Tigers Solve Redskins' Riddle
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
GOSHEN - After seven matches and four years of futility, of course the tennis match came down to this.
One ball brushing over the top of the net for one point. That's what it came down to.
Thanks to that crucial point by singles player Peter Anders, the Warsaw Tigers beat Goshen 3-2 on Wednesday to stop their 0-7 skid the last four years against the Redskins.
It's not the shoes, it's the clothes.
"Seven times in a row we had lost, but this is the first time where we came in as the favored team," Warsaw coach Andy Lewis said. "I wore jeans. I never wear jeans. I have one pair and wore them today. I thought I'd try something different."
He wasn't the only one who changed. Assistant coach Tim Haines, who "never wears ties" to matches, wore a tie for the first time.
The win gave Warsaw control in the Northern Lakes Conference. The Tigers are 11-1 overall and 6-0 in the NLC, while Goshen is 13-1 overall and 5-1 in the NLC. The teams still have to play in the NLC Tournament this weekend. If the Tigers win that, they will win the NLC title outright.
Superstitions aside, it wasn't easy. The two stubborn teams plugged away for three hours. Nothing new there. Goshen and Warsaw hammering away at each other for three hours is one of those unwritten rules.
And in those three hours, one shot that nicked the net was the difference between Warsaw winning and Goshen losing.
That's how close this match was.
Anders, Warsaw's No. 3 singles player who is undefeated in dual matches, lost his first set 7-6 to Chris Manhart and trailed his second 5-2. Manhart was one point away from making Anders grab some bench.
He never got that point.
Anders' ball hit the net and rolled over. Anders won the point and went on to win the second set 7-5 to force a third set. Anders quickly fell behind 4-1 in the third set. Anders was clutch again. He won 6-4.
"If someone tells you one point doesn't mean anything, well, here's a case of a kid showing heart and digging his way out of his grave and into the win column," Lewis said.
"(Manhart) did a nice job of keeping the ball in play. Pete played well except for his approaches, when he kept dumping the ball into the net. I told Pete to come in and make sure his approach shot got in. He missed only a couple after that chat."
The two played on after everyone else had finished, so Anders' win clinched Warsaw's 3-2 win. When Anders won, his teammates charged onto the court and held an impromptu parade. They mobbed Anders then lifted him up on their shoulders for a victory lap.
Goshen assistant Doug Gossman, who has coached with Lewis in the past, agreed with Lewis.
"(Manhart) had two match points," Gossman said. "Then there was that great let shot that had no chance of being returned.
"Pete did a nice job down 4-1. Our guy didn't do anything to lose the match, but Pete did everything to win it."
One week ago Lewis predicted confidently his team would win two and three singles and one doubles at Goshen. Put 'em on the board.
Hey, this is Goshen and Warsaw. Of course it didn't work that way.
Warsaw didn't win No. 1 doubles, but the Tigers won No. 1 singles.
And here's what Craig Harman overcame to do that. He played Adam Scharf, the same guy he met two years ago as a sophomore when both played No. 3 singles.
Harman remembers those well. He was as successful as the Buffalo Bills on Super Bowl Sunday. He played Scharf three times. He lost all three. More than once was Harman left to sit on the court with a towel wrapped over his head, contemplating another frustrating loss to Scharf in an exhausting three-hour match.
Two years later they met again as No. 1 singles players.
No change. Scharf bullied Harman around and wrapped up a tidy 6-0 win in the first set. The kid who owned Harman two years ago seemingly owned him again.
One set down, one to go.
Correction. One down, two to go.
Harman shook off whatever shackles Scharf had him tied up in. Harman followed his 6-0 loss with 6-3, 6-4 wins.
"The last time they played, Scharf beat Harman at the regional 7-6 in the third set," Lewis said. "That was the difference between Harman going to semistate and Harman going home.
"Craig lost his first set 6-0. I told him he let Scharf dictate the points. I told him to get the ball back to the middle of the court and let him make mistakes. The next thing you know, Craig beat him on a backhand down the line winner."
Ryan Van Puffelen was steady as ever in his second singles slot. Lewis predicted a win for him, and he followed through, beating Josh Kurtz 6-4, 6-4.
