DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
BLUFFTON – When the sectional draw came out Monday night, there was little left to the imagination about how a South Adams vs. Adams Central rematch would go, with both teams knowing each other about as well as two teams can.
The underdog Jets did everything they could do in the rematch, but with the Starfires at full strength (No. 3 singles player Kane Sturwold missed the regular season match with AC), it was another 3-2 victory for coach Hyman’s boys as they advanced to play another day at the local IHSAA tennis sectional.
While the matchup presented two familiar teams as opponents, the matchup card looked quite different from the match in early September. All three singles matches were different than they were the first time around, but the two doubles matchups remained the same.
With Cole Hyman moving to 17-0 on the season with a straight-set victory over Krew Clark and Sturwold taking care of Zachary Frank, the Starfires had two points in the bag early.
Having needed three sets to win in the first matchup, Gabe and Ian Neuenschwander looked well on their way to an easy victory after beating Mason Fruechte and Brody Isch 6-0 in the opening set.
The pressure was piled even higher on the One-Dubs when Kade Sprunger dropped the second-set tiebreak to Logan Heiman at No. 1 singles, forcing a third set.
Neuenschwander and Neuenschwander delivered the match-winning point with a 7-5 victory in the second set, avoiding the third set they needed in the first matchup.
Heiman breezed through the third set at No. 1 singles to keep his season alive, despite the team loss, while the Jets’ second team of doubles players repeated their victory over SA, this time in three sets.
The Starfires will now face Bluffton on Wednesday, while Bellmont will take on Norwell on the other side of the Bluffton courts. The winner will play in Thursday’s championship match.
South Adams was soundly beaten in both doubles matches and at No. 1 singles when they played Bluffton the first time. They’ll need to reverse one of those in order to keep their fine season alive.
South Adams 3 Adams Central 2
No. 1-Logan Heiman (AC) d. Kade Sprunger, 4-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-2
No. 2-Cole Hyman (SA) d. Krew Clark, 6-1, 6-1
No. 3-Kane Sturwold (SA) d. Zachary Frank, 6-3, 6-2
No. 1-Gabe Neuenschwander/Ian Neuenschwander (SA) d. Mason Fruechte/Brody Isch, 6-0, 7-5
No. 2-Christopher Espinoza/Jaiden Patterson (AC) d. Isaiah Conrad/Ben Dubach, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
