Day 2
Austin, TX WPH Press, 4/26/25
R48LTE Pete Tyson Classic Quarterfinals
Martin Mulkerrins vs. Jab Bike
R48 #1 Martin Mulkerrins met Jab Bike for the first time in Saturday’s first Tyson quarterfinal, with Mulkerrins defeating Denny Schmidt earlier in the day in the quarterfinals and Bike avenging his loss from the 2024 R48 Juarez to Taylor Schmitt in his round of 16 match.
Bike pushed Mulkerrins in both games, dictating play at times with his power serve and kills. However, Mulkerrins was too precise, consistently punching Bike’s drives to the ceiling and dropping the ball in the back right corner. Despite skipping several setups late in both games, Mulkerrins was accurate with his kills, escaping Bike in two games to advance to his seventh semifinal of the 2024/25 Race season.
Sam Esser vs. Ivan Burgos
Esser and Burgos had matched up twice on the Race 4 Eight tour, with both matches decided by two points and each winning one. After splitting the first two games, the tiebreaker featured several momentum shifts, as Burgos lead 5-1, Esser charged to 12-7, and Burgos tied the score at 13. Playing in the extremely difficult “fish bowl,” Esser made the shot of the match serving at 13-all, taking a revolving door back wall shot in the left corner and killing the ball in the right corner. Esser would need several match points to close out the match, ultimately advancing to his first semifinal of the season.
Mark Doyle vs. Danos Cordova
Mark Doyle has been consistently knocking on the door of the Race 4 Eight Elite 8, missing out on the coveted club by mere decimal points several times this season. Doyle would also be seeking to end his “Cordova Curse,” having lost to both Cordova bothers in tiebreakers several times in the past two seasons. Doyle would crash through the Cordova door, dominating the first game and remaining in control in game two to advance to his second semifinal of the season.
David Fink vs. Max Langmack
Fink and Langmack had matched up earlier this season, with Langmack defeating Fink in a tiebreaker at January’s Race 4 Eight Red in January. Fink started well in the first, leading 4-0 before Langmack found his stride. Langmack would take a 10-5 lead, but Fink charged back, taking a one-game lead. The second was close throughout, with both players diving and playing with tremendous intensity. Leading 11-10, Fink scored the final four points of the match to advance to his second semifinal of the season.
Round of 16
Mulkerrins def D. Schmidt 15-2, 15-3
Fink def Gardea 15-12, 15-0
Danos def H. Smith 15-6, 15-3
Burgos def R. Lopez 15-2, 15-11
Esser def Colyer 15-7, 15-13
Doyle def Bernhard 15-6, 15-11
Langmack def D. Mulkerrins 15-11, 15-9
Bike def T. Schmitt 15-6, 15-13
Round of 8
Mulkerrins def Bike 15-10, 15-10
Fink def Langmack 15-11, 15-10
Doyle def Danos 15-2, 15-8
Esser def Burgos 9-15, 15-13, 15-13
R48LTE Pete Tyson Classic Semifinals (Sunday)
Mulkerrins vs. Esser
Fink vs. Doyle
USHA Women’s Classic
49 players entered the USHA Women’s Classic, including several of the best women’s players in the world. Top-seeded Clodagh Munroe cruised to Sunday’s final in the upper bracket, defeating Cristina Pecaut in the quarterfinals and hall of famer Jenny Schmitt in the semifinals.
Third-seeded Mikaila Esser stormed past Austin Kristen Hughes in the quarterfinals and erased a 0-6 second-game deficit to defeat second-seeded Aoife Holden in the bottom bracket semifinals.
Semifinals
Munroe def Schmitt 15-2, 15-8
Esser def Holden 15-8, 15-11
Final: Munroe vs. Esser
Pete Tyson Banquet
Noel Aguilar and the Pete Tyson tournament committee organized an outstanding banquet, providing a wonderful dinner and honoring University of Texas legend and hall of famer Pete Tyson for his incredible contributions to the sport. Vern Roberts, LeAnne Martin, and John Bike all spoke of their fond memories of their coach and friend, sharing his selfless approach to all of his players and the sport. Coach Pete also addressed the large group, expressing how thankful he has been to be a part of the handball community.
Follow all of the brackets from the 2025 R48LTE Pete Tyson Classic HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer