Doubles lift St. Charles N. over Batavia
After a series of one-sided matches, the boys tennis match between host Batavia and St. Charles North came down to a final epic showdown.
But after a mentally exhausting and grueling second doubles match lasting two and half hours, the Upstate Eight Conference River Division tilt was finally decided when the North Stars’ tandem of Bobby Dunteman and Grant Spellman outlasted the Batavia duo of Alek Mizaker and Jeff Gorden in three sets.
Spellman served the match-winner to conclude the last of 6 straight victorious games and give the North Stars a 4-3 victory Thursday in Batavia with the 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 triumph.
“It was nice having the whole team behind us,” sophomore Spellman said as the match was concluded long after the other six matches had finished.
The North Stars’ partnership, which broke serve en route to deny the Bulldogs the overall match and force a decisive third set, captured the final 6 games after falling into a 3-0 rut to start the final set.
“We were able to rally around each other and build the momentum throughout the (final) set,” Dunteman said.
The North Stars improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in league play with their victory, which included winning all four doubles matches after Batavia (7-4, 2-1) swept the singles portion of the dual meet.
The two coaches had similar outlooks on the overall tenor of the match.
“(St. Charles North coach) Sean (Masoncup), who is in kind of a rebuilding year, set up his strength in doubles,” Batavia coach Bob Kummer said. “It’s working.”
“That’s how I coach,” Masoncup said. “We decided to put our big guns in doubles and sweep the doubles. That’s our goal in every (dual) match.”
On the other hand, Batavia relies on its undefeated top-two singles players to get early, not to mention, inexpensive wins.
Three-time state qualifier Josh Cogan, a Washington University (St. Louis) recruit, and Ryan Sterling, the Bulldogs’ No. 2 singles player, extended their season-long unbeaten streak to 13 matches with dominant wins.
The duo dropped only 3 games combined in recording a 6-love win in each set.
“I think I am playing very well,” Cogan said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. I was serving very well, hitting my spots. My velocity was up there.”
Freshman Adam Maris’ 6-1, 6-3 victory at third singles provided what proved to be the Bulldogs’ final win.
Danny Oakes’ odyssey for a fourth straight state appearance resumed with an equally fourth different partner for St. Charles North.
The Valparaiso-bound Oakes and Dom Amalraj did not drop a game in launching the North Stars’ comeback at first doubles with a straight-sets 6-0, 6-0 victory.
“We need to build around (Oakes),” Masoncup said.
The North Stars’ all-senior duo of Eli McCray and Eric Pashan had few problems at third doubles, and the No. 4 tandem of Cam Staroske and Mitch Riggs set the table for a dramatic final match at second doubles with consecutive wins at 6-2.