More Than 100 Players Compete in 2023 Long Island Pickleball Challenge
With over 100 players, event organizers faced a “pickle” with the forecast calling for thunderstorms all day on Saturday. Originally scheduled to be held outdoors at Sportime Hempstead Lake, the event was forced to move indoors to Sportime Kings Park. But once indoors, players were treated to a professionally-run event on and off the court in the inaugural Long Island Pickleball Challenge.
CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE 2023 LI PICKLEBALL CHALLENGE
Despite the last-minute change of venue, the transition was seamless, and the tournament continued without skipping a beat,” said co-tournament director Michelle Stoerback. “The matches started on time based on our timetable, and by successfully managing the logistics of a tournament with over 100 players indoors, we not only preserved the integrity of the event, but also created an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”
Throughout the day-long tournament, which included a Men’s Doubles division and a Women’s Doubles division in the morning and two Mixed Doubles divisions in the afternoon, competition was intense on the court, but players were kept well-energized as they were treated to breakfast and lunch, and also a happy hour later in the afternoon.
In the Women’s Doubles 7.0 – 7.5 combined division, Lauren Brenner & Lisa Goldberg teamed up for the first time on the pickleball court, and quickly found their chemistry together. The duo defeated Kristen Brown & April Mongelli in the finals to claim the championship.
Women’s Doubles 7.0 – 7.5 Champions: Lauren Brenner & Lisa Goldberg
“This was our first tournament together,” said Brenner. “I’m still new to pickleball, I’m normally a tennis player but I’m loving pickleball. We’ll definitely be playing together again.”
Goldberg added:
“Winning was our favorite part! But today was a great event, everyone was nice, there were no arguments or drama, and it was a really fun time.”
Jesse Tuozzo & Matt Verini weren’t playing for the first time together but instead used their experience to come away victorious in the Men’s Doubles 8.0 – 8.5 division, defeating Brad Berger & Alex Rothstein in the championship.
“We’ve been playing together for a couple of years now, but this was our first tournament win,” said Tuozzo. “We’ve had a lot of second place and third place finishes, so to win today was great.”
Men’s Doubles 8.0 – 8.5 Champions: Jesse Tuozoo & Matt Verini
When asked the key to their win, Verini added:
“We tried to stay as consistent as we can, and did so all the way to the end. The event was well-run overall and it feels good to be a champion. It’s time to get some rest.”
The afternoon session played host to the two Mixed Doubles divisions, with Lori McBride & Jason Pomerantz teaming up to win the Mixed Doubles 7.0 – 7.5 division, claiming their second pickleball championship as a duo as they defeated Richard Nessim & Kelly Dall in the finals.
“The competition was outstanding, there were good matches right from the start,” said McBride.
Mixed Doubles 7.0 – 7.5 Champions: Lori McBride & Jason Pomerantz
“We just stayed with it and tried to slow down when things got tough,” added Pomerantz. “We used our timeouts wisely in key moments when we needed to reset.”
In the Mixed Doubles 8.0 – 8.5 division, Courtney Kowalsky & Alec Maher kept their strategy simple throughout the tournament, resulting in capturing the title with a championship win over Brad Berger & Debbie Drum.
“It was fun, we played smart and made sure to get balls back and not give away free points,” said Maher. “It was a great time overall, this is my first pickleball win so it feels great.”
Kowalsky praised the event for its combination of competition on the court but fun atmosphere off it.
Mixed Doubles 8.0 – 8.5 Champions: Courtney Kowalsky & Alec Maher
“The people were great and it was a fun environment,” she said. “Lots of great food, and delicious drinks. These events are always a great time.”
CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE 2023 LI PICKLEBALL CHALLENGE
“It was amazing to see such a large draw for a one-day event. Everything was run smoothly, and we take pride in not just running a tournament, but creating a professionally-run event that’s fun for all,” said David Sickmen, co-tournament director. “Thanks to Sportime, Michelle Stoerback and our entire Long Island Tennis Magazine event staff for all their hard work, as well as all the players for their commitment and positivity during the event. A special thanks goes to our sponsors Viking Athletics, adidas and Halftime Chiller. We plan on continuing to get more involved with pickleball and this wonderful community, and continue to help promote the game.”
Below are the Top Three Finishers in each of the four divisions:
Men’s Doubles 8.0 – 8.5
Gold – Jesse Tuozzo & Matt Verini
Silver – Brad Berger & Alex Rothstein
Bronze – Jonathan Kim & Alex Ricciuti
Women’s Doubles 7.0 – 7.5
Gold – Lauren Brenner & Lisa Goldberg
Silver – Kristen Brown & April Mongelli
Bronze – Emilie Katz & Val Bogard
Mixed Doubles 7.0 -7.5
Gold – Lori McBride & Jason Pomerantz
Silver – Richard Nessim & Kelly Dall
Bronze – Ira Rosmarin & Lorraine O’Hanlon
Mixed Doubles 8.0 – 8.5
Gold – Courtney Kowalsky & Alec Maher
Silver – Brad Berger & Debbie Drum
Bronze – Nina Pantic & Jonathan Kim
