Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 4/16/23-
Finals Sunday featured the conclusion of the R48LTE singles, Women’s Classic singles, Women’s Doubles, and the rest of the Hall of Fame brackets.
Final: Lucho def Lenning 16-14, 15-1
Lucho Cordova and Sean Lenning met for the second consecutive R48LTE final and third overall, with Lucho winning their first two R48 LTE finals (Portland ’19, Juarez ’23). Lucho was pushed to tiebreakers in his quarterfinal and semifinal matches on Saturday, while Lenning faced match point in the second game in his quarterfinal match against R48 #2 Martin Mulkerrins before coming back to win. Lucho was aiming for his fifth R48 title of the season in his eighth start and ninth R48 title overall, while Lenning was aiming for his eighth R48 title and first since the 2018 Memorial.
Lenning started quickly in the final, just as he had done in Juarez, building a 12-5 and 14-8 lead against the R48 #1 with incredible serves down the right and power passes and kills. Unlike in Juarez where Lenning clinched the first game, Lucho was able to tie the first game at 14 and close out the comeback in overtime. “I really was not thinking about winning the first game (down 8-14), I was just trying to get into rallies and make him work,” Lucho would later say. “I slowed the game down with my lob and I started to get more comfortable and play more aggressively.”
After winning the final eight points of the first game, Lucho continued his stellar play in the second, refusing to relinquish the front court and scoring twenty-three of the final twenty-four points of the match en route to winning his fifth title of the season. “I am not really sure how I am doing it,” Lucho stated in reference to his historic season.
R48 Playoffs
Fifth place final: Mulkerrins def Canales 25-11
Martin Mulkerrins swept away the disappointment of not converting match point in his quarterfinal match and dominated the fifth place playoffs, outscoring his two opponents by a combined 50-18 in clinching his seventh top five finish of the season in seven starts.
Ninth place final: Hernandez def Cortez 25-17
Dylan Hernandez won one of the strongest ninth place draws of the season, defeating Moses Gardea, Abraham Montijo, Max Langmack, and overcoming a 10-15 halftime deficit to defeat John Wayne Cortez in the final.
R48LTE Hall of Fame Finishes
1st: Lucho
2nd: Lenning
3rd: Fink/Danos
5th: Mulkerrins
6th: Canales
7th: Esser/Doyle
9th: Hernandez
Women’s Classic
Final: Ruiz def Esser 21-13, 21-8
Ashley Ruiz continued her dominant play in the final against her good friend Mikaila Esser, playing with poise and precision to keep the Tucson star off-balance and stuck in the back court. “I have been seeing a personal trainer for two months and it’s really paying off,” stated Ruiz. “I opened with a 13-0 lead in the first and she started to come back, so I just started thinking about clouds to bring my focus back.”
Ruiz is now the “Queen of the Classic,” having now won three prestigious USHA Women’s Classic titles.
Women’s Open Doubles: Daskalakis/Ruiz def Esser/Hughes 21-11, 21-8
Hall of Fame Master’s Singles Nationals and Hall of Fame Doubles Champions
35+ singles: Abraham Montijo
40+ singles: Chris Tico
55+ singles: Leo Canales
60+ singles: Joe Tierney
65+ singles: Gary Scogin
70+ singles: Scott Spann
75+ singles: Greg Raya
80+ singles: Jerry Zimmerman
Legends Doubles: Raya/Fink
Hall of Fame Doubles: Aranda/Garza
19-and-under singles: Kai Schelble
13-and-under singles: Isaac Holguin
Thank you
Thank you to the USHA and WPH for collaborating on another outstanding event. Thank you to all of the donors for making the 2023 such a great event. Thank you to the Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club for always being an incredible host to handball players. Congratulations to all of the Master’s Nationals singles champions and to all of the champions and players.
Watch replays of the R48LTE and Women’s Classic on the USHA YouTube channel HERE
Follow all of the brackets from the 2023 R48LTE USHA Hall of Fame HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer