Winning the championship at the Manhattan Beach Open is the pinnacle for every beach volleyball player competing on American soil. This year’s tournament provided the perfect setting for athletes from two teams to have their names included among the greats of the game.
Pro beach volleyball returned to the South Bay in all its glory last weekend when the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series drew approximately 35,000 spectators to the Manhattan Beach Open – the first of three events produced by USA Volleyball and International Management Group (IMG).
With a jammed packed stadium, fans watching overhead from the pier and the enthusiastic voice of announcer Chris “Geeter” McGee booming from the sound system, the scene was reminiscent of the heydays of the AVP. Fans didn’t seem to mind that the top U.S. players were in the Netherlands playing against international competitors in attempts to qualify for next summer’s Olympic Games in London. They were watching the Olympic hopefuls of 2016.
“The crowd, the energy, the competition – we are thrilled and couldn’t have asked for a better event to kick off the series,” said James Leitz, IMG senior vice president. “We are very proud to have taken the first step to return the Manhattan Beach Open to its position as one of the top tournaments of the world.”
Although the top seeded teams prevailed, it was refreshing to see four new players win their first Manhattan Beach Open and earn the right to have their names etched on a plaque that will be forever displayed on the pier alongside past winners of the prestigious tournament.
Sean Scott (Redondo Beach) and John Hyden (Sherman Oaks) captured the men’s championship, winning their 11th title together and sixth of this year. The tandem split the $17,000 winning prize.
After eliminating third-seeds John Mayer/Matt Prosser 21-14, 21-18 in the semifinals, Scott and Hyden defeated the seventh-seeded team of Billy Allen (Venice) and Brad Keenan (Costa Mesa) 21-18, 21-13 to win their first Manhattan Beach Open.
Not only was it Allen’s first appearance in a tournament final, it was his first time playing with Keenan. The pair had only one practice before the tournament. Keenan had previously played in eight FIVB tournaments with Casey Patterson, who teamed with Casey Jennings (Hermosa Beach) last week for a 17th-place finish at The Hague, Netherlands.
“Because of IMG, USA Volleyball and Jose Cuervo, the fans, the stadium and whole event were just amazing. It really feels like beach volleyball is back,” said Scott. “It feels so good to come out on top when we’ve been second so many times before.”
Scott had reached the Manhattan Beach Open finals twice in 2007 with partner Dax Holdren and the following year with Nick Lucena.
Scott’s 2-year-old son Koa greeted his dad after the match which capped off a championship weekend for the family. Scott’s wife, fellow pro beach volleyball standout Rachel Wacholder, coached the women’s team to their first Manhattan Beach Open crown prior to the men’s final.
When the Jose Cuervo series returns Sept. 23-25 for its National Championship in Hermosa Beach, Scott could well be a father again. The couple’s second child, a girl, is due Sept. 20.
Top seeds Jenny Kropp (Hollyglen) and Whitney Pavlik (Laguna Beach) earned their plaque on the walk of fame with a 21-13, 22-20 victory over fifth-seeded Jennifer Fopma (Bellflower) and Tracy Jones (Huntington Beach). The win was their fourth championship in seven events this season.
Kropp and Pavlik eliminated second-seeded Kristen Batt (Venice) and Brooke Sweat (Estero, Fla.) 21-17, 21-18 to reach the championship match. Fopma and Jones defeated third-seeded Emily Day (Torrance) and Heather Hughes (Fallbrook) in the semifinals.
“We’ve been dreaming about this for a long time and we are so excited to win the Manhattan Beach Open,” Kropp said after accepting her plaque. “We wanted this so bad and to have our name on that pier.”
Pavlik added, “We lost last weekend (in Hermosa Beach) and didn’t want that feeling again. We’re at the Manhattan Beach Open so we wanted a fight, and Jennifer and Tracy definitely put up a fight. And now, our names are up there with the legends…that’s so cool!”
