By Bill Foley of The Montana Standard - 04/14/2008

The rivalry is now official.

Former Montana Tech defensive back Justin Balkenbush won his fourth straight state handball title by the narrowest of margins Sunday afternoon at the Butte Elks.

Balkenbush, 35, a Conrad native who lives in Billings, served on 10 three times before finishing off Missoula’s Andy Tucknott in a 21-20, 14-21, 11-10 thriller on court No. 4 of the antiquated building.

“You know you’re going to get your chances,” said Tucknott, a 28-year-old native of Lincoln, Neb. “I missed mine by an inch or less and that was my last chance.” Tucknott battled back from a 10-6 deficit to serve for the state title. Balkenbush called time out to slow down Tucknott’s momentum. Then he broke the serve and won the championship with a shot that nearly rolled off the front wall.

“He played very well,” Balkenbush said. “It could have went either way.” The title was the seventh for Balkenbush in the open division.

While living in Butte he won crowns in 1994, ’95 and ’97. Balkenbush left the state for several years before returning to continue his reign with the 2005 championship, which he won in Butte. Sunday was the first time anybody has even won a single state tournament game off Balkenbush in his latest run of greatness.

It took a player like Tucknott — who seems to run down every shot — to do just that.

“He’s sturdy,” Balkenbush said of the runner-up who didn’t start playing handball until four and a half years ago. “He’s a rock. He doesn’t get tired.” Balkenbush and Tucknott, the last two standing in a ultra-competitive 26-man open division, also met for the state title a year ago. That championship match in Missoula, however, wasn’t the nail-biter that Sunday was. Balkenbush won 21-3, 21-4.

Tucknott said he worked to add shots to his arsenal since that match.

“Two or three shots added to your game can make a big difference,” he said. “Justin is so skilled that no weakness can be attacked.” Balkenbush said he expected Sunday’s match to be a battle.

“I think it’s already a very good rivalry,” Balkenbush said. “He’s played me tough before, but Andy has definitely stepped up his game since last year.” The Balkenbush-Tucknott match wasn’t the only rivalry on display Sunday.

Butte’s Dan Bersanti won the plus-50 golden masters division, another strong field that included four-time defending champion Michael Barragan of Lakeside and four-time masters champion Jeff Jamison, a Butte native who lives in Missoula.

Bersanti edged fellow Butte player Mike Hitchcock in an exciting 11-21, 21-16, 11-9 match.

In the plus-60 super golden masters, Luther’s Dan Scilley edged old foe Tom Morris of Butte in a 21-8, 21-18 title match. The match was the fifth time Scilley and Morris met with a championship hanging in the balance, and it gave Scilley his third straight super golden masters crown.

Helena’s Mike Spotorno won his first state title, edging Missoula’s Steve Maier 21-14, 21-8 in the championship of the plus-40 masters division.

Missoula’s Sky Peters downed Butte’s Cole Salo 19-21, 21-12, 11-8 to win the A division title. That division is for players who lost in the first round of the open division.

Bozeman’s Nick White edged Butte’s Justin Sullivan 21-8, 17-21, 11-7 to win the B division title, while Matt Kujawa beat fellow Butte player Tim Dick 21-5, 21-18 to win the C division crown.

Helena is the site for next year’s state tournament, when the rivalries continue.

