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The 25th Anniversary, 2011 Dr. Robert Napier Memorial Handball Tournament ....... was hosted this past weekend at the Halifax YMCA by Eddie Dugas of The H.A.N.S. This year's event is the 25th Anniversary of the Robert Napier Tournament, which has been kept alive in the past by people like Ian Ross and Ron Jackson and the past 10 or more years, by the hard work of Ed Dugas. The respect for the Napier Family and the terrific scope of handball talent, makes it one of Atlantic Canada's most prestigious tournaments. The continued support from the Napier family is still very prevalent as they show up to watch the competition every year. It was more noticible this year, with three generations of the Napier Family in the viewing gallery to watch some great 'Junior', 'Master' and 'Open' Handball competition.
Over the past 25 years, Steve Brown's name has appeared several times onthe plaque that hangs atthe entrance to apair theoldesthandball courts in Canada, but for whatever reason he wanted to win the competition this year more than ever.The 54 year old Brown, didn't let the color of his hair get in the way of him getting his name on "The Robert Napier Memorial Plaque" and to commemorate the 25th Anniversary.This years plaque will have a special engraving, one that Steve earned by defeating some very tough and experienced Open Singles players. Alan Lavell, Dan Marcil and last years tournament champion, Adam Colford.
The Master's Event was won by Eddie Dugas by squeaking out an 11-5 win in the tiebreaker final over John MacAuley.
The "B" Event was won by Terry O'Toole when he defeated 'new comer' Jonathan Edwards 21-5, 21-7.
The Mixed Junior Event was won by James MacMaster when he defeated last years junior sensation, Sereena Carlton-Neal in an exciting 11-6 tie breaker.
The Doubles Event was a 'Blind Doubles" and proved to be a lot of fun, where top seeded players partnered up with the lower seeds. It made for a fair and fun challenge.
Dan Marcil & Bob Horodyski defeated Adam Colford and Dave Murphy 21-5, 21-4
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The 2011 Fisherman’s Market Atlantic Open Tournament, hosted by Monte Snow and The Handball Association of Nova Scotia. The dates for this years’
tournament was changed from the usual spring time dates to the new fall dates to help attract more players and make it easier for our Newfoundland participants to travel. Once again Monte Snow & wife Markie, displayed to everyone that The Atlantic Open Handball Championships was a prestigious, top notch regional tournament and hosted without dispute the finest Handball Banquet in Canada.
Newfoundland sent 2 of their finest, Mike Stevenson and Chris Simmons. Playing great handball, Chris upset local favorite Eddie Dugas in the quarter -finals and lost to defending Open Singles Champ, Larry Salmon, in the semi -finals. Mike Stevenson defeated Monte Snow in convincing fashion (21-10, 21-10) in the quarter-finals but lost in a close match in the semi-finals to a “grey haired” (old man) who people called Steve Brown. Rumor has it that Stevenson was ahead 10-3 in the tie-beaker, but nobody told Brown the score as he rang off 8 unanswered points to steal the match. This set up a rematch of last years’ New Brunswick v/s Nova Scotia final. Young 24 year old Adam Colford took Larry Salmon to a tie-breaker match that Colford lost when it was tied at 9-9 and he accidentally left a server to far off the left wall that Salmon rolled out to reclaim serve. A rookie mistake and one that he won't forget as he gave the match to Salmon losing 11-9 in the 3rd game.
In the Open Singles Final, Larry Salmon showed his conditioning and youth was too much for Steve Brown. Salmon claimed his 12th Atlantic Open Singles Title defeating Brown 21-9, 21-10.
Saturday morning of the tournament found the courts filled with junior handball. After the large “round robin” draw was finished, local handball favorite Sereena Carlton-Neal landed 1st place honors by defeating Sarper Golhubut in a Junior CO-ED playoff final.
The Open Doubles Title was awarded to Cal Bussey and Dan Marcil of Nova Scotia in a close, hard fought match, as they defeated the Newfoundland duo of Chris Simmons and Mike Stevenson in a back and forth 3rd game tiebreaker 11-8. (The match took so long - I believe they missed their plane home too).
The Masters / B division saw Eddie Dugas defeating (after a 2 year hiatis) Steve Spellman in 2 straight games: but this division was as tough as ever with the solid play of Halifax’s Paul Cosgrove (has him on the cusp of becoming a serious threat in the Open Division) and the strong, punishing play from one of "Dartmouth's Finest" Jonathan Edwards.... showed that they will be names to be reckoned with in the near future.
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After winning the Canadian National "B" Doubles Title last year Adam Colford is on Fire. He has been knocking off the senior players 1 by 1 all week long and now
he is doing it on the court in tournament play. It has been 24 years since Dr. Robert Napier passed away on the handball courts at The Halifax YMCA, and the memorial event is still one of Northeast Canada's oldest tournaments.
