2015 Singles Club
Championships
One of my favorite nights on the calendar is Club
Championships Night. Apart for the free steak dinner (!), showcasing the top
players in each category is a treat and I was delighted to see many young, new
players battling it out for glory. We once again set a record for
participation, and as we all know more players means it’s more competitive.
More 5-set results, more rivalries being created, more roars of elation off-set
by more shrieks of disenchantment. For those of you who couldn’t quiet reach
the pinnacle of success in this season ending event, let it motivate you to
work harder next year, and for those select few who actually managed to grasp the golden egg, (or gift certificate in
this case!), we salute you!
2.5 ~ Check it with
Becket
35 and counting… The 2.5 category continues to grow and
grow. We had a lot of new players join our squash community this season and
many of them decided to give the Club Champs a crack. It’s the best thing for new
players to do – jump in and experience the pace of the game, the angles, step
on court with someone who wants to kick your derriere! I’m sure there was some
“derriere-kicking” going on, but also many matches went the distance and no one
can be taken lightly… otherwise that derriere may be yours!
One of the ‘dark horses’ for this category was John Rogers. Young and quick, he’s a
soccer player so we won’t hold that against him (much), he does rely a lot on
fitness to get him through. Winning his first 2 matches 3-1, his quarter final
was against the big hitting Kevin
Prather. One must be careful when setting up the ball for Kevin; he has the
tendency to try to embed the thing in the
front wall. I haven’t yet had to call engineering for any extraction jobs, but
they are on constant standby just in case. John managed to be careful just
enough to outlast Kevin 3-1, where his next task was the semi final versus the
number 1 seeded Becket Marum. Becket
had been a model of consistency up to this point, winning his first 3 matches
3-0, but the worry for Becket here would be his stamina. John had the advantage
in that department and a long match could prove costly. And John almost pulled
it off. Becket did win 3-1, but admitted afterwards that if the match did happen
to go to 5, there was no way he would have won it. But the ‘could-haves’ are
irrelevant, and Becket moved onto the final.
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| Becket Marum and Andrew Walawender |
His opponent would be Andrew
Walawender. Even though the cost to enter the club championships is zero,
Andrew decided to get his money’s worth anyway and now I’m charging him $100.
(Plus tip.) A first round 3-0 win, he then played one of my other
‘not-so-dark-horses’ Dino Ricci.
Dino had a great run at the DAC Classic and was primed to continue that
momentum here. And why play 3 games when you can play 5 and run to the point of
euthanasia? And so long as you’re playing 5, may as well go to a tie break.
Andrew “Rocky Balboa-ered” himself to a 12-10 in the 5th win. He
enjoyed the torment so much he went to 5 as well against Adam Pabarcus in the quarter finals, and winning that, he couldn’t
resist beating Mike McCuish in 5 in
the semi either. Becket was worried he would survive the final.
And for a while, it looked like he wouldn’t have to worry.
Becket got the jump on Andrew from the start and raced off to a 2 games to zero
lead. But of course, now that Andrew is paying $100 ( + + ) to compete, playing
less than the full complement of games is out of the question. So, in true
Walawender fashion, he just had to win games 3 and 4 – which he did – and then
stand toe to toe with Becket through the 5th. With his track record
of his past 3 matches, another 5 set victory was within reach, but Becket dug
deep and managed to buck the trend. A final score of 11-9 had Becket taking his
first club title.
3.0 ~ Slam Dunking
Chris Webber!
Once again, I’ll have to go back and study up on my tea-leaf
reading. The two players reaching the 3.0 final weren’t even seeded in the top
12. But in fairness, this category was littered with close results and the finalists
could easily have been someone else. We’ll start with Mike Rock’s path first:
It was actually very close to being one and done for Mike.
We could be talking about Curt Pedersen
instead here as he stretched Mike to 5 games in the first round but couldn’t
quite close the deal. We also could be discussing John Mann, as he too went the full distance in round 2. Mike, it
appears, is a cool customer in tight situations (does he take after he forever
calm father, Jerry?) and steadiness saw him grab another 5 set victory. We’ll
say that Mike had an easier time of it in the quarter finals, but that’s only
because he won in 4 games and not 5 against Mike Ottaway, the match was still particularly vigorous. Not
satisfied with winning in 4, Mike chose to go back at what he seems most
successful at which is taking it to the edge. Living dangerously, his semi
final against Marc Topacio went 11-9
in the 5th, nerves of steel pushing him through to the final.
