A contingent of 17 local squashers travelled to Winnipeg last weekend to compete in the 2001 Manitoba Open, and four of the women topped their respective divisions.
Mary-Beth Tkachuk took the ladies’ ‘C’ crown after blanking Marcie Theissen (Winnipeg) and Aurelia Mogan (Winnipeg) 3-0, and Melissa Lee (Minneapolis) 3-1.
Sarah Noonan topped the ladies’ ‘D’ division with 3-0 sweeps over Marg Sanders (Winnipeg), Kerri Tolen (Emo), and Kristina Tolen (Winnipeg).
But Kerri Tolen was crowned the ‘E’ division after she finished with a 2-2 record, winning her final match by default. She had lost 3-0 to Noonan and 3-1 to Marg Sanders (Winnipeg) but beat Michelle Lampertz of Winnipeg 3-1.
And in the junior ladies’ novice division, Megan Canfield earned top honours finished after blanking Chelsea Clake (Winnipeg), Kelly Cleverley (Winnipeg), and Bryn Wiebe (Winnipeg) by 3-0 scores.
Among the men, Bob Tkachuk captured the men’s ‘B’ vets division with a perfect 4-0 record, beating Rudy Krutzen (Saskatchewan), Bruce Piercy (Red Lake), and Janvsz Kaczmarek (Winnipeg) by 3-0 scores and Bruce Crombe (Winnipeg) 3-1.
In that same division, Al Holt finished as the consolation champ. He started the weekend on a rough note, losing his first match to Russel Smart (Red Lake).
But he quickly turned his game around and dominated the next three matches, racking up 3-0 sweeps over Rudy Krutzen (Saskatchewan), R. Branet (Winnipeg), and Ian McDougall (Winnipeg).
In the men’s ‘B’ division, Ben Andrusco suffered a pair of losses to Bob Woodmas of Brandon (3-1) and Mark Norton of Kenora (3-0).
Toby Munro won 3-1 against Ryan Penner (Brandon) and 3-1 over Rick Thiessen (Winnipeg) but lost 3-1 to eventual champ Scott McDonald of Winnipeg.
In the men’s ‘D’ division, Anthony Andrusco defeated Erol Billinkoff (Winnipeg) by a 3-1 score and Mark Cohen (Winnipeg) 3-0 but fell 3-1 to eventual champ Cam Mundle (Winnipeg).
In the same division, Jason Kabel went 1-1 over the weekend, earning a 3-0 win over Keith Smith (Winnipeg) but suffering a tough 3-2 loss to Mundle.
In the men’s ‘E’ division, Greg Ste. Croix had two quick 3-0 losses at the hands of eventual champ Rob Marcoux (Winnipeg) and Ken Allan (Fort Frances).
Bill Daley also had a tough weekend after coming off the court with a 1-2 record. He lost to Daniel Lupu (Winnipeg) but edged Richard Allan (Fort Frances) 3-2. He then was swept 3-0 by Ken Allan.
Richard Allan struggled to keep up in his matches, losing 3-1 to Alex Ord (Winnipeg) and 3-2 to Daley.
Drew Allan lost 3-1 to James McRoberts (Winnipeg) but won by default over Don White. But he was blanked 3-0 by Marty Donkervoort (Winnipeg) in this third match.
Still in the men’s ‘E’ division, Ryan Holt had a pair of 3-0 losses to Rob Hardy and Ken Allan but earlier had beaten Allan 3-2. Ken Allan went 2-2 for the weekend, losing 3-0 Scott McKenzie and 3-1 against Gary Devries.
But he beat Greg Ste. Croix 3-0 along with Bill Daley.
John Hazel, also playing in the ‘E’ division, won 3-0 over Kevin Klippenstein (Winnipeg) and 3-2 over Rob Hardy (Winnipeg). But he lost 3-0 to Steve Krag (Fort Frances).
Krag, a junior player, managed to come out of the division the second-place finalist after defeating Gary Devries, James McRoberts, and Hazel by 3-0 scores. But he lost in the championship game 3-0 to Rob Marcoux.
“Steve Krag played hard but lost in the men’s ‘E’ final,” Bob Tkachuk noted Monday.
Tkachuk stressed all the local players who attended the tournament represented the town very well, and survived with no major injuries.
“Well, Bill Daley suffered from extreme ‘squash body’ due to lack of previous playing time,” explained Tkachuk, adding that was the only injury.
Next squash action is the 14th-annual La Place Rendez-Vous tournament slated here Feb. 16-18. People can sign up at the squash area of the Memorial Sports Centre.
There will be both men’s and women’s divisions (men’s vet, A, B, C, and D and women’s B and C).
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
