Published: October 09, 2008 08:00 pm      

Central moves on to states in tennis

Trojans 2nd in region; West 4th

SAGINAW -- Traverse City Central had three flight winners Thursday and qualified for the state finals with a runner-up finish at the Saginaw Heritage Division 1 regional.

Grand Blanc won with 25 points, followed by the Trojans with 22. Midland just missed the cut for the state finals with 16 points while Traverse City West was fourth at 11.

"Last year we were happy just to qualify, but this year we wanted to win (the regional)," TC Central coach Larry Nykerk said. "We're still pleased, because making states was a big goal for the year. Now we want a good, high finish."

The Trojans won the first, second and fourth doubles flights.

TC Central junior Harry Malone and senior Spencer Powell teamed for a 6-4, 6-1 win over Midland, a 6-3, 6-4 win over TC West's Andrew Farron and Zach Hughey and a 6-1, 6-0 win over Grand Blanc in the final. They moved their season record to 37-1.

Trojan seniors Jack Milliken and Ben Watts also had a big win over Grand Blanc in the finals with a 6-1, 6-2 victory for the No. 2 flight. The tandem -- who own the state record for doubles wins and tournament victories -- also beat St. Johns (6-2, 6-4) and Midland (6-4, 6-4).

"They really turned it up for the final," Nykerk said of the top two doubles teams. "They showed some signs of brilliance and really played their best against the best team."

Also winning was the No. 4 team of Glover Kosch and Dan Spencer with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Flint Carman-Ainsworth, a 6-0, 6-1 win over Midland and a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Grand Blanc.

Fisher Sutherland was second at No. 2 singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win over TC West's Andrew Greenman, a 6-3, 6-2 win over St. Johns and a 6-3, 6-1 loss to Midland in the final.

The No. 3 doubles team of Max Lundmark and Chris Heimburger finished second after wins over Carman-Ainsworth (6-1, 6-1) and Saginaw Heritage (6-0, 6-1) before a 7-6 (3) 6-3 loss to Grand Blanc in the final.

At No. 1 singles, Central's Doug Burke beat TC West 6-2, 6-0 before losing to Mt. Pleasant's state semifinalist Christian Roehmer, 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.

Roehmer lost in the final to Grand Blanc's Aaron Pfister, who was a state runner-up last year.

"(Pfister) sat out all season," Nykerk said. "So obviously, they were way stronger than when we played them last. Everybody moved down in the lineup."

Nykerk said Pfister and Roehmer could be the top two seeds at next week's state finals in Midland.

TC West's Dane Deemer reached the No. 3 semifinals with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Mt. Pleasant, while John Cannon had a 6-0, 6-0 win over the Oilers to reach the No. 4 semis. The Titans' No. 2 doubles team of Jacob Nestor and Carter Jones had a 6-0, 6-0 win over Davison while the No. 4 team of Joel Collins and Nick Tooley beat Davison 7-6, 6-3.