September -
October 1997
Vol. 8, No. 5

EMOTIONAL FIRSTS IN BALTIMORE
by Kevin Vicroy

Ironically, it wasn't the 8-and-under divisions that produced the most crying at the Ektelon 24th U.S. Junior Olympic Championships, presented by Penn Racquet Sports and hosted by the Merritt Athletic Club - Security, June 21-25. Sometimes, and these are often the most beautiful moments in sports, it's the more mature athletes — like 18 and under singles champions Mark Bloom and Rhonda Rajsich — who realize what they have achieved and what it truly means. That is when the emotions take over.

And that's exactly what happened to fourth-seeded Mark Bloom of Metairie, La. and his tearful family after he defeated unseeded Chris Crowther of Riverside, Calif., 15-11, 15-14 in the Boy's 18-and-under singles final.

Before making his finals debut, Bloom had played his way through to the semi-finals against top seeded Californian Rocky Carson. After disposing of Kelly Lee of Butte, Montana, 15-6, 15-9 in the first round, the University of Texas sophomore put away Cincinnati's Paulos Strike, 15-9, 15-10 to advance into the quarterfinals against Jed Bhuta of Pike Road, Alabama. Bhuta, a consistent top-eight finisher, was helpless against Bloom's quickness and fell 15-2, 15-4.

Now the semi-final was set between Bloom and World Junior champion Carson. Rocky stumbled a bit in the first game, losing 15-14, but rebounded to crush Bloom in game two, 15-2. But unfortunately for Carson, even world champs can't twist fate. Bloom was on a mission, and aided by sideline coaching from his brother Jeff, he won a convincing upset tiebreaker over the top seed, 11-7. Jeff quickly rushed onto the court to hug his younger brother. From the reaction of friends and family, it was obvious that this was the biggest win in Bloom's career.

So how would he handle his trip to the finals? Would he suffer a "let-down?" How strong would his opponent, Crowther, prove to be? The unseeded Crowther had upset #2 seeded Tyler Siggins of Anaheim, California, 11-15, 15-14, 11-6 for his finals invitation.

As it turned out, Bloom was spectacular in his straight game win. His mother, Rosie, launched straight-up with excitement after the final point — joining the crowd in giving the players a standing ovation. Jeff quickly hugged his mother and again rushed onto center court to congratulate his little brother. In Hollywood, the scene would have "brought the lights up," the curtain would have slowly closed and the film would have entered a strong bid for "Feel Good Movie of the Year."

"It's my first time ever and it's unbelievable," Bloom said of winning his first national singles title. "My brother was with me out there on that court. He was playing right alongside of me. Jeff never got an opportunity to play in the national finals, so I won this for both of us."

There had been times in the finale when Bloom would lose his concentration. "When I skipped a few shots, I just focused in on seeing a gold medal wrapped around my neck," an emotional Bloom said following the match. "Having my name right under Eric Storey's (1996 winner) feels awesome, and on the same list with names like Swain, Monchik, Mannino and Hogan is just unbelievable."

First for Rajsich
In the Girl's 18 and under bracket, nobody even came remotely close to defeating Rhonda Rajsich (right), who downed doubles teammate Vanessa Tulao 15-1, 15-8 in the finals for her first junior national singles title. The current two-time National High School Champion ran through the competition allowing a meager four points per game.

Christina Lewendal of Beaverton, Oregon couldn't seem to get anything rolling against Rajsich in the quarterfinals, losing 15-1, 15-3. Next up on the Phoenix native's victim list was another Oregon dark horse Erin Frost of Eugene. Frost, a sophomore on academic scholarship at the University of Oregon, pushed the eventual champion more than anyone all week long, only to fall 15-8, 15-4 in the semis.

In the final, Rajsich dominated Tulao from the start and cruised to victory. "I just tried to keep a dominating focus and play my game," Rajsich, an Arizona All-State basketball selection, said following her finals victory. According to the champ, she wasn't out to "really intimidate them (her opponents), but let them know that I'm mentally solid and any confidence they got wouldn't last long.

