Labor Day brought a close to the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, with major titles still to be decided.
Men’s Open Doubles Semifinals
Lenning/Chavez def Ortiz/Ruiz 12-21, 21-12, 11-0Bastidas/J. Bastidas def D. Szatkowski/A. Szatkowski 16-21, 21-5, 11-3
Lenning/Chavez vs. T. Bastidas/J. Bastidas
Sean Lenning and Marcos Chavez were seeking to defend their 2015 USHA National Three-Wall Handball Men’s Pro Doubles Championship, while the Bastidas brothers were seeking their first 3-Wall national doubles titles. Both teams overcame first game losses to win tiebreakers in the semifinals on the previous night.
Team Lenning/Chavez and Team Bastidas battled for more than an hour in game one of the final, with neither team able to separate themselves by more than three points at any point in the game. With the score tied at 18, Team Lenning/Chavez came up with the big shots, scoring three straight to close out the game and seize the momentum going into game two.
Team Lenning.Chavez capitalized on their first game win to build a 12-5 lead in game two, seemingly just minutes from clinching the title for the second consecutive year. Team Bastidas chipped away at the lead, making incredible retrieves and kills to pull within two points at 15-17. Just as they did late in game one, Team Lenning/Chavez came up with the goods in the clutch, scoring four of the final seven points of the match to defend their title.
Finals: Lenning/Chavez def T. Bastidas/J. Bastidas 21-18, 21-18
Thank you to WPH reporter/photographer Ryan Bowler!
To follow the draws from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, click here
For more information from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, go to ushandball.org
Log onto wphlive.tv, Like the World Players of Handball on Facebook, or follow the WPH on Twitter @dfwph and @wphlive for all of the handball news from on and off the court! The World Players of Handball is a non-profit foundation aiming to grow the game of handball through innovation and inspiring the next generation of players through junior clinics with Certified WPH Coaches, junior tournaments and the Race 4 Eight and WPH Outdoor tours.
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
Day Four: Sunday
Men’s Open Singles Final: Sean Lenning vs. Tyree Bastidas
Sean Lenning and Tyree Bastidas met in the finals of the United States Handball Association’s 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships for the third consecutive year and fourth time in five year. Lenning was in search of his eight men’s open singles title, while Bastidas in search of his second 3-Wall singles title. Bastidas had only scored 28 total points in the last two finals against Lenning, including zero in game two of last year’s final.
Lenning and Bastidas exchanged the lead several times midway though the first game, ultimately reaching 10-all. Bastidas applied pressure with power drives and ceiling shots to build a seemingly comfortable 17-13 lead. “Sean was definitely looking tired throughout the first game,” stated WPH reporter Ryan Bowler. Despite his weariness, Lenning rallied, scoring eight consecutive games in in just three service innings to take game one, 21-17. “Tyree stopped taking advantage of setups and hit too many passes,” stated Bowler. “Tyree started arguing with a heckling Lenning “super fan” and he really played poorly at the end of the game.”
Lenning continued where he finished in game one, scoring the first six points of the game to extend his consecutive scoring streak to 14. Lenning ran away with game two, building a 19-3 lead and holding off a late Bastidas rally to clinch his eighth USHA National Three-Wall Handball Men’s Open Singles Championship.
Final: Lenning def T. Bastidas 21-17, 21-12
Women’s Open Singles: Hilary Rushe vs. Ashley Moler
Hilary Rushe picked up her first USHA Three Wall National Women’s Open Singles title, downing California’s Ashley Moler in a two-game final. Rushe dominated her three opponents in the championships, outscoring her three opponents 126-33.
Final: Rushe def Moler 21-14, 21-9
Men’s Open Doubles Semifinals
Lenning/Chavez vs. Ortiz/Ruiz
Bastidas/J. Bastidas vs. D. Szatkowski/A. Szatkowski
Finals on Monday
Thank you to WPH reporters Ryan Bowler and Shorty Ruiz!
To follow the draws from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, click here
For more information from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, go to ushandball.org
Day Three: Saturday
Higher temperatures and higher humidity greeted the Men’s Open Singles semifinalists at the United States Handball Association’s 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, as temperatures in upper 70s with high humidity made the playing conditions extremely difficult.
Race 4 Eight rivals Sean Lenning and Luis Moreno played the first men’s singles semifinal on Saturday, with Lenning gunning for his eighth 3-Wall singles national title and Moreno seeking his first. Lenning defeated Moreno in their most recent 3-Wall matchup in the finals of the 2015 3WallBall Outdoor World Championships, but Moreno was determined to exact revenge in Toledo.
Moreno surprised Lenning in game one, building a 13-6 lead in just 12 minutes and never looking back. “Luis was not playing that great but Sean just was not looking good,” stated WPH reporter Shorty Ruiz. Moreno closed out the game on an 8-0 run, 21-6.
Lenning turned the tide in game two, finally hitting his stride midway through the game. “Sean finally woke up,” stated Ruiz. Lenning stretched a 13-10 lead to a 21-15 second game win to force a tiebreaker. “Sean started killing the ball and moving the ball around and not just hitting the ball right back to Luis,” stated Ruiz.
Lenning demonstrated why he has won seven 3-Wall national singles titles in the tiebreaker, racing to a 10-1 lead and closing out “The Natural” 11-4. “Sean really brought out the aggression in the tiebreaker and showed his amazing 3-Wall serves,” stated WPH reporter Ryan Bowler. “What a match!”
In the second semifinal of the day, 2013 3-Wall national singles champion Tyree Bastidas was aiming for his fifth consecutive final, but would have to overcome white-hot Mando Ortiz. Tyree cruised in game one, building a 14-7 lead and closing out the game, 21-8. “Tyree cruised in the first, keeping Mando off-balance in the back court and not giving many setups,” stated Bowler.
