Goshen Or No Goshen, Warsaw's Season Ends
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
DUNLAP - Warsaw boys tennis coach Andy Lewis said he was speechless after his team's 3-2 loss to Elkhart Central Tuesday in the Concord Regional.
While walking away from a small group of reporters all he could mumble was, "maybe one of these years."
The Tigers have lost in the regional round of the state tournament for six consecutive years. Other than last night's loss, the rest have come to Goshen. But Goshen wasn't there this year, and that's part of the reason Lewis was as disgruntled as he was.
On a normal basis, win or lose, Lewis is energetic and talkative. After falling to the Blue Blazers his answers, for the most part, were short. And he appeared stunned.
"I just feel really bad for the kids," said Lewis, who has won the sectional title in each of his years at Warsaw.
The No. 1 singles match was the first to be completed, and the Tigers took a quick 1-0 lead after Dan Benyousky dismantled Central's Peter Lee 6-1, 6-0.
Dan Benyousky came out ready to play," said Lewis. "He came out fired up. It came down to the fact that we came in 80 percent healthy as a team. And we almost pulled it off."
Central then picked up wins at No. 2 singles, where Ben Weiss topped Eric Keller 6-0, 6-2; and at the No. 1 doubles slot, where Cody Hawkins and Matt Tychan defeated Eric Grossnickle and Matt Krizmanich 6-1, 6-4, giving them a 2-1 match lead.
After Benyousky's win, the Tigers needed to win just two of the remaining matches. Now down 2-1 with just two matches still in progress, they still had to win two. And they won just one, at No. 3 singles, where senior Steve Slaughter won over John Walter by default.
At No. 2 doubles, what appeared to be one of the evening's two most exciting matches, Central's Adam Mendez and Justin Shreiner defeated Travis Yoder and David Honneffer in three sets, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. The last set, as the score may indicate, went back and forth and lasted for some time. In the end the Blue Blazers made key shots at key times.
Lewis said he was surprised that the Tigers lost both doubles matches.
"Number one doubles, they've lost two matches (9-2) all year," said Lewis. "And that was to Goshen and Homestead. Elkhart Central made some good shots. They made some good shots at key points, that was the difference."
Warsaw finishes the season with an 11-4 record. Elkhart Central (13-5) will play Fairfield (19-2) at 5 p.m. today for the regional championship. Fairfield defeated DeKalb 5-0 in last night's other semifinal.
Benyousky advanced to the individual regional championship. He will play at 10 a.m. Saturday at Concord High School.
ELKHART CENTRAL 3, WARSAW 2
Singles
No. 1 - Dan Benyousky (W) def. Peter Lee 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 - Ben Weiss (EC) def. Eric Keller 6-0, 6-2
No. 3 - Steve Slaughter (W) won by default over John Walter
Doubles
No. 1 - Cody Hawkins/Matt Tychan (EC) def. Eric Grossnickle/Matt Krizmanich 6-1, 6-4
No. 2 - Adam Mendez/Justin Shreiner (EC) def. Travis Yoder/David Honneffer 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 [[In-content Ad]]
DUNLAP - Warsaw boys tennis coach Andy Lewis said he was speechless after his team's 3-2 loss to Elkhart Central Tuesday in the Concord Regional.
While walking away from a small group of reporters all he could mumble was, "maybe one of these years."
The Tigers have lost in the regional round of the state tournament for six consecutive years. Other than last night's loss, the rest have come to Goshen. But Goshen wasn't there this year, and that's part of the reason Lewis was as disgruntled as he was.
On a normal basis, win or lose, Lewis is energetic and talkative. After falling to the Blue Blazers his answers, for the most part, were short. And he appeared stunned.
"I just feel really bad for the kids," said Lewis, who has won the sectional title in each of his years at Warsaw.
The No. 1 singles match was the first to be completed, and the Tigers took a quick 1-0 lead after Dan Benyousky dismantled Central's Peter Lee 6-1, 6-0.
Dan Benyousky came out ready to play," said Lewis. "He came out fired up. It came down to the fact that we came in 80 percent healthy as a team. And we almost pulled it off."
Central then picked up wins at No. 2 singles, where Ben Weiss topped Eric Keller 6-0, 6-2; and at the No. 1 doubles slot, where Cody Hawkins and Matt Tychan defeated Eric Grossnickle and Matt Krizmanich 6-1, 6-4, giving them a 2-1 match lead.
After Benyousky's win, the Tigers needed to win just two of the remaining matches. Now down 2-1 with just two matches still in progress, they still had to win two. And they won just one, at No. 3 singles, where senior Steve Slaughter won over John Walter by default.
At No. 2 doubles, what appeared to be one of the evening's two most exciting matches, Central's Adam Mendez and Justin Shreiner defeated Travis Yoder and David Honneffer in three sets, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. The last set, as the score may indicate, went back and forth and lasted for some time. In the end the Blue Blazers made key shots at key times.
Lewis said he was surprised that the Tigers lost both doubles matches.
"Number one doubles, they've lost two matches (9-2) all year," said Lewis. "And that was to Goshen and Homestead. Elkhart Central made some good shots. They made some good shots at key points, that was the difference."
Warsaw finishes the season with an 11-4 record. Elkhart Central (13-5) will play Fairfield (19-2) at 5 p.m. today for the regional championship. Fairfield defeated DeKalb 5-0 in last night's other semifinal.
Benyousky advanced to the individual regional championship. He will play at 10 a.m. Saturday at Concord High School.
ELKHART CENTRAL 3, WARSAW 2
Singles
No. 1 - Dan Benyousky (W) def. Peter Lee 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 - Ben Weiss (EC) def. Eric Keller 6-0, 6-2
No. 3 - Steve Slaughter (W) won by default over John Walter
Doubles
No. 1 - Cody Hawkins/Matt Tychan (EC) def. Eric Grossnickle/Matt Krizmanich 6-1, 6-4
No. 2 - Adam Mendez/Justin Shreiner (EC) def. Travis Yoder/David Honneffer 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 [[In-content Ad]]