Posted: May 25, 2010 |(0) Comments

Not taking anything for granted, the Homestead boys tennis team won five of seven flights and easily defended its North Shore Conference title Friday.

"Oh absolutely not, we really appreciate the level of competition we get here," Highlanders coach Jackie Egelhoff said. "It's good competition that's helped us mature and helped us stay focused."

The Highlanders finished ahead of second place Nicolet, which won the other two flights and third place Whitefish Bay, which was led by first singles runner-up Jack Larsen.

"That's just a good team we lost to," said Nicolet coach Tim Koppa. "We were able to win at two and three doubles and we won a few other (big matches) in other circumstances, too."

For Bay co-coach Phil Kelbe, he wished that his team could have lifted its level of competitiveness as Larsen was the only Blue Duke to make the finals.

"It was going to be a long shot for us to catch Nicolet (for second)," he said, "but it's just disappointing that we didn't have more flights make the finals."

All three teams will be involved in WIAA sectional play this week, with state team and individual berths on the line.

Homestead won all four singles slots as well as first doubles in the NSC event.

Sophomore Alex Jesse beat Larsen, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, in the first singles final, a match that was slowed by Larsen's third-set case of cramps.

"He's awaiting the results of some (medical) tests," said Kelbe of Larsen's recurring problem with cramps. "Hopefully he can get that squared away and be able to play his best tennis at state."

"That was an important match for him (Jesse)," Egelhoff said. "He showed excellent focus."

Other singles finals included Homestead winners Alex Mattson at two, Dillon Kelly at three and Nikhil Ramnaryan at four. Kelly held off Nicolet's David Winston in a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 thriller.

"What can you say about Dillon?" Egelhoff said. "He's just a fighter."

She was also pleased with the effort of Mattson, who has had an up and down spring, but beat Nicolet's Jon Lopez, 6-2, 6-2, despite not having played him before.

Veteran Homestead players Connor Peck and Bryce Toburen overpowered the Knights' Gard Pecor and Trevor Katzban, 6-1, 6-1 for the Highlanders' last title of the day at first doubles.

Nicolet's titles were well earned. The second doubles team of Ethan Taxman and Richard Kim held off Homestead's David Stockbridge and Justin Kirtley in a warrior's match, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4; while at three doubles, Jacob Levey and Quinn Ellsworth beat the Highlanders' Ben Wilson and Peter Apfelbach, 6-4, 6-3.

Koppa was very pleased with both efforts, especially those of Taxman and Kim.

"All year those two have been battling," he said, "and the day before, they had to beat a Bay team, 6-4, in the third just to get to the final. They've been on the edge of a big win all year and they finally got one.

"It was a great time to do it."

Bay took five thirds to go along with Larsen's runner-up finish. They included Eli Hayes at second and Matt Kavanagh at third singles and all three doubles teams, including those of Jack Krugler and Patrick Harrington, Jacob Levings and Andy Krugler and Charlie Bostwick and Riley Mehls.

UP NEXT

WHAT: Nicolet will host WIAA sectional play at 9 a.m. Thursday with Bay and defending state champion Marquette as the primary competition. Homestead will compete in sectional play at the Fox Cities Racquet Club (Oshkosh West hosting) on Thursday. The team sectional champion advances to the state team tourney June 11 and 12 while the top four finishers in flight one of singles and doubles and the winners of flight two in singles and doubles, automatically qualify for the state individual tournament at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison on June 3-5.