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Posts Tagged ‘Sebastian Davis’

Joseph Wedekind, seen here during preseason practice, teamed up with John McClarin for a key doubles win Friday afternoon. (John Fisken photo)

   Joseph Wedekind, seen here during preseason practice, teamed up with John McClarin for a key doubles win Friday afternoon. (John Fisken photo)

The location changed, but the result was the same.

After beating Klahowya twice on the road, the Coupeville High School boys’ tennis team completed the season sweep with a hard-fought 4-3 home victory Friday afternoon.

Coming during the first time the Wolves have been allowed to play a match on their own courts, the win lifted Coupeville to 4-2 overall and a pristine 3-0 in league play.

Having dethroned the defending 1A Olympic League champs, Coupeville just needs to beat Chimacum before it can hoist its own title banner in the CHS gym.

First, though, the Wolves will have to find a way to actually play the Cowboys.

The first meeting of the season was postponed when Chimacum didn’t have enough players. The second was bumped by rain.

The two teams are scheduled to play Oct. 14 in Coupeville, and there has been no word yet on whether the first two matches will be rescheduled.

That will all work itself out, but Friday the focus was entirely on finishing off the Eagles.

And, after a few rough spots, the Wolves did just that, with their superior depth in doubles carrying them to the victory.

The match’s deciding point came via the duo of Jimmy Myers and Lilan Sekigawa, who made fast work of their foes at fourth doubles.

On a blustery, but thankfully rain-free day, the highlights were many for the Wolves.

First singles player Sebastian Davis spent much of his time on court working on crafting new shots.

The highlight was a fast-diving ball that managed to skip three times on the court before his befuddled foe, whose feet had been headed in the wrong direction, could finally come to a stop and simply applaud.

While Davis was being artful, Jared Helmstadter, teaming with brother Grey Rische for a win at #3 doubles, had the day’s best power show.

A left-hander who leans into his serves with authority, he ripped off one wicked slicer after another, thoroughly frustrating both of the guys on the other side of the net.

Helmstadter’s reward, after a quick win, though not the customary brother/brother chest bump usually seen, was a trip to Wendy’s for burgers, which earned a huge smile.

Food was a common theme as the Wolf players combined to choke down a mind-numbing amount of junk food before, during and after their matches.

Topping it all off was Aiden Crimmins, who, if you have a Twinkie, will eat said Twinkie, no matter where on your body you were previously storing it.

His parents are oh so proud of him…

Complete results:

Varsity:

1st singles — Sebastian Davis beat Parker Short 6-0, 6-1

2nd singles — Connor McCormick lost to Kyle Schoening 7-6, 5-7, 10-7

3rd singles — Nick Etzell lost to Spencer Winters 6-2, 3-6, 10-7

1st doubles — Joey Lippo/William Nelson lost to Taylor Fite/Caden Haga 6-1, 6-1

2nd doubles — Joseph Wedekind/John McClarin beat Spencer Short/Brycen Trask 6-2, 6-3

3rd doubles — Grey Rische/Jared Helmstadter beat Ben Cook/Logan Bronson 6-0, 6-1

4th doubles — Jimmy Myers/Lilan Sekigawa beat Nick Hytinen/Connor Swaney 6-0, 6-1

JV:

5th doubles — Nile Lockwood/Aiden Crimmins lost 6-2

6th doubles — Santiago Ortiz/Tiger Johnson won 6-3

7th doubles — Jakobi Baumann/Jaschon Baumann won 7-6

8th doubles — Nick Blalock/Garrett Compton won 6-0

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Jimmy Myers, seen here last season, teamed with Lilan Sekigawa for a key win Friday. (John Fisken photo)

   Jimmy Myers, seen here last season, teamed with Lilan Sekigawa for a key win Friday. (John Fisken photo)

It was a day of grit, topped by joy and music.

Getting a spark from Cole Payne, who won a three-set thriller less than 24 hours after thinking a shoulder injury might sideline him, the Coupeville High School boys’ tennis squad routed host Klahowya 6-1 Friday.

The win lifted the Wolves to 2-0 in 1A Olympic League play and may have already clinched them a league title banner.

With one more match-up against the Eagles Oct. 9, Coupeville, which beat Klahowya 5-2 earlier in the season, has already guaranteed that it has dethroned the defending league champs.

The only lingering question is whether the Wolves (3-2 overall) will still have to go through the joint Chimacum/Port Townsend program to claim the title.

Chimacum skipped out on the first scheduled match because of a lack of players, and there is still no word on whether the Wolves and Cowboys will meet one, two or three times … or never.

For the moment, having knocked off the Eagles in style, the Wolves headed home and found themselves serenaded as if they had won the title.

A musician on the ferry drew the attention of the Coupeville players, and the atmosphere topped off a day filled with wins and pizza.

