart and Andrew Lyons took consolation honors over Phil Kleischay and Tim Fichtel.

Adalberto and Jesus Cordero (father and son) held off all challengers in B Division defeating top seeded David Abramson and Kristina Langhorst for the championship.  Dean Held and newcomer Henry Arneson claimed third place while Austim Kleineschay and Dale Campbell took consolation honors over Eric Mohr and Josh Pfister.

The C division pitted veterans against the youngsters.  Jim Lash and Tom Pearson (originally looking to play in the 50+ age bracket dropped into the Cs and claimed the championship from the 5th seed.  It took an interesting tie-breaker final to defeat the up-and-coming Nathan Stoffel and Zack Wells 8-21, 21-12, 11-5.  In a twist of bracket scheduling, Alex Meyer and Matt Bartholomew took third over Antonio and Jose Flores as well as consolation over Crystal and Niki Theobold.

The majority of the players seem to be in the 60-year-old brackets.  None of these folks are strangers to each other so a lot of strategy was employed as some non-traditional teams joined the fray.  Brian Coonce and Don Reiter pretty much owned the 60A Division even with a competitive final against Emil Weiler and John Miller.  Jay Spooner and Mike McQuillan took third in a momentum-based tie-breaker match against Phil Kleineschay and Tim Fichtel 21-12, 11-21, 11-3.  Mike Burke and long-time partner Mike Black claimed consolation honors with a win over equally long-time partners George Langhorst and Glenn Solin.

Greg Sothern and Sheldon Silberman teamed up to take the 60B Division championship with easy wins until the finals against Lee Engele and Mike McQuillan.  The first game looked easy but in the second, the lead changed numerous times before Sothern and Silberman closed it out for the championship. Dean Held and Pete Kaehler claimed third place over Will Bjornnes and Greg Taylor while Marko Santori and Mike Dorscher took consolation honors.

One of the stories of the tournament were the six players that played in two divisions.  The tournament committee tried to predict who would win and lose so the matches for each player would not be scheduled at the same time.  The committee’s crystal ball needs some repair! In particular, Dean Held, Mike McQuillan and Jay Spooner ended up double-booked on Saturday throwing havoc into the schedule.  Everything worked out as all were very flexible but iron-man honors go to Mike McQuillan who played five matches across two divisions with four of them going to tie-breakers.  Mike won third place in the Super Masters A and second place in the Super Masters B (with different partners.)  Jay played four matches, three of which went tie-breaker (that’s because he learned that playing with Mike in the 60A.)

Over eighty players participated and everyone enjoyed the great University of Minnesota facilities and traditional MSHA hospitality

Open Doubles:

Quarter finals

• Andy Nett / Tom Nett    def.  Jordan Taylor / Austin Biddle  Vancouver, WA/Milwaukie, OR  21-2, 21-3
• David Schiller / Tom Bowman  Circle Pines, MN/Chanhassen, MN  def.  Brian Burke / Donovan Foley  Umn, MN/Fridley, MN  21-17, 21-18
• Mike Gustafson / Mathias Langhorst    def.  Chris Iverson / Pete Crouser  Bloomington, MN/Saint Paul, MN  13-21, 21-20, 11-5
• David Miller / Ryan Pesch  St. Paul, MN  def.  Michael Miller / Nick Brown  St. Paul, MN/MN  21-3, 21-2

Semi finals

• Andy Nett / Tom Nett    def.  David Schiller / Tom Bowman  Circle Pines, MN/Chanhassen, MN  21-3, 21-12
• David Miller / Ryan Pesch  St. Paul, MN  def.  Mike Gustafson / Mathias Langhorst  Eagan, MN/Saint Paul, MN  21-15, 21-11

     Finals

• Andy Nett / Tom Nett    def.  David Miller / Ryan Pesch  St. Paul, MN  21-11, 21-18

     Third Place

• David Schiller / Tom Bowman    def.  Mike Gustafson / Mathias Langhorst  Eagan, MN/Saint Paul, MN  21-17, 18-21, 11-10

Consolation

• Michael Miller / Nick Brown  St. Paul, MN/MN  def.  Brian Burke / Donovan Foley  Umn, MN/Fridley, MN  21-17, 11-21, 11-8     

A Doubles:

Quarter finals

• John Stoffel / Michael Wells BYE
• Brett Broxey / Joe Lacey-Gotz    def.  Andrew Burkhart / Andrew Lyons  Minneapolis, MN  21-13, 21-12
• Jay Spooner / Patrick Revier    def.  John Laliberte / Stephen Laliberte  Shoreview, MN/White Bear Lake, MN  21-15, 21-13
• Steven Tamminga / James Grota  Minneapolis, MN/Rochester, MN  def.  Phil Kleineschay / Tim Fichtel  Maple Grove, MN/Shoreview, MN  21-10, 21-3

Semi finals

• John Stoffel / Michael Wells    def.  Brett Broxey / Joe Lacey-Gotz  Minneapolis, MN/Saint Paul, MN  21-4, 21-14
• Steven Tamminga / James Grota  Minneapolis, MN/Rochester, MN  def.  Jay Spooner / Patrick Revier  Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN  21-12, 21-9

     Finals

• John Stoffel / Michael Wells    def.  Steven Tamminga / James Grota  Minneapolis, MN/Rochester, MN  21-19, 21-13

     Third Place

• Brett Broxey / Joe Lacey-Gotz    def.  Jay Spooner / Patrick Revier  Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN  15-21, 21-18, 11-7

Consolation

• Andrew Burkhart / Andrew Lyons    def.  Phil Kleineschay / Tim Fichtel  Maple Grove, MN/Shoreview, MN  21-2, 21-2

 

B Doubles  

     Quarter finals

• David Abramson / Kristina Langhorst    def.  Isaac Gebbengreen / Isaac Alberg  Saint Paul, MN/St. Paul, MN  21-12, 21-16
• Dean Held / Henry Arnesen  Chanhassen, MN/  def.  Eric Mohr / Joshua Pfister  Ramsey, MN/Oconomowoc, WI  21-7, 21-6
• Alex Meyer / Edward Brazman    def.  Ron Ulseth / Tom McBride  Warba, MN/Grand Rapids, MN  21-7, 21-16
• Jesus Cordero / Adalberto Cordero  Saint Paul, MN  def.  Austin Kleineschay / Dale Campbell  Maple Grove, MN/MN  21-8, 21-6

     Semi finals

• David Abramson / Kristina Langhorst    def.  Dean Held / Henry Arnesen  Chanhassen, MN/  21-11, 21-12 
• Jesus Cordero / Adalberto Cordero  Saint Paul, MN  def.  Alex Meyer / Edward Brazman  Minneapolis, MN/Saint Paul, MN  17-21, 21-14, 11-7

     Finals

• Jesus Cordero / Adalberto Cordero  Saint Paul, MN  def.  David Abramson / Kristina Langhorst  Maple Grove, MN/Saint Paul, MN  21-13, 21-16

     Third Place

• Dean Held / Henry Arnesen    def.  Alex Meyer / Edward Brazman  Minneapolis, MN/Saint Paul, MN  WBF - No Show

Consolation

• Austin Kleineschay / Dale Campbell  Maple Grove, MN/MN  def.  Eric Mohr / Joshua Pfister  Ramsey, MN/Oconomowoc, WI  12-7, 21-9

 

C Doubles 

     Quarter finals

• Alex Meyer / Matt Bartholomew BYE
• Jim Lash / Thomas Pearson    def.  David Flores / Phil Gebben Green  St. Paul, MN  21-16, 21-2
• Antonio Flores / Jose Flores  St. Paul, MN  def.  Crystal Theobald / Nikki Theobald  Mankato, MN  14-21, 21-14, 11-3
• Nathan Stoffel / Zack Wells  North Mankato, MN/Good Thunder, Minnesota  def.  Erin Kost / Paige Kennedy Mankato, MN  21-1, 21-5

     Semi finals

• Jim Lash / Thomas Pearson  Cottage Grove, MN/St. Paul, MN  def.  Alex Meyer / Matt Bartholomew Minneapolis, MN/MN  21-19, 21-10
• Nathan Stoffel / Zack Wells  North Mankato, MN/Good Thunder, Minnesota  def.  Antonio Flores / Jose Flores St. Paul, MN  21-10, 21-7

     Finals

• Jim Lash / Thomas Pearson    def.  Nathan Stoffel / Zack Wells  North Mankato, MN/Good Thunder, Minnesota  8-21, 21-12, 11-5

     Third Place

• Alex Meyer / Matt Bartholomew    def.  Antonio Flores / Jose Flores  St. Paul, MN  21-8, 21-8

Consolation

• Alex Meyer / Matt Bartholomew    def.  Crystal Theobald / Nikki Theobald  Mankato, MN  21-7, 212-0

 

Super Masters A (60+) Doubles

     Quarter finals

• Brian Coonce / Don Reiter  BYE
• Phil Kleineschay / Tim Fichtel  Maple Grove, MN/Shoreview, MN  def.  Mike Black / Mike Burke  265 West 7th Street, MN/Saint Paul, MN  21-11, 18-21, 11-4
• Emil Weiler / John Miller    def.  George Langhorst / Glenn Solin  Moose Lake, MN/Duluth, MN  21-13, 21-3
• Jay Spooner / Michael McQuillan  BYE

     Semi finals

• Brian Coonce / Don Reiter    def.  Phil Kleineschay / Tim Fichtel  Maple Grove, MN/Shoreview, MN  21-6, 21-12
• Emil Weiler / John Miller    def.  Jay Spooner / Michael McQuillan  Fargo, ND/Saint Paul, MN  12-21, 21-15, 11-10

     Finals

• Brian Coonce / Don Reiter    def.  Emil Weiler / John Miller  Saint Paul, MN/Edina, MN  21-13, 21-17

     Third Place

• Jay Spooner / Michael McQuillan  Fargo, ND/Saint Paul, MN  def.  Phil Kleineschay / Tim Fichtel  Maple Grove, MN/Shoreview, MN  21-12, 11-21, 11-3                                                                                                   

Consolation

• Mike Black / Mike Burke    def.  George Langhorst / Glenn Solin  Moose Lake, MN/Duluth, MN  21-13, 21-4

 

Super Masters B (60+) Doubles

     Quarter finals

• Dean Held / Pete Kaehler  BYE
• Lee Engele / Michael McQuillan    def.  Marko Santori / Mike Dorsher  Mendota Hieghts, MN/Hudson, WI  13-21, 21-14, 11-10
• William Bjornnes / Greg Taylor    def.  Jack Leveille / William Russell  Golden Valley, MN/Minneapolis, MN  21-11, 21-17
• Greg Sothern / Sheldon Silberman  Maple Grove, MN/Golden Valley, MN  def.  John Benton / Richard Ryan  St. Paul, MN/Woodbury, MN  21-4, 21-1

     Semi finals

• Lee Engele / Michael McQuillan  Saint Paul, MN  def.  Dean Held / Pete Kaehler  Chanhassen, MN/River Falls, WI  9-21, 21-6, 11-1
• Greg Sothern / Sheldon Silberman  Maple Grove, MN/Golden Valley, MN  def.  William Bjornnes / Greg Taylor Roseville , MN/Woodbury, MN  21-0, 21-7    

     Finals

• Greg Sothern / Sheldon Silberman  Maple Grove, MN/Golden Valley, MN  def.  Lee Engele / Michael McQuillan Saint Paul, MN  21-7, 21-18

     Third Place

• Dean Held / Pete Kaehler    def.  William Bjornnes / Greg Taylor  Roseville , MN/Woodbury, MN  21-7, 21-13

Consolation

• Marko Santori / Mike Dorsher    def.  John Benton / Richard Ryan  St. Paul, MN/Woodbury, MN  21-16, 21-13