麻豆社区

Connor Lukas threw everything he had at Cameron Webber, but the tournament's reigning Yukon Open squash champion simply couldn't be beaten.

Lukas, a 19-year-old student at the University of Victoria, battled hard with his 32-year-old counterpart, but ultimately lost the open division final in three straight Saturday afternoon at Better Bodies Whitehorse.

Webber won the final 3-0, with scores of 11-9, 11-9, and 17-15.

A small crowd gathered to watch the final match and applauded the opponents after their spirited battle.

Lukas, ranked fifth to open the tournament, came to Whitehorse on recommendation from his friend, Stephen Grundmanis.

"I didn't know anyone in the draw when I got here,鈥� said the Vancouverite. "All my matches were tough.鈥�

He beat No. 4 seed Adam Sippell 3-1 and No. 1 seed Michele Garceau 3-2 before meeting his match in Webber.

"I've never played someone like him,鈥濃�圠ukas admitted. "He uses a lob and a really soft drop, but has a lot of power at the same time. Usually, it's either you have a lot of power or a nice soft shot. He's got both.鈥�

Lukas said if he could have won the third match, the tide may have turned.

"He was looking pretty tired,鈥濃�坔e said of his opponent. "I'll probably be here next year. I鈥坵ant to win this now, really badly.鈥�

Webber, ranked third, said it was a difficult road to the final.

"I鈥坖ust barely squeaked past the first match I had,鈥� he said. "Stephen Grundmanis had me at match ball and I wing and a prayered it out of there. I didn't have a convincing win all tournament. I'm getting pretty good at having game balls and match balls and somehow putting three Hail Mary points together.鈥�

After beating Grundmanis 3-2, Webber edged No. 2 Seed Alexandre Garceau 3-1 to earn a berth in the final.

"It's always good for a dose of humility and perspective,鈥� Webber said. "I haven't been to an Outside territory for a long time. ... In that regard, seeing these juniors come up and how good they play at such a young age, it's great.鈥�

Unlike last year, when he returned from Australia just in time for the tournament, Webber spent the whole season playing in the local rec league.

"This was the first time in a long time that I've been here for the whole season,鈥� he said.

In the B draw, No. 1 seed Gabe Stetkiewicz beat No. 6 seed Stephen Buckler 3-0 to claim the title.

Stetkiewicz had a more difficult time in his earlier matches, as it took him five games to beat both Jodi Tuton and Lori Muir en route to the final.

Seventh-ranked Victor Lavanderos won the C draw 3-0 over No. 1 seed Kamran Idrees, while Cathy MacDonald beat Kennedy Cairns 3-1 to win the D draw.

MacDonald was ranked first in her division, while Kennedy was fifth.

Meanwhile, Brett Walchuk won the junior draw 3-1 over Jarod McCulloch. The two youngsters were ranked one and two entering the tournament.

A recreational doubles tournament was held alongside the Yukon Open.

Local squash pro Khoon Chua teamed up with Muir to win the "Dingles鈥� draw 3-1 over Alex Garceau and Shirley Chua-Tan.

Chua said the final tournament of the year provided plenty of competition for Yukon players.

"The competition was very close,鈥� he told the Star. "Anybody could have won and been in the finals based on the results. That's what we wanted.鈥�

Chua said he tries to bring up players from British Columbia each year to give the territory's best players some added competition.

This year, the Garceau siblings and Lukas made the trip North.

"Usually, at this time of the year it's hard to get people to play,鈥濃�圕hua admitted. "People want to be in the sun, especially the locals.鈥�

Regardless, the sport continues to have a strong core of players in the Yukon capital, combining to fill two recreational divisions each winter.

"We compete with the big games like hockey, but we did have a lot of junior hockey players in this tournament,鈥� he said. "They love squash as well.鈥�

Chua said his sport provides a great opportunity for cross-training.

"Agility, speed, whatever aspect you can thing of 鈥� it's not only the legs, it's the hands, everything,鈥濃�圕hua said of the benefits squash gives in training for other sports.

"It's exciting, too,鈥� he added. "Most people who start playing squash, they sort of get hooked on it. They find it interesting and they continue playing.

"Many of them who started a bit late in their 30s or 40s, they say 鈥極h, how I鈥坵ish I had started the game earlier.'鈥�

For more information on the Yukon squash league, visit http://squashyukon.yk.ca/.