Day 1
Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 4/12/24 (Pictures by Lolita)
The 2024 R48LTE USHA Hall of Fame marks the eighty-seventh event in the history of the Race 4 Eight tour, with the tour spanning seventeen states and two countries in the R48’s first twelve+ seasons.
(Editor’s Note: This tournament will not be streamed LIVE)
The 2024 R48LTE USHA Hall of Fame features nine of the top ten R48 Men’s Pros, headlined by co-R48 #1 and defending R48 LTE Hall of Fame champion Lucho Cordova, co-R48 #1 and two-time 2023/24 Race 4 Eight champion Danos Cordova, seven-time Race 4 Eight champion and R48 #3 Martin Mulkerrins, three-time Race 4 Eight finalist and R48 #4 Leo Canales, as well as Ireland’s superstar Diarmaid Nash making his first Race 4 Eight start in more than fourteen months.
Round of 16
Lucho Cordova started his Hall of Fame title defense with a two-game sweep against his younger brother Andres, who had earned his best Race 4 Eight win against Loren Collado in a tiebreaker earlier in the day.
Battling a right shoulder injury he sustained in Juarez, Danos Cordova adjusted his game to overcome Colorado’s John Chapman in two games.
In the day’s marquee match, Martin Mulkerrins faced his longtime rival Diarmuid Nash in a rematch of the 2022 USHA Four Wall national championship match won by Nash in a tiebreaker. Despite playing a tournament for the third consecutive weekend and appearing to be somewhat sluggish, Mulkerrins blitzed Nash in a very fast first game, leading 13-2 at one point. Nash started to work his way into the match midway through the second game, applying pressure with great retrieves and back wall kills. Nash led 14-12 and was closing in on a tiebreaker, but Mulkerrins crushed consecutive left hand kills, eventually serving for the match at 15-14. Mulkerrins missed the easiest shot of the match with his right hand to win the match, opening the door for a Nash charge. A diving re kill from Nash gave him his second game point at 16-15 but a power pass from Mulkerrins took Nash out of the box. Mulkerrins hit a deep crack serve ace to tie the game and won the match on his second match point.
Big Game Leo HERE had little difficulty overcoming Diarmuid Mulkerrins, never allowing the Irishman to get on track, while David Fink was clinical in his two-game sweep against fellow Tucsonan Max Langmack.
Jeff Streibig was confident heading into his match with Sean Lenning, having taken Lenning to a tiebreaker in a previous encounter. Lenning sent a message, keeping the St. Louis star off-balance by dominating the front court to win in two games.
Shorty Ruiz and Sam Esser met for the fourth time this season, with Esser winning two of their first three encounters. Esser stood just three points from his first Race 4 Eight final in Juarez, but was unable to capitalize on that momentum, as Ruiz took control of the match midway through the first game. Ruiz started his day in the 35+ singles, falling behind 1-16 in his first 35’s match before winning in two. The wakeup call appeared to benefit Ruiz, as he won his first main draw match of 2024 against Esser.
Vic Perez and Ivan Burgos met for the third consecutive event, with the pair splitting the first two matchups. Just as Burgos had done in their first matchup in Montana, he dominated game one. Burgos remained in control in game two, dictating play with great power and offense. Serving for the match at 14-12, Burgos missed a back wall setup from in front of the short line with his left, handing Perez the serve and the momentum. Perez quickly forced overtime and eventually a third game, as the momentum completely shifted to the LAFD’s Perez. Burgos never found his rhythm in the third, losing at the Hall of Fame after holding match point for the second straight year.
Round of 16
Lucho def Andres Cordova 15-6, 15-7
Danos def Chapman 15-12, 15-8
Mulkerrins def Nash 15-5, 18-16
Canales def D. Mulkerrins 15-4, 15-5
Fink def Langmack 15-5, 15-0
Lenning def Streibig 15-6, 15-4
Ruiz def Esser 15-10, 15-7
Perez def Burgos 6-15, 16-14, 15-6
Round of 8 (Saturday, all times PST)
Lucho vs. Perez 10 am
Canales vs. Fink 11 am
Mulkerrins vs. Lenning Noon
Danos vs. Ruiz 1 pm
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2024 R48LTE USHA Hall of Fame press release HERE
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WPH RACE 4 EIGHT: The World Players of Handball’s 2023/24 Race 4 Eight XIII Powered by ESPN features Race 4 Eight stops in Oregon, Arizona, Missouri, Montana and Mexico, all culminating with The Player’s Championship in Utah in May of 2024. Similar to NASCAR’s Nextel Cup and the FedEx PGA Playoffs, players earn points in the Race 4 Eight’s regular season stops to qualify for the season-ending Player’s Championship and bonus prizes.
For more information on the WPH Race 4 Eight title sponsor opportunity, please contact World Players of Handball Executive Director David Vincent at dave.vincent@wphlive.tv or World Players of Handball Development Director David Fink at david.fink@wphlive.tv. For more information on the World Players of Handball, please visit wphlive.tv
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David Fink
WPH Senior Writer