Chris Webber’s
passage to the final was almost as arduous. Like Mike, he also could have been
bounced in the first round. Ian Edwards
pushed him all the way but ran out of gas in the 5th game. Chris
then took on the second seeded Ted
Morris. Ted was returning from an injury and after the match mentioned he
was rather pleased with his performance despite losing in 4. Even fit, there
was a good chance Chris would have beaten him anyway. A 3-0 win in the quarter
final would be Chris’s easiest match of the event, but his semi one of the
toughest. John Perkins was turning
himself into one of the favorites for the title, taking out the third seeded
Sean Moran in 4 games in the previous round. John and Chris beat up on each
other pretty well, there was very little between them. Last man standing (or
crawling in this case!) was Chris as he pilfered the 11-8 in the 5th
win.
I refused to prophesize a winner for this final. Both Mike
and Chris had been showing good form and based on their wins and opponents in
their respective semi finals, another 5 gamer was a likely possibility.
However, it was not to be. Chris stepped up to the occasion well, and took
control of the rallies early. Keeping Mike on the back foot and not letting him
settle into any comfortable rhythm, Chris maintained a solid pace and swept all
3 games. This is also Chris’s first DAC club title.
3.5 ~ Josh Makes the
Grade
Typically, I always find the 3.5 the most difficult of all
the categories to seed. There are many situations that player ‘A’ can beat
player ‘B’, who can beat player ‘C’ who can then beat player ‘A’. Simply, it’s
on any given day, depending on what side of the bed you happen to wake up on,
anybody can win this one.
Colin Bayer has
been on an upward trajectory with his squash since he picked up a racquet not
too long ago. His athleticism (and size) is an advantage, although his
experience is lacking. Sometimes, though, its better not to know things
otherwise you may fall into the trap of over-thinking and complicate matters.
No one is yet to accuse Colin over over-thinking… (poke, poke!) and his blind
determination has been troublesome for his opponents to counter. He has the
knack of retrieving balls you think he has zero chance of reaching. Nor does he
tire easily. A point proven after he took out the second seeded Mike Petix 3-2 in his first match, and
then repeating the feat against Justin
Jacobs in the quarter final (11-8 in the 5th), acknowledging it
was one of his best matches he had so far played. And then, in the semi final
against Josh Slominski, he topped
it.
Josh won his first 2 matches 3-1 and 3-0 respectively, and
was looking strong to tackle Colin. If Josh’s mind is on track he can be
particularly consistent and steady, he doesn’t over complicate the game, moving
the ball around enough to wear out his opponents. Colin would be tough to tire
out, however. After taking the first 2 games – the second being 16-14 – it was
almost a 3-0 win for Colin, but Josh saved his skin, saving a match-ball and
taking that set 13-11. It seemed to take the wind out of Colin’s sails a
little. Josh rolled through the 4th and now it came down to a 1 game
winner take all. And it fittingly went to a tie-break. Colin admitted (again)
that this match was the best he had
ever played (eclipsing his match with Justin!) even though he lost. Josh once again overcame a
match-ball and took it 12-10. Great attitude from Colin, and excellent focus
from Josh to deal with the pressure.
I knew Jason Currie
would be a formidable opponent. He won the 3.0 category last year, and has
played a lot more squash this season. Quick, hard hitter, he has improved
significantly. It wasn’t easy for him to reach the final, every match he played
was a 3-1 result against a players who was very capable of beating him. Tenacity
goes a long way and Jason has shown plenty of that. He also has the benefit of
playing a lot of doubles which helps him with the pace of the game, reading of
the angles and the shot making creativity. It would be an interesting final. To
counter Jason, one will need to be ready to react quickly and not get sucked
into his pace… would Josh have the ability to adjust?
The first game was a long one as both players settled into
the final feeling each other’s games out. Jason won it 14-12 which normally is
a great confidence booster, but Josh wasn’t rattled at all. The second and
third games were all Josh. He took control of the match, maintaining a
half-paced length, good width, pinning Jason deep in the back corners. Down 2
games to 1, Jason needed to do something. He picked up his intensity and put
more pressure on Josh and the two of them went point for point, both of them
stretching each other out all over the floor. But Josh was not going to let
this slip away. Just staying steady, Josh took the 4th 11-8 and picks
up his first DAC club title.
