Pacific Northwest Handball

2005 WAC Classic

2005 WAC Classic January 14-16 Washington Athletic Club, Seattle The WAC Classic delivered on its world-class billing in 2005. This year’s tournament drew 131 players from five states and Canada, and featured hospitality and camaraderie second to none. While the tournament proved again that it is a handball “Classic,” Sean Lenning proved he is still the top player in the region. After enduring a tiebreaker with Tom Polzin, Lenning disposed of Joe Hagen and Chris Tico in quick fashion to take the open singles crown. First-time doubles team David Steinberg and Jim Wainwright adapted well enough to best Curt Heiting and Rich Vasquez in taking the open doubles championship. "B" is for Brown: Larry Brown won the 40+ B’s and his fast-improving son Evan took the B Singles. The largest division in the tournament was the C/Rookie Dropdown Singles. Seventeen entrants from three states and one province signed up to compete in a 'drop-down' event that guaranteed first round non-winners of at least two additional matches. The 'C' division was won by WAC member Abraham Otoupal, already playing in his third tournament since first walking on a handball court in March of 2004. In the semi's Abraham was given a 'donut' in the first game but came back to win the tiebreaker. Anthony Vincent won the Rookie class as did Gavin Vanderpool in the Rookie Consolation event. Drawn from across the region by the reputation of the WAC Classic tournament, the 1/2 price entry fee for Rookies and the knowledge that the NW is a 'Rookie-friendly' place to play handball, these new arrivals to the game were introduced to the camaraderie of our sport. Most matches were hotly contested and drew some of the largest crowds of the tournament. The strength of our C/Rookie class this year bodes well for the 'B' division next year and for the health of the entire tournament in the coming years. Thank you, Rookies! The tournament ran very smoothly, thanks to the hard work of many friends of WAC handball. Thanks goes to Tournament Director Jay Simpson and Handball Club President Brian Henson, to Joel Carlson, Robin Hailey, Ambie Merritt and all of the other Committee Volunteers, and to Darin Barr and everyone else at the WAC for their outstanding support. Men’s Open Singles Semifinals: Sean Lenning (Seattle) def. Joe Hagen (Seattle) 8, 14; Chris Tico (San Francisco) def. Ryan Grossenbacher (Portland) 6, 12 Finals: Lenning def. Tico 6, 7 Consolation Champion: Bill Hayes (Tacoma) Men’s Open Doubles Semifinals: Curt Heiting/Rich Vasquez (Portland, San Francisco) def. Jeremy Morton/Dave Catlin (Bozeman, MT) (20), 2, 0; David Steinberg/Jim Wainwright (Portland, Bremerton, WA) def. Bill Hayes/Colin Clement (Tacoma, Lynnwood, WA) 20, 9 Finals: Steinberg/Wainwright def. Heiting Vasquez (20), 13, 1 Consolation Champion: Glenn Carden/Larry Vanderpool (Bremerton, Portland) A Singles Semifinals: Kevin Price (Redmond, WA) def. Brian Henson (Seattle) (18), 17, 10; Tom McGrath (San Francisco) def. Paul Pickering 17, 12 Finals: McGrath def. Price 3, 10 Consolation Champion: Tim Fry (Kirkland, WA) B Singles Semifinals: Cameron Marsillo (Tacoma) def. Jeff Moore (Seattle) 12, 10; Evan Brown (Eugene, OR) def. Erik Frew (Tacoma) 10, (19), 6 Finals: Brown def. Marsillo 8, 14 Consolation Champion: Vernon Miller (Bremerton, WA) A/B Doubles Semifinals: Gil Mendoza/Dave Lucas (Tacoma) def. Seltzer/Steve Kraft (San Francisco, Grand Forks, ND) 10, 9; Ernie Fistolera/Ben Liebman (Longview, WA) def. Dave Croom/Michael Nall (Seattle) 5, 7 Finals: Fistolera/Liebman def. Mendoza/Lucas 10, 10 Consolation Champion: Al Vinson/Bruce Prout (Seattle) C Singles Semifinals: Abraham Otoupal (Seattle) def. Max Bennett (Lynnwood, WA) 5, 4; Dennis Garbarino (Vancouver, BC) def. Reyjun Cueto (Seattle) 8, 1 Finals: Otoupal def. Garbarino 6, 14 Rookie Consolation Champion: Gavin Vanderpool (Hood River, OR) Rookie Singles Semifinals: Jennifer Hinman (Hood River, OR) def. Nic Fistolera (Longview, WA) 12,4; Anthony Vincent (Renton, WA) def. Steve Leech (Renton) 15, 17 Finals: Vincent def. Hinman 20, 17 40 B Singles Semifinals: Robert Price (Snohomish, WA) def. Tom Laverty (Surrey, BC): default; Larry Brown (Eugene, OR) def. Kent Morrill (Tacoma) 10, 5 Finals: Brown def. Laverty 14, 3 Consolation Champion: Loren Schaller (Tacoma) 50 Singles Semifinals: Dan Scilley (Red Lodge, MT) def. Dan O’Brien (Lynnwood, WA) 8, 7; Dave Sohn (Tacoma) def. John Manlowe (Spokane) (18), 13, 5 Finals: Scilley def. Sohn 10, 9 Consolation Champion: David Ackerman (San Mateo, CA) 50 Doubles Semifinals: Mike Woods/Alan Sherrill (San Francisco) def. Randy Multack/Bruce Zelazoski (Seattle) 10, 5; Wayne Black/Roberto Chavez (San Jose) def. Brad Kenning/Joe Cox (Vancouver, BC, Seattle) 11, 18 Finals: Woods/Sherrill def. Black/Chavez 10, 12 Consolation Champion: Larry Norton/Greg Bellinger (Lynnwood, WA) 50 B Doubles Semifinals: Jeff Hale/Dick Tomko (Tacoma) def. Marshall Stapp/Joel Wright (Seattle) (7), 20, 4; Bill Burke/Bruce Reynolds (Lynnwood) def. Greg Stacy/Steve Burns (Tacoma) 7, 11 Finals: Burke/Reynolds def. Hale/Tomko: default 60 Singles Semifinals: Tony Whatley (Seattle) Dennis Nagler (Lynnwood, WA) 12, 16; Larry Stayner (Lynnwood, WA) def. Ernie Kevin (Seattle) 12, 18 Finals: Whatley def. Stayner 6, default Consolation Champion: Dave Hasson (Seattle) 60 Doubles Semifinals: George Bennett/Bill McGuire (Seattle) def. Ernie Kevin/George Cobean (Seattle) 9, 12; Harry Scott/Gary Zatcovich (San Francisco) def. Rod Finkle/Steve Sheldon (Tumwater, WA) 4, 12 Finals: Bennett/McGuire def. Scott/Zatcovich 1, 14 Consolation Champion: Fred Loffer/Don Zimmer (Mt. Vernon, WA) 70 Singles (Round Robin) Jack Cherrington (Bellevue, WA) def. Bruce Swenson (Seattle) 7, 8; Roger Pinneo (Seattle) def. Swenson 2, 6 Finals: Cherrington def. Pinneo 10, 11

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Posted on 16 Feb 2006 by Glenn