23 year old from Halifax, (a Nova Scotia Architectural Student) Adam Colford Slammed OPEN Singles & Doubles at The 2010 Dr. RobertNapier Memorial Handball Tournament held this past weekend at the South Park YMCA in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Colford defeated Monte Snow of Bedford, Nova Scotia in an exciting tie-breaker 11-6. Colford then teamed up with Steve Brown of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to defeat Monte Snow and Dan Marcil of Halifax, Nova Scotia in a 11-10 Tie breaker ...Snow & Marcil had a 10-5 lead in the tie-breaker game but couldn't close the door.
Young Colford mentioned how great it felt to win both singles and doubles crowns and that he is "looking forward to the Atlantic Open Tournament in April when he can attempt his first REGI
ONAL slam.
The Junior program at the YMCA in Halifax is showing dividends as 8 of the local youth competed at this years event with great results. Ruby Carlton-Neal defeated Lorraine Spellman in the U-15 Final, Newcomer, Cody Collier, defeated Serena Carlton-Neal in the U-17 Co-Ed division. He lost his first game agaist Serena but took top honors by winning the "True Double Knock out " event.
Darcy Edwards & Bob Horodyski battled it out in "The Masters" event with Edwards squeaking by Horodyski in 2 close games.
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Nova Scotia,(Atlantic Canada) was very well represented this past week at
The 2010 Canadian National Handball Championships held in Burlington, Ont. More than 150 plus athletes gathered at Cedar Springs Racquet Club to vie for Canadian Handball Titles.
Adam Colford of Halifax, NS teamed up with Adam Johnston of Hamilton, Ont. to win the Men's "B" Doubles Title. They defeated Art Avalos & Scott Wilson of Toronto, Ont 21-8, 21-15. Colford lost in the quarter finals of the Men's "B" Singles to John Audet of Niagara Falls.
Maria Dugas of Queensland, NS placed 2nd in the Women's Open Doubles event losing in the final to Jessica Gawley and Samantha England 21-11, 21-17. In the Women’s Open Singles event Dugas lost her Semi Final match to Lake Forest Alumni, Samatha England, (11-21), 21-2, 11-1.
15 year old Sereena Ruth of Shad Bay, N.S. came in 2nd in the Women’s “C” Doubles consolation final 21-16, 21-17 with a partner that she has never played with before, Karen Wiebe of Calgary, Alberta. This was Sereena’s first Canadian National Handball Competition.
Steve Brown, of Dartmouth Nova Scotia, came in 2nd in both The Canadian Men’s 50 Singles & Doubles events. In Men’s 50 Singles, he lost the final match in a 3rd game tie breaker, 11-3 to Luc Gosselin of Quebec City, Que. In Men’s 50 Doubles, Brown teamed up with George DeGonzague of Albany, New York to claim second place losing in the final match 21-14, 21-12 to Manitoba’s Merv Derkert and John Friessen.
OTHER Atlantic Achievers............................
Larry Salmon, Saint John, NB won The Men's 40+ Doubles Title with a partner he was paired with at the last moment, Mark Grolund of Hamilton, Ontario. Larry lost in the Men's 40+ singles final to Dennis Gingras of Quebec City, Quebec.
Leslie Amminson, St. John's, Nfld won the Girls under 15 Title by defeating Myroslava Koval - Calgary, AB 21-7, 21-3. Leslie teamed up with Zoe Walsh of Nfld to win the Women's "C" Doubles Title by defeating Jessica Glier & Kylle Flynn - Regina, SK in the finals.
Leslies' Dad, Wayne Amminson won The Men's 60+ Title by defeating David Wells of North Dakota.
A terrific showing from the Atlantics, congratulations to all.
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Steve Brown & Larry Salmon finished with 3 second place finishes last weekend @ The 2009 New England Handball Tournament.
Salmon, a 40 year old Saint John Fireman lost 11-10 in the OPEN SINGLES FINAL tiebreaker game. Salmon won the first game 21-5, losing the 2nd game 21-17, then his opponent Chris Hlavatovic, from Boston, Mass. hung on to come back from a 7-10 deficit to win 11-10 by killing 4 shots in the front right corner.
Steve Brown of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia lost his 2008 50's Singles Title to Ken Munsen of, New York. Munsen was in top form defeating Brown handily, in 2 straight games, 21-4, 21-8. Brown defeated Art Himmerlein (Tennessee) in a tough Semi final 21-20, 21-10.
Brown & Salmon then teamed up in Open Doubles and lost in the Finals to Jack Brady and Chris Dominico of Worcester, Mass. The final score the the tie breaker 3rd game was 11-8.
Lawrence Cress of Timberlea, Nova Scotia also competed in the tournament (his first tournament in 10 years) losing in the Open Singles to Jeff Pflaumbaum (Boston, MA) 21-10, 21-20. He teamed up with New Yorker, Dom Wolfe, for play in the Open Doubles, losing to Brown & Salmon in the first round 21-20, 21-20.