Mike Placek out of Torrey Pines High School and Russ Marchewka from University City High turned in the local upset of the pro beach volleyball tournament when the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tour returned to San Diego Aug. 1-3.
Placek and Marchewka were seeded 15th on the rosters of 32 of men’s teams, but they were not stopped until they reached the final four. The eventual champions Casey Jennings and Matt Fuerbringer edged the most successful local pair out of the single-elimination competition Sunday on Mariner’s Point.
“It’s awesome to do it in my home town and have all my friends and family come out,” Placek said. “It’s kind of a surreal thing.”
“I have always hoped I could make it to the semi-finals, but with the way the season has gone I wasn’t sure I would have a chance to get there,” Marchewka added. “We have been on the verge of breaking through all year. We have been playing tough teams close.”
Marchewka put up some of the best stats of the tournament with 15 ace-serves and 14 blocks in nine games.
Third seed local favorite Matt Olson of Rancho Santa Fe reached the quarterfinals before he and partner Kevin Wong were also taken out by Jennings and Fuerbringer.
Other local men who advanced in the tournament on Friday included Mike Morrison and Hans Stolfus. Dane Jensen, Duncan Budringer and Vincent Robbins also made the top 32 teams to compete in the San Diego Crocs Slam.
On the women’s side, Dianne DeNecochea teamed with Barbra Fontana were again the most successful team, reaching the quarterfinals. The veteran players battled through a grueling match against longtime rivals Holly McPeak and Angie Akers at the end of the day Saturday afternoon.
The local favorites took the first game handily 21-14, but were sent into the 15-point tiebreaker after a 17-21 second game. Needing to win by two, the deciding game went to 24-22.
DeNecochea and Fontana entered the tournament seeded 3rd while the top two women’s and men’s teams are off to the Olympic Games in Beijing and missed the San Diego AVP event.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal were already in China by the time the San Diego tournament began.
Fourteen other women with San Diego connections participated in the tournament. The 8th seed Lindquist sisters Katie and Tracy who played at USD also made it to the quarterfinals before being taken out by the No. 1 seed.
Angela Lewis advanced from the 11th seed position before being taken out by McPeak and Akers on Saturday. Lisa Rutledge of Vista was successful on Friday but was taken out by DeNecochea and Fontana on Saturday.
San Diegan Lauren Fendrick teamed with Paula Roca defeated Beth van Fleet and Saralyn Smith on Friday to also advance to play Saturday.
Other local players who made the top 32 and compete in the AVP tournament included Suzana Manole, Angela McHenry, Paige Davis, Lynne Brinkman with Carol Hamilton, Erin Byrd and Angie Hall with Lauren Mills.
The women’s champions were 6th seed Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner who defeated 2nd seed Jenny Johnson-Jordan and Annett Davis in a dramatic three-game final.
Wacholder/Turner had to defeat the No. 1 seed Jennifer Boss and April Ross to reach the finals.
Turner delivered 12 blocks in 12 games. Ross led the women’s ace-serve list with 21 in nine games. DeNecochea had the second best ace average after hitting 8 in seven games. At 6 feet 4 inches, she again lead the blocks stats with 11 in seven games.
The AVP made its 13th stop of the 2008 tour when they visited San Diego. They now will take a three-week break for the Olympic Games and return to domestic action in Cincinnati in the end of August. Sept. 6 and 7 the AVP will be in Santa Barbara and conclude SoCal play at Manhattan Beach Sept. 18 through 21.
The format at the granddaddy of all beach volleyball tournaments in Manhattan this year includes the eight most successful teams of the season versus eight teams who have to qualify in during a huge qualifying pre-tournament.
The prize money at San Diego was the usual $210,000. At Manhattan they will be playing for $1 million.
Information about the AVP, tournaments and players is available at www.avp.com.