Sharon, PA, WPH Press, 2/8/20- Pittsburgh’s WPH Ladder #3 Andrew Joseph entered the 2020 Sharon Open on the rise, peaking as he always seems to do for the early February Western PA Classic. JCC had won the Sharon Open multiple times and was seeking to add another Sharon title to his mantle. Joining JCC Joseph in the Sharon Open draw was tournament host and contender Jay Cattron, Western PA’s John Thiel, Pittsburgh’s “Big Game” Kirk Rys, Cleveland’s dynamic duo Joe Frankenfield and Carlos Vazquez, and Pittsburgh’s State “B” champion Mike Rieg.
Defending Sharon champion Carlos Vazquez advanced to the final in the upper bracket, overcoming Jay Cattron in a tiebreaker.
In the bottom bracket, JCC Joseph dispatched John Thiel in the quarterfinals and split games with R48 qualifier hopeful Joe Frankenfield in the semis.
Frankenfield took game one and led 18-16 in game two against his fierce cross-state rival, seemingly on the verge of taking the Sharon Open title back to Cleveland. “With both of us standing in the mid court, Joe hit a rocket off the front wall and all I could do was reflex and hit the ball between my legs with my left hand,” stated Joseph. “The between the legs shot flat killed into the right corner, giving me the side out and signaling the turning point of the match.” Following the Sharon Open Miracle, Joseph scored the final five points of the second game to force a tiebreaker.
Frankenfield regrouped after the second game turning point, taking a 5-0 lead and eventually serving for the match at 10-6. JCC overcame Frankenfield’s match point and ended the match on his after tying the score at 10, advancing to the final.
In his third match of the day, JCC was sharp in the final, dismantling Vazquez in two games to claim the Sharon Open. “Never bet against JCC in Sharon,” declared Rys.
Final: Joseph def Vazquez 21-9, 21-14
With the Sharon title, JCC now moves to #2 on the WPH Pittsburgh Ladder, just decimal points behind WPH Pittsburgh Ladder #1 Smokin’ Joe Delsardo. “199” Mike Semplice now sits at #3, his lowest ranking since the inception of the Ladder.
JCC will now turn his sights on earning a SR48 ranking at the February 28-29 RFC 12.
Enter the February 28-29, 2020 WPH RFC 12 R48LTE & SR48 + 60+ Singles, 70+ singles and Open/A Doubles in Pittsburgh, PA HERE
Follow all of the latest handball news from the WPH HERE
Follow all of the latest news from JR WPH HERE
2019/20 Race 4 Eight IX Schedule HERE
Become a WPH Patreon HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer