Coupeville Sports

   Sebastian Davis, seen here in an earlier match, won an epic three-set battle Monday. (John Fisken photo)

Experience counts.

That was proven Monday, as a Sequim boys’ tennis team that has played almost twice as many matches as Coupeville this season, called on the lessons learned to eke out a razor-thin 4-3 road win.

The win gave 2A Sequim (5-8) a season split, avenging an opening-day loss to Coupeville (4-3).

The Wolves, who have played far less than any other school in the Olympic League this season, due to scheduling issues, return to action Wednesday.

They are scheduled to host Chimacum, a team that has twice already been skipped on their schedule.

The first time the Cowboys were low on players, the second time rain called things off.

A win Wednesday and Coupeville (3-0 in league play) clinches the 1A Olympic League title and you can order another championship banner for the gym.

While lack of playing time hurt the Wolves at times against their more-experienced foes, one CHS netter came through big time by pulling out nearly every trick in his well-thumbed book.

Top singles player Sebastian Davis, playing through the pain of a hurt neck, found himself in a war with Stephen Prorok, a hard-hitting, possibly flu-riddled dynamo from Sequim.

The two rivals bobbed and weaved for two hours plus, with Prorok’s power offset by Davis and his pin-point passing shots and artful lobs.

After losing the opening set 7-6 in a heart-breaker, Davis roared back to claim the second set 6-2 to knot things at a set apiece.

That set up a winner-take-all tiebreaker, with the first man to 10, and still on his feet, the victor.

With one warrior hobbled, the other lurching, they were locked in a dance of pain and delirium that had them both serving from the wrong side of the court for much of the tiebreaker.

Still, they each came up with miracle shot after how-did-he-get-that shot, circling one another warily, first one surging forth, then the other.

Prorok had match point at 9-8, but Davis refused to bend, lofting a high, arcing lob that hit and kicked sky-high, sending his foe crashing into the fence in futile pursuit.

As Wolf coach Ken Stange nodded approval, a small, sardonic smile playing at the corner of his lips, Davis used his intimate knowledge of Coupeville’s courts — the space between the baseline and fence on the Wolves home-court is shorter than most schools offer — to take final control of the match.

Davis capped his 11-9 tiebreaker triumph with three of his final four winners coming on artfully-plopped lobs that sent Prorok backpedaling into a face-first meeting with the fence.

As the two departed Court #1 to a round of well-deserved applause, Stange pumped his fist in tribute to both.

On this day, in this one match, at least, heart beat experience.

Complete results:

1st singles — Sebastian Davis beat Stephen Prorok 6-7(5-7), 6-2, 11-9

2nd singles — Connor McCormick lost to Justin Porter 7-5, 5-7, 10-4

3rd singles — Nick Etzell lost to Raymond Lam 6-3, 6-2

1st doubles — John McClarin/Joseph Wedekind lost to Casey Chapman/Logan Habner 4-6, 6-2, 10-7

2nd doubles — William Nelson/Joey Lippo lost to Blake Wiker/Tim Porter 6-3, 7-6(10-8)

3rd doubles — Grey Rische/Jared Helmstadter beat Thomas Hughes/Damon Little 6-0, 6-3

4th doubles — Jimmy Myers/Lilan Sekigawa beat Kevin Meyer/Zander Mittman 6-4

The final match was called after one set so Sequim could catch a ferry.

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