“We are on the ferry and we hear a violin playing. We all go over and sit to listen,” said Wolf doubles ace Jared Helmstadter. “Great music. Nice way to relax and think of the good and wonderful things we have in this world.

“Just a great time with a bunch of good guys. Great way to celebrate a win for Coupeville!”

Scores from Friday:

Varsity:

1st singles — Sebastian Davis beat Trask 6-0, 6-0

2nd singles — Connor McCormick beat Schoening 7-5, 6-1

3rd singles — Cole Payne beat Swaney 3-6, 6-3, 11-9

1st doubles — Joseph Wedekind/John McClarin lost to Haga/Fite 6-3, 6-0

2nd doubles — Joey Lippo/William Nelson beat Short/Short 7-5, 6-2

3rd doubles — Jimmy Myers/Lilan Sekigawa beat Winters/Cook 6-3, 6-1

4th doubles — Grey Rische/Jared Helmstadter beat Hytinen/Wasburg 6-1, 6-2

JV:

5th doubles — Nick Etzell/Garrett Compton lost 7-5

6th doubles — Nile Lockwood/Aiden Crimmins won 6-1

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Sebastian Davis, seen here last season, pushed a top foe hard Monday, getting himt o cramp-up in the second set. (John Fisken photo)

   Sebastian Davis, seen here last season, pushed a top foe hard Monday, getting him to cramp-up in the second set. (John Fisken photo)

Monday was throwback day.

The Coupeville High School boys’ tennis team hit the road — for the fourth time in four matches — and went down Everett way to reacquaint themselves with their former Cascade Conference mates at Archbishop Thomas Murphy.

To no one’s surprise, a ritzy private school has managed to build an impressive tennis program in three short seasons, a fact the 2A Wildcats reminded the Wolves to the tune of 5-0.

The non-conference loss dropped Coupeville to 2-2 on the season, with both of their losses coming against top-level competition.

The Wolves (1-0 in league play) will now pick up pursuit of their first 1A Olympic League title, playing five of their final six regular season matches against league foes.

The first of those matches, however, has been postponed.

Coupeville was supposed to make its home debut this Wednesday, Sept. 30 against Chimacum, but that match has been postponed and will be rescheduled later in the season.

Monday’s match, if nothing else, featured the return of the coolest-sounding high school tennis player in all the land.

Priever Pretorious may play for ATM and not Coupeville, but was there ever a name that sounded more like a mysterious tennis assassin?

No, no there was not. Well played, parents.

Monday results:

Varsity:

1st Singles — Sebastian Davis lost to Houston Schmutz 6-2, 6-3

2nd Singles — Connor McCormick lost to Ryan Castillo 6-1, 6-3

1st Doubles — John McClarin/Joseph Wedekind lost to Priever Pretorius/JT Burtsche 6-1, 6-4

2nd Doubles — Joey Lippo/Lilan Sekigawa lost to Parker Sand/Trent Maier 6-2, 6-2

3rd Doubles — Jared Helmstadter/Grey Rische lost to Luke Van Hollebekke/Josh Palafina 6-4, 6-3

JV:

4th Doubles — Jimmy Myers/Garrett Compton won 6-2

**Only JV score reported**

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Wolf senior Connor McCormick celebrates his win at #2 singles with the president of his fan club. (Wendy McCormick photo)

   Wolf senior Connor McCormick celebrates his win at #2 singles with the president of his fan club. (Wendy McCormick photo)

(Ken Stange photo)

   Coupeville’s netters pose with the brand spanking new score cards they bought for their coach. (Ken Stange photo)

Langley is where Wolf tennis dreams often go to die.

It’s an undisputed fact South Whidbey has had a stellar tennis program for eons, and, while the names may change, the quality hasn’t.

That was proven again Thursday, as the Falcons dumped Coupeville 4-1 in a non-conference tilt, sending the Wolves to their first team loss after two straight wins to open the season.

While a loss is never fun, there was hope on this day, however.

First, South Whidbey is annually the toughest foe CHS faces, and you only get better by playing the best. And, once in awhile, a Wolf rises up and smacks a Falcon upside the head.

Thursday it was #2 singles player Connor McCormick, who roared back after dropping the first set, eventually winning a three-set slugfest.

Connor has been so steady and he continues to hone his game,” said Coupeville coach Ken Stange. “He’s turned into a solid singles performer.”

Stange also paid tribute to the doubles duo of Joey Lippo and William Nelson, who were nipped in an epic third-set tiebreaker and top gun Sebastian Davis, who had the misfortune of clashing with Falcon net royalty.

Joey and William played a fantastic match,” Stange said. “It was a thriller. A few points here or there and the outcome could have been reversed.

Sebastian also played well at #1 singles, but young Kody Newman is a talented ninth grader. We are no stranger to the Newman clan. They’ve been slaying us for years!”

Newman’s many older siblings combined to accumulate four state tennis titles.

Also putting Stange in a top-drawer mood was a surprise present from his players, who showed up bearing brand-new scorecards for the CHS tennis courts.

The new addition will be on display when the Wolves host their home opener Wednesday, Sept. 30 against Chimacum.

“I had no idea this was coming,” Stange said. “From what I gather, a bunch of the guys got together, they pooled what I know was a decent chunk of change, and then they took it upon themselves to make it happen. I was touched.

“From the opening day of practice, we’ve had a great deal of fun, and the boys have represented the school and community quite well,” he added. “This is a great example of their goodness.”

Complete Thursday results:

Varsity:

1st Singles — Sebastian Davis lost to Kody Newman 6-1, 6-4
2nd Singles — Connor McCormick beat Ryan Wenzek 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
1st Doubles — John McClarin/Joseph Wedekind lost to Jacob Nelson/Hank Papritz 6-3, 6-1
2nd Doubles — William Nelson/Joey Lippo lost to Michael Hastings/Ari Rohan 4-6, 6-3, 14-12
3rd Doubles — Jimmy Myers/Lilan Sekigawa lost to Angus Dubendorf/Larsen Christensen 6-4, 6-1

JV:

1st Singles — Cole Payne lost 8-1
2nd Singles — Garrett Compton lost 8-6
1st Doubles — Grey Rische/Jared Helmstadter lost 8-6
2nd Doubles — Nile Lockwood/Aiden Crimmins lost 8-1
3rd Doubles — Nick Etzell/Tiger Johnson lost 8-1
4th Doubles — Jakobi Baumann/Jaschon Baumann lost 8-3
5th Doubles — Nick Blalock/Santiago Ortiz lost 8-2

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Junior doubles ace John McClarin will be one of the Wolf captains this season. (John Fisken photos)

   Junior doubles ace John McClarin will be one of the Wolf captains this season. (John Fisken photos)

Jared Helmstadter lets rip.

Jared Helmstadter lets rip.

Blessed with a deep, experienced roster, Coupeville High School boys’ tennis guru Ken Stange is entering a new season with one goal — for this squad to mirror last spring’s Wolf girls’ netters and put a new banner up in the gym.

“For the varsity squad, a league title should be in order,” Stange said. “Honestly, if we fail to win the league title, it will be a disappointing season. We are very deep.

“It will be a successful season if we go undefeated in league play,” he added. “The kids at CHS love the chance to win league titles. The girls picked one up last spring. The boys are ready to hang one up for themselves!”

Leading the charge is senior Sebastian Davis, who will slide up a slot to replace the graduated Aaron Curtin as the team’s #1 singles player.

Davis went 6-0 in league play last season, then pushed Curtin, who advanced to state, hard in the postseason.

“He is the heir apparent to the league singles title,” Stange said. “He is ready to pick up where Aaron left off.”

While the second and third singles slot are up for grabs (“We will be inexperienced, but I imagine the other schools in our league will face the same dilemma. As long as our 2 and 3 can display confidence and consistency, we should be good”) the Wolves are stacked at doubles.

“I’ve never had this sort of doubles depth on the boys’ team,” said Stange, who is in his 11th season at CHS. “They are all bigger and stronger, and there has been a noticeable rise in consistent play.”

The Wolves return 10 lettermen, with Davis joined by seniors Jared Helmstadter, Connor McCormick and Loren Nelson, juniors Joseph Wedekind, John McClarin, Grey Rische and Jimmy Myers and sophomores Joey Lippo and William Nelson.

Seniors Garrett Compton and Cole Payne (making a jump from football) and sophomore Nick Etzell are expected to fight for court time, as well.

Regardless of how the various varsity slots are filled, Stange is looking for a team-wide commitment in more ways than one.

“I want my boys to work on more than sharpening their skills. I want them to be a supportive group that challenges each other,” he said. “I want competition in practice so we can carry it over to matches.

“I want my players to be happy when they lose a challenge match in practice, because I want them to understand that our team is better when we beat the stuffing out of each other in practice,” Stange added. “Last season, the girls’ team found that family feel.

“The boys have always been a together sort of bunch, but I want them to take it to the next level. I think that’s how we can win.”

Before they get to league rivals Klahowya and Port Townsend/Chimacum, the Wolves will be tested in non-conference matches by top-level programs, always a good way to sharpen skills.

“Beating South Whidbey and ATM, that will be challenging,” Stange said. “For the newcomers, learn the game and become consistent players.

“Our doubles teams, while taking quite a beating last year, will benefit from the combination of another year’s experience and attrition from the other schools,” he added. “On top of a league title and a strong showing in the league tourney, it would be a special treat if we could sneak someone (or a pair) though districts and on to state.”

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