Falcon tennis lineup shakeup reverses course against University Prep
Published 4:14 pm Friday, October 10, 2014
With an eye on the district tournament starting in less than two weeks, South Whidbey boys tennis had a major shuffle of its lineup against University Prep on Tuesday. 
The change worked wonders as the Falcons reversed their earlier 2-3 loss in September with a 3-2 win Oct. 14 on their home court. All of South Whidbey’s match wins came from doubles, as the singles were swept in straight sets.
Certainly the most exciting and perhaps the most surprising match came at second doubles. The pairing of South Whidbey junior Jacob Nelson and freshman Hank Papritz resulted in a tight 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 win over Prep’s Hyunane Kim and Griffin Voth, which handed South Whidbey the team victory. Playing together for the second time that week, Nelson and Papritz fought off Kim and Voth’s power as both players were able to largely avoid the net player with crosscourt strokes and lobs, forcing long rallies.
Notably, the normal top-two South Whidbey singles players, seniors Charley Stelling and Jonathan Peterson combined as the top doubles team for the first time this season. After focusing on singles for much of the offseason, the four-year players joined as a formidable tandem to take down Pumas Christian Keanui and Jasen Mansfield 7-5, 6-3. Steady serves and aggressive net play pushed them ahead.
“It was a solid match for them,” Kramer said. “And it also gave us a glimpse of what we can work on if we decide to play them doubles at districts in a couple of weeks.”
South Whidbey’s third doubles team of senior Trent Fallon and junior Elijah Mathew recovered from a first-set loss to beat Prep’s Dylan Dayka and Wilson Mosler 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The sacrifice came from the singles matches. Senior Campbell Albertsen was largely outmatched by Prep’s Jack Katzman, who won 6-0, 6-0. Andy Zisette, also a senior, fell to Prep’s Josh Wah-Blumberg, who had a powerful first serve, 6-1, 6-2.
On Wednesday against Bear Creek, South Whidbey’s recipe for victory was again its doubles combinations, with the team win secured by its third doubles team. Fallon and Albertsen combined to recover from a first-set loss to win 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Stelling and Peterson defeated Chris Young and Seth McBride at first doubles. Nelson and Papritz took down Bear Creek’s Justin Li and Karsten Kohart 6-3, 6-1.
This is South Whidbey’s first year competing in the Emerald City League of mostly private schools. The Falcons have three matches next week before the Bi-District tournament begins Oct. 24 in Seattle.
