Actually, there are lots of things to find in running a tournament. Big things like finding food, setting up the club, getting volunteers to run the check-in and control desks. Small things, like remembering to bring pencils, cans of balls, the small draw cards and dozens of other important items, big and small.
One thing Sean should remember for his next tournament is his shoes. He was quite a sight running around bare-footed before his first match on Friday looking for an extra pair of size ten's. Luckily, a fellow Team HEAD player came through and Sean was able to play on. Who can blame him with so many other things on his mind? He also might want to try practicing playing left-handed for his next mixed-A final, as Sean found that he was the only right-handed player on the court. It must have been interesting, playing alongside lefty partner, Gail Parzygnat and left-handed opponents, Kathy Grill and Jack Cochran. A right-handed player in the minority!!! Strange. From the spectator's standpoint, confusion reigned supreme. The ball is moving all over the court and every shot is being taken back-handed. Quite a sight and quite a competitive match, where Kathy and Jack won a close one: 15-14, 15-12.
Another good story line could be found in the Men's A final. For the third time in a final of Men's A doubles, Dennis Negrete and Eric Rieman find themselves up against Rick Cavalier and Eli Williams. The last meeting was at last November's Turkey Shoot where Eric and Dennis won 15-12 and 15-4. Rick and Eli won the first meeting at last season's Shamrock tournament, 9, (13), 9. Since the two previous meetings were in draws that only had 11 teams in them (and you need 12 for a full draw Men's doubles victory) this would be the last time these four would meet in a Men's A draw. The winning team has to move up (or as was mentioned by several knowledgable tournament spectators, have to break up with Dennis Negrete going looking for another Men's A partner). Either way, Eric Rieman is going to have to move up to Open at the end of this season as a result of his Summerfest Men's A singles win. With all of this as subtext, the match starts up right according to schedule. Dennis and Eric take the first game 15-10, before losing the second, 15-7. Pretty close all around. Then disaster strikes. At 1-0 in the tie-breaker, with Dennis and Eric in the lead, Eli goes down with a torn hamstring. End of match. Negrete and Rieman win by default. End of story. We hope Eli has a fast recovery and comes back full strength. (Thanks to tournament player and Doctor, George Pappas for taking Eli in on a Sunday for an MRI.)
We also like to thank the club and tournament staff for putting on a nice tournament. Lots of food, fun and competition. Another typically excellent Glass Court tournament. We look forward to coming back to the Glass for this season's Shamrock Shootout, and the Regional's. Check out the other tournament winners.
| WEEKEND | TOURNAMENT | ADDRESS | Contact | January 28-30 | ILLINOIS STATE DOUBLES | Glass Court Swim & Fitness Lombard |
Sean Nelson (630) 790-1820 |
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| Event | First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Men's Open (8) | Dale Johnson/Dave Negrete | Mike Bogue/Keith Harper | Mike Burns/Gary Frumpkin Bill Lyman/Steve Sulli |
Men's A (19) | Dennis Negrete/Eric Rieman | Rick Cavalier/Eli Williams | Bill Kuhlman/Dale Carter Scott Reiser/Jason Brownwell |
Men's B (12) | Ron Calloway/Joey Brownlee | Dan Flood/Jim Gaw | Martin Gonzalez/Tony Gonzales Tad Smith/Greg Benjamin |
Men's C (6) | Kelvin Branch/Tony Gonzalez | Joe Wilhelm/John Anaya | George Kostidis/Greg Benjamin Mike Digonia/Geri Digonia |
Men's D (2) | Thomas Reed/Bill Apostolos | Brian McNolly/Richard DeArmas | Men's 25/30+ (5) | Dale Johnson/John Negrete | Eugene Coyle/Dave Negrete | Chuck Snyders/George Pappas Barry Dixon/John Thorson |
Mens 35+ (5) | Dave Bachar/Don Grigas | Tom Utterback/Rich Clay | Chuck Snyders/Dan Flood | Men's 35+/45+/55+ INT (3) | Tom Baxa/Scott Reiser | Tom Curtis/Randy Ems | Roy Orr/Dale Peacock | Men's 40+ (10) | Bill Lyman/Steve Sulli | Dave Milazzo/Gregg Mandell | Rick Calaliere/Eli Williams Winston Cole/Horace Miller |
Men's 45+/50+ (8) | Dave Olson/Greg Mandell | Winston Cole/Wil Rounsaville | Frank Rusch/Joe Silius Horace Miller/Delmar Reed |
Men's 55+ (1) | Roy Orr/Dale Peacock | Women's Open/A (10) | Julia Perkins/Pat Jennings | Kathy Dunham/Connie Arvia | Liz Molitor/Laurel Davis Patrice Calvi/Connie Jaskier |
Women's A (6) | Nancy Rocha/Brenda White | Martha Huske/Donna Heinzl | Maria Johnson/Patti Drendel Gail Parzygnat/Jill Wills |
Women's B/C/D (4) | Debbie Windisch/Sharon Cunningham | Elizabeth Anderson/Shelly Stewart (winner of Women's C) |
Third:Cheryl Kirk/Lynn Hiorns Fourth:Pat Fortunato/Janet Christie (winner Women's D) |
Women's 35+/45+ (2) | Lynn Weisbart/Julie Vincent | Martha Huske/Donna Heinzl | Mixed Open (7) | Krystal Csuk/T.J.Ferro | Carrie Jaskier/Doug Halverson | Laurel Davis/Rich Clay | Mixed A (9) | Kathy Grill/Jack Cochran | Sean Nelson/Gail Parzygnat | Kevin Yeazell/Lynn Hiorns Rich Wells/Jill Wells |
Mixed B (6) | Jack Cochran/Liz Anderson | Mike Mahon/Cheryl Kirk | Dorothy Jackson/Lee Cherry Debbie Windisch/Mike Laback |
Mixed C/D (2) | John Burke/Georgia Velisarius | Carrie Howard/Bob Smith | Mixed 30+/35+ (5) | Nancy Rocha/Tom Utterback | Maria Johnson/Jeff Baumgartner | Patrice Calvi/Mike Davern | Mixed 40+/45+ (6) | Joe Silius/Kathy Dunham | Dave Olson/Nancy Kronenfeld | Connie Arvia/Len Restaino Laura Davis/T.J. Ferro |
Juniors (3) | Tad Dallas/Justin Fleck | Chris Snyders/Mike Steinhaus | Kevin Peters/Tom Molitor |
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