Tiger Tennis Beats Columbia City For 7th Straight Sectional Title
October 1, 2018 at 4:37 p.m.
Tiger Tennis Beats Columbia City For 7th Straight Sectional Title
By Aaron [email protected]
The Warsaw boys tennis team won its seventh straight sectional title with a 4-1 win over Columbia City Saturday in a home title match.
“I was very proud of them,” said Warsaw coach Stacy Lind. “They came in, they took themselves seriously, they were focused and mentally tough, and played very, very well (Saturday).”
The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 match lead on the play of No. 3 singles player Brian Elliott and the No. 1 doubles team of Nolan Knight and Spencer Britton.
Elliott breezed to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Columbia City’s Jordan Lee, while Knight and Britton earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory over the Eagles’ Logan Campbell and Jackson Longenbaugh.
The match was decided by the play of Warsaw’s Jarret Orr and Michael Ray at No. 2 doubles.
Orr and Ray faced Columbia City’s Jacob Ianucilli and David Kyler.
The Tigers won 6-3 in the first set before dropping the second 6-3.
They stayed focused and won the third set, also by the score of 6-3, to seal the sectional championship for the Tigers.
“No. 2 (doubles) finishing that out and getting that third win, it just kind of took a little bit of pressure off my singles players,” Lind said. “But, they still went out and performed, and played great.”
Perform, they did.
No. 1 singles player Caleb Williams and No. 2 singles player Reuben Williams put on spectacular shows in what was, as seniors, their last home match.
Caleb Williams and Columbia City’s Kendall Smith traded leads three times in the first set before Williams pulled out a 7-5 win. He carried that momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead.
Smith was not to be denied. He played aggressively to win six straight games to carry the match into a third set.
Knowing that his team had already won the match eased Williams’ mind after a frustrating second set.
“It happens all the time, and I just have to calm down and relax a little bit,” Williams said.
After a talk with Lind, Williams returned for the third set a focused and determined player.
He pulled off a thrilling, 7-5 victory to claim the match. It was a performance that capped off a strong sectional for Williams after regular-season struggles.
He said he went into the sectional with something to prove, and credited others with helping him redeem himself.
“Just my team, coach (Lind), my family kind of supporting me there and really lifting me up when it mattered,” he said.
Reuben Williams battled against Columbia City’s Eli Jones. Williams took the first set 6-4, before dropping a close second set 6-7 (6-7), and losing 6-3 in Set 3.
Columbia City coach Chris McGehee was impressed with the Eagles’ play against the perennial sectional champions.
“To take three of the five to the third set against a solid Warsaw program was, you don’t want to say a win, but it’s a way to earn respect,” McGehee said. “Having a shot to win three of the five and (a shot to) advance and win a sectional is a huge step.”
The Tigers’ sectional-title streak of seven championships is the 12th longest active boys tennis sectional streak in the state.
However, rather than resting on the Warsaw’s laurels, Lind acknowledged the Tigers will have to step up its play in the regional.
“They were mentally focused, but to get to Culver and have a different type of competition, they need to be ready,” she said.
Warsaw will play Peru, winner of its own sectional, Tuesday at the Culver Academies Regional.
WARSAW 4, COLUMBIA CITY 1
Singles: No. 1 – Caleb Williams (W) def. Kendall Smith (CC) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5; No. 2 – Eli Jones (CC) def. Reuben Williams (W) 6-4, 6-7 (6-7), 6-3; No. 3 – Brian Elliott (W) def. Jordan Lee (CC) 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles: No. 1 – Spencer Britton & Nolan Knight (W) def. Logan Campbell & Jackson Longenbaugh (CC) 6-1, 6-2; No. 2 – Jarret Orr & Michael Ray (W) def. Jacob Ianucilli & David Kyler (CC) 6-3, 6-3.
The Warsaw boys tennis team won its seventh straight sectional title with a 4-1 win over Columbia City Saturday in a home title match.
“I was very proud of them,” said Warsaw coach Stacy Lind. “They came in, they took themselves seriously, they were focused and mentally tough, and played very, very well (Saturday).”
The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 match lead on the play of No. 3 singles player Brian Elliott and the No. 1 doubles team of Nolan Knight and Spencer Britton.
Elliott breezed to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Columbia City’s Jordan Lee, while Knight and Britton earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory over the Eagles’ Logan Campbell and Jackson Longenbaugh.
The match was decided by the play of Warsaw’s Jarret Orr and Michael Ray at No. 2 doubles.
Orr and Ray faced Columbia City’s Jacob Ianucilli and David Kyler.
The Tigers won 6-3 in the first set before dropping the second 6-3.
They stayed focused and won the third set, also by the score of 6-3, to seal the sectional championship for the Tigers.
“No. 2 (doubles) finishing that out and getting that third win, it just kind of took a little bit of pressure off my singles players,” Lind said. “But, they still went out and performed, and played great.”
Perform, they did.
No. 1 singles player Caleb Williams and No. 2 singles player Reuben Williams put on spectacular shows in what was, as seniors, their last home match.
Caleb Williams and Columbia City’s Kendall Smith traded leads three times in the first set before Williams pulled out a 7-5 win. He carried that momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead.
Smith was not to be denied. He played aggressively to win six straight games to carry the match into a third set.
Knowing that his team had already won the match eased Williams’ mind after a frustrating second set.
“It happens all the time, and I just have to calm down and relax a little bit,” Williams said.
After a talk with Lind, Williams returned for the third set a focused and determined player.
He pulled off a thrilling, 7-5 victory to claim the match. It was a performance that capped off a strong sectional for Williams after regular-season struggles.
He said he went into the sectional with something to prove, and credited others with helping him redeem himself.
“Just my team, coach (Lind), my family kind of supporting me there and really lifting me up when it mattered,” he said.
Reuben Williams battled against Columbia City’s Eli Jones. Williams took the first set 6-4, before dropping a close second set 6-7 (6-7), and losing 6-3 in Set 3.
Columbia City coach Chris McGehee was impressed with the Eagles’ play against the perennial sectional champions.
“To take three of the five to the third set against a solid Warsaw program was, you don’t want to say a win, but it’s a way to earn respect,” McGehee said. “Having a shot to win three of the five and (a shot to) advance and win a sectional is a huge step.”
The Tigers’ sectional-title streak of seven championships is the 12th longest active boys tennis sectional streak in the state.
However, rather than resting on the Warsaw’s laurels, Lind acknowledged the Tigers will have to step up its play in the regional.
“They were mentally focused, but to get to Culver and have a different type of competition, they need to be ready,” she said.
Warsaw will play Peru, winner of its own sectional, Tuesday at the Culver Academies Regional.
WARSAW 4, COLUMBIA CITY 1
Singles: No. 1 – Caleb Williams (W) def. Kendall Smith (CC) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5; No. 2 – Eli Jones (CC) def. Reuben Williams (W) 6-4, 6-7 (6-7), 6-3; No. 3 – Brian Elliott (W) def. Jordan Lee (CC) 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles: No. 1 – Spencer Britton & Nolan Knight (W) def. Logan Campbell & Jackson Longenbaugh (CC) 6-1, 6-2; No. 2 – Jarret Orr & Michael Ray (W) def. Jacob Ianucilli & David Kyler (CC) 6-3, 6-3.
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