In Maryland, we are fortunate to have a cadre of players that are highly skilled and equally competitive. The opportunity to play with and against such a high caliber of talent serves to enrich ones game and skill. So between May and sometimes earlier, depending on mild weather and warm temperature (60s and above), the outdoor courts become the proving ground for the ultimate stage set in Toledo from the last Thursday in August through labor day in September. These are five fun pack days of camaraderie and rivalries renewed and newer ones begun.
In the past, when chronicling this and other tournaments, I have focused on most of the divisions, matches within and the play of specific individuals. And even though I will report results and laud due praise on competitors, my approach to this Toledo story will represent a different take.
When I began writing and disseminating about handball, I often focused on my game and my progress as I sought to compete at a higher level. It was always fascinating to me to see others play the same game I do and do it with such flair and consistency. As I have learned, flair and style is an individual thing and can be emulated, but does not necessarily translate into winning and championships. What does translate is consistency, determination, will and the elements of timing and luck; the last two are wildcards that are beyond the control of all players but contributes to anyone’s success on the court.
Of all the three disciplines of handball, I believe 3-wall is the hardest. Whereas one-wall requires quickness and precision in dealing with just the front wall and floor, 4-wall is a self-contained box so the ball remains within the confines of the room, 3-wall has the added two side walls and in many cases, a multi-surfaced ceiling (concrete in the front half and a chain link fence in the second half) and the expanded dimensions of no back wall. These added elements bring not only quickness and precision into focus but additional dimensions of stamina, serving technique, ball placement, sunlight, shifting shadows, and the often inconsistent surface of poured concrete. One can argue the merits and difficulties of each genre, but having played all three disciplines, 3-wall takes the prize for extended difficulty.
As is often said and heard, success in playing doubles is choosing the right partner. Although said in jest, there is definitely an element of truth to this statement. As a doubles team, both players must be in total harmony on the court. From young to old, the successful doubles teams that play this game ply the same strategy. The strategy, though simple in design requires the discipline and the right combination of players to execute the crucial elements. With two players covering the court, one player remains in the front half while the other ranges the rest of the court. So it is no surprise that the most successful teams carrying out the strategy produce championships year after year.
With all due respect to everyone who plays the 3-wall game, these teams of Dave Dohman and Tim Sterrett, Phil Kirk and Jim Corrigan, Alan Frank and Dan Zimet, and Alan Frank and Mark Zamora have dominated the Toledo courts in their chosen divisions for the few years I have been going and many years before. Their individually combined skill sets are unparalleled in the doubles arena. On each team, the designated front wall player, cuts off shots, kills and directs traffic while his partner cleans up from the back court. And even against equally skilled teams, the ones that can execute most consistently usually wins the gold, as are with the battles between Dohman/Sterrett vs. Corrigan/Kirk. Regardless of the division they collectively choose to play in, throughout the years, these four men usually play against each other for the title. Although the edge goes to Dohman and Sterrett in this rivalry, but not this year, as Corrigan and Kirk outdueled their nemesis, 21-19, (16-21) and finished them off in a tiebreaker, 11-3 to win the 55+ division. Through the years, as many will attest, skill notwithstanding, consistency is the hallmark of these fine players.
Additionally, Marylanders Pat Lowery and Bill Tebenhoff competed in this bracket and won their hotly contested opening round match, only to fall victim next to the eventual champions, Corrigan and Kirk.
Frank and Zimet is another fine pair of disciplined and consistent players. I can never find enough words to describe their chemistry and zeal on the court. It is wonderful to witness their magic as they exchange knowing looks and glances to tighten the strangle hold they form against opponents. It is at once exhilarating to cheer them on, but to also feel a tinge of disheartenment for their victims as you see the will and desire drain from their countenance. This year in Toledo, Frank and Zimet made quick work of Kirk Rhys and Jim Kramer in the finals to take the 40+ championships, 9, 9.
