Laguna Blanca’s Tristan Prinz scored a 6-1 win over Cate’s No. 1 singles player to break an 8-8 tie and Ben Furukawa battled from down a break to score a 6-4 victory, clinching a 10-8 triumph that gave the Owls their first Condor League boys tennis title on Saturday.
“Cate’s guys, particularly singles, definitely showed up for a fight today and so it was great to get a win in a match contested by two strong teams playing some of their best tennis of the season,” said Laguna Blanca coach Trevor Thorpe.
Laguna Blanca improves to 12-2 overall and 7-0 in league. Cate is 7-8, 4-2.
The Owls took a 4-2 lead after the first round, thanks to an upset by Martin Barnick-Jack Espy at No. 2 doubles over Cate’s top singles player Abhay Singh and senior Thys Northup.
Laguna Blanca maintained the two-point lead after the second round, but Cate pulled even at 7-7 and then took an 8-7 lead when Jason Xiao of the Rams beat Phillip Hicks.
Eddie Conk-Benji Sorensen topped Cate’s Michael Nettersheim-Brendan Lokree to even the match at 8-8 and Prinz earned a 6-1 victory against Cate No. 1 Jack Hoover to give the Owls a 9-8 lead
“I have to give a lot of credit to sophomores Martin Barnick and Jack Espy for recording that 6-0 win against two seniors from Cate,” Thorpe said. “That was huge, and then our two senior guys, Benji Sorensen and Eddie Conk, played their best tennis of the season to get us three wins at the No. 1 spot. Those two had been struggling a bit coming into the match, but after today it’s hard to see them lacking for confidence as we head into the playoffs.”
Laguna Blanca 10
Ben Furukawa 2-1
Tristan Prinz 2-1
Phillip Hicks 2-1
Eddie Conk/Benji Sorensen 3-0
Martin Barnick/Jack Espy 1-2
Atty Roddick/Justin Palmer 0-3
Cate 8
Jack Hoover 0-3
Jason Xiao 3-0
Michael Revord 0-3
Alex Erling/Parker Gribb 2-1
Abhay Singh/Thys Northup 1-2
Michael Nettersheim/Brendan Lokre 1-2
