MHA State Doubles 4-Wall Handball Tournament - Report by Bob Plater

Report courtesy of Bob Plater

What a great facility Michigan Athletic Club, February 19, 2011] in which to hold a handball tournament - The Michigan Athletic Club (The MAC) in East Lansing. Thanks to the MAC members and staff for their hospitality, and to Norm Young and Mike Fagan, who ran the tournament efficiently! The MAC was very active, hosting a tennis tournament at the same time as the handball tournament, while MAC members did their regular work-outs, the atmosphere being at high level of excitement. All of this plus a shirt and food for the handball participants!

The Open

Six teams competed in the State's number one 4-wall tournament. There were no easy games, all players being highly talented. The "gets" and "kills" were exciting and amazing throughout the draw. Ed Kulka and Matt Paul took the first game from defending champions Pete Hanover and Mike Fagan, before bowing out.

A great match, Joe Ivy and Mike Bontumasi against Pat Myers and Pat Oliver, ended in a tie-breaker.

And, the final match, pitting the defending champions against the defending runners-up, was as good as it gets, all four players demonstrating fantastic effort, determination, scrambling, and shot-making.

Both teams deserved to win - same as last year - but only one can. Pete and Mike eked it out. Pat and Pat are runners-up for the third year in a row ( a great achievement). Congratulations to Hanover and Fagan, State Champions for the third time in the last five years!

Preliminary: Ed Kulka/Matt Paul (Ann Arbor) d. Eric Joneson/Dale Cole (Lansing) 14,5. Joe Ivy/Mike Bontumasi (Detroit) d. Sam Eyde/Charles Drayton (Lansing) 11,11.
Semi Finals: Pete Hanover/Mike Fagan (Lansing) d. Kulka/Paul (19),8,3. Pat Oliver (Detroit)/Pat Myers (Flint) d/ Ivy/Bontumasi (19),15,6.
Finals: Hanover/Fagan d. Oliver/Myers 19,19.

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MASTERS (40+)

Three teams competed in a round-robin format: Jim LaFleur/Kim Koehler (Saginaw) d. Duane Costanzo/Ken Mayer (Flint) 20,16. Lanny Green/Ted Gramatico (Ann Arbor) d. LaFleur/Koehler 10,(14),8. Green/Gramatico d. Costanzo/Mayer 13,6.
Champions: Green/Gramatico. Second: LaFleur/Koehler.

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SUPER MASTERS (60+)

Four teams competed. Rick Graham and Jim Lowe won the championship match in an 11-10 tie-breaker over Ed Green and Glen Paraskevin. Paraskevin lamented he had the winning shot on his hand at close range, but put it into the floor.

Semi Finals: Rick Graham (Ann Arbor)/Jim Lowe (Temperance) d. Mike Murray/Angus McIntyre (Detroit) 15,8; Ed Green/Glen Paraskevin (Detroit) d. Carl Valentino (Lansing)/Keith Thode (Detroit)10,12.
Finals: Graham/Lowe d. Green/Paraskevin Tie-breaker!

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DIAMOND MASTERS (70+)

Only three teams participated. Norm Young and John Lincolnhol conquered the field.
Norm Young/John Linclonhol (Lansing) d. John Schandevel/Bob Plater(Detroit); Young/Lincolnhol d. George Miller (Toledo)/Carl Porter (Lansing). Miller/Porter d. Schandevel/Plater.
Champions: Young/Lincolnhol. Second: Miller/Porter.

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B Doubles

Four teams, featuring some young, talented players, as well as veteran handballers, competed for the B Doubles title this year. Last year's runners-up, Andrew Rockwell and Simon Hanover, won the final in a tough struggle with the Sims family.

Semi Finals: Simon Hanover/Andrew Rockwell (Lansing) d. Brian Kim/George Xue 2,3; PK Sims II/PK Sims III (Detroit) d. Jason Block/Joe Green (MSU) 11,17.
Final: Hanover/Rockwell d. Sims/Sims 17,12.

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C Doubles

Three teams competed in a round-robin format: Brian Kim & George Xue played in their second event, winning this one. Contenders were Sean Metcalf and Max Prout, and, Rob Graham & Dakota Gates.
Kim/Xue d. Graham/Dakota 7,9. Kim/Xue d. Metcalf/Prout 14,2. Graham/Gates d. Metcalf/Prout 7,2.
Champions: Kim/Xue. Second: Graham/Gates.