Warsaw's Singles Players Still Perfect
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Andy Lewis unlatched the gate and strode onto the tennis court, his grin growing and pace quickening with each step he took. Once the coach reached his destination at the net, he gave Matt Kloser high fives. He gave him low fives.
Kloser made his first varsity start for Warsaw in a Tuesday match against Wawasee. Plugged into the third singles spot, he responded with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Andy Cole. His win was one of five for the Tigers, who blanked Wawasee 5-0 for their sixth win in a row.
Kloser won his match, yes, but he also kept a streak going. Warsaw singles players are unbeaten in their last five dual matches, making them a combined 15-0.
Clearly, Kloser was the guy Lewis was happy for and the guy he wanted to talk about. So moved by Kloser's gritty, gutty performance was Lewis that he broke into quotes by Miami Dolphins and ex-Dallas football coach Jimmy Johnson.
"As Jimmy Johnson would say," Lewis said, "how 'bout that Matt Kloser!"
Johnson's "How 'bout them Cowboys!" shout in the locker room after a Super Bowl win is now famous.
Kloser stepped in after No. 2 singles player Ryan Van Puffelen was forced to step out. Van Puffelen, who has lost only once this year, sliced his foot open earlier this week.
"Ryan probably could have played," Lewis said. "Instead, we had a senior leader step in and do an outstanding job for us.
"We thought he might step in and play some doubles this year, but our No. 2 doubles has done a nice job. Usually seniors don't play junior varsity. They get cut. But we kept him around because we knew we could use him.
"Usually you see a kid freeze in his first varsity match. He kept his feet moving, played smart, played aggressive and did a nice job."
Van Puffelen's loss forced Peter Anders to move from three to two singles. Anders has been undefeated in his third singles slot and now is unbeaten at two singles.
With Anders, Lewis knows two things are a given. His forehand shots are tough, and he can smash the ball. He zinged all kinds of missile shots at Steve Ummel in a 6-4, 6-2 win.
"Pete got down 4-3 against Steve," Lewis said. "When I called him over, he said, 'Coach, I'm going to win.'
"Pete has one gear. The points he loses, he will lose those to anyone. But the points he wins, he could beat Pete Sampras. (Warsaw No. 1 singles player) Craig (Harman) has beaten him in every single challenge match, but the thing that impresses me is, they have all gone to a tiebreaker."
Harman won as well, beating Ryan Perzanowski 7-5, 6-0. Warsaw's No. 1 doubles team of Dan Benyousky and Owen Compton held off a spirited challenge from Quyen Tran and Jared Mahnensmith, winning 6-4, 7-6. Warsaw's No. 2 doubles team of Eric Grossnickle and Matt Krizmanich, both sophomores, overcame an early emotional charge by Farhan Haq and Shane Beer, both seniors, to win 6-2, 6-4.
Warsaw won the junior varsity match 3-2.
Warsaw, 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference, hosts a 4:30 p.m. Thursday match with NorthWood.
Wawasee, 7-3 overall and 2-2 in the NLC, hosts a 4:30 p.m. Thursday match with Bremen.
All six matches in Warsaw's winning streak have been won by either 5-0 or 4-1 scores.
"Remember I said last week Huntington North had a decent team, and so does Wawasee," Lewis said. "We just have some real horses. Pete has come in this season and shored up our third singles, and that only makes our doubles teams stronger."
WARSAW 5, WAWASEE 0
Singles
No. 1 - Craig Harman (WAR) def. Ryan Perzanowski 7-5, 6-0
No. 2 - Peter Anders (WAR) def. Steve Ummel 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 - Matt Kloser (WAR) def. Andy Cole 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 - Dan Benyousky/Owen Compton (WAR) def. Quyen Tran/Jared Mahnensmith 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
No. 2 - Eric Grossnickle/Matt Krizmanich (WAR) def. Farhan Haq/Shane Beer 6-2, 6-4
JV: WARSAW 3, WAWASEE 2
Singles
No. 1 - Kyle Farrel (WAW) def. David Honneffer 8-2
No. 2 - Eric Keller (WAR) def. Kyle Hilgenberg 8-4
No. 3 - Blake Knisely (WAW) def. Ryan Dill 8-3
Doubles
No. 1 - Pete Hake/Ryan Kreager (WAR) def. Neil Higginbotham/Carter Ploszek 8-1
No. 2 - Travis Yoder/Rob Tidmore (WAR) def. Drew Gradle/R.J. Wilson 8-3 [[In-content Ad]]
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SYRACUSE - Andy Lewis unlatched the gate and strode onto the tennis court, his grin growing and pace quickening with each step he took. Once the coach reached his destination at the net, he gave Matt Kloser high fives. He gave him low fives.
