Saints Tied for Region Lead After Saturday at Blue Bonnet

Seeds held serve on day one of the 2016 NJCAA Region VI Men’s Tennis Tournament at Blue Bonnet Park in Liberal on Saturday as the Seward County Saints and Cowley Tigers dominated, each winning all nine of their matches to set up an all Seward/Cowley Championship Sunday to determine the Region Title.

In the tournament’s top bracket, the Saints sent Carlos Anez to the court. Anez, the top seeded player in the draw took on 4th seeded Riley Kingsley of Hesston and was broken in the first game of the morning, but locked in from there, winning 6-1, 6-1 to move on to Sunday’s Championship match against Vincent Reynaud of Cowley.

At #2 singles it was Przemek Zielinski picking up the #2 seed in the draw for the Saints. Zielinski battled Hesston’s Keegan LeFevre to a 6-3 first set win before cruising 6-1 in the second to punch his ticket for the title match Sunday at 9:00 where he will take on Cowley’s Lucas Freitas.

Ondrej Nice represented Seward in #3 singles. Nice drew the #2 seed for the draw and made short work of 3rd seeded Caleb Schrock-Hurst of Hesston, downing the Larks number three man 6-1, 6-0 to put all three of Seward’s first wave of singles players in the Championship match Sunday.

As the second wave of singles players took the court, Alex Mosehle strolled his way onto court one for the Saints in #4 singles. Mosehle, the top seeded player in the draw, had no trouble with Hesston’s 4th seeded Josiah Borst, blowing past him 6-0, 6-1 to advance to the Championship match Sunday where he will take on Cowley’s Lukas Michenka.

The Saints hottest player of late, Felipe Casares, earned the top seed in the #5 singles bracket for the Saints. Casares took on Barton’s Triston Herbst, knocking him off by matching 6-1 scores to punch his ticket for the title match on Sunday.

The final Seward player to take the court in singles action was Ngoni Makambwa at #6. Makambwa opened as the #2 Seed and stood across the net from 3rd seeded Cole Hardin of Barton. Makambwa, wrapped up the Saints sweep of singles action, having no trouble with Hardin in a 6-0, 6-1 win to earn a trip to the Championship match against Cowley’s Marcelo Baldarrama Sunday.

The only trouble Seward had at all was in #1 doubles where Casares and Zielinski teamed for the guys in green. The 2nd seeded Saints pair went up against 3rd seeded LeFevre and Kingsley of Hesston. The first set shockingly was dominated by the Larks as LeFevre and Kingsley won 6-2. Shaking off the loss, the Saints duo came back for a 6-0 win in the second and kept their momentum rolling into the third with a 6-2 win to take the match 2-1 and advance to the Championship match on Sunday.

Seward’s #2 doubles pair of Anez and Nice was nearly flawless Saturday, controlling their match against Hesston’s Caleb Schrock-Hurst and Andry Stutzman to the tune of a 6-0, 6-0 thumping to easily make their way to Sunday’s title match.

In the final match of the day, Makambwa and Mosehle teamed up for Seward in the #3 doubles draw. The duo earned the #2 seed and took on 3rd seeded Herbst/Hardin of Barton. Seward took the first 6-2 and sailed to a 6-1 win in the second to collect the Saints 9th point of the day and find their way into the Championship match on Sunday.

Seward earned points at all nine spots on Saturday as did Cowley to finish the day tied atop the standings. Neither Barton or Hesston could pull an upset and went scoreless on day one.

Sunday will feature nine showdowns between Seward and Cowley for the Region VI Title while Barton and Hesston will battle it out nine times for the third and final berth to the NJCAA National Tournament. Action Sunday begins at Liberal’s Blue Bonnet Park at 9:00 AM.

COMPLETE REGION VI TOURNAMENT RESULTS<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/mten/2015-16/releases/20160428jccjhk>