Open Division
1st Round
Adam Gollofon d. Shane Worley; 21-19, 21-20
Brett Badovinac d. Damon Sullivan
Pat Huff d. John Winston; 21-13, 21-14
Don Foley d. Frankie Shields; Injury default
Scott Lewis d. Todd Williamson; 21-16, 21-20
Brian Hamilton d. Butch Starin; 21-10, 21-6
Chance Wachholz d. Cole Salo; 21-2, 15-21, 11-0
Neil Bolton d. Sky Peters
Chris Hofstad d. Chad Okrusch; 21-2, 21-1
EJ Panetta d. Matt Monahan
2nd Round
Justin Balkenbush d. Adam Gollofon; 21-4, 21-3
Pat Huff d. Brett Badovinac; 21-15, 21-20
Nick Hofstad d. Don Foley; 21-11, 21-11
Ryan Spotorno d. Scott Lewis; 21-2, 21-4
Chris McVeigh d. Brian Hamilton; 21-10, 21-11
Chance Wachholz d. Mike Monahan; 21-10, 12-21, 11-0
Neil Bolton d. Chris Hofstad; 21-17, 21-7
Andy Tucknott d. EJ Panetta; 21-0, 21-5
Quarterfinals
Justin Balkenbush d. Pat Huff; 21-5, 21-3
Nick Hofstad d. Ryan Spotorno; 21-15, 21-12
Chris McVeigh d. Chance Wachholz; 21-13, 21-14
Andy Tucknott d. Neil Bolton; 21-3, 21-14
Semifinals
Justin Balkenbush d. Nick Hofstad; 21-7, 21-12
Andy Tucknott d. Chris McVeigh; 21-8, 21-7
Finals
Justin Balkenbush d. Andy Tucknott; 21-20, 14-20, 11-10
3rd
Nick Hofstad d. Chris McVeigh; 21-13, 21-13

Open Cons
Quarterfinals
Brett Badovinac d. Adam Gollofon; 21-5, 21-7
Don Foley d. Scott Lewis; 21-17, 21-12
Mike Monahan d. Brian Hamilton; 21-7, 21-10
EJ Panetta d. Chris Hofstad; 21-16, 19-21, 11-2
Semifinals
Brett Badovinac d. Don Foley; 21-6, 21-3
EJ Panetta d. Mike Monahan; 21-16, 12-21, 11-10
Finals
EJ Panetta d. Brett Badovinac; 20-21, 21-11, 11-9

40+ Division
1st Round
Eric Howe d. Randy Jolliffe; 21-13, 21-14
Quarterfinals
Steve Maier d. Eric Howe; 21-13, 21-14
Jim Anderson d. Jeff Armstrong; 21-17, 21-12
Mike Spotorno d. Randy Johnson; 21-0, 21-2
Kirk Johnson d. Todd Timboe; 21-10, 21-14
Semifinals
Steve Maier d. Jim Anderson; 21-9, 21-4
Mike Spotorno d. Kirk Johnson; 21-3, 21-13
Finals
Mike Spotorno d. Steve Maier; 21-14, 21-8
3rd
Jim Anderson d. Kirk Johnson; 11-21, 21-18, 11-6

40+ B
Semifinals
Jeff Armstrong d. Eric Howe
Todd Timboe d. Randy Johnson
Finals
Jeff Armstrong d. Todd Timboe; forfeit

50+ Division
1st Round
Bob Balkenbush d. Frank Shields; 21-20, 2-21, 11-10
Phil Keating d. Doug Cotnoir; 21-1, 21-10
2nd Round
Mike Barragan d. Bob Balkenbush; 21-6, 21-5
Mike Meyer d. Jay Stender; 21-7, 12-21, 11-9
Scott Salo d. Tom Madrazo; 21-15, 21-15
Dan Bersanti d. John Larson; 21-19, 21-9
Jeff Jamison d. Frank Cikan; 21-4, 21-17
Mike Hitchcock d. Dennis Stoner; 21-8, 21-12
Dan Price d. Garth Kaliveg; 19-21, 21-8, 11-0
Sam Baldridge d. Phil Keating; 21-9, 21-15
Quarterfinals
Mike Barragan d. Mike Meyer
Dan Bersanti d. Scott Salo
Mike Hitchcock d. Jeff Jamison
Sam Baldridge d. Dan Price
Semifinals
Dan Bersanti d. Mike Barragan
Mike Hitchcock d. Sam Baldridge
Finals
Dan Bersanti d. Mike Hitchcock; 11-21, 21-16, 11-9
3rd
Mike Barragan d. Sam Baldridge; forfeit

50+ Cons
Semifinals
Scott Salo d. Mike Meyer
Dan Price d. Jeff Jamison; Injury default
Finals
Dan Price d. Scott Salo; 21-7, 21-16

