Warsaw Netters Handle MarianWarsaw Community High School’s senior-laden boys tennis team looked like the group of veteran players it is Monday evening. Hosting the Marian Knights, the Tigers won all five varsity matches in straight sets. Warsaw also won the JV competition 5-0. No Marian player or doubles combo – either varsity or JV – won more than three games in a set. Veteran coach Rick Orban wondered how his team would respond to last week’s 3-2 loss at Penn, a match he said his team “should’ve won.” Orban got his answer Monday, and he was certainly pleased with it. “The match against Penn, on the way home we talked,” said Orban, whose team improved to 2-1 on the season Monday. “The next day at practice we talked about it. I think the guys believe they really should have won that match. I think it made them look at their season a little more seriously. They talked amongst themselves. I talked with them. “So, I was real interested to see how they would come out against Marian. I wanted to see if they would have that focus right from the beginning, and they did. I’m thrilled with the way they played tonight.” At No. 1 singles, junior Colton Lind defeated Cam Rafinski 6-1, 6-2. Senior Andrew Gauger was a 6-0, 6-1 winner over Evan Kovatch at No. 2 singles. And Senior David Homme beat Joshua Bussan 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3 singles. In No. 1 doubles action, Warsaw seniors Justin Stout and Ryan Wettschurack beat Michael Gray and Dominik Ratinslai 6-1, 6-3. At No. 2 doubles, the Warsaw duo of senior Hayden Steger and sophomore Spencer Britton defeated Michael Deranel and Aaron Jackson 6-0, 6-3. “Marian’s always got a solid team,” said Orban. “I know they’re not a real big team, but they’re always solid. I was thrilled to see us come out tonight and play our tennis, not our opponent’s tennis.” In JV action, Bailey Buhrt, Kyler Bartol, Caleb Williams and Nolan Knight won singles matches for the?Tigers. Reuben Williams and Ethan Hoff were winners in doubles play. The Tigers are in action again Thursday when they open Northern Lakes Conference play at Elkhart Memorial.
