HCT Finish 5th at TAHC Championships

Handball Club Toronto’s (HCT) senior men’s team and a couple women (who joined forced with Orlando Handball) took a trip to Holland, Michigan for the annual The American Handball Company’s (TAHC) National championship tournament from June 8 to June 10. It was a great weekend of Handball with many competitive matches. From the start HCT knew they were in a strong pool so would have to bring their “A” game to come out on top.

In the men’s first game they played a reimagined Columbus Armada squad who had a few players joining them from New York Athletic Club. In the match, it was competitive from the hop with both teams trading goals. A mid-game surge put the Armada up over five goals. However, Toronto kept fighting and brought it back to within two goals, but it was too little too late. Armada won the game 27-23. Jason Miller led all HCT scorers with seven goals, and Finn Groenewold chipped in with five.

The second match was a revenge one for the boys, and were up against a Minnesota Handball Team who recently came off a strong win vs Inter Miami. Toronto came our firing and did not let up. From start to finish the men controlled the pace and tempo, eventually coming away with the 25-22 win. Alexis Renaud and Groenewold led all scorers with five a piece.

In their third match and second of the day, it was a big test as the winner would go on to play in the bronze medal game. Toronto faced a familiar foe in Inter Miami, a team they lost to by a couple of goals back in the Westpoint Tournament in April. Once again it was another close game throughout, however Toronto struggled to find the back of the net, eventually losing 25-23. This match saw the most balanced scoring game from Toronto, with six players netting at least three goals including Jose Cascajares, Jake Smith, Glen Panelay, Groenewold, Renaud, and Miller.

With the loss, the boys were qualified for the fifth place game against Detroit Handball Club. This was a redemption game for the squad and they did not fold, earning a comfortable win 26-17 win. Renaud led all scorers in this game with six. Overall it was a strong tournament, and some unlucky pool placement for HCT, but every player on the team scored a goal throughout the tournament and the men finished with two wins and two losses.

However that was not our only success as a club as we had two women join forces with Orlando for the tournament. Paulina Wasko and Josephine Adgn teamed up with another orange club from down south and the entire team put on a dominating performance in all their games to win the women’s bracket of the TAHC Championships.

We also had three men’s players including Miller, Cascajares and Steffen Dube suit up for Canada in the beach tournament where they went undefeated in pool play, and in the championship game, a few costly mistakes cost them the gold. They finished in second in the tournament losing to Pickerington Pandas in the final.

Thanks again to all the players, officials, and coaches for representing the club with pride, strength and class. It has been another great season of Handball and we hope to see you on the beach this summer.