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HEAD Penn players haul in the medals

Des Moines, Iowa — HEAD Penn players crowded the podium at the 2013 USA Racquetball Junior Olympic National Championships at the Oakmoor Racquetball and Fitness Center in Des Moines, Iowa last month. By winning seven gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals, the HEAD Penn Junior Team made their presence strongly known among the 144 juniors who made the trip to the Hawkeye State for the 40th Junior Olympic National Championships.

Leading the way for the HEAD Penn team was a pair of Jordans who both earned double Gold Medalist honors. Jordan Cooperrider (Palm Harbor, FL) won the National Championship both the Girls 14 & Under Singles and Doubles Divisions. The wins push Cooperrider’s junior career count of National Titles to nine along with her two World Junior Championships. This past winter she won the Women’s Open Division at the Florida State Singles Championships at just the age of 14.

Jordan Barth (Cold Spring, MN) accomplished the same feat in the Boys 14 & Under singles and Doubles Divisions. The victory was the third consecutive National Junior Singles Championship for Barth. With their National Championships in the singles divisions, Cooperrider and Barth have earned one-year appointments to the US Junior National Team and will compete on the American Team at the World Junior Championships this fall in Bolivia.

Other double medalists from Iowa include Connor Laffey (Salem, OR) who brought home a pair of silver medals in the Boys 18 & Under Singles and Doubles Divisions. Laffey was the runner-up at the 2013 National High School Championships and won the Men’s Elite Division at the 2013 National Singles Championships.

Kyle Ulliman (Westerville, OH) earned a gold medal in winning the Boys 16 & Under Doubles Division and added a silver medal in the Mixed 16 & Under Doubles competition. Ulliman was also a triple medalist at the 2012 Junior Olympic National Championships held in Portland, Oregon. Grace Wargo (Clearwater, FL) also joined the double medalist parade with a National Championship in the Girls 12 & Under Division and a bronze medal in the Girls 12 & Under Singles Division.

Also earning medals for HEAD Penn were Grace’s brother Evan Wargo (Clearwater, FL) with a National Championship in the Mixed 14 & under doubles division, and Zack Wertz (Kenner, LA) who finished third in the Boys 18 & Under Division to earn a bronze medal. Mitch Hardin (Findlay, OH) and Josh Lebow (Salem, OR) both reached the quarterfinals in the Boys 18 & Under Singles and Doubles Divisions.

To follow all the top HEAD Penn racquetball players, please follow facebook.com/headpennracquetball.

Posted on July 9, 2013
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