Tournament Director Gary Cruz (center) present checks to Pro Qualifiers (l-r): Chip Morales, Bill Mehilos, Ricardo Ruiz and Carlos Chavez.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. - Bill Mehilos edged Chip Morales in two hard-fought games for the qualifier win on Sunday. Mehilos took the first game 21-15 and kept forging 5-6 point leads in the second but Morales never went away. “I kept thinking you’d get tired,” Mehilos said to Morales, “but you kept coming back.”

Considering the hard day Morales had on Saturday, he could have easily gone home happy with his showing. When Mehilos couldn’t close it out, Morales battled back and served for the game at 20 but came up short. “I missed a couple and he picked up everything I shot,” Mehilos said.

In the battle for third place, Ricardo Ruiz and Carlos Chavez were just as animated for the difference in prize money and Ruiz showed his tournament was for real with a 20, 13 win.

In the SCHA regionals completed so far, Chris Watkins and John Robles beat Marcos Chavez and Christian Luna in the final, 7, 8. In the very tough 50-plus field, Danny Carrillo and Kelly Russell beat Jim Vandenbos and Mark Shelgren, 12, 17.

Tournament Director Gary Cruz (shown with qualifiers Morales, Mehilos, Ruiz and Chavez), was happy with the turnout, noting the qualifier draw brought in some excellent players as well as numerous entries who wanted to enjoy the action.

Chip Morales (shown hitting in qualifying round Saturday morning) became the first to qualify at Los Cab on Saturday, defeating Braulio Ruiz, 8, 15 to earn his spot in Detroit.  Next to qualify for his first time was Carlos Chavez, who beat Mark O'Leary, 14, 10.  In a bigger upset, Ricardo Ruiz was on top of his game and beat Andy Nett an an offensive display, 4, 7.  The final qualifying match went to Bill Mehilos, 15, 8, over Greg Ramirez, so the four are set for Detroit.  The four qualifiers will now play off for the additional prize money and pride. 

In the semifinals, Morales rebounded from a first-game loss to defeat Chavez, 11-8 in the tiebreaker while Mehilos overpowered Ricardo Ruiz in two games, 11, 7, ending his impressive run (bottom photo).

Men's Singles Open - 
Round of 32: Dan Fredrickson (Fullerton, Calif.)  d. Christian Luna (Hawthorne, Calif.)  15,(16),7
Martin Ruiz Jr (United States)  d. Juan Reyes (Santa Ana, Calif.)  20,17
Steve Pool (Fountain Valley, Calif.)  d. Nolan Reynolds (Bremerton, Wash.)  (20),14,7
Round of 16: Eddie Morales (Springfield, Mo.)  d. Steve Pool (Fountain Valley, Calif.)  15,7
Bill Mehilos (Des Plaines, Ill.)  d. Martin Ruiz Jr (United States)  10,6
Andy Nett (Winona, Minn.)  d. Dan Fredrickson (Fullerton, Calif.)  5,14
Mark O'leary (Palatine, Ill.)  d. Sal Duenas (Santa Ana, Calif.)  14,11
Carlos Chavez (Buena Park, Calif.)  d. Greg Tomasyan (Burbank, Calif.)  4,4
Ricardo Ruiz (Downey, Calif.)  d. Ryan Flores (Scottsdale, Ariz.)  16,8
Greg Ramirez (Canyon Country , Calif.)  d. Ivan Ruiz (Chicago, Ill.)  9,11
Braulio Ruiz (Calif.)  d. Rafael Martinez (Los Angeles, Calif.)  14,16
Quarters: Eddie Morales (Springfield, Mo.)  d. Braulio Ruiz (Calif.)  8,15
Bill Mehilos (Des Plaines, Ill.)  d. Greg Ramirez (Canyon Country , Calif.)  15,8
Ricardo Ruiz (Downey, Calif.)  d. Andy Nett (Winona, Minn.)  4,7
Carlos Chavez (Buena Park, Calif.)  d. Mark O'leary (Palatine, Ill.)  14,10
Semis: Eddie Morales (Springfield, Mo.)  d. Carlos Chavez (Buena Park, Calif.)  (18),3,8
Bill Mehilos (Des Plaines, Ill.)  d. Ricardo Ruiz (Downey, Calif.)  11,7

 

CLICK HERE to view the SCHA Regional Tournament Results