Alan Frank is a beast on the handball courts. Frank has a unique ability to make you play better when you play with or against him. If you play with him, he expects you to play as well or better than him and if you play against him, he will punish you for every mistake you make. As with Zimet, Frank has found the perfect marriage in his other regular handball partner Mark Zamora. Zamora, like Zimet is a front court player who is demanding in his desire to win. Prolonging points does not suit his slash and burn style of play. In one of their 50+ doubles matches leading up to the final, Frank and Zamora played against a team of Rick Anderson and Chris Roberts. Roberts was a replacement for the unfortunately injured Bobby Nicholas. Anderson is the consummate front court player, recognized as “…one of the finest to ever play the front court.” With Anderson and Zamora going toe-to-toe in the front court, there was literally an A to Z in the lexicon of handball fireworks. To this observer, in the scheme of things, those skirmishes, though intense and often brief , the edge goes to Zamora because he and Frank held Anderson and Roberts to 8, and 7 in route to the finals against another longstanding partnership of Matt Osburn and Brett Williams.
It is no secret, since they first teamed up, Frank and Zamora has consistently held their opponents to single digits in all their matches. In the first game of the championship match, Osburn and Williams managed 11 points, an aberration to be sure. The second game was a demonstration of will and determination as Frank and Zamora executed perfect plays of great serves by both, deep volleys from Frank and those Zamora signature knife kills up front. To watch Osburn and Williams slink as their tournament life drained is a stark reminder of no matter how good you are, you still have to get better to beat the best.
Many others from Maryland teamed with each other or non Marylanders to compete in various doubles divisions. Although there were no champions emerging from these pairings, new and old collaborations showed promise in their respected divisions. Of note, the 60+ division featured returning champion Murzy Jhabvala and his Illinois partner Sean Conneely. In their quest to repeat, Jhabvala and Conneely faced Dan Ho and his San Diego collaborator, Gary Eisenbooth and prevailed 13 and 14. Next in the draw, Bob Dyke teamed with Ken Greco from Connecticut and eliminated Jhabvala and Conneely, 14 and 14, but lost in the finals to Tim Murray and Glenn Carden, 12 and 3.
The 65+ division saw Marylanders Dave Hinkleman and Joe Pleszkoch in a new pairing compete against a strong field that included Bob Bardwell teaming with Floridian Greg Raya. In their rain delayed and overnight match against Keith Thode and Thomas Michael, Hinkleman and Pleszkoch rebounded from a first game lost to force a tiebreaker which they lost, 11-6. Bardwell and Raya had a relative easy time in their quarterfinals match at 4 and 4, but fell in the semifinals, 14 and 5 to eventual champions, Lewie Lambert and Stan Wolpoff.
Making his first trek to Toledo, Josh Osburn teamed with fellow Marylander Adam Zimet in the A division and fought valiantly to take the opening round match in a tiebreaker, 17, (12) and 3. Although they battled valiantly, they were out pointed in the quarterfinals match, 15 and 18. Meanwhile, Josh Ho, eligible for the 35+ division for the first time, teamed with Kevin Greco from Chicago. Their first round match victory at 11 and 10 landed them in the semifinals against a formidable team of Adam Szatkowski and Adam Wahner. Szatkowski is one half of the perennial Open doubles team with his brother Dane. Ho and Greco did not let reputation or talent faze them as they battled and kept the games close, but succumbed 18 and 19 in what could be called a heartbreaker for their fans. Szatkowski and Wahner were later handled in the championship match by Kendell Lewis and his partner Casey Mayo, 7 and 10.
Also making his first trip to Toledo, Bruce Cohen and I competed in the regular B doubles division. This division is stocked and stacked with mostly young and talented players who are seeking their first national championship as they hope to climb the skill level ladder. In this division, there are also pairings that feature a wide gap in age range as was the case with Nathaniel Frank teaming with Bill Tebbenhoff. For their efforts, Frank and Tebbenhoff could only muster 6 and 8 points against a stronger team that lost in the finals. But in the same bracket, Cohen and Peart overcame first round jitters and bested Matt Stamp and Tyler Kiewiet, 17 and 9. Next up, Cohen and Peart faced Cary Dohman and Phil Hammond. Although we played a disciplined game, Dohman and Hammond outplayed us in the front court on numerous occasions, with that being the difference in the match. My still developing front court game showed flaws that were exploited by the younger and more athletic team. Cohen for his part shored up the back court and kept us in the match that we eventually lost 12 and 14.
In the oldest division (75+) fielded in these championships, Mort Frank teamed up with Michiganite Bob Plater to compete in round robin play consisting of three teams. Watching the older players compete might not thrill some, but for share craftiness, it is fun to watch. At this level, hand skills dominate play while movement is restricted to a few shuffled steps. If the opponent hits the ball over the outstretched arms, the likelihood of some return is greatly diminished. Scoring often happen in bunches and from serves since rallies are few and far in between. Facing Ben Marguglio and Ralph Weil after each had defeated common opponent Lew Buckingham and Herm Kiewiet, Frank and Plater rebounded from an opening game lost at 12 to even the match with a second game win at 13. In the tiebreaker, Frank and Plater earned the right to serve first, but could not hold serve and bowed out gracefully to the champions, 11-2.
To complete doubles play, I offer a synopsis on the Open division to illustrate intense competition, masterly will and superior execution of skills. Eric and Lee Anderson played one of the only opening round matches in this bracket. Using their hallmark body-to-the-ground, flesh-be-damned style of play, the Andersons fought and clawed their way to a 19 and 16 win over Brant Bidegain and John Audet. Next, facing the top seeded Brauilo (Shorty) Ruiz and his partner, the ever steady Bill Mehilos, the Andersons found that blood and sweat was not enough against these seasoned Open players and managed to scratch out 12 and 10 points for the match. Bloodied, but unbowed, the Andersons look forward to next year.
Kendell Lewis teamed with Sean Lenning and faced Shane Conneeley and Marco Lemus. Lenning is an enigma on and off the court. His unorthodox style of play is well known to opponents and fans alike. That style is as distinct as it is deadly. After dropping the first game of their match at 16 to Conneely and Lemus, Lenning went on a ‘seek and destroy’ mission that that left the opponents stunned and the crowd agape. The only obstacle to Lenning in that game was himself as he made a spectacular between the legs get that evidently nicked his body, a call he made on himself. When the dust settled from the onslaught, Lenning and Lewis had evened the match 21-0. The tiebreaker was competitive at first but then Lenning again imposed his will and finished it at 11-6.
The drama in this division was far from over as Tyree and his brother Jurrell Bastidas held off an energized Ruiz and Mehilos to land in the finals against another set of brothers, Dane and Adam Szatkowski, who surprisingly held off the charging Lenning and Lewis in their semifinal match.
Brothers against brothers are a dream scenario for any match, especially a final. This match did not disappoint. The Bastidas brothers dominated play and took a seemingly insurmountable 20-5 commanding lead. Sometimes one point is as hard to get as 20, especially when the opponent becomes determined and relentless to stop you. The Szatkowski brothers rose to the occasion and slammed the door against the Bastidas and took the game 21-20 in a thrilling comeback that resonated around the courts. Improbable as it may seem, even great players sometimes find it hard to finish. As often is the case, it is hard to recover from such a devastating lost. Fighting hard in the second game, the Bastidas brothers showed resilience, but fell short, 21-16.
Tenacity, heart, force of will, determination, resilience, are all necessary to round out the skills of the champion. And in the doubles game, it takes two people working in tandem to find that little extra to vanquish the opponents who are working equally hard to do the same to you and your partner.
The singles game is a totally different animal from doubles. A player must be able to play as if he has a partner, but rely totally on his or her own abilities. For 3-wall, the court is even bigger in the singles game. A get from the deep court, unless returned with precision and strategic accuracy, a savvy opponent will seize the opportunity to put the shot away up front while you are still scrambling from your deep retrieve.
A fit player with the combined attributes and skills already described will go far in the singles game on the 3-wall court. There were many examples of spectacular singles play throughout the five days. In particular, Joe Mastropierro a Floridian who competed in the B divisions epitomizes the essence of will and determination. This bracket, one of the deepest in terms of participants, which means more games played to reach the championship round. When I encountered Mastropierro playing his semifinal match, he already had won two previous rounds. As referee for this semifinals match, I had a front row seat to what unfolded. Mastropierro’s opponent was Derrick Contreras, a talented player who I have encountered in previous years as a doubles opponent. The first game found Contreras taking a commanding lead, and leaving a seemingly emotionless Mastropierro down trodden. With his slight frame and expressionless demeanor, down 19-7, Mastropierro began an improbable comeback. Whether on serve or defending, Mastropierro never changed his expression, but certainly intensified his will. It was chilling to watch as Contreras began to glaze over as his lead slipped away. At 17-19, scoring gave way to countless one-hit side outs. With both players exhausting all game timeouts and necessary glove changes, Mastropierro edged closer by scoring two quick points off Contreras’ last time out. A few more point-less exchanges ensued before Mastropierro made the 20th point on an odd bounce, that element of luck as it were. This was not a court hinder to be sure. Finally, Contreras yielded the 21st point on a gorgeous re-kill by Mastropierro from inside the short line. In the second game, a stunned and dejected Contreras showed only small flashes of desire as an energized Mastropierro controlled the game and won at 13.
By chance, as I watched another match in an adjacent court, I was able to also view Mastropierro vie for the championship. With no refereeing impartiality to quell my enthusiasm, I openly rooted for Mastropierro as he went up against Matt Paul. To his credit and to that point, Paul had played one more match in reaching the final. The first game, though long and punctuated by long rallies, went to Paul, 21-11. In the second game, Mastropierro, to his credit and determination kept the game close. No player went ahead by more than 3 points. During one of the time outs from the ensuing battle, I offered encouragement to Mastropierro, and in his acknowledgement, his demeanor remained calm and unchanged but I saw the will and determination that I witnessed the day before. As close as the game was, Mastropierro never relented or faded and eventually prevailed 21-19. The tiebreaker proved to be less arduous as an exhausted and somewhat demoralized looking Paul could only muster 3 points thus yielding the championship to Mastropierro.
As great as all the matches I have seen, it was revelatory for me to be able watch a total stranger as he climbed and clawed his way to a championship. Every positive quality of every handball player I have ever known was seen in this champion.
The tough road through the singles brackets yielded two Maryland champions and several runner ups. Of note, winning his first championship, Joe Pleszkoch battled last year’s runner up, Carl Valentino in a thrilling 11-9 tiebreaker after each man easily handled the other in a split of the first two games. Pleszkoch has shown steady improvement over the past couple of years and saw it all come to fruition with this year’s championship in the 65+ division. I applaud Joe and look forward to our “grudge” matches for the next 3-wall season.
The other champion is the ever gracious and giving Dan Zimet who bested a determined and also gracious and giving Andy Schad. This match was a repeat of last year’s final also won by Zimet. Even though the scenario was the same, first game going to Shad, this year’s second game thriller found Schad clawing his way back from being down 19-5 and then 20-7 as Zimet could not close out this determined man. With his cadre of wife and daughters urging him on, Schad kept coming like a runaway train. His signature corner kills punctuated his charge. And to Zimet’s credit, he did not break under the onslaught and was finally able to derail Schad at 19. Unlike last year’s tiebreaker where Zimet imposed his will and his vicious crack serves, this year Schad answered every shot with one of his own and kept the 11-point thriller dead even through 9. The eventual two point win by Zimet was bitter sweet to be sure because it denied his friend another chance at a crown.
