May 24, 2017 at 2:03 p.m.
Hodag netters send entire team to sectionals
Hodag netters send entire team to sectionals
The Hodags advanced all seven of their entries to sectionals and tied for first place in the WIAA Division 2 subsectional they hosted at the RHS tennis courts. The last time the Hodags accomplished that feat in the WIAA tournament was 1997.
Both Rhinelander and Appleton Xavier made it through in all seven flights to score a maximum 24 points. They were tied for the lead overall heading into Wednesday's sectional round in Kohler, which concluded after deadline. The sectional team champion qualifies for the WIAA Division 2 state team tennis tournament, which will take place June 10 in Madison.
Rhinelander parlayed strong seeding into sectional berths. The Hodags earned top seeds with Markus Johnson at No. 2 singles, Russell Benoy at No. 4 singles and the team of Connor Young and Jared Haug at No. 2 doubles. Rhinelander was seeded second in both third flights - Matt O'Melia in singles and Marshall Bessette and Logan Oestreich in doubles. Logan Wild was the third seed at No. 1 singles and the No. 1 doubles team of Jared Fabich and Grant Gilbert were a fourth seed.
"It started well with the seeding, which kind of separated us from Xavier, who we really didn't know," Hodag coach Bob Heideman said. "Maybe I'm talking a little big here but, after watching, I think their ones are pretty tough but it would have been OK to play them at positions. I think we would have been pretty competitive."
Needing to win only one match to advance, the Hodag players in the No. 1 flights took care of business relatively quickly. Wild dispatched Shawano's Shawn Klemens 6-3, 6-2 while Gilbert and Fabich blitzed the Medford tandem of Jake Merrill and Carter Ray 6-0, 6-1.
"I thought Jared Fabich served very well," Heideman noted. "Logan, a little rocky start, but once he got going it was fine."
Everyone else needed to win two matches to advance. That proved to be little difficulty for Rhinelander's top seeds. Johnson breezed past Fox Valley Lutheran's Noah Steinberg and Pacelli's Corey Barron in straight sets. Benoy beat Pacelli's Jarrett Sheilds 6-0, 6-0 and Lakeland's Aric Van Order 6-1, 6-1. Haug and Young dropped a total of four games in straight set wins over Fox Valley Lutheran and Shawano.
"I thought Marcus played his usual kind of (game) - work the kid around until he missed. That was successful," Heideman said. "To make it through with the scores that Russell had, pretty impressive.
"I thought that our two doubles lived up to their No. 1 seed. I thought Jared's volleys were very aggressive and Connor, the combination is Connor hits shots that gets the opponents in trouble and then Jared puts it away. That's kind of the way they operate and I thought they did that pretty well today."
Bessette and Oestreich won their opener against Wausau Newman and prevailed 6-2, 6-3 over Antigo's Brody Bunnell and Jake Waters in a rematch of the GNC No. 3 doubles championship.
O'Melia overcame a slow start to defeat Wausau Newman's Luke Johnson 7-5, 6-1 in the first match and a roughly 40-minute rain delay to down Tanner Stueck 6-1, 6-3 in the second match. O'Melia had just gotten back on serve at 3-3 in the second set when the rains came. He ran off the final three games in quick succession once play resumed.
"Matt's a steady Eddie," Heideman said. "It's what Matt does. He just works people around and if they hit it hard, he can handle that."
Individually, the top four players in the No. 1 flights and the sectional champions in the No. 2 flights earn state tournament berths. Heideman said the Hodags' entered Wednesday's sectional round with confidence, but knew the tennis would not be easy.
"We'll see what happens," he said. "As I mentioned to the players, I think the level of play is going to come up substantially and we're going to have to match that."
Check RiverNewsOnline.com for a brief recap of Wednesday's sectional. A full report will be published in Saturday's River News.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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