Pictured are the 2015 Sun Lakes Table Tennis Club tournament members Steve Chambers, Steve Weitz, Rich Nadler, David Novikoff, Doc Doctor, Alan Behr, Jim Spolar, Bill Aichele, Gerry Vogelsang, Steve Langer and David Zapatka
The Sun Lakes Table Tennis Club held its annual singles and doubles club championships on February 20. This year’s tournament produced an increased level of competition as three members new to the club this year participated; Steve Chambers, Steve Weitz and Doc Doctor.
Bill Aichele, winner of the Division II Singles event, went undefeated but was severely tested losing one game to Gerry Vogelsang and escaping with a 13-11 final game against Steve Langer. Steve Langer, nearly undefeated, losing only to Aichele, secured second place.
David “Z-Man” Zapatka, winner of the Division I Singles event, was hard pressed throughout the tournament. After losing 11-9 and down 8-2 to newcomer Steve Chambers, he was lucky to escape winning the second game 11-8 and the final game 11-9. In similar fashion, he lost 11-2 and was down 5-0 to newcomer Steve Weitz, a very talented southpaw, but once again weaseled out a harrowing 2-11, 11-6, 11-8 victory. In the final round robin match of the day, his nemesis, David “The Hammer” Novikoff, had him by the throat but somehow slipped the noose to win 11-7, 8-11, 11-9. New member Steve Weitz let everyone know there was a new sheriff in town, beating every Division I player with the exception of his narrow loss to Zapatka grabbing second place.
The most entertaining bracket of the tournament was the doubles draw. A random pairing of the Division I and II players created an incredibly level playing field. Champions David Zapatka and Bill Aichele were pushed but not beaten. Second place finishers saw yet another newcomer making his presence known, Doc Doctor, the man with the crushing forehand kill shot. Time and again partner Alan would set Doc up for the kill and the Doctor came through with force majeure.
Division I Singles: 1st David Zapatka, 2nd Steve Weitz, 3rd Alan Behr
Division II Singles: 1st Bill Aichele, 2nd Steve Langer, 3rd Doc Doctor
Doubles: 1st David Zapatka/Bill Aichele, 2nd Alan Behr/Doc Doctor, 3rd Jim Spolar/Gerry Vogelsang
For more information regarding SLTTC, contact club President David Novikoff at [email protected] or call him at 895-1988.