IRT at Lewis Drug
Two weeks after the Longhorn, the IRT was back on the stage at the 43rd Annual Lewis Drug IRT Pro/Am. This is the longest running tournament in the United States and an amazing tradition in South Dakota.
As always, we want to thank those who make it happen, Mark Gibbs, Mark Griffin, the IRT commissioner Pablo Fajre and his technical team, and all of the IRT and tournament sponsors.
After the Longhorn, Conrrado Moscoso became the #1 player on tour. The rivalry between him and Daniel De La Rosa (DLR) seems to be heating up, with former #1 DLR winning just two weeks earlier, but Moscoso stealing the #1 ranking based on the IRT point system.
As a note: Sam Murray missed this tournament, as well as the Longhorn, due to injury. We wish him a speed recovery!
In the early rounds, not much unexpected happened. Argentina’s youngster Diego Garcia continued to impress with a 2, 12 win over Sam Bredenbeck. Former 18 and under champion Bolivian Gerson Miranda lost to Adam Manilla (after taking out Robby Collins at Longhorn). In the 16s, Manilla rebounded from the Longhorn with a solid win over Mario Mercado to advance to the quarters. Javier Mar (#12) again had a strong showing, beating #5 Alex Landa. Lalo Portillo advanced easily over Erick Trujillo, and Jake Bredenbeck beat Thomas Carter in a tierbreaker.
In the quarterfinals, Porillo held off Mar, #6 Jake continued to thrive with a win over #3 Andree Parrilla, and #1 and #2 Moscoso and DLR advanced.
In the semis, #1 Moscoso took out #4 Lalo in two straight. These two had played 3 times previously, all tiebreakers. But Conrrado played solid ball to win 10,7. #2 DLR was pressed by #6 Jake in both games but persevered 13,8 to get to the final.
In the Finals, for the second event running we get #1 vs #2, Moscoso vs De La Rosa. After watching DLR’s master class in control to win in Austin, the money seemed to be on DLR. But, the panel walls combined with the Gearbox ball seemed to favor Moscoso. Moscoso served lights out this match, scoring aces left and right. He controlled the match for long swaths. DLR was flummoxed and flustered and could not consistently score points, and that was the match. Moscoso wins 9,12.
The doubles draw went perfectly according to seeds up to the final, with strong showings by the semifinal teams (the Bredenbecks, and Portillo/Acuna. A great doubles final with the #1 and #2 seeds – DLR/Mar vs #2 Landa/Moscoso, gave the #1 team win 15-14, 15-10.
Moscoso secures his 5th pro tour win, breaking a 5-way tie for 20th place and now sits tied at 19th ever with Tim Doyle. He also moves ahead of Andy Roberts for 7th place in Career W/L of all time.
Mar wins his 6th pro doubles title, but the first one he’s won without long-time partner Montoya. DLR gets his 11th pro doubles title, his first without his own long time partner Alvaro Beltran.
See more, as always, at www.racquetballstats.com