4.0 ~ Star Trekken
MacEachern
Tiny draw. Big matches. Only 5 players signed up for this
one, and all were very equally matched. The draw literally was pulled out of a
hat since the order of ranking the players could have been interchanged from
day to day. The results reflected that.
Dane Fossee
started his trek to the final against the experienced Paul Huth. They had played twice before in league and in both in
those instances, Paul had won 3-0. But the Club Championships is a different
animal, people tend to place more pressure on themselves and can step up well
to meet the occasion. Dane did just that as he scored his first victory over
Paul 3-1. He then took on Mike LoVasco,
a player he has had success against in the past. In fact, of the 3 times they
had played, Dane had won twice. A marathon contest ensued between them, and I
can picture Dane with his hands on his hips, bent over, tongue hanging out
waggling in the wind… but a tired smile on his face. And who wouldn’t smile
after taking a 13-11 in the 5th win? Poor Mike will be thinking
about the one that got away.
 |
| Tom MacEachern and Dane Fossee |
On the other side of the mini-draw, it was a re-match of the
2014 3.5 final. Back then, Tom
MacEachern took a two games to love lead into the third only to have Scott Langenburg roar back to win in 5.
It’s a memory Tom is surely trying to suppress, but it would have been front
and center in his brain as he tried to wreak his revenge. Would it be
motivation, or would it make him lose focus? As the match wore on, and as it
drifted into a 5th game, I’m sure Tom was reminiscing somewhat of
that fateful day 12 months ago, but history would not repeat itself. Tom
avenged his loss taking the final stanza 11-7.
Dane versus Tom for the final. I only have 1 recorded result
between them and that was way back in 2013. Tom won that match 3-0. That
doesn’t carry much weight now, but these two do practice together often and
know each other's game particularly well. If Tom can get his game going and
stay out of the tin, his hard hitting is difficult to counter. Dane would need
to be on his toes and manage his length well. It was Tom who quickly gained the
upper hand in this encounter, and once he had the momentum early he had
absolutely no interest in passing it up. Tom stormed to a 3-0 win, and claimed
his second DAC club title, adding to his 3.0 victory in 2013.
4.5 ~ Ward-ing off the
Rivals
The squash game of Phil
Pitters goes against pretty much all conventional tactics. Cross courts
drops and flicks from pretty much anywhere, an occasional lob thrown in for
good measure, length does not seem to be a priority, and he’ll run until he
wears out the soles of his shoes (and then he’ll probably keep on running
anyway!) or drops dead from exhaustion. Bret
Williams would be a tough first round opponent for Phil considering his
power. But being very new to squash, Bret would not have seen a squash style that
Phil portrays. The longer the rallies take, Phil would have the advantage. It
would be a matter of Phil being able to chase down Bret’s cannonballs*.
Appropriately, their match went to 5 games and because of that, I’m not
surprised that Phil ended up on top. In the semi final, Phil had an easier time
dispatching his opponent 3-0 and earning a spot in the final.
Paul Ward’s progression to the final was just as taxing, if
not more so. His first round was against Chris
Van Tol. Chris and Paul’s last three matches have all gone to 5, with Chris
winning one of them, Paul the other two. True to form, they would have another
5-setter here and it was a nail biter. If you have ever played a match that has
reached the stage of the tie-break in the 5th, it’s amazing how one
can find the energy to keep running even though collapse is imminent; terrified
to hit an error, but praying one comes from your opponent; hesitant to go for a
winner and praying your opponent won’t try for one either. It’s an inward
mental challenge, one that Paul happened to be more successful with – this
time. He took it 15-13 in the 5th. His next match was also a
demanding task, but he managed to sneak it out in 4 games over Blake Ellis.
The last time Phil and Paul recorded a result was in 2011.
That’s a long time between drinks. Paul was a little weary going into the match
since you never know what you’re going to get with Phil. But in this instance,
his apprehension wasn’t necessary. It was all Paul all the time as Phil
couldn’t figure a way to get into the games. Paul took it 3-0 and picks up his
third club championship title, his first in the 4.5.
