Randall and Rigby reach regional (10/10/05)

PERU — They’ve been able to enjoy it more the second time around.

For the second straight match Saturday Randy Evans and Tyler Rigby needed three sets. But for the second straight year they’re in the state’s final 16.

Jay County’s No. 1 doubles pair secured a second straight trip to Indianapolis as it came back to defeat brothers Matthew and David Cable of the Manchester Squires 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 at Peru Saturday.

“It’s awesome,” said Evans. “I thought last year would’ve been the year because everything just fell in the right spots for us. This year I think we proved we’re just as good as any team out there right now.”

“We wanted this one more than last year,” added Rigby. “There was more pressure on us this time. It was a lot ‘funner.’”

The day wasn’t as fun for fellow senior Kurt Hess, who dropped out of the singles tournament with a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Quinn Saine of the Peru Tigers.

After dropping the opening set 6-4 and losing the opening game of the second set Evans and Rigby took control. They rallied to take the second game of the second set, and went on to victory in 12 of the final 15 games of the match.

They used a forehand winner down the left line to cap the second set, then won the first two games of the third set. They pushed the lead to 5-2, but following their match Tuesday that was a lead which was far from secure.

In that team regional semifinal match against Twin Lakes Evans and Rigby led 5-2 in the third set before losing four straight games. They eventually won in a tiebreaker.

However, they would have no such suspense against Manchester, despite going down 40-30 on Evans’ serve.

The Cables (18-5) couldn’t steal the game, missing their chance at break point when Matt Cable’s volley off an Evans forehand went into the net. Jay County then missed on its first chance to end the match, but got a second try moments later when Evans nailed a great serve and Rigby slammed the return.

The Patriots did not waste their second chance, trading a series of volleys with the Squires with Evans following the final one from Matt Cable and carefully watching it fall about a foot wide right.

“It was another one of those nail-biting matches,” said JCHS coach Barry Weaver. “In the first set we didn’t look very good and the second and third they kind of found themselves and just played good, smart tennis.

“Just like the other night against Twin Lakes and about every match that they haven’t been able to dominate this year, when they get going backwards, when they get to being tentative then things go wrong. As long as they can continue to hit the ball and move forward and use the variety of shots that they’re able to hit then things will go well. That’s what it was.”

Evans and Rigby, who will play in the doubles regional Saturday at Indianapolis North Central, continued to add to the list of records for the 2005 squad with their win.

They are now 20-3 on the season, tying the single-season school record for wins and giving them the most wins single-season wins of any doubles team in Jay County history. Dan Dirksen (1987) and Mark Bailey (1977) also had 20-win seasons for the Patriots.

Evans and Rigby have the best single-season winning percentage (86.9) of any team in Jay County history. They are 45-15 in their careers as doubles partners and have racked up a 38-8 mark over the last two seasons.

Weaver is looking forward to a regional trip for the second straight year. Dirksen is the only other player in Patriot history to make it this far, having reached the final eight in the singles tournament in 1987.

“We’re not going to Disney World yet like the Super Bowl champion, but we’re going to Indy,” Weaver said. “That’s a good thing. This is the third time we’ve been able to take someone and go down there and be in the big show. It’s a good experience for the kids.”

Hess struggled against Saine, who made it to the state final eight last season. He did manage one game as he broke Saine’s serve in the first set, but finished his senior season with an 18-5 record.

The 18 wins matched the best mark of Hess’s career as he went 18-2 during his freshman season, and are third-best in school history. He finished with a 66-17 career mark, shattering the previous career record for wins which was set at 60 by Craig Evans in 1995.

Hess is also third in career winning percentage at 79.5, and posted the fourth-best single season winning percentage (90) as a freshman. He played his final three seasons at No. 1 singles, racking up a 48-15 record at that position.

“It’s super (to have a player like Hess),” said Weaver. “You can just go into a match realizing that he’s not one of those who is going to be in real low valleys or real high. He’s just going to be steady.

“He plays hard and he plays with emotion and he just goes out there and does what he can every match. That’s an outstanding record for him. And three of those years playing No. 1 is a lot of wins over good quality players.”[[In-content Ad]]