Knights duo takes third at OCC and earns District berth
After a successful season of singles play, freshman first singles player Danny Nelson and junior second singles player Brendan Lynch moved over to first doubles for the Ohio Cardinal Conference, and the duo finished third, knocking off Clear Fork in straight sets in the first round, falling to eventual champion Lexington in the second round, and then beating Wooster 8-4 in a pro set for third place."I'm happy with how Danny and Brendan played together. Today was good practice for Sectionals next week," West Holmes coach Jason Otto said. "They won't see anyone as tough as them (Sam Mason and Travis Smith) at Sectionals."
Lexington dominated the entire tourney, winning all five places. First singles player Nicky Wong was named OCC player of the year. Lexington also took the top spot in second singles, third singles and both doubles competitions.
The Minutemen were first with 65 points, followed by Ashland (50), Madison (34), Wooster (24.5) and the Knights (20.5). Orrville (18), Mansfield Senior (14) and Clear Fork (4) rounded out the field.
Moving Lynch and Nelson to doubles, along with an ankle injury suffered by Sam Meyer forced some other shuffling by the Knights.
Michael Anthony played first singles. He opened with a loss against Orrville's Kevin Baldwin. He won his next round against Wooster, but wound up falling in the placement round.
Rachel Koch was knocked out in two rounds at second singles, and Ethan Rawson also fell in two at third singles.
Collin Galbraith and Parker Abraham were ousted in two rounds at second doubles.
The Knights were in action at the Division II Sectional Monday, May 10, in Dover.
Lynch and Nelson received a first-round bye, and then defeated Cambridge 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 and finally swept Conner Lee and Andrew Yoder of Hiland 6-3, 6-2 to advance. Lynch and Nelson played on Tuesday for seeding at Districts.
The Knights duo were the lone West Holmes players to advance to Districts next week at Athens.
"It was a great day for doubles, but not so much for singles," Otto said.
Michael Anthony lost in the first round to Cambridge's Cable Rogers 6-0, 7-5.
Rachel Koch lost in the first round to Hiland's Jordan Weaver 6-1, 6-2.
Ricky Guerra lost in the first round East Liverpool's David Bennett 6-0, 6-0.
At second doubles Parker Abraham and Collin Galbraith defeated Claymont's Louis Cottis and Sam VanFossen 6-4, 7-6, 7-3, and then defeated East Liverpool's Graig Miller and Nick Harris 6-3, 6-1 before falling to Coshocton's second seeded doubles duo 6-2, 6-3 in the qualifying round.