Depleted Tigers Down NorthWood
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
As the scoresheet from Thursday's Warsaw/NorthWood boys tennis match at Warsaw Community High School indicated, NorthWood won a battle, but Warsaw won the war.
The Tigers defeated their Northern Lakes Conference rivals 4-1, improving their overall season record to 7-2 and 3-1 in NLC play. NorthWood fell to 3-7 on the season.
The lone win for the Panthers came at the No. 2 doubles position, where Eric Reynolds and Matt Sitce edged Travis Yoder and Eric Keller 6-3, 6-3.
The Tigers were playing without No. 2 singles player Matt Krizmanich last night, who, Warsaw coach Andy Lewis said, has a slight tear in a ligament in his knee but will be back Saturday because he has to play the remainder of the season to be eligible for the postseason.
"Coming in tonight we were a little apprehensive about how we would face NorthWood without one of our top players," said Lewis, "knowing they beat Northridge, who beat us."
Krizmanich, a senior, was replaced in last night's match by sophomore Brad Simmons. Simmons defeated Chet Walters 7-5, 6-3 in what Lewis called the evening's most exciting match.
"Matt Krizmanich didn't play, he's usually No. 2 singles," said Lewis. "We're moving him down to No. 1 doubles, and we moved Brad (Simmons) to No. 1 singles and he's got a bad back. This was Brad's first varsity singles match. He went down 4-1, it wasn't that he wasn't playing well, he just wasn't finishing his shot. He won 7-5 and finished with an overhead slam."
Lewis went on to say that Simmon's match, the last one of the evening to conclude, was "the kind of match that puts a smile on a coach's face."
After moving to 3-1 in the conference with the win, Lewis said he thinks his Tigers are still in the conference race. Warsaw plays NLC rival Concord on Monday and defending NLC champion Goshen on Wednesday.
"Plymouth took Goshen to 3-2 and Northridge went 3-2 with Goshen, so I wouldn't put it past our kids to come out with a win," said Lewis. "This win puts us back in the race to win the conference knowing NorthWood had beat Northridge. This win tonight puts the hope in being able to win the conference."
Warsaw will play in the Homestead Invitational Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. The Warsaw junior varsity team, which defeated NorthWood 5-0 last night, will host its own tournament on Saturday.
WARSAW 4, NORTHWOOD 1
Singles
No. 1 -ÊDan Benyousky (W) def. Walt Fales 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 -ÊBrad Simmons (W) def. Chet Walters 7-5, 6-3
No. 3 -ÊSteve Slaughter (W) def. Keith Fishburn 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Eric Grossnickle & David Honnefer (W) def. Nick Abel & Spon Clem 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 -ÊMatt Sitek & Eric Reynonlds (NW) def. Travis Yoder & Eric Keller 6-3, 6-3
JV - Warsaw 5, NorthWood 0
Singles
No. 1 - Ryan Dill (W) def. Anthony McClurg 8-1
No. 2 - Jason Ladd (W) def. Ross Otis 8-1
No. 3 - Brandon Conley (W) def. Ben Bowers 8-1
Doubles
No. 1 - Colin Nicols & Kenneth Honnefer (W) def. Andy Shaw & Joel Richard 8-5
No. 2 - Sherwin Bajas & Adam Richardson (W) def. Andy Hostetler & Josh Bowers 8-1 [[In-content Ad]]
As the scoresheet from Thursday's Warsaw/NorthWood boys tennis match at Warsaw Community High School indicated, NorthWood won a battle, but Warsaw won the war.
The Tigers defeated their Northern Lakes Conference rivals 4-1, improving their overall season record to 7-2 and 3-1 in NLC play. NorthWood fell to 3-7 on the season.
The lone win for the Panthers came at the No. 2 doubles position, where Eric Reynolds and Matt Sitce edged Travis Yoder and Eric Keller 6-3, 6-3.
The Tigers were playing without No. 2 singles player Matt Krizmanich last night, who, Warsaw coach Andy Lewis said, has a slight tear in a ligament in his knee but will be back Saturday because he has to play the remainder of the season to be eligible for the postseason.
"Coming in tonight we were a little apprehensive about how we would face NorthWood without one of our top players," said Lewis, "knowing they beat Northridge, who beat us."
Krizmanich, a senior, was replaced in last night's match by sophomore Brad Simmons. Simmons defeated Chet Walters 7-5, 6-3 in what Lewis called the evening's most exciting match.
"Matt Krizmanich didn't play, he's usually No. 2 singles," said Lewis. "We're moving him down to No. 1 doubles, and we moved Brad (Simmons) to No. 1 singles and he's got a bad back. This was Brad's first varsity singles match. He went down 4-1, it wasn't that he wasn't playing well, he just wasn't finishing his shot. He won 7-5 and finished with an overhead slam."
Lewis went on to say that Simmon's match, the last one of the evening to conclude, was "the kind of match that puts a smile on a coach's face."
After moving to 3-1 in the conference with the win, Lewis said he thinks his Tigers are still in the conference race. Warsaw plays NLC rival Concord on Monday and defending NLC champion Goshen on Wednesday.
"Plymouth took Goshen to 3-2 and Northridge went 3-2 with Goshen, so I wouldn't put it past our kids to come out with a win," said Lewis. "This win puts us back in the race to win the conference knowing NorthWood had beat Northridge. This win tonight puts the hope in being able to win the conference."
Warsaw will play in the Homestead Invitational Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. The Warsaw junior varsity team, which defeated NorthWood 5-0 last night, will host its own tournament on Saturday.
WARSAW 4, NORTHWOOD 1
Singles
No. 1 -ÊDan Benyousky (W) def. Walt Fales 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 -ÊBrad Simmons (W) def. Chet Walters 7-5, 6-3
No. 3 -ÊSteve Slaughter (W) def. Keith Fishburn 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Eric Grossnickle & David Honnefer (W) def. Nick Abel & Spon Clem 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 -ÊMatt Sitek & Eric Reynonlds (NW) def. Travis Yoder & Eric Keller 6-3, 6-3
JV - Warsaw 5, NorthWood 0
Singles
No. 1 - Ryan Dill (W) def. Anthony McClurg 8-1
No. 2 - Jason Ladd (W) def. Ross Otis 8-1
No. 3 - Brandon Conley (W) def. Ben Bowers 8-1
Doubles
No. 1 - Colin Nicols & Kenneth Honnefer (W) def. Andy Shaw & Joel Richard 8-5
No. 2 - Sherwin Bajas & Adam Richardson (W) def. Andy Hostetler & Josh Bowers 8-1 [[In-content Ad]]