Falcons get clipped (09/15/06)

Both teams started Thursday with 8-3 records, but the Winchester Golden Falcons were no match for the Patriots.

Jay County's boys tennis team rolled to yet another victory, defeating Winchester 4-1. They are now 9-3 heading into Tuesday's match against 10th-ranked Delta.

Barry Weaver's squad is just one win away from a fourth-double-digit win season in five years, and three away from tying the regular-season record for wins set in 2005. The overall record for wins - 15, also set last season - is within reach as well.

"Josh (Ludy) keeps reminding me of that," said Weaver of his team's potential for school records. "It would be a good thing for these guys, and to build on that for next year would be super."

The Patriots' ninth win included three impressive straight-set victories at No. 1 singles, No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles and the typical three-setter from Kyle Simmons at No. 3 singles.

Ludy, a junior, and sophomore Phil Powell continued to lead the team from the top two singles positions, challenging themselves a bit along the way.

In the No. 1 singles match Ludy took a 5-2 lead over Winchester senior Danny Wegg, then lost the first three points of game eight as he tried to serve for the set. But he rallied by from the 40-love deficit, denied five break points and won the game en route to his 6-2, 6-1 final.

Powell followed a similar pattern in the final game of his second set as he tried to serve out the match with a 5-0 lead. He also went down 40-love, rallied back to deuce, denied a total of five break points and eventually won the game to finish off his 6-3, 6-0 victory over junior Brock Edwards.

Ludy and Powell have matching 11-4 records this year.

"They do a nice competing against each other in drills and everything we do," said Weaver. "I know that helps. Their service game is coming along."

Simmons completed the singles sweep, topping Gabriel Detro in three sets.

The sophomore fell behind 3-1 in the opening set, but won the next five games in a row. He dropped the second set, but was more than comfortable in the third.

Simmons (10-5) won the first game with an overhead slam, had two aces in serving for the sixth game and dominated the set to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. He has been to three sets or a super tiebreaker in four of his last five matches, winning them all.

"I think he's won every three setter (this year)," said Weaver. "That's a pretty good record. You don't want to go that far, but if you can (be undefeated) in three-setters that's pretty good ...

"He's doing a nice job. He's just mentally tough."

The No. 2 doubles pair of Mark Alberson and Adam Horn also continued to play well, picking up their fourth win in the last five matches to move to 7-5. After taking a 4-3 lead in the first set they won eight consecutive games over Jerrin Fair and Dusty Grubbs for a 6-3, 6-0 victory.

"They're quietly getting better every match," said Weaver.

"That's what I want to see is continuously doing things better than you did the previous time. We talk every day about playing side-by-side and moving forward, and they did a lot more of that tonight."

Heath Rigby and Thomas McCowan took the team's lone defeat, falling 6-4, 6-1 to Daniel Maggart and Spencer Cook at No. 1 doubles.

Junior varsity

Jay County dominated every match against the Golden Falcons for a 4-0 victory.

Jared Valentine led the effort with a pair of wins, including a shutout. He defeated Matt Daly 8-0 at No. 2 singles, and topped Tony Hawley 8-1 at No. 4 singles.

Austrian foreign exchange student Hadmar Senk won 8-1 over Bruce Cully at No. 1 singles, and Michael Daniels beat Neil Beshears 8-2 at No. 3 singles.[[In-content Ad]]