Kloser made his first varsity start for Warsaw in a Tuesday match against Wawasee. Plugged into the third singles spot, he responded with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Andy Cole. His win was one of five for the Tigers, who blanked Wawasee 5-0 for their sixth win in a row.
Kloser won his match, yes, but he also kept a streak going. Warsaw singles players are unbeaten in their last five dual matches, making them a combined 15-0.
Clearly, Kloser was the guy Lewis was happy for and the guy he wanted to talk about. So moved by Kloser's gritty, gutty performance was Lewis that he broke into quotes by Miami Dolphins and ex-Dallas football coach Jimmy Johnson.
"As Jimmy Johnson would say," Lewis said, "how 'bout that Matt Kloser!"
Johnson's "How 'bout them Cowboys!" shout in the locker room after a Super Bowl win is now famous.
Kloser stepped in after No. 2 singles player Ryan Van Puffelen was forced to step out. Van Puffelen, who has lost only once this year, sliced his foot open earlier this week.
"Ryan probably could have played," Lewis said. "Instead, we had a senior leader step in and do an outstanding job for us.
"We thought he might step in and play some doubles this year, but our No. 2 doubles has done a nice job. Usually seniors don't play junior varsity. They get cut. But we kept him around because we knew we could use him.
"Usually you see a kid freeze in his first varsity match. He kept his feet moving, played smart, played aggressive and did a nice job."
Van Puffelen's loss forced Peter Anders to move from three to two singles. Anders has been undefeated in his third singles slot and now is unbeaten at two singles.
With Anders, Lewis knows two things are a given. His forehand shots are tough, and he can smash the ball. He zinged all kinds of missile shots at Steve Ummel in a 6-4, 6-2 win.
"Pete got down 4-3 against Steve," Lewis said. "When I called him over, he said, 'Coach, I'm going to win.'
"Pete has one gear. The points he loses, he will lose those to anyone. But the points he wins, he could beat Pete Sampras. (Warsaw No. 1 singles player) Craig (Harman) has beaten him in every single challenge match, but the thing that impresses me is, they have all gone to a tiebreaker."
Harman won as well, beating Ryan Perzanowski 7-5, 6-0. Warsaw's No. 1 doubles team of Dan Benyousky and Owen Compton held off a spirited challenge from Quyen Tran and Jared Mahnensmith, winning 6-4, 7-6. Warsaw's No. 2 doubles team of Eric Grossnickle and Matt Krizmanich, both sophomores, overcame an early emotional charge by Farhan Haq and Shane Beer, both seniors, to win 6-2, 6-4.
Warsaw won the junior varsity match 3-2.
Warsaw, 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference, hosts a 4:30 p.m. Thursday match with NorthWood.
Wawasee, 7-3 overall and 2-2 in the NLC, hosts a 4:30 p.m. Thursday match with Bremen.
All six matches in Warsaw's winning streak have been won by either 5-0 or 4-1 scores.
"Remember I said last week Huntington North had a decent team, and so does Wawasee," Lewis said. "We just have some real horses. Pete has come in this season and shored up our third singles, and that only makes our doubles teams stronger."
WARSAW 5, WAWASEE 0
Singles
No. 1 - Craig Harman (WAR) def. Ryan Perzanowski 7-5, 6-0
No. 2 - Peter Anders (WAR) def. Steve Ummel 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 - Matt Kloser (WAR) def. Andy Cole 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 - Dan Benyousky/Owen Compton (WAR) def. Quyen Tran/Jared Mahnensmith 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
No. 2 - Eric Grossnickle/Matt Krizmanich (WAR) def. Farhan Haq/Shane Beer 6-2, 6-4
JV: WARSAW 3, WAWASEE 2
Singles
No. 1 - Kyle Farrel (WAW) def. David Honneffer 8-2
No. 2 - Eric Keller (WAR) def. Kyle Hilgenberg 8-4
No. 3 - Blake Knisely (WAW) def. Ryan Dill 8-3
Doubles
No. 1 - Pete Hake/Ryan Kreager (WAR) def. Neil Higginbotham/Carter Ploszek 8-1
No. 2 - Travis Yoder/Rob Tidmore (WAR) def. Drew Gradle/R.J. Wilson 8-3 [[In-content Ad]]