Elkins Brothers and Rejaei Are Golden at State Racquetball Championships

Palisades High sophomore Dane Elkins is one of the best racquetball players in the country in his age group – and that’s right-handed. Turns out, he may be even better left-handed after leading the Dolphins at the Southern California Championships in Simi Valley.

Pali High earned three gold medals and one silver at the state tournament thanks to Elkins and  his mixed doubles partner and fellow Pali High 10th-grader Atossa Rejaei.

Playing left-handed for the first time, Elkins won the 18 combined singles division, beating his Olympic partner and co-champion Rejaei 15-6, 15-1. Then he took second in the Boys 16s, beating five opponents to win his side of the bracket and beating Joshua Cohen 11-9, 10-11, 11-9 in the semifinals. Elkins, who broke his right wrist four weeks ago, beat 2013 USA National Indoor player Tommy Andraos (who competed at the world championships in Bolivia) in pool play before losing the rematch in the finals.

“Winning mixed (with Attosa) was the biggest feat because we beat a Team USA member and my ex-partner in a match we shouldn’t have won,” Elkins said.

Rejaei won the Girls 18s and 16s and played in the combined boys division.

Cody Elkins, Dane’s younger brother, won the Boys 10s (beating Richard Carrillo 11-4, 11-1 in the final) and knocked off five straight opponents before falling 15-6 to eventual champion Ian Dunn in the 12s division.

Dane has won two Junior Olympic nationals, Ektelon nationals 14s and 18s, a world outdoor champion and a three-time Team USA member. Last January, he captured titles in the 14s and 16s divisions at the California/Nevada Junior Racquetball State Championships in Reseda and he qualified for the  World Junior Championships in June by winning the 14s gold doubles division with partner Ricardo Diaz at the Wilson National Junior Olympic Championships in Denver.

Following in his brother’s footsteps, Cody Elkins, is the national  Ektelon 10-and-under champion  and took third in doubles at the Junior Olympics.

Rejaei has won several outdoor world junior titles, made the outdoor national team several times and is the reigning mixed doubles national 14-and-under champion with her partner Dane. She regularly competes in boys tournaments.