Team Play
Team Oregon, for the sixth consecutive year, captured the state team crown, scoring a whopping 1,143 points, 610 better than second-place Ohio. California tallied 360 for third place, while Florida (303) and Texas (283) rounded out the top five. Of the 46 players representing Oregon in Baltimore, five players won six national singles championships — Brooke Crawford (Klamath Falls) - Girl's 16-and-under; Charlie Pratt (Beaverton) - Boy's 10-and-under; Ashley Legget (Klamath Falls) - Girl's 10-and-under; Brittany Legget (Klamath Falls) won both the Girl's 8-and-under multi-bounce and regular 8-and-under; Erick Podwill (Beaverton) - Boy's 6-and-under multi-bounce. The Oregonians won three doubles events, as well.

Sweet Sixteens
Joplin, Missouri's Josh Tucker found out the hard way that a No. 1 seed can weigh a little heavy on the shoulders, as #2 seeded Ryan Staten of Dodge City, Kansas upset Tucker 15-9, 15-5 in the Boy's 16-and-under finals.

Tucker, who finished in the round of 16 of the 18-and-under division, swept through his first four opponents losing only two games. After allowing no more than four points per game in his first three matches, Staten met fellow Junior U.S. Team member Shane Vanderson of Dublin, Ohio in the semifinals. The stocky Kansas native put away Vanderson 15-12, 15-8 to move on into the finale.

Unfortunately for Tucker, the wheels on his ride to a championship fell off as Staten simply overpowered him with a simple and well-executed game plan.

"I was playing good throughout the whole tournament," Staten said after his win. " I was hitting all of my shots, wasn't skipping and just played smart racquetball."

Knowing that his opponent wasn't at the top of his game, Staten remarked, "He (Tucker) was the No. 1 seed and I think he felt the pressure a little bit. He definitely wasn't playing as good as he normally does out there."

After being named the USRA Female Junior Athlete of the Year, it would have seemed fitting that Sara Borland of Bettendorf, Iowa would come out on the final day and win her second straight Girl's 16-and-under gold medal. However, Team Oregon's Brooke Crawford of Klamath Falls refused to buy into that storybook ending.

Suffering somewhat from nausea and flu-like symptoms, Borland came back from a 14-9 first-game deficit to win 15-14 on pure guts and will.

"Sara came back and played real tough," Crawford stated following the match. " When I lost that first game, I told myself, "I can't let it happen again."

And she didn't. Crawford took games two and three by scores of 15-11 and 11-7, respectively, and won her first junior national singles crown over the defending champion.

Ektelon 24th U.S. Junior Olympics

SINGLES RESULTS
BOY'S 18-: Mark Bloom (Metairie, La.) def. Chris Crowther (Riverside, Calif.) 15-11, 15-14.
B16-: Ryan Staten (Dodge City, Kan.) def. Josh Tucker (Joplin, Mo.) 15-9, 15-5.
B14-: Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) def. Matt McElhiney (Bradenton, Fla.) 15-7, 15-0.
B12-: Steve Klaiman (Houston, Texas) def. Brandon Shoemaker (Findlay, Ohio) 15-9, 15-11.
B10-: Charlie Pratt (Portland, Ore.) def. Joey Lakowske (Corvallis, Ore.) 15-9, 15-5.
B8-: Nick Arturo (Anchorage, Alaska) def. Jamin Godwin (Sarasota, Fla.) 15-0, 15-8.
B8- multi bounce: Brandon Callihan (Anchorage, Alaska) def. Eric Noble (Fayetteville, N.C.) 15-7, 15-4.
B6-multi bounce: Erick Podwill (Portland, Ore.) def. Ryan Noble (Fayetteville, N.C.) 15-6, 15-10.

GIRL'S 18-: Rhonda Rajsich (Phoenix, Ariz.) def. Vanessa Tulao (Rainbow City, Ala.) 15-1, 15-8.
G16-: Brooke Crawford (Klamath Falls, Ore.) def. Sara Borland (Bettendorf, Iowa) 14-15, 15-11, 11-7.
G14-: Melanie Mueller (Grand Junction, Colo.) def. Krystal Csuk (Naperville, Ill.) 12-15, 15-10, 11-8.
G12-: Kimberly Irons (Dublin, Ohio) def. Adrienne Fisher (Dayton, Ohio) 15-9, 15-7.
G10-: Ashley Legget (Klamath Falls, Ore.) def. Brandie Hanson (Klamath Falls, Ore.) 15-11, 15-10.
G8-: Brittany Legget (Klamath Falls, Ore.) def. Rebeka Kopf (Babylon, N.Y.) 15-8, 10-15, 11-0.
G8- multi bounce: Brittany Legget (Klamath Falls, Ore.) def. Shannon Ingelsby (Oregon) 15-1, 15-9.

DOUBLES RESULTS
BOY'S 18-: Rocky Carson (Santa Maria, Calif.)/ Tyler Siggins (Anaheim, Calif.) def. Mark Bloom (Metarie, La.)/Bucky Freeman (Longview, Texas) 15-13, 15-13.
B16-: James Ford (Riverton, Wyo.)/Ryan Staten (Dodge City, Kan.) def. Stephen Lewis (Kennewick, Wash.)/Shane Vanderson (Dublin, Ohio) 15-6, 15-11.
B14-: Matt McElhiney (Bradenton, Fla.)/Zack Miller (Atla Loma, Calif.) def. Bart Crawford (Klamath Falls, Ore.)/Steve Klaiman (Houston, Texas) 10-15, 15-13, 11-10.
B12-: Seth Parker (Harrisburg, Pa.)/Travis Woodbury (Arlington, Va.) def. Clay Burris (Brandon, Fla.)/Brad Slocum (Sarasota, Fla.) 15-10, 15-7.
B10-: Andrew Grissom (Campbell, Calif.)/Matt Johnson (Farmington, N.M.) def. Matthew Hammond (San Antonio, Texas)/David Lewis (Aurora, Colo.) 15-6, 15-7.

GIRL'S 18-: Rhonda Rajsich (Phoenix, Ariz.)/Vanessa Tulao (Rainbow City, Ala.) def. Brooke Crawford (Klamath Falls, Ore.)/Erin Frost (Eugene, Ore.) 15-6, 15-12.
G16-: Megan Bals (Lincoln, Neb.)/Maggie DeBord (Lincoln, Neb.) def. Meghan Guardiani (Marlboro, Mass.)/Jenn Swallow (Parkside, Pa.) 15-1, 15-6.
G14-: Molly Law (Denver, Colo.)/Melanie Mueller (Grand Junction, Colo.) def. Jeni Fuller (Albuquerque, N.M.)/Kristen Walsh (Salt Lake City, Utah) 15-10, 15-9.
G12-: Adrienne Fisher (Dayton, Ohio)/Kimberly Irons (Dublin, Ohio) def. Derai Darling (Gearhart, Ore.)/Jessica Richter (Hamilton, Mont.) 15-2, 15-3.
G10-: Ashley Legget (Klamath Falls, Ore.)/Ashley Willhite (Klamath Falls, Ore.) def. Molissia Martin (Kenosha, Wis.)/Dominique Winfrey (Powell, Ohio) 15-1, 15-3.

MIXED 18-: Lianna Kerwood (Beaverton, Ore.)/Erin Brannigan (Sagle, Idaho) def. Vanessa Tulao (Rainbow City, Ala.)/Jed Bhuta (Pike Road, Ala.) 15-6, 15-13.
MIXED 16-: Megan Bals (Lincoln, Neb.)/David Liakos (Minden, Neb.) def. Molly Law (Denver, Colo.)/Scott Fisher (West Babylon, N.Y.) 15-8, 9-15, 11-7.
MIXED 14-: Krystal Csuk (Naperville, Ill.)/Adam Taylor (Shelbyville, Ind.) def. Crystal Winfrey (Powell, Ohio)/Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) 10-15, 15-9, 11-8.
MIXED 12-: Kimberly Irons (Dublin, Ohio)/Brandon Shoemaker (Findlay, Ohio) def. Adrienne Fisher (Dayton, Ohio)/Steve Klaiman (Houston, Texas) 15-13, 6-15, 11-10.
MIXED 10-: Brandie Hanson (Klamath Falls, Ore.)/Charlie Pratt (Portland, Ore.) def. Dominique Winfrey (Powell, Ohio)/Justin Erdman (Hilliard, Ohio) 15-5, 15-5.

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