Maximum Fitness held its Super Bowl Classic Squash Tournament over the weekend when 13 participants went head-to-head with their racquets for some great cash prizes and to get their names engraved on a trophy.
After two days of play, the competition was down to a group of four as the A and B Divisions Finals took over the squash courts on Saturday, Feb. 2.
Greg Connolly beat Dennis “Sly” Szalai in three straight games to take the B Final on Saturday, then later that afternoon friends Stephen Petrucci and Aaron Kieto competed for the A Division title.
With a good crowd watching from the gallery up top, the two long-time squash players went at it. Kieto took the lead early, winning the first two sets in the best-of-five match, but Petrucci fought back and eventually forced a fifth game.
Sweaty and panting, Kieto and Petrucci battled it out for one more set but it was Kieto who eventually pulled off the win.
“We play twice a week usually, me and him,” Kieto said about his battle with Petrucci. “It was back and forth, I got the good end of the stick [in the Final].”
“Of course you’re always [stressed] when you take it to the fifth game, but you just try to stay relaxed and give your best and let the chips fall where they may.”
Kieto, who has been playing squash for 15 years, went undefeated at the Super Bowl Classic. He added that if Petrucci won instead he’d be happy to buy him the beer, but luckily he didn’t.
“I get the beer,” he said laughing. “That’s the big thing for [Petrucci]. He’s buying.”
The squash tournament finished up with a big group supper on Saturday night, followed by a Super Bowl party on Sunday with a chili cookoff and silent auction. Up for grabs were items like Oilers paraphernalia and even a Brett and Bobby Hull autographed hockey stick.
Maximum Fitness will also be hosting a wallyball and racquetball tournament in the near future with details to come.