Game two was close throughout, with the pair tied midway through the game at nine. “Mando was more aggressive in the second and started making some great kill shots,” stated Bowler. Tyree built leads 15-12, 17-15, and 20-15 in the second half of game two. Tyree was unable to close out the match on his first three attempts, with Ortiz scoring four unanswered points to stand just two points from forcing a tiebreaker. Tyree earned a side out to stop Ortiz’s run and scored the final point to make the final for the fifth consecutive year. “Tyree stayed cool after failing to convert three match points and continued to play a good 3-Wall game with deep drives and corner kills to close out the match,” stated Bowler.
Semifinals:
Lenning def Moreno 6-21, 21-15, 11-4
- Bastidas def Ortiz 21-8, 21-19
Final: Lenning vs. T. Bastidas
Thank you to WPH reporters Ryan Bowler and Shorty Ruiz!
To follow the draws from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, click here
For more information from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, go to ushandball.org
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
Day Two: Friday
Day two at the United States Handball Association’s 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships featured the Men’s Open Singles quarterfinals, with top-seeded Sean Lenning facing New York’s Jurell Bastidas, Tucson neighbors Luis Moreno and Abraham Montijo squaring off 1900 miles from the “Old Pueblo,” X-Fest II Small Ball 3-Wall champion Mando Ortiz challenging Chicago’s Dane Szatkowski, and 2013 3-Wall national champion and current 1-Wall national champion Tyree Bastidas meeting rising star Marco Lemus. The eight superstar players were treated to perfect Labor Day Weekend conditions, as temperatures hovered in the low to mid 70s.
Lenning had little trouble with New York’s hard-hitting Superman Jurell Bastidas, cruising in two games. Mando Ortiz continued his stellar outdoor play, disposing of perennial 3-Wall semifinalist Dane Szatkowski in two quick games.
Luis Moreno overcame a slow start against doubles partner Abraham Montijo, dropping game one 21-16 before outscoring Montijo by a combined 32-8 in the second and third games. “Abe was down in the first game and made a great comeback to win,” stated WPH reporter Shorty Ruiz. “Moreno got hot in the second game with his serves and same for the tiebreaker.”
Tyree Bastidas and Marcos Lemus used the entire court in their quarterfinal clash, with each player using power ceiling shots and high drives to setup offensive opportunities. Bastidas won a nearly 50-minute first game, 21-10, and coasted in game two against an exhausted Lemus. “Marco was just out of energy after about the first half of game one,” stated WPH reporter Ryan Bowler. “Tyree did a good job of wearing Marco down in the deep court and capitalizing on mistakes. Very consistent out here.”
Luis Moreno will aim to dethrone 3-Wall defending national champion Sean Lenning in Saturday’s upper bracket semifinal, while Mando Ortiz will be seeking his first 3-Wall national singles final appearance against Tyree Bastidas in the bottom bracket semifinal.
Quarterfinals:
Lenning def J. Bastidas 21-11, 21-2
Moreno def Montijo 16-21, 21-3, 11-5
Ortiz def Szatkowski 21-10, 21-5
Bastidas def Lemus 21-10, 21-6
Saturday’s Semifinals:
Lenning vs. Moreno
Ortiz vs. T. Bastidas
Photos courtesy of WPH reporter Ryan Bowler
To follow the draws from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, click here
For more information from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, go to ushandball.org
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
Day One (Thursday)
The United States Handball Association’s 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships kicked off on Labor Day Weekend, with the game’s top 3-Wall Small Ball players making their annual pilgrimage to Maumee’s Lucas County Rec Center. Sean Lenning entered the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships seeking his fifth men’s open singles title in six years and eighth overall, making “The Freak” one of the greatest 3-Wall players in history. Lenning will face a deep draw in Maumee, as former Men’s Open Three-Wall singles champion Tyree Bastidas, cross over stars Mando Ortiz, Luis Moreno, Shorty Ruiz and a number of other talented players from across North America would be aiming to end Lenning’s dominating 3-Wall run.
September 1st Recap:
Perfect playing conditions with temperatures in the mid 70’s and a refreshing northeast breeze greeted players on the opening day in Maumee, producing exciting handball action at the Lucas County Rec Center.
In Thursday’s round of 16, Tucson’s Abraham Montijo upset fourth-seeded Shorty Ruiz, despite being outscored 45-36 in three games. Marco Lemus overcame Mike Schneider in the day’s longest and most exciting match, rallying from two points from elimination in the second and third games to advance to the round of eight. The rest of the top eight seeds cruised, setting up four sensational quarterfinal matches on Friday.
Men’s Open Round of 16
Lenning def A. Collado 21-5, 21-14
J. Bastidas def Stevens 21-12, 21-10
Moreno def Bowler 21-11, 21-2
Montijo def Ruiz 21-19, 4-21, 11-5
Ortiz def Canales 21-3 21-7
Szatkowski def O’Donnell 21-16, 21-7
M. Lemus def Schneider 14-21, 21-19, 11-9
T. Bastidas def Lemp 21-3, 21-2
Friday Quarterfinal Matchups
Lenning vs. J. Bastidas
Moreno vs. Montijo
Ortiz vs. Szatkowski
T. Bastidas vs. Lemus
To follow the draws from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, click here
For more information from the 66th USHA National Three-Wall Handball Championships, go to ushandball.org
Log onto wphlive.tv, Like the World Players of Handball on Facebook, or follow the WPH on Twitter @dfwph and @wphlive for all of the handball news from on and off the court! The World Players of Handball is a non-profit foundation aiming to grow the game of handball through innovation and inspiring the next generation of players through junior clinics with Certified WPH Coaches, junior tournaments and the Race 4 Eight and WPH Outdoor tours.
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer