|
|
|
Dean Crispen Wins 2004 National Handball Championship
|
|||||||||
| Enclosed is an article about Dean Crispen winning the 2004 National Handball Championship in the 35-year-old division. In the finals, in a tie-breaker game to 11, Dean had his back to the wall. His opponent was up 10 (match point) to 7, serving an elimination serve. Dean won the rally, and turned the tables, scoring the next 4 points to win the championship 11-10.
Dean also placed second in the 35 year old doubles with his San Francisco friend, Chris Tico. Lou Barberini #497 |
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Mr. Mom role a good fit for 35+ champ Crispen
|
|||||||||
| By Marc Penick and Jon Flynt Reprinted from Handball® August 2004 |
|||||||||
| San Francisco’s Dean Crispen won the open title at the 2000 nationals, but he joined the age-group ranks this year by entering the 35-plus singles and doubles.
He was often observed around the club carrying his baby boy, who traveled with Dad until Mom could make it to the nationals in Portland. Baby-sitting must have suited him well, as Crispen stormed through the bracket to reach the final against top-seeded Rob Pearse. Both finalists have spent time in the pro ranks in their careers. Both have won many regional open events. And the championship match was anticipated to be a shootout. Pearse, with far and away the best drive serve in this division, jumped on Crispen in Game 1 and stopped him cold 21-7. But in the second game, Crispen employed a hard overhand Z serve that Pearse returned with defensive three-wall wrap-arounds, which Crispen was able to consistently fly-kill into the right comer. Crispen turned the tables in Game 2 by the same 21-7 score. This set up the only close game either player faced in the event. The tiebreaker began as a seesaw game. Midway through, Pearse opened up his lead, looking like a sure thing as he served for the match at 10-7. But then Crispen made an outstanding return on what looked to be another Pearse ace serve to gain the sideout. When Crispen got back into the box, he served out the match with his overhand Z and took the title 11-10. In the semifinals, Pearse dispatched Jon Flynt of Dallas 21-12, 21-4 with an outstanding serving exhibition. Crispen took care of Jaime Fabian just as impressively, rolling 21-8, 21-7. Crispen enjoyed a great finish - and exhibited equal talent for being a dad. First round: Phil Damiano (Hayden Lake, Idaho) d. Doug Makey (Salem, Ore.) 20, 4; Scot Harris (Las Vegas) d. Peter Spiekerman (Portland) 10, 10. Quarters: Rob Pearse (Chattanooga, Tenn.) d. Damiano 5, 15; Jon Flynt (Dallas) d. Manny Resendez (Commerce, Calif.) (8), 6, 3; Jaime Fabian (Stockton, Calif.) d. Brent Reaves (Beaverton, Ore.) 9, 11; Dean Crispen (San Francisco) d. Harris 9, 7. Semis: Pearse d. Flynt 12, 4; Crispen d. Fabian 8, 7. Final: Crispen d. Pearse (7), 7, 10. |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
| Pearse has the offensive opportunity to himself in this rally during the final, but Crispen prevailed in an 11-10 tiebreaker. | |||||||||