The Sunset Country Squash Club held its annual “Rookie Round-up” and Fort-Kenora junior dquash tournaments at the Memorial Sports Centre over the weekend.
Thirteen women competed Saturday while 19 junior boys and girls faced off Sunday
In the “rookie” division, six ladies battled in two pools, with Kerri Zucchiatti winning her pool courtesy of victories over Cherie Friesen (3-0) and Shannon Koval (3-1).
In the other rookie pool, Shannon Jackson defeated Kate Woods (3-0) and Joleen Hogan (3-1) to take top honours.
Zucchiatti then blanked Jackson 3-0 to be crowned top rookie.
In the ladies’ ‘B’ consolation, meanwhile, Kris Krag lost her first match to Nikki Bagacki by a narrow 3-2 margin, but rallied back with a 3-1 over Dana Kosowick.
She then pulled off an improbably comeback against Donna Main, winning the best-of-five match 3-2 after trailing 2-0 and facing match point.
And in the ladies’ ‘B’ event, Mary-Beth Tkachuk was the champ after 3-0 victories over Kosowick and Bagacki.
Maria Sanders went winless while Megan Ross finsihed with a 1-1 record in other ‘B’ action.
The Fort-Kenora Challenge—held in the spring and fall—is a team event where points are awarded for games won.
At the end of four rounds of play, the score was tied at 42 games each. The final match of three games thus decided the championship.
Top local junior Steve Boileau played Kenora’s top junior, Eric Wetendorf, in a three-game scrum, with Boileau winning 2-1—handing the Fort club the trophy by a final tally of 44-43.
The Fort team—which also featured John McCormack, Anniss Seid, Kevin Gruttner, Donnie Brown, Michael Brady, Ryan Brady, Bryson Skirten, Kimaka Alexander, Anika Alexander, and Angel McCormack—will be engraved on the plaque.
The next action for local Sunset Country Squash Club members will be Dec. 8-10 in Thunder Bay.