Des Moines, IA, WPH Press, 9/15/24
The Des Moines Wellmark YMCA and Owen Gloves proudly hosted the 75th Annual Tallcorn Tournament Des Moines, IA. The Tallcorn Tournament is one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the country. The seventy-fifth edition of the Tallcorn featured strong fields across the singles and doubles brackets and unmatched Midwest hospitality.
Men’s Open Singles
Race 4 Eight and Minnesota State Mankato collegiate handball stars Mark Doyle and Ray Ure highlighted the 2024 Tallcorn Men’s Open singles field, with Doyle and Ure joined by a number of collegiate players.
Top-seeded Mark Doyle cruised to the final against Minnesota State teammate Bryan Trejo in a two-game semifinal sweep, while Ray Ure was dominant in his two-game semifinal win against Missouri’s Christian Madsen.
The final pitted two of the game’s youngest and most exciting stars and the action did not disappoint. The pair played at an incredibly high level in game one, trading kill shots and the lead. Ure led 18-15 when Doyle caught fire, scoring five consecutive points off an underhand lob serve and back wall kill combination. Doyle missed a makeable right-handed kill shot attempt at 20-18 and Ure capitalized, quickly scoring the final three points of the game.
After seizing the momentum from his game one comeback, Ure took control in game two, racing to an 11-0 lead with his patented back wall kills and power pass shots. Doyle cut the deficit to six at 6-12 but would never get closer, as Ure took the Tallcorn.
Semifinals
Doyle def Trejo 21-5, 21-16
Ure def Madsen 21-3, 21-5
Final: Ure def Doyle 21-20, 21-11
Women’s Open Singles
WR48 #8 and Minnesota State Mankato All-American collegiate star Clodagh Munroe led the strong Women’s Open field that included Taylor Bell (MO), Jodie Keeling (IRE) and a strong group of contenders.
Munroe and Keeling met in the final after overcoming Hannah Grace and Taylor Bell in the semifinals, respectively.
Former WR48 finalist Munroe survived a close first game before pulling away from her Irish compatriot in game two to win the Tallcorn. While Munroe’s steady play clinched her the Tallcorn, Keeling announced that she will be a force in the U.S. events she enters. Both finalists will head west for next week’s Tucson Memorial, the first stop of the 2024/25 Race 4 Eight season.
Semifinals
Munroe def Grace 21-9, 21-9
Keeling def Bell 21-9, 21-19
Final: Munroe def Keeling 21-19, 21-11
Watch the Men’s Open singles final on Jab Bike’s Facebook page HERE
Trophy picture courtesy of Jab Bike
Thank you to Tom Kopp and Owen Gloves for sponsoring and hosting this outstanding event.
Follow all of the brackets from the 75th Annual Tallcorn Tournament HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer