LaGrange, IL, WPH Press, 7/11/126
The World Players of Handball was thrilled to partner with tournament director Dave Munson and the Illinois Handball Association in hosting the WPH Icebreaker 3-Wall pro singles at the 36th Annual LaGrange 3-Wall Tournament, featuring many of the game’s best 3-Wall small ball 3-Wall players.
LaGrange is not only known for its outstanding competition, but its endless hospitality throughout the weekend, to include a cookout on Friday, a Taco Truck on Saturday, a tournament souvenir for all players, prizes in all divisions, and shaded seating to watch the best 3-Wall players in the world.
“LaGrange is one of the most historic 3-Wall events in the country and the WPH is thrilled to team with Dave and the IHA for the second consecutive summer in hosting the second WPH Icebreaker outside of Tucson at LaGrange,” stated the WPH’s David Fink. “The WPH has hosted twenty-eight Icebreakers in Tucson from 2020-2025 and we are thrilled to return to LaGrange in the summer of 2026
Men’s Pro Singles
Top-seed and defending champion Ray Ure survived a scare in his opening round against Dane Szatkowski, dropping the first game before rallying to win in a tiebreaker to advance to the upper bracket semifinals. Ure faced Sam Esser for a spot in the final after Esser advanced in his quarterfinal against John Chapman in a tiebreaker.
Ure and Esser played close throughout the first game, with Ure eventually clinching a one-game lead and running away with the second game. “I needed the first game but I went for too many low percentage shots,” Esser would later say.”
The bottom bracket featured a rematch of last year’s La Grange semifinals, as third-seeded Jab Bike defeated Dylan Schmitt in two games to face second-seeded Lucho Cordova, who needed a tiebreaker to defeat Taylor Schmitt.
Lucho defeated Bike in two games in their semifinal encounter at La Grange last year and stood just four points from his second consecutive final late in the second game. The flame-throwing Bike thwarted Lucho’s bid, exhausting the second-seed and dominating the end of the second game and the third. “I have never seen Lucho so tired,” Esser would later say. “He was as exhausted as I’ve ever seen him.”
Quarterfinals
Ure def D. Szatkowski 16-21, 21-14, 11-4
Lucho def T. Schmitt 21-14, 17-21, 11-5
Jab Bike def D. Schmitt 21-6, 21-14
Esser def J. Chapman 21-11, 19-21, 11-1
Semifinals
Ure def Esser 21-18, 21-2
Jab Bike def Lucho 18-21, 21-17, 11-0
Final: Ure vs. Jab Bike (Sunday, 10 am CST)
Follow all of the brackets from the 2026 Icebreaker at the 36th Annual LaGrange 3-Wall Tournament HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer