Hank Irvine reaches Finals of 60 YO Nationals

Hinsdaleans were in Scarsdale in spirit as Hank Irvine and Doug Russell entered into the finals for the Men's 60+ national title. Ahead 6-0, 5-2, Hinsdale Academy trainer Hank Irvine and his partner reached match point. Alas, the momentum swung to Scott Estes and Dan Galves who rallied to win two tiebreakers to claim the Men’s 60+ crown. It was a repeat of last year’s final pairing in which Irvine-Russell were victorious.

The Men’s 70+ finals pits top seed and defending champions Bill Childs and Rich Lombard against Bob Brown and Howard Sipe. Brown and Sipe defeated the second seeds, Herb Bascome and Blair Leroy in the semifinals.

It All Comes Down to This

Competitive life for the two women's HPD teams in the NSWPTA continues to be smooth sailing. Undefeated in this year's matches, both teams lead their series by comfortable margins. The ladies have two weeks of matches remaining in their season.

The story is quite a bit more complicated with the thirteen men's teams. With the final of the week of the league's season approaching, we find a few of our men's teams racing for the gold and a few scambling to stay alive into the playoffs. Here are the highlights:

HPD1 team led by Wade Martin is comfortably in second place, with a few matches yet to be made up. HPD1 team led by Charlie Usher is in ninth, but only 3 points back of LSAC (who faces the top team from Glen View). The smart money has Charlie's team making the playoffs by just a one point margin.

HPD3 team led by Donn York is solidly in fifth place, but petrified about the possibility of facing the other HPD3 team in the playoffs. You may recall hearing about a surprise upset back in January that came down to the results of two tiebreakers played in a bloody court four battle. The HPD3 team led by Jay Pollitt in absentia is tied for eleventh place and training hard for the chance to score another upset in post-season play. (Fortunately, the Series 3 commissioner has arranged for a 12 team playoff).

HPDP5 team led by Ted Shepherd is solidly in first place, with a three-point margin going into their match against a tough Evanston team.

The big showdown this week is in series 6.
Eddie Dunphy's team leads the league, but by just 3 points over Indian Hill and the other HPD team which are tied for second. In an interview this morning Ed predicted that "Chuck's team is going to win." Chuck's remarks revealed the great love of paddle common in great competitors: "During mid-season, our team experienced my first ever 12 point loss (to a just ok Skokie team); we are all proud and excited to have clawed our way back into a position to grab the pewter. In my mind, the fact that HPD VI 2 is playing the other second place team, Indian Hill, leaves the door a little bit ajar for us. We need to perform, take 12 and let the chips fall where they may.".

Elsewhere in the Hinsdale Park District teams, we note that:
HPD8 led by Dave Harvey is in third place; HPD10 led by Andy Usher is in fifth place; HPD11 led by John Pierce are in sixth place, but John reports that "the HPD XIs are only technically in 6th because of a delayed make-up match schedule for tonight. When (yes WHEN!) we convincingly crush Saddle & Cycle in that match tonight, we'll be right back in 2nd place."; HPD13 led by Jay Novatney is in second place and still has a shot at the gold; HPD14 led by John Bauer is in seventh; and finally, we note that ....

the only undefeated men's team, HPD15, led by Matt Joyce has clinched first place!

"I Warned Scooter not to Leak this Draw. The man just doesn't listen."

Entry fee is due by March 12!

Mixed Doubles
1. Sarah Opler & Eddie Oppler
2. Deb Kachidurian & Jim Kachidurian
3. Kim Mercurio & Jim Mercurio
4. Jackie Nelson & Dave Nelson
5. Nancy Wingren & Jeff Wingren
6. David Green & Nancy Green
7. Al Saltiel & Susan Saltiel

Women’s A
1. Sarah Opler & Holly Tritt
2. Deb Kachidurian & Jackie Nelson
3. Kim Mercurio & Elaine Hoffman
4. Nancy Wingren & Lisa Straface

Women’s B
1. Elaine Hoffman & Kim Mercurio
2. Sue Besio & Bernadette Slovitte
3. Nancy Chapa & Lili Holland
4. Nancy Wingren & Lisa Straface

A Draw
1. Kerry Koranda & Clay Leonard
2. Charlie Usher & Sammy Hart
3. Kevin McClear & Jay Pollitt
4. Pat Usher & Ed Usher
5. Mary Doten & Van Stapleton
6. Terry Wing & Todd Schaefer
7. Ed Dunphy & Jay Maltby
8. Bob Schultz & Donn York
9. James Goldman & Alan Goldman

B Draw
1. Todd Marquardt & Bob Westrick
2. Jon Lanphier & John Worthington
3. Bernie Hancock & Jeffrey Tritt
4. Tyler Quast & David Brown
5. Kevin Parks & Matt Ludington
6. Mike Lee & Mike Loughlin
7. Scott Pfisterer & Eric Umsted
8. Mark Gupta & Chuck Herbst
9. Al Saltiel & Mike Kiefer
10. John Hawn & Marty Brennan
11. Ross Hurst & Doug Day
12. Graham Hershman & Peter Dumon

C Draw
1. Bill Enright & Jeff Mohl
2. Jim Kachidurian & Dave Nelson
3. Phil Mavon & Matt Goebel
4. Dave Northey & Jay Novatney
5. David Green & Paul Sigfusson
6. Dave Stang & Kevin Spillers

Six Hinsdale Tournaments: Mixed, Open, and Women's on March 16 - 18

Women’s B on Friday at 9 AM
Mixed Doubles on Friday at 6 PM
Open A Draw (4 pts), B Draw (12 pts), and C Draw (20 pts) on Saturday all-day plus Sunday morning
Women’s A on Sunday at 12:30 PM

Annual Paddle Party on Saturday at 7 PM


Tournament Entry Form with Party RSVP

Evite

Mary Doten and Terry Milller Win State of Illinois Women's Tourney

On Saturday, Hinsdale Pro Mary Doten and her B&T partner Terry Miller, seeded second in the States tourney, prevailed in a 6-3, 6-2 final. over #1 seeds Sally Cottingham and Chris Sheldon.

The women's draw included three other Hinsdale teams:

Missy D'Alise and Katie Queenan
Molly Hughes and Sarah Opler
Pam Pierce and Holly Tritt

D'Alise and Queenan made a great run in the championship draw before facing the #4 seeds in the round of 16.

Two Hinsdale Men's Teams Advance to Quarters of State Tourney

James Goldman and Charlie Usher, seeded #5 in the Illinois States, managed to win the Quarter Reprieve over the weekend's Illinois State tourney. Goldman/Usher lost in the championship draw to Scott Bondurant and Mark Johnston.

Marc Veverka and Wade Martin, 8th seeds, also earned their way into the quarter finals before losing to the tournament winning team of Scott Mansager and Dave Ohlmuller.

Teen/Parent Night a Huge Success

Many thanks to Nancy Ballantine for organizing a hugely successful evening of paddle, pizza, and family time.

Mixed Doubles Nationals Coming to Winnetka on March 2-4

Chicago hosted the men's and women's nationals tournaments just last year. In March, our area has the honor of hosting yet another series of tournaments:

• Friday March 2nd Husband-Wife Mixed Nationals
• Friday March 2nd Husband-Wife 50+ Mixed Nationals
• Sat/Sun March 3rd-4th Mixed Nationals

Doctor Evil's Rules of Paddle