World Junior Racquetball Championships - Semi-final results

The finals are set for the 21st World Junior Racquetball Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic hosted by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF). They will be played on Sunday.

American Jose Rojas is one step away from winning his second World Junior Championship in Boys 18 & under. Alejandro Cardona of Mexico has the task of spoiling the end of Rojas's junior career. Rojas comfortably defeated Roland Keller of Bolivia, 15-4, 15-7, while Cardona needed a tie-breaker to get by Taylor Knoth of the USA, 15-8, 14-15, 11-7.

The #1 and #2 seeds will meet in the Girls 18 & under final, as top seed Sheryl Lotts (USA) takes on second seed Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia). Lotts got to the final by defeating Christina Cordova of Ecuador, 15-9, 15-4, in the semi-finals, and Sabja defeated Danielle Key (USA), 15-13, 15-8.

In Boys 16 & under Carlos Keller Vargas of Bolivia will be trying to make history Sunday by being the first Bolivian and only second non-North American to win a World Junior Championship in the 14, 16 or 18 and under Boys divisions. However, he's up against the 2007 14 and under World Junior Champion in Marco Rojas (USA). Vargas defeated top seed Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico, 13-15, 15-8, 11-8, in the semi-finals while Rojas beat Mexican Misael Lejia, 15-8, 15-7.

In Girls 16 & under, Aubrey O'brien (USA) will face Sofia Rascon (Mexico) in the final Sunday in a show down between the 23rd and 26th, respectively, ranked players in the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO). O'brien beat Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-7, 15-4 in one semi-final, while Rascon defeated Adriana Riveros (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-14, in the other.

It's also Mexico versus the USA in the Boys 14 & under final, as Zachary Wertz (USA) faces Javier Estrada (Mexico). Wertz defeated Andres Acuna (Costa Rica) in the semi-finals, 7-15, 15-12, 11-1, and Estrada beat American Sam Reid, 15-7, 15-7.

The Girls 14 & under final will be an all Mexican, all Gonzalez battle, as Ximena Gonzalez plays Lucia Gonzalez. In the semi-finals, Ximena defeated Kelani Bailey (USA), 0-15, 15-14, 11-1, while Lucia took out Masiel Rivera (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-9.

21st World Junior Championship
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Semi-final results

Boys 18 & under
Jose Rojas (USA) d. Roland Keller (Bolivia), 15-4, 15-7
Alejandro Cardona (Mexico) d. Taylor Knoth (USA), 15-8, 14-15, 11-7

Girls 18 & under
Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Christina Cordova (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-4
Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Danielle Key (USA), 15-13, 15-8

Boys 16 & under
Carlos Keller Vargas (Bolivia) d. Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), 13-15, 15-8, 11-8
Marco Rojas (USA) d. Misael Lejia (Mexico), 15-8, 15-7.

Girls 16 & under
Aubrey O'brien (USA) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-7, 15-4
Sofia Rascon (Mexico) d. Adriana Riveros (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-14

Boys 14 & under
Zachary Wertz (USA) d. Andres Acuna (Costa Rica), 7-15, 15-12, 11-1
Javier Estrada (Mexico) d. Sam Reid (USA), 15-7, 15-7.

Girls 14 & under
Ximena Gonzalez (Mexico) d. Kelani Bailey (USA), 0-15, 15-14, 11-1
Lucia Gonzalez (Mexico) d. Masiel Rivera (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-9

Follow the bouncing ball....

World Junior Racquetball Championships - How the world is changing

In years gone by racquetball's superpower was the USA followed by Canada. Then Mexico came along as the third power, and international competitions have been a battle between those three countries in recent years.

But changes have begun, and you can see them in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where the 21st World Junior Racquetball Championships hosted by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) are in progress. Specifically, you can see the changes in the Girls 18 & under doubles.

There are 7 teams in Girls 18 & under doubles, so three teams are going to be on one side of the draw and four on the other. The three teams on the top half of the draw are Canada, Mexico and the USA. Never would that have happened in the past, because those were your Big Three countries. In the past, two of the Big Three would draw the short straws and be on the same side of the draw, meaning a semi-final showdown prior to a final against the other Big Three nation.

But not in this draw.

This happened because both the USA team of Aubrey O'brien and Danielle Key and the Canadian team of Brigitte Richard and Christine Richardson lost in the preliminary round; in fact, Canada lost twice. Thus, Canada and the USA will be playing off with the winner meeting the top seeded Mexican team of Jessica Parrilla and Rocio Enriquez Gatz in the semi-finals.

On the other side of the draw, Maria Jose Vargas and Yazmine Sabja of Bolivia are seeded second based on wins over the USA (15-13, 15-13) and the Irish team of Donna Ryder and Majella Haverty. Vargas and Sabja will play Venezuelans Islhey Mariana Paredes and Marianna Tobon, and then face either the Irish girls or Cristina Cordova and Maria Paz Munoz of Ecuador, who defeated the Canadian team in the preliminary round.

Thus, while the pro ranks are still dominated by American, Mexican and Canadian players currently, the scene could be very different in the near future as young junior players from outside North America mature and develop into strong senior players.

So, yes, Virginia, the racquetball world is changing.

Follow the bouncing ball....

World Junior Racquetball Championships - Group Winners

The preliminary round or group stage competition wraps up today at the 20th World Junior Racquetball Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic hosted by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF).

So, here's a shout out to all the group winners ahead of Friday's elimination round.

The group winners in Boys 18 & under were: Oscar Arroyo (Mexico), Alejandro Cardona (Mexico), Conrad Cole (Canada), Roland Keller (Bolivia), Taylor Knoth (USA), Colin Mohr (Canada), and Juan Diego Rodriguez (Ecuador), and Jose Rojas (USA).

The group winners in Girls 18 & under were: Sheryl Lotts (USA), Maria Paz Munoz (Ecuador), Carolina Oña (Bolivia), and Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia).

The group winners in Boys 16 & under were: Jose Diaz (USA), Joe Dillon (Ireland), Misael Lejia (Mexico), Fernado Munoz (Costa Rica), Logan Hordyski (Canada), Marco Rojas (USA), Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) and Carlos Keller Vargas (Bolivia).

The group winners in Girls 16 & under were: Aisling Hickey (Ireland), Jocelyn Loredo (Mexico), Aubrey O'brien (USA), Sofia Rascon (Mexico), and Adriana Rivero (Bolivia).

In group winners in Boys 14 & under were: Javier Estrada (Mexico), Eduardo Garay (Mexico), Andres Acuna (Costa Rica), Sami Harb (Canada), Sam Reid (USA), Pablo Sauma (Costa Rica), Anthony Schonberger (Canada) and Zachary Wertz (USA).

The group winners in Girls 14 & under were: Kelani Bailey (USA), Lucia Gonzalez (Mexico), Ximena Gonzalez (Mexico), Michelle Morrissette (Canada), Masiel Rivera (Bolivia), and Samantha Simmons (USA).

The elimination round begins on Friday and runs through Sunday.

Follow the bouncing ball....