*I know I keep touting
Bret as a brute force player, but to be fair, he has been working on his touch
as well. And it’s coming along. He actually does have a nice drop shot!
5.0 ~ Green Keeps it
Clean
Clean sweeping any tournament is a challenging mission. You
have to be in form for every game of every match, and it is so easy to lose
that focus or concentration, falter just enough to let your guard down and
suddenly the game (or match!) has slipped away. Eric Green is a solid player, knows how to punish a loose ball, and
can keep it consistently tight and show patience in waiting for opportunities.
His reliable game was good enough to see him through to the final taking every
match 3-0.
On the lower half of the draw, determining the other
finalist was not so easy. Sante
Fratarcangeli won the 4.0 division last year, and has since improved enough
to skip the 4.5 and tackle the 5.0. It was the right choice. He beat veteran Peter Shumaker 3-1 in the first round
where he then had to lock horns with the awkward game of Brien Baker in the semi. The first two games went into overtime –
one of them was 17-15 – and the players divided the spoils. They also split
games 3 and 4 (although they didn’t reach the tie-break stage) setting up a 5th
game showdown. Both Brien and Sante pushed themselves to the brink, and there
were only a few points in it at the end. Sante survived the carnage and earned
himself a spot in the final – for the 5th straight year. (This dates
back to 2011, when Sante first played in the 2.5 final…)
Sante was also looking for his 4th straight
victory in the club championships. Eric was on the prowl for his second 5.0
title; he first won one in 2012. The match started with Eric controlling the
‘T’ well and moving Sante around the corners. He would push tricky little
angles into the front when Sante was lagging behind, utilizing the
opportunities well that were presented to him. He jumped to a 2 game lead
fairly quickly, but the third would be a lot more taxing. Sante had to step it
up – and he did. He started to extend the rallies, putting a little more
pressure on the ball – and Eric - and slowly the armor started to crack. But
the run was made too late. Eric could see the finishing line and he did not
want to see another game. He was happy with the 3-0 win, and now he will need
to venture up to the land of the Open.
Open ~ Jed is Number
One
The addition of Vikram
Chopra into our squash family this season has been wonderful. All clubs
dearly love top level players joining, you can’t have enough of them to keep
the competition fresh and interesting for the members. Vikram has an unusual
technique. He is very wristy, there is a lot of racquet movement, and that is a
double edged sword. On one side he can generate a lot of power and be
considerably deceptive, on the other hand his consistency can suffer. Vikram
won his way through to the final with 3-0 results, including the semi final
against multi time club champ Peter
Logan.
Jed Elley is our
current club champion. His technique is more conventional than Vikram’s, a
tighter swing, smooth mover, he can run the ball down with the best of them and
can also put the ball away effectively. But, he is also prone to unforced
errors and sometimes his shot choice can be questionable. Jed also moved his
way through the draw without dropping a game, setting up a final bout that had
most people wondering who exactly the favorite is. This could go either way.
The first few points of the final were a shaky start for
both players as they traded unforced errors. It wasn’t an overly pretty game,
both Jed and Vikram seemed to have a little trouble settling in. Maybe because
Jed had been in this situation before, he was the one who finally started to
keep the ball out of the tin and he ended up running away with the set 11-5.
 |
| Jed Elley and Vikram Chopra |
The second game was a lot closer. Vikram began to find his
sweet spot more consistently and ripped off some exceptional angles with that
wrist of his. The extra pressure also forced Jed into some ill-timed attempts
at winners and the unforced errors were starting to appear once again. But
unfortunately for Vikram, even though he created some perfect opportunities to
even up the match, he could not capitalize. The dreaded tin kept getting in the
way. Jed escaped with the second game 13-11 and the 2-0 lead suddenly looked
like a huge mountain for Vikram to climb.
Jed could now smell blood. Even with Vikram’s increase in
intensity, Jed was not going to let this one get away. The pressure was
mounting as the third game reached the final stages, only a couple of points
separated the two, and Jed was able to nail the door shut 11-8 and notch up his
second consecutive DAC Club Championship!
Congratulations to all our winners and finalists – remember:
you have now earned your position to the 2016 DAC Farris Cup team! It was an
outstanding finals night and awards dinner, and I would like to extend my
gratitude to all the members for making this the most active season in history.
The bar has been raised, and now we will raise it even higher!
