SPRINGFIELD, Mo. • Third sets were not kind for local tennis players at the Missouri state tournament semifinals Saturday at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.
St. Louis singles or doubles players were involved in five third matches in the semifinals, four of them in the main draw. MICDS senior Charlie Curtis was the only local player to win a three-setter. He defeated Christopher Frye of Barstow, 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 and then went on to win another three-setter against Will Welte in the championship match.
The four area doubles teams involved in three set matches all lost. Lafayette seniors Mick Lyons and Jake Goodman were just two points away from advancing to the championship in Class 2 before falling to James Hunter and Joe LaRose of Rock Bridge, 2-6, 7-6, 6-0.
Lyons and Goodman had a 3-0 lead in the second set tie-breaker and were even at 5-5. The Bruins won the final two points of the tie-breaker and then cruised in the third set. Lyons and Goodman did come back to defeat Robert Conroy and Josh Waite of Kirkwood in the third-place match, 6-4, 6-1.
"I'm not going to lie, that semifinal match was very disappointing," Goodman said. "We had our chances and couldn't pull through. It was very hard to come back and play right after that match but for me, it was going to be my last competitive match since I am not playing in college. I had to leave it all on the court."
Lyons will continue his tennis next year at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
"The match against Rock Bridge was a hard one to swallow," Lyons said. "It was our senior year and we came so close to getting a chance for the state title. We certainly had our chances. They just did not fall our way. At least we were able to come back and finish on a high note."
Conroy and Waite had also lost a three-setter in the semifinals as they fell to Joseph Monaldo and John Segfreid of Rockhurtst, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
The other Kirkwood doubles team, Drew Morris and Tanner Morrris, also lost a tough one in the consolation semifinals. They lost to Griffin Smith and Zack Royle of Park Hill South 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.
Westminster Christian's Cameron Smith and Bailey Merkel also lost a three-setter in the semifinals in Class 1. They fell to Chandler McCray and Josh Girson of Pembroke Hill 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Smith and Merkel did come back and defeat teammates Timmy Miller and Stephen Lillenberg in the third place match 6-2, 7-5.
It was the second time in as many years that Smith and Miller had faced each other in doubles at the state tournament and in both cases Smith came out victorious. Smith and Nick O'Neal defeated Miller and John Hunsicker in three sets in the consolation semifinals last year in another Westminster vs. Westminster match.
It was a relaxing match for outgoing Westminster athletic director Alan Miller as he saw four Wildcats, including his son Timmy, playing on the big stage at the state tennis tournament.
A couple of talented freshmen opened their high school careers in impressive fashion. Clayton's Mac Rechan won five of his six state matches, finishing third in Class 1 singles. He defeated Frye 6-1, 6-1 in the third place match after falling in the semifinals to Welte of Pembroke Hill, 6-4, 6-2.
CBC freshman Alex Pozo also left Springfield with a medal. Pozo, who lost only to Curtis and Lyons during the regular season, finished sixth.
Area players won both singles consolation championships. Rockwood Summit's Dylan Steffens, who had to face eventual champion Paul Nahon of Glendale in the first round, bounced back with four wins including one against Pozo in the consolation championship to win in Class 2.
University City's Alec Kaczkowski won his second state medal with the consolation tile in Class 1. Kaczkowski's only loss came in the second round to Curtis. He defeated Eric Dailey of Excelsior Springs 7-5, 6-3 for fifth place.
St. Louis University High senior Greg Marifian had the best finish for area players in Class 2 singles and his best finish ever in four trips to state. Marifian finished fourth.
