TUCSON, Ariz. — The 2024 Junior Three-Wall Nationals concluded in Tucson on Sunday morning. The weekend temps were soaring, and players battled the Arizona heat as well as their opponents on the scorched courts. Players were given a break during the most intense heat of the day as scheduled matches began in the early morning and ended before Noon. Play resumed after 5:00 p.m. utilizing the park’s recently installed lights. Referees gave players mandatory water breaks in addition to regular time outs.  

Juniors were given a unique Southwest treat as a Sonoran Hot Dog vendor stopped at the courts on Saturday night. Players and spectators enjoyed the hospitality and the cooler weather while watching the day’s matches wrap up. During a break in the action, the USHA presented the Munoz Good Sport Award, an award named after Vince Munoz which is presented at the Three-Wall Junior Nationals. This year’s Munoz Good Sport Award was deservedly given to Tucson’s Brandon Valle, a player who exhibits the best nature and attitude on and off the courts. 

All junior players were entered in a Tournament Raffle, which gave them the chance to win various prizes, including AirPods, a NorthFace backpack, Yeti water bottles, gift cards, and more. Thank you to Fred Lewis of the Fred Lewis Foundation for Youth Handball for making this donation, as the players loved it! 

On the court we saw many great matches, and crowned new champions. Thank you to all of the coaches and parents who traveled and supported these junior players in the tournament. It’s not possible without you. A special thank you to Abraham Montijo, Max Langmack, Richie Estrella, Antonio Rivera, Chris Hogan and all the volunteers who stopped by and braved the heat.

19-Under:

Andres Cordova continues to show he is one of the best up and coming players in our sport. The younger brother of top pros Luis and Daniel Cordova, Andres has continued to improve over the years. Cordova rolled in his quarterfinal and semifinal to set up a highly anticipated championship bout against Tucson’s Ayden Brule. 

Cordova came out fast and held Brule to just one point in game one. The second game began close, but Cordova was too steady for Brule, by using his strong serve down the left to score points and earn setups, to win, 21-1, 21-13. 

Cordova fell in the big ball 19-Under final to Moses Gardea by the scores of 16-14, 15-8. Gardea’s game is suited for big ball, and he did a good job of moving Cordova all around the court. 

Cordova and Gardea teamed up and faced off against Brule and his partner Eliseo Gutierrez in the 19-Under doubles final in what was probably the match of the tournament. After splitting the first two games, the tiebreaker was close, being a back and forth affair. The teams were tied up at 10, and Brule and Gutierrez were serving on their second server. Brule delivered a clutch serve, resulting in a easy return for a setup with his right hand which he killed in the left corner to secure the 11-10 victory. 

15-Under: 

Isaac Holguin of Las Cruces, N.M. slammed the 15-Under small ball divisions. Holguin has started to rack up impressive titles the past few years, first winning the singles national title by defeating Denver’s Zait Bustillos in two games. Holguin then teamed with 13-Under Champion KJ Lindsey to win the 15-Under doubles over Alex Guajardo and Angel Valenzuela 15-11, 15-7. 

In the Big Ball finals, Guajardo and Valenzuela played a thrilling final. The two are cousins and know each other’s game well. Guajardo took game one and Valenzuela game two. Guajardo started fast in the tiebreaker, and would hang on to win 11-5 in the finals. 

13-Under:

After losing in the first round of last year’s 13-Under division, Tucson’s KJ Lindsey showed off his improvement this year by winning both the small ball and big ball finals in the 13-Under division. In both finals, his opponent was teammate Azriel Gomez, and each of the matches went to a tiebreaker with Lindsey prevailing. While he doesn’t turn 14 until the end of the year, Lindsey is already a steady player who makes few hand errors.

The 13-Under doubles final was won by Luis Cordova III and Adrian Valenzuela. They swept the other three teams in their round robin division without dropping a single game. 

11-Under:

Lastly, the 11-Under small ball and big ball divisions were won by Albuquerque’s Adrian Valenzuela. Valenzuela is tremendous talent for an 11 year old, as he moves very well and misses few returns. He was dominant against everyone in his division, and it will be a treat to watch him develop.

We would like to recognize the support of Fred Lewis, Abe Montijo, Max Langmack, and Richie Estrella for their support and volunteer efforts. Check out all of the results HERE. 

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For the first time ever, the USHA Three-Wall Junior Nationals will be held in Tucson, AZ at the Clark Park Three-Wall Courts! Matches will begin Friday July 12th and continue through Sunday morning. Matches will only be played in the morning and in the evening to stay out of the heat.