Dan Ho, playing in the newly created 60B division, could not quite finish the senior Joseph Mastropierro and fell, 12 and 5.
Ray Estevez, playing in the 55+ singles bracket, defeated last year’s 50+ champion, Peter Service (14), 20 and 5 but fell quietly in the championship match to the great Dave Dohman.
In what has quickly become a heated, but perhaps short-lived rivalry, Nathaniel Frank fell to Brittyn Bidegain, 13, 15. Although losing badly in last year’s final to Bidegain, Frank avenged that lost earlier in the summer by taking the 17 and under title and denying Bidegain by handing her only lost in 2012 USHA National 3-Wall Junior Championships in Cincinnati, OH.
Bidegain is a prime example of tenacity and determination. Despite Frank’s increased power and court savvy, Bidegain shows her skills by making great gets from the deep court and powering the ball to the high front wall. She has developed an efficient kill shot that she used readily against Frank. As age and physical development take over and separate these two, I am afraid we may have seen the last of these battles in competition.
The Open championship again went to Sean Lenning as he defeated a stubborn Tyree Bastidas. Though their playing styles differ, their will and determination was never lacking throughout the match that went to the 11-point tiebreaker. After losing the first game at 12 and sustaining an ankle sprain, Lenning returned the favor to Bastidas. The tiebreaker was a taut contest until Lenning imposed his will and superior skills against Bastidas and closed out the match at 7. A usually stoic Lenning showed a great deal of emotion in savoring this hard fought victory.
Bruce Cohen and I each competed separately in the 50B singles division. This is a division that sees the same players minus the champion in successive years. As it has played out over the past several years, the runner up has succeeded as the following year’s champion. As so it continues as last year’s runner up Glenn Gartland defeated the crafty Ernie McGarry.
Seeded as quarterfinalist, Cohen had the upper hand against Dan Costello by winning the first game 21-8. The second game found Cohen in a steady battle as the score was close. With his deep and strong serves, Cohen forced Costello into making hand errors. But when it was Costello’s turn, he used a deceptive return that deadened the ball and made for fruitless attempts at gets up front. But Cohen had his chances with the score at 20 to close out his opponent, but could not capitalize, and lost the tight game. The tiebreaker was competitive, but the heat of competition took its toll as Cohen fell, 11-7.
To his credit, Cohen later bested me in the 50B consolation round. To note, of the thousands of singles games played against one another, in Toledo, it was the first time we had ever played any full singles games on the 3-wall courts!
My quarterfinal match pitted me against Scott Szatkowski, a first timer to 3-wall championships. I played well in the first game, and with the score tied at 20, I hit what I thought was a winner streaming down the left wall, a tough shot that I had to twist to let by, and that action, earned a screen call from the ref. It was pointless to argue, even if Szatkowski ‘could not hit it with a tennis racquet’ (as observed and related by a fan who knows a thing or two about winning). I lost the next serve after a brief rally and perhaps my concentration and will as Szatkowski served a deep ball that I could not return to the front wall. The next game, Szatkowski zoomed ahead with me showing little or no resistance. By the time I mounted a little spark of life, the game and match was over, 21-11.
After any tournament, one must reflect on what was learned, even if you emerge champion. This was not my year to win, but to continue the growth process and progression. One of the many things I learned was in the form of sage advice, “…in order not to worry about a game being decided on a close call; don’t let the game get that close.” But the thing I learned most of all, was the intangible element of will and determination. The competitive advantage gained from having the will and determination to win played out in thousands of points and the hundreds of games played over the course of this championship. Coming into Toledo, I did not lack these two qualities of will and determination; I just never applied them fully to my brand of handball.
I will leave you with these final thoughts Excerpted from “IF” by Rudyard Kipling
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on"