Tigers Take Control Of NLC Tourney
DUNLAP – The Warsaw boys tennis team is sitting pretty in the Northern Lakes Conference Tournament.
The Tigers, who won the NLC regular-season tittle at a perfect 7-0, took command of the league tourney Thursday during second round action at Concord.
Warsaw won all five of its matches Thursday with four positions earning spots in their respective championship matches on Saturday.
Junior Evan Miller and senior Alek Jansen each posted singles wins for coach Rick Orban’s team to move into the finals. Miller rallied to defeat Josh Garfein of Northridge 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Jansen posted a 6-2, 7-5 win over Chirag Patel of Elkhart Memorial at No. 3 singles.
The Warsaw doubles teams also advanced to the finals with second round wins Thursday. The No. 1 team of senior AJ Herendeen and sophomore Sam Rice beat Skylar Buller and Sam Stegelmann of Goshen 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4. Warsaw’s No. 2 doubles duo of junior Will Petro and senior Connor Singrey defeated Tony Fenech and Jared Searer of Concord 6-1, 6-0.
Junior Kyle Wettschurack, Warsaw’s No. 1 singles player, topped Kyler Love of Wawasee 6-0, 6-0 Thursday. Wettschurack will play in the fifth place match on Saturday.
The Tigers, who beat Concord 3-2 Monday to claim the regular-season league title, are in complete control for Saturday’s finals. The host Minutemen have just position in a championship match Saturday as T Cunningham and Trevor Warren will play Herendeen and Rice in the final at No. 1 doubles.
Miller will face Spenser Gilbert of Memorial in the title match at No. 2 singles and Jansen plays John Hunter of Plymouth at No. 3. The Warsaw team of Petro and Singrey face Kameron Eisenhour and Ryan Johnson of Plymouth for the No. 2 doubles championship.
Wawasee’s lone winner Thursday was Chase Myers at No. 2 singles. Myers defeated Adam Bratten of Goshen 6-0, 7-6 (8-6).
The Warriors No. 3 singles player Todd Hauser lost 6-1, 6-1 to Jed Miller of Northridge. In doubles action, Elliott Denton and Trevor Tavallali of Memorial beat Isaac Rigdon and Dylan Hauser of Wawasee 6-4, 6-1 at No. 1 and the Northridge team of Eric Beck and Michael Eash topped Doug Hapner and Roz Kunkle of the Warriors 6-4, 6-0 at No. 2.
The final round is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Saturday at Concord. If inclement weather forces play to be moved indoors, only the fifth and seventh place matches will be contested on Saturday with the finals then rescheduled for Monday at Concord.