Head Metalixx IRT Series – Event Number One

The 2006-2007 IRT racquetball season began in Arizona in mid-August with the HEAD Metallix IRT Series at The Sports Club at City Square. With Tom Fuhrmann no longer in Arizona, the Men's IRT Pro division was wide open.

The IRT Pro division had a draw of 22 players all vying for that number one spot. Any of the 22 players that entered the Pro singles now had a shot at winning the event.

Being a satellite event (playing IRT rules of three out of five games to 11), also changed up the format of the tournament. Several of the Men's Pro matches lasted well over two hours, including the finals.

The first semi-final matched up number one seed Jason Bronson against 12th seed Preston Tribble. Bronson seemed to have control of the match winning the first game 11-3. However, Tribble fought back to win the next three games 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, placing him in his first Pro finals.

The second semi-final match faced off sixth seed Mike Hester and seventh seed Rick Wagner. In a two-plus hour battle, Hester was able to pull out the victory in five games, 11-9, 10-12, 13-11, 4-11, and 11-9.

The final match against Hester and Tribble was a battle. Taking over two hours, the two were pounding the ball and diving all throughout the match, it was a toss up as to who would win. At 7 -7 in the fifth, Hester hit a great shot that the referee and Tribble thought was good putting Hester back in the box. As Hester was getting ready to serve he stops, walks back to the referee, and tells him the ball skipped giving Tribble the serve back and an 8-7 lead. Finally, Tribble was able to pull out the fifth game to take the match 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 and 11-8, to win the first IRT Satellite event of the season.

The other players in the tournament battled all weekend in their respective draws. Plenty of hospitality was provided all weekend along with a lot of great racquetball. A special Thank you to The Sports Club at City Square and all of the sponsors of the series: Raby Law Offices, Security Mortgage, Global Jet, OneShot International, London Bridge Racquets, HEAD, ProPenn HD and of course the IRT and USA Racquetball.

Remaining HEAD Metallix IRT Series Events:

November 3, 4, 5

December 1, 2, 3

January 26, 27, 28

photos courtesy of Rick Anderson