By CHRIS BROOKS and JOHN ANDERSON
The Avoca-Prattsburgh Tennis Team under coach Bill Stollery has won three of their last four matches.
A look at the team as they continue toward sections. A-P will have a match on Tuesday in Prattsburgh against Andover-Whitesville.
WIN OVER ALFRED-ALMOND
After losing to Alfred-Almond earlier in the season, A-P had a huge 4-1 win in a big league match up.
At first single, freshman Elias Putnam earned a straight-set 7-5, 6-1 win over senior Cam Heinig.
A-P also won at third singles with Landon White getting a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win.
Both doubles teams for for A-P won, Bryce Schuck and Jackson Oliver at first and Tyler Nichols with Gavin Mills at second. A-A’s lone win came at second singles with Maddox Dixon defeating Connor Stewart 6-0, 6-2.
A 3-2 WIN OVER WELLSVILLE
The Lions of Wellsville gave it everything they had against a strong Section V power in Avoca/Prattsburgh on their home court. The visiting Titans would come away victorious as they took the edge in three of the five matches to capture the 3-2 win.
Elias Putnam and Bryce Schuck led the singles competition with two of the three wins for Avoca/Prattsburgh, as Putnam scored a strong 6-2, 6-4 edge over Wellsville’s (1-4) Hua Qui Zhang at first singles. Schuck responded for the Titans with a win of his own, finishing in resilient fashion in a first-set tiebreak to tally a 7-6(3), 6-3 win.
The match was clinched later on at first doubles for the visitors in black and gold, as the tandem of Gavin Mills and Jackson Oliver ensured the team’s win with another brilliant and resilient finish, coming away victorious in both tie-breaking sets over Shane Davidson and Jayden Acker, earning the 7-6(5), 7-5 win.
Wellsville recorded the two remaining victories on the court, with Adam Iantorno tallying the first at third singles behind a first-set shutout, going past Tyler Nichols with a 6-0, 6-4.
Joel Janssen and Jeremiah Pensyl had the last win for the Lions, also scoring a first-set shutout before having to fight their way through a second-set tiebreak to close out the evening, emerging victorious with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Landon White and Braelynn Dowdell.
The Lions hit the road on Friday, visiting Campbell-Savona in a 5 p.m. first serve.
Singles
1. Elias Putnam (A/P) def. Hua Qui Zhang (WLSV), 6-2, 6-4.
2. Bryce Schuck (A/P) def. Gavan Dickerson (WLSV), 7-6 (3), 6-3.
3. Adam Iantorno (WLSV) def. Tyler Nichols (A/P), 6-0, 6-4.
Doubles
1. Gavin Mills/Jackson Oliver (A/P) def. Shane Davidson/Jayden Acker (WLSV), 7-6 (5), 7-5.
2. Joel Janssen/Jeremiah Pensyl (WLSV) def. Landon White/Braelynn Dowdell (A/P), 6-0, 7-5.
WIN OVER HOUGHTON ACADEMY
Avoca-Prattsburgh had a 5-0 sweep of Houghton Academy at Houghton College.
Elias Putnam won at first singles 6-3, 6-0, while Connor Stewart won a tough match
at second singles. After losing the first set 0-6 he dug in to win win the second set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5), then he then won in a super tiebreaker 10-5 to get the win.
Sophomore Gavin Mills won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. Seniors Bryce Schuck and Jackson Oliver played a strong match at first doubles 6-2, 6-1. Ninth graders Braelynn Dowdle and Ava Roy won at second doubles.
TOUGH LOSS TO FILLMORE
For the Fillmore agles, Eben Schilke, Isaiah Sisson and Marcus Wolfer were all up for the challenge that was presented before them, as they brought out the brooms in all three singles matches to record the match win, adding one more triumphant performance from the doubles department to secure another 4-1 win, this time over the visiting Titans on the grounds of Houghton University.
“I am really proud of the guys. Much like Wellsville last night, Avoca/Prattsburgh is always tough and they’re a well-coached opponent. After a good match yesterday, I challenged the guys to get off to a great start tonight, and for the most part, we did,” said Eagles coach Randy Crouch. “I think we ran out of gas a little bit, but I’m proud of them for grinding out the win. They are definitely a team we could see deep in team Sectionals. We get a little rest tomorrow and then we’re back in for two more to end the week.”
Fillmore was pushed to their limits across the match by Avoca/Prattsburgh, especially in two of their three singles matches, with both Eben Schilke and Marcus Wolfer having to fight their way through second set tiebreaks to collect their victory, with Schilke claiming a 7-3 win in the seven-point tiebreaker to earn the set sweep by a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) count over Elias Putnam.
Wolfer was the first to reach seven himself at third singles, squeezing his way by Landon White with a 6-1, 7-5 win. Putting a bow on the singles wins was a dominant performance from Isaiah Sisson at second singles, rolling towards a 6-1, 6-0 win over Connor Stewart.
The first doubles team of Jack Boon and Joe Derck would ultimately help lay claim to the match victory for the Eagles with one final second-set tiebreak victory after being pushed the distance by Jackson Oliver and Bryce Schuck, as they edged their towards a 6-0, 7-5 win.
Avoca/Prattsburgh garnered their lone win from their second doubles team of Tyler Nichols and Gavin Mills, as they knocked off Fillmore’s Ezra Knapp and Henry Decker after a lengthy three-set bout that witnessed a first-set tiebreak that turned into a third-set marathon in the endgame, pinching their way towards victory in a 6-7 (0-7), 6-0, 10-7 decision.
Singles
1. Eben Schilke (FIL) def. Elias Putnam (A/P), 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).
2. Isaiah Sisson (FIL) def. Connor Stewart (A/P), 6-1, 6-0.
3. Marcus Wolfer (FIL) def. Landon White (A/P), 6-1, 7-5.
Doubles
1. Jack Boon/Joe Derck (FIL) def. Jackson Oliver/Bryce Schuck (A/P), 6-0, 7-5.
2. Tyler Nichols/Gavin Mills (A/P) def. Ezra Knapp/Henry Decker (FIL), 6-7 (0-7), 6-0, 10-7.
