Jordan Taylor of Vancouver won the consolation championship at a U.S. Handball Association junior national tournament in December.
A junior at Columbia River High School, the 16-year-old Taylor won all five of his matches in the B bracket for boys 17 and younger at the 56th-annual USHA National Junior Four-Wall Championships, which took place over three days in Tucson, Ariz.
The B bracket is where players were placed after losing in the open bracket. Taylor won his first open match, then lost in the round of 16. In the B bracket finals, Taylor defeated Tony Perez from Riverbank, Calif. Taylor won the first game against Perez 21-17, lost the second game 21-5, then won the deciding third set 11-0.
First introduced to handball at Club Green Meadows in Vancouver, Taylor now trains several days a week at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland.
This was the second national tournament for Taylor, who did not place in the 2010 junior nationals. In 2011, Taylor won the Pacific Northwest C-level championship for his age.
High school equestrian season starts for three schools
The high school equestrian season has started for three area schools.
Battle Ground, Prairie and Ridgefield teams participated in a Washington High School Equestrian Teams meet held Friday through Sunday at Spanaway.
Results for the local schools are in the Community Sports Scoreboard.
The WAHSET season runs through May. Schools are divided into districts based on team size, and each district holds three meets prior to a state championship meet in May.
Vancouver players among ODP regional soccer all-stars
Three players from Vancouver were named all-stars at the end of a recent Olympic Development Program regional soccer tournament held in Phoenix, Ariz.
Goalkeeper Collin Partee was a first-team all-tournament selection and goalkeeper Pasha Hashemi and midfielder Foster Langsdorf each received second-team honors. Each are members of the Portland Timbers Pre-Academy ODP team for boys born in 1995.
One of the first teams to be formed as part of the Timbers’ partnership with the Oregon Youth Soccer Association, the team finished tied for second in the regional tournament.
Area teams advance in soccer state cup tournaments
The Pacific FC Fire 97 under-14 boys team from Eisenhower Soccer Club moved onto the Washington Youth Soccer Founders Cup quarterfinals with a Sunday win over Kent United 3-1.
Among the Clark County teams qualifying for the state cup quarterfinals were under-13 boys and girls teams representing Salmon Creek Soccer Club.
The Founders Cup — formerly called the Commissioners Cup — is the largest of the state tournaments for advanced-competition youth soccer teams. Scores from weekend state cup games for Southwest Washington Youth Soccer are in the Community Sports Scoreboard.
Naydenov hosts gymnastics meet
Naydenov Gymnastics will host a girls gymnastic meet on Saturday and Sunday.
The Rock and Roll Classic will feature competition among six different skill levels and will include gymnasts from around the Pacific Northwest.
The session featuring the Level 9 and Level 10 competitors is scheduled to start at 5:35 p.m. on Saturday.
Other times are Level 4 at 8:50 a.m. on Sunday, Level 5 at 8:50 a.m. on Saturday, Level 6 at 11:35 a.m. on Sunday, Level 7 at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, and Level 8 at 2:55 p.m. on Saturday. Admission costs $6, with a family pass available for $15.
Naydenov Gymnastics is at 5313 N.E. 94th Avenue in Vancouver.
Red Sox focus of fundraiser
Tickets are now available for a Feb. 25 fundraising event featuring former major league pitcher Alan Embree, who will review the Boston Red Sox 2004 rally to beat the New York Yankees for the American League championship. The event at Prairie High School will support some youth baseball programs in the area.
Details, including ticket information, can be found at www.bbsiprimetime.com.
The Community Sports Notebook is published each Tuesday in The Columbian. To submit items for consideration, send an e-mail to paul.danzer@columbian.com or call 360-735-4521.