50+ B
Quarterfinals
Jay Stender d. Bob Balkenbush
John Larson d. Tom Madrazo
Frank Cikan d. Dennis Stoner
Garth Kaliveg d. Phil Keating
Semifinals
Jay Stender d. John Larson
Garth Kaliveg d. Frank Cikan
Finals
Jay Stender d. Garth Kaliveg; 10-21, 21-14, 11-7

60+ Division
1st Round
Paul Wachholz d. Bob Gensemer; 21-2, 21-6
Frank Cikan d. Russ Whitten
Don Hurd d. Gary Williamson; 21-14, 21-10
Monk Semansky d. Wally Page; 21-3, 21-4
Dick Fox d. Larry White;
Bob Meyer d. Ron Deriana; 21-15, 21-19
Quarterfinals
Dan Scilley d. Paul Wachholz; 21-3, 21-4
Frank Cikan d. Don Hurd; 21-12, 21-6
Dick Fox d. Monk Semansky; 21-15, 21-5
Tom Morris d. Bob Meyer; 21-6, 21-6
Semifinals
Dan Scilley d. Frank Cikan; 21-14, 21-5
Tom Morris d. Dick Fox; 15-21, 21-17, 11-8
Finals
Dan Scilley d. Tom Morris; 21-8, 21-18
3rd
Frank Cikan d. Dick Fox; 15-21, 21-16, 11-9
 
60+ Cons
Semifinals
Don Hurd d. Paul Wachholz
Bob Meyer d. Monk Semansky
Finals
Don Hurd d. Bob Meyer; 21-11, 19-21, 11-5

60+ B
Quarterfinals
Russ Whitten d. Gary Williamson
Larry White d. Wally Page
Semifinals
Russ Whitten d. Bob Gensemer
Larry White d. Ron Deriana
Finals
Larry White d. Russ Whitten; 21-5, 21-20

70+ Division
Paul Wachholz d. Bob Gensemer; 21-2, 21-6

A Division
Quarterfinals
Sky Peters d. Damon Sullivan; 21-4, 21-15
Chad Okrusch d. Todd Williamson
Cole Salo d. Butch Starin
Matt Monahan d. John Winston
Semifinals
Sky Peters d. Chad Okrusch; 21-14, 21-6
Cole Salo d. Matt Monahan; 21-4, 21-10
Finals
Sky Peters d. Cole Salo; 19-21, 21-12, 11-8

B Division
1st Round
Will Brooke d. Tim Dick
Pat Ryan d. Sean Shields; 21-4, 21-9
Leif Cox d. Gary Chatriand; 21-5, 21-4
Mike Sinen d. Bryan Loushin; 21-20, 13-21, 11-6
Conor Salo d. Allen Chatriand; 21-17, 21-18
Matt Joseph d. Matt Kujawa, 21-8, 21-11
Justin Sullivan d. Pat Crane; 21-7, 21-11
Quarterfinals
Nick White d. Will Brooke
Leif Cox d. Pat Ryan
Mike Sinen d. Conor Salo
Justin Sullivan d. Matt Joseph
Semifinals
Nick White d. Leif Cox; 21-9, 21-15
Justin Sullivan d. Mike Sinen; 21-14, 21-13
Finals
Nick White d. Justin Sullivan; 8-21, 21-17, 11-7
3rd
Leif Cox d. Mike Sinen; forfeit

B Cons
Semifinals
Will Brooke d. Pat Ryan
Matt Joseph d. Conor Salo
Finals
Will Brooke vs. Matt Joseph; ?

C Division
Quarterfinals
Gary Chatriand d. Sean Shields
Allen Chatriand d. Bryan Loushin
Matt Kujawa d. Pat Crane
Semifinals
Tim Dick d. Gary Chatriand; 21-16, 15-21, 11-7
Matt Kujawa d. Allen Chatriand; 21-11, 18-21, 11-5
Finals
Matt Kujawa d. Tim Dick; 21-5, 21-18