Lynx snare four state consolation tennis titles
May 25, 2011The Lynx boy’s tennis team accomplished a pre-season goal at this year’s state tournament by placing 10th in the 21-team event played last week in Sioux Falls. The placing was the result of Brandon Valley claiming four consolation titles – two in singles and two in doubles.
“Our overall goal to start the year was to get in the top 10,” said Lynx head coach Mark Schlekeway. “To get into the top 10 is not easy to do, but we did it as a team.”
After struggling at the Eastern South Dakota Conference meet a week earlier, Schlekeway said the Lynx boys responded well at state. He said the team, unable to close out tight matches at ESD, played their best tennis of the year to close out matches in their favor.
“It seemed like every tight match we were in, we were able to win,” Schlekeway said. The Lynx positioned themselves to contend for six consolation titles, coming away with four wins.
Brandon Valley’s first consolation title was secured by junior Drew Peterson (No. 4 singles), who held on to take the title match from Aberdeen Roncalli’s Matt Falk. Peterson won 8-6.
Peterson was also half of the No. 2 doubles team that claimed a consolation title. Peterson and counterpart Ryan Johnston, also a junior, defeated Monson/Zikmund of Aberdeen Roncalli, 8-2.
Johnston also reached the consolation title match in No. 5 singles but was blanked 8-0 by Yankton’s Chance Sorenson.
Freshman Drake Van Egdom was crowned the flight 6 consolation champ. Once Van Egdom advanced to consolation play, the Lynx freshman took charge of his next three matches, defeating Madison’s Caleb Hawkes and St. Thomas More’s Kyle Bissinger both by 8-0 margins. In the title match, Van Egdom made quick work of Wartertown’s Tyler Hegge, handing him an 8-2 loss.
Van Egdom also won a consolation title in doubles play with teammate Billy Trevillyan. The Lynx duo opened the tournament with 6-2, 6-1 victories over St. Thomas More’s Amiotte/Eckrik, then fell to Washington’s Schroeder and Zastrow 6-0, 6-1.
That set the stage for their run through the consolation bracket, where they sidelined duos from Vermillion and Huron en route to the title match. In that match, Trevillyan and Van Egdom fended off Yankton’s Sorenson and Jensen to pull off the 9-7 victory.
Schlekeway was pleased with the effort from the team’s two youngest members. “Billy and Drake played almost older than the years they are,” Schlekeway said. “When you look at those two, they really had a heck of a tournament.”
able to win,” Schlekeway said. The Lynx positioned themselves to contend for six consolation titles, coming away with four wins.
Brandon Valley’s first consolation title was secured by junior Drew Peterson (No. 4 singles), who held on to take the title match from Aberdeen Roncalli’s Matt Falk. Peterson won 8-6.
Peterson was also half of the No. 2 doubles team that claimed a consolation title. Peterson and counterpart Ryan Johnston, also a junior, defeated Monson/Zikmund of Aberdeen Roncalli, 8-2.
Johnston also reached the consolation title match in No. 5 singles, but was blanked 8-0 by Yankton’s Chance Sorenson.
Freshman Drake Van Egdom was crowned the flight 6 consolation champ. Once Van Egdom advanced to consolation play, the Lynx freshman took charge of his next three matches, defeating Madison’s Caleb Hawkes and St. Thomas More’s Kyle Bissinger both by 8-0 margins. In the title match,Van Egdom made quick work of Wartertown’s Tyler Hegge, handing him an 8-2 loss.
Van Egdom also won a consolation title in doubles play with teammate Billy Trevillyan. The Lynx duo opened the tournament with 6-2, 6-1 victories over St. Thomas More’s Amiotte/Eckrik, then fell to Washington’s Schroeder and Zastrow 6-0, 6-1.
That set the stage for their run through consolation bracket, where they sidelined duos from Vermillion and Huron en route to the title match. In that match, Trevillyan and Van Egdom fended off Yankton’s Sorenson and Jensen to pull off the 9-7 victory.
Schlekeway was pleased with the effort from the team’s two youngest members. “Billy and Drake played almost older than the years they are,” Schlekeway said. “When you look at those two, they really had a heck of a tournament.”
Elliot Blue, who fills the No. 1 singles slot for the Lynx, was eliminated after two matches.
“Elliot was the most disappointed with how he finished at state,” Schlekeway said. “But he needs to understand he’s getting the top gun every time out.”
With 70 percent of the flight 1 singles players being a senior that opens the door for Blue next season.
“This has probably been one of the most skilled and decorated flights in South Dakota,” Schlekeway said.
O’Gorman routed the competition, winning the team title by more than 200 points. Sioux Falls Washington and Lincoln were second and third, respectively.
The 2012 team title may be up for grabs. Schlekeway said O’Gorman’s No. 1 and 2 singles players graduate this year, and their No. 3 player, is a foreign exchange student.
“Sioux Falls Washington didn’t lose anybody, so they’ll definitely be favored next year,” he said.
As for the Lynx, who didn’t list a senior on the roster, return next season with the bulk of their lineup. Missing from that lineup will be Johnston, whose family is relocating to Texas.
“Next year, with how well we finished this year, we should be able to make a big jump,” Schlekeway said.
Team scores:
S.F. O’Gorman 770, Washington 558, Lincoln 500.5, Rapid City Stevens 458, Pierre 368, Watertown 360, Aberdeen Central 287.5, Roosevelt 280, Mitchell 279, Brandon Valley 241, Aberdeen Roncalli 221, Huron 209.5, Rapid City Central 189, Brookings 141, Yankton 128, Madison 121, St. Thomas More/Rapid City Christian 102, Spearfish 41, Vermillion 41, Milbank 31, Sturgis 14.
Lynx results:
Singles – Flight 1: Tyler Isackson (Hur) def. Elliot Blue (BV) 6-3, 6-1; Brett Lorenz (AC) def. Blue 8-2.
Flight 2: Mack Driscoll (BV) bye; Driscoll def. Kevin Reedstrom (Mil) 6-1, 6-0; Elliott Czarnecki (O’G) 6-1, 6-0; Dobby O’Donnell (SFW) def. Driscoll 8-1.
Flight 3: Billy Trevillyan (BV) def. Jacob Leighton (Mad) 6-0, 6-1; Scott Miller (SFW) def. Trevillyan 6-1, 6-3; Consolation - Trevillyan – bye; Trevillyan def. Michael Ronayne (AbR) 9-8(7); Trevillyan def. Taylor Moore (Mit) 8-5; Consolation championship – Brendon Amiotte (StM) def. Trevillyan 8-4.
Flight 4: Drew Peterson (BV) def. Camden Riazola (Ver) 6-2, 6-4; Joey Crompton (AC) def. Peterson 7-5, 6-4; Consolation – Peterson def. Wyatt Kurtz (Mil) 8-5; Peterson def. Tate Crago (Mit) 8-5; Peterson def. Logan Meyer (Hur) 8-2; Consolation championship – Peterson def. Matt Falk (AbR) 8-6.
Flight 5: Ryan Johnston (BV) def. Baylor Dobbs (Brook) 6-0, 6-1; Chuck Tang (RCS) def. Johnston 6-0, 6-2; Consolation – Johnston – bye; Johnston def. Tanner Johnson (Pie) 8-3; Johnston def. Tommy Nealon (Wat) 8-6; Consolation championship - Chance Sorenson (Yan) def. Johnston 8-0.
Flight 6: Drake Van Egdom (BV) def. Alex Zikmund (AC) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0(9); Dylan Zastrow (SFW) def. Van Egdom 6-4, 6-4; Consolation - Van Egdom – bye; Van Egdom def. Caleb Hawkes (Mad) 8-0; Van Egdom def. Kyle Bissinger (StM) 8-0; Consolation championship – Van Egdom def. Tyler Hegge (Wat) 8-2.
Doubles – Flight 1: Sieck/Tibbles (RCS) def. Blue/Driscoll (BV) 6-2, 6-4; Consolation - Blue/Driscoll def. Isackson/Wever (Hur) 8-2; Cherry/Fenske (RCC) def. Blue/Driscoll 8-2.
Flight 2: D. Peterson/R. Johnston (BV) def. Grajczyk/Kurtz (Mil) 6-3, 6-2; Ellenbecker/Smith (Pie) def. Peterson/Johnston 6-0, 3-6, 1-0(8); Consolation – Peterson/Johnston def. Lai/Dunkle (Brook) 8-2; Peterson/Johnston def. Glissendorf/Duffy (StM) 8-6; Consolation championship – Peterson/Johnston def. Monson/Zikmund (AbR) 8-2.
Flight 3: B. Trevillyan/D. Van Egdom (BV) def. Amiotte/Eckrick (StM) 6-2, 6-1; Schroeder/Zastrow (SFW) def. Trevillyan/Van Egdom 6-0, 6-1; Consolation - Trevillyan/Van Egdom – bye; Trevillyan/Van Egdom def. May/Osborne (Ver) 8-6; Trevillyan/Van Egdom def. Jungemann/Fraser (Hur) 9-8(3); Consolation championship - Trevillyan/Van Egdom def. Sorenson/Jensen (Yan) 9-7.