Saturday September 12, 2026
Written by Larry Cordes
Despite rain in the forecast, the Central Washington Handball Club held the 2026 Dick Pieper Three-Wall Doubles Handball Tournament as scheduled on Saturday, September 12. Dark morning clouds soon cleared, giving way to partly cloudy skies and ideal conditions for outdoor handball.
Known as the Pieper, the tournament was the third event in the Summer Handball Outdoor Tournament Series (SHOTS) and is held at scenic Walla Walla Point Park along the Columbia River in Wenatchee, Washington.
The Pieper followed the format used by earlier SHOTS events at Ridgecrest Park in Shoreline and the Meranto at Westwick Park in Kent. Players competed in A- and B-level pools, with the top two finishers from each pool advancing to the championship match.
Pool-Play Results
A Level
1) Hugo Gutierrez — Marysville, WA
2) Josh Viveros — Yakima, WA
3) Sal Torres — Wenatchee, WA
B Level
1) Joe Mendoza — Wenatchee, WA
2) Marcos Rodriguez — Yakima, WA
3) Julio Duenas — Snohomish, WA
In the championship match, Gutierrez and Mendoza faced Viveros and Rodriguez. Gutierrez’s powerful left hand and Mendoza’s deep-court coverage overcame Rodriguez’s consistent high-pass shots and Viveros’ corner kills, securing the Pieper trophy and prize money.