May - June 1999
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by
Kevin Vicroy
For Utahs Kristen Walsh and Washingtons Stephen Lewis, their High School title wins earned them each an extended stay on the U.S. Junior National Team. |
In Portland, Oregon for the first time this
decade, shifting the Wilson 12th U.S. National High School
Championships, presented by Penn Racquet Sports, to northwest territory
did offer quite a good weekend to singles winners Kristen Walsh and
Stephen Lewis as well as the entire Beaverton High School squad,
which won its third overall team title in the past four years.
ELSEWHERE:
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Boys Gold Division Qualifier |
After losing in the finals of the past two high school championships, Ryan Staten entered this seasons event as the favorite. Surely he wouldnt leave with a silver medal again. Thanks to Portlands Trevor Crowe, Staten wasnt forced to take home the second place hardware. Instead, Crowe eliminated the top seed 15-13, 8-15, 11-7 in the round of 16! Statens rip-and-shoot style proved detrimental as the Dodge City, Kan., product repeatedly ripped and shot the ball into the floorboards. Conversely, Crowe played well within himself and made very few mistakes. Whats been happening to me the last eight months? Staten questioned. Its the same problem Ive had all of my life, I beat myself. I havent made myself realize that hitting the ball 7½-feet high is still going to be better than skipping it. At least you still have a chance if you hit it that high. Staten pointed to a much needed on-court attitude adjustment as a possible remedy. Its like the saying from White Men Cant Jump, Staten said. I would rather look good and lose than look bad and win. On the court, thats how I think ... and Im trying to change that. For Crowe, it was his finest racquetball hour. Trevor played so well, Ive never seen him play better, Crowes mother Terryl said. Thats an honor (for him) to beat a player that good. It was Crowes finely-tuned game plan that allowed the Westview H.S. student to advance into the quarterfinals. Since he (Staten) is obviously best at sidewall splats and pinches and also has the most power of any of the juniors, the No. 1 thing is I had to take away the side walls, Crowe said. So I just hit ceiling balls to the middle of the court. Also, you have to take away his power hitting by changing up speeds so he cant just hit everything full bore. An hour and a half later, Crowe fell to Jason Jansen (Fargo South H.S., Fargo, N.D.) 15-7, 15-3 in the quarters. Meanwhile, No. 4 seeded Stephen Lewis of Kennewick, Wash., was reeling off one victory after another. Lewis advanced to the finals by putting away fifth-seeded Matt Gehling (Broadneck H.S., Annapolis, Md.), 15-6, 15-9, then No. 8-seeded Jansen, 15-2, 9-15, 11-5. Going in, the week or two before, I felt like I had a really good shot, Lewis said. I was playing really well and had a lot of confidence. I felt like I had the mental edge over everybody. By working with IRT pro Derek Robinson on a weekly basis, Lewis game has improved tremendously. In the finals, the Kamiakin H.S. senior met third-seeded Shane Vanderson (Dublin Scioto H.S., Dublin, Ohio). Vanderson, along with Huczek and current No. 1 player in the world Sudsy Monchik, is one of the most decorated juniors in the record books. Nevertheless, Lewis fought off Vanderson, 14-15, 15-14, 11-5 for the crown. |
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Girls Gold Division Qualifier |
Defending champion and top-seeded Brooke Crawford of Klamath Falls, Ore. was only out of a hand cast for about a week before the Rose City event. Was her hand bothering her? Probably, but the Henley H.S. senior wouldnt admit it. Early on, Crawford cruised past the competition. She defeated Amy Jo Hollingsworth (North Salem H.S., Salem, Ore.) 15-4, 15-0 in the quarterfinals and No. 4 seed Lauren Deutsch (Bellaire H.S., Houston, Texas), 15-9, 15-7 in the semifinals. In the bottom-half of the girls bracket, Kristen Walsh, representing Skyline H.S. in Salt Lake City, was tossing aside the opposition with such ease that some fans were beginning to wonder if Crawford could beat the Utah sensation injured or not. Walsh took out Jane Rombach from Nerinx Hall H.S. in St. Louis, Mo., 15-6, 15-2 in the quarters and Denvers Molly Law of Mullen High in the semis, 15-12, 15-7. I was very consistent, Walsh said of her play. My goal was to keep everybody under five (points) per game. I was a little skeptical of that goal in the finals (against Brooke Crawford), then I just decided to go for it. I didnt really have anything to lose. Final score: Walsh over Crawford, 15-3, 15-3 less than five points in each game and a glimpse at what could become one of racquetballs best womens players. I was so focused on that match, that, afterward, it almost felt like my brain hurt, Walsh said jokingly. I really respect Brooke. Im sure it (the hand injury) affected her a little bit. Ive seen Brooke play a lot better than that. She did miss shots that she usually would have made. I dont know if that was because of her hand or because I was putting pressure on her. Crawford refused to take credit away from Walsh by pointing to her hand, saying, Kristen played very, very well. She was rollin out my serves. She was shooting really well and killing the ball. She took advantage of every opportunity. I was a little bit off and she just pounced. |
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