Losing both doubles matches was a minor concern for Lewis.
Luke Jordan and Phil Bowser beat Dan Benyousky and Owen Compton 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in the No. 1 doubles match. Matt Shively and David Harms downed Eric Grossnickle and Matt Krizmanich 6-4, 6-3 in the No. 2 doubles match.
"We have work to do with our doubles teams," Lewis said. "I really felt we could have won both doubles teams matches."
At the same time, Lewis was optimistic. If Goshen and Warsaw meet in the regional, he still believes he will get at least one doubles team to win then.
If. Goshen. Regional. Even last night, Lewis was cautiously eyeing the future.
"We know it isn't over," Lewis said. "We're trying to keep calm now, because we know we will probably face Goshen again in the regional. The regional will be another dogfight."
WARSAW 3, GOSHEN 2
Singles
No. 1 - Craig Harman (WAR) def. Adam Scharf 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Ryan Van Puffelen (WAR) def. Josh Kurtz 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 - Peter Anders (WAR) def. Chris Manhart 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 - Luke Jordan/Phil Bowser (GOS) def. Dan Benyousky/Owen Compton 6-3, 2-6, 6-1
No. 2 - Matt Shively/David Harms (GOS) def. Eric Grossnickle/Matt Krizmanich 6-4, 6-3
Records: Warsaw 11-1, 6-0 NLC; Goshen 13-1, 5-1 NLC
JV: GOSHEN 3, WARSAW 2
Singles
No. 1 - Chad Zepeda (GOS) def. Ryan Kreager 7-5
No. 2 - Pete Hake (WAR) def. Bradd Weddell 7-5
No. 3 - Michael Weaver (GOS) def. Ryan Dill 6-1
Doubles
No. 1 - Raghu Betina/Kyle Weldy (GOS) def. Eric Keller/David Honneffer 6-0
No. 2 - Rob Tidmore/Travis Yoder (WAR) def. Chris Copenhauer/Miguel Muller 6-2
Records: Warsaw 8-4; Goshen not available [[In-content Ad]]
GOSHEN - After seven matches and four years of futility, of course the tennis match came down to this.
One ball brushing over the top of the net for one point. That's what it came down to.
Thanks to that crucial point by singles player Peter Anders, the Warsaw Tigers beat Goshen 3-2 on Wednesday to stop their 0-7 skid the last four years against the Redskins.
It's not the shoes, it's the clothes.
"Seven times in a row we had lost, but this is the first time where we came in as the favored team," Warsaw coach Andy Lewis said. "I wore jeans. I never wear jeans. I have one pair and wore them today. I thought I'd try something different."
He wasn't the only one who changed. Assistant coach Tim Haines, who "never wears ties" to matches, wore a tie for the first time.
The win gave Warsaw control in the Northern Lakes Conference. The Tigers are 11-1 overall and 6-0 in the NLC, while Goshen is 13-1 overall and 5-1 in the NLC. The teams still have to play in the NLC Tournament this weekend. If the Tigers win that, they will win the NLC title outright.
Superstitions aside, it wasn't easy. The two stubborn teams plugged away for three hours. Nothing new there. Goshen and Warsaw hammering away at each other for three hours is one of those unwritten rules.
And in those three hours, one shot that nicked the net was the difference between Warsaw winning and Goshen losing.
That's how close this match was.
Anders, Warsaw's No. 3 singles player who is undefeated in dual matches, lost his first set 7-6 to Chris Manhart and trailed his second 5-2. Manhart was one point away from making Anders grab some bench.
He never got that point.
Anders' ball hit the net and rolled over. Anders won the point and went on to win the second set 7-5 to force a third set. Anders quickly fell behind 4-1 in the third set. Anders was clutch again. He won 6-4.
"If someone tells you one point doesn't mean anything, well, here's a case of a kid showing heart and digging his way out of his grave and into the win column," Lewis said.
"(Manhart) did a nice job of keeping the ball in play. Pete played well except for his approaches, when he kept dumping the ball into the net. I told Pete to come in and make sure his approach shot got in. He missed only a couple after that chat."
The two played on after everyone else had finished, so Anders' win clinched Warsaw's 3-2 win. When Anders won, his teammates charged onto the court and held an impromptu parade. They mobbed Anders then lifted him up on their shoulders for a victory lap.
Goshen assistant Doug Gossman, who has coached with Lewis in the past, agreed with Lewis.
"(Manhart) had two match points," Gossman said. "Then there was that great let shot that had no chance of being returned.
"Pete did a nice job down 4-1. Our guy didn't do anything to lose the match, but Pete did everything to win it."
One week ago Lewis predicted confidently his team would win two and three singles and one doubles at Goshen. Put 'em on the board.
Hey, this is Goshen and Warsaw. Of course it didn't work that way.
Warsaw didn't win No. 1 doubles, but the Tigers won No. 1 singles.
And here's what Craig Harman overcame to do that. He played Adam Scharf, the same guy he met two years ago as a sophomore when both played No. 3 singles.
Harman remembers those well. He was as successful as the Buffalo Bills on Super Bowl Sunday. He played Scharf three times. He lost all three. More than once was Harman left to sit on the court with a towel wrapped over his head, contemplating another frustrating loss to Scharf in an exhausting three-hour match.
Two years later they met again as No. 1 singles players.
No change. Scharf bullied Harman around and wrapped up a tidy 6-0 win in the first set. The kid who owned Harman two years ago seemingly owned him again.
One set down, one to go.
Correction. One down, two to go.
Harman shook off whatever shackles Scharf had him tied up in. Harman followed his 6-0 loss with 6-3, 6-4 wins.
"The last time they played, Scharf beat Harman at the regional 7-6 in the third set," Lewis said. "That was the difference between Harman going to semistate and Harman going home.
"Craig lost his first set 6-0. I told him he let Scharf dictate the points. I told him to get the ball back to the middle of the court and let him make mistakes. The next thing you know, Craig beat him on a backhand down the line winner."
Ryan Van Puffelen was steady as ever in his second singles slot. Lewis predicted a win for him, and he followed through, beating Josh Kurtz 6-4, 6-4.
Losing both doubles matches was a minor concern for Lewis.
Luke Jordan and Phil Bowser beat Dan Benyousky and Owen Compton 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in the No. 1 doubles match. Matt Shively and David Harms downed Eric Grossnickle and Matt Krizmanich 6-4, 6-3 in the No. 2 doubles match.
"We have work to do with our doubles teams," Lewis said. "I really felt we could have won both doubles teams matches."
At the same time, Lewis was optimistic. If Goshen and Warsaw meet in the regional, he still believes he will get at least one doubles team to win then.
If. Goshen. Regional. Even last night, Lewis was cautiously eyeing the future.
"We know it isn't over," Lewis said. "We're trying to keep calm now, because we know we will probably face Goshen again in the regional. The regional will be another dogfight."
WARSAW 3, GOSHEN 2
Singles
No. 1 - Craig Harman (WAR) def. Adam Scharf 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Ryan Van Puffelen (WAR) def. Josh Kurtz 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 - Peter Anders (WAR) def. Chris Manhart 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 - Luke Jordan/Phil Bowser (GOS) def. Dan Benyousky/Owen Compton 6-3, 2-6, 6-1
No. 2 - Matt Shively/David Harms (GOS) def. Eric Grossnickle/Matt Krizmanich 6-4, 6-3
Records: Warsaw 11-1, 6-0 NLC; Goshen 13-1, 5-1 NLC
JV: GOSHEN 3, WARSAW 2
Singles
No. 1 - Chad Zepeda (GOS) def. Ryan Kreager 7-5
No. 2 - Pete Hake (WAR) def. Bradd Weddell 7-5
No. 3 - Michael Weaver (GOS) def. Ryan Dill 6-1
Doubles
No. 1 - Raghu Betina/Kyle Weldy (GOS) def. Eric Keller/David Honneffer 6-0
No. 2 - Rob Tidmore/Travis Yoder (WAR) def. Chris Copenhauer/Miguel Muller 6-2
Records: Warsaw 8-4; Goshen not available [[In-content Ad]]