Tennis: Wolves sweep Bulldogs, fall short vs. Riders

Sequim’s boys tennis team beat North Mason before losing closely to league-best Port Angeles

By Conor Dowley • October 9, 2019 1:30 am
Sequim’s Henry Hughes serves against Port Angeles’ Wyatt Hall and Milo Whitman in his No. 1 doubles match alongside Dustan Koch on Oct. 2. Hughes and Koch would win the point, but ultimately lost the match. Sequim Gazette photo by Conor Dowley
Sequim’s Henry Hughes serves against Port Angeles’ Wyatt Hall and Milo Whitman in his No. 1 doubles match alongside Dustan Koch on Oct. 2. Hughes and Koch would win the point, but ultimately lost the match. Sequim Gazette photo by Conor Dowley

Olympic League standings

(as of Oct. 8)

Team Lg. Over.

Port Angeles 8-1 8-1

North Kitsap 7-0 7-0

Bremerton 7-3 7-3

Klahowya 6-2 6-2

Sequim 5-4 5-4

Kingston 3-6 3-6

Olympic 2-7 2-7

North Mason 1-8 1-8

Chimacum 0-8 0-8

Sequim’s Wolves posted a 1-1 record for the week, with a quality of play that head coach Mark Textor saaid has him hopeful of things to come.

“We played really hard and had a lot of competitive games,” Textor said during the team’s home meet against Port Angeles on Oct. 2. “They’ve changed my expectations for the season, and in a good way.”

The week began with a resounding win over North Mason on Oct. 1, a 7-0 clean sweep that saw each Sequim singles player and doubles team in straight sets. Nico Zingaro and Connor Bear particularly impressed on the night, losing only one game and four games respectively between their four combined set wins.

Top doubles team Henry Hughes and Dustan Koch also impressed in beating what’s been a fairly steady number one doubles team for the Bulldogs in an otherwise down season for North Mason.

Impressing in defeat

Sequim’s performance against rivals Port Angeles look a little more mixed on paper, losing 4-3 to the top team in the Olympic League so far this season. Despite the result, Textor said that he was very happy with his players’ performances.

“I’m seeing some really good play today,” Textor said during the match.

“We’re winning a good amount of games against the best team in the league, even if we’re not winning all the sets. These players are really impressing me today.”

By the end of the day, Zingaro, Bear and No. 2 singles player Ryan Tolberd all won their matches convincingly, but Port Angeles swept all four doubles matches.

“Nico and Connor have been really good, and Connor gets better every time he plays,” Textor said. “And Ryan has been very steady for us. We just need to get a little more consistent on the doubles side, though they’re playing well there too.”

Textor took his team’s play that day as a sign of their impressive progression so far on the season.

Matches against Klahowya on Oct. 3 and at Chimacum on Oct. 7 were postponed due to rain.

Looking ahead

The Sequim boys tennis team is hosting Kingston on Oct. 9, then heads out on the road to face the Olympic League’s third-placed team in Bremerton on Oct. 10. Then the Wolves are back at home to play North Mason on Oct. 14 and the rescheduled match against Klahowya on Oct. 15 before going to North Kitsap on Oct. 16 and Olympic in Belfair on Oct. 17 to wrap up their fall season.

The rained-out meet against Chimacum from Oct. 7 will be rescheduled as well. That had not been set at press time.

The Olympic League Championships will be on Oct. 24 and 25 at Central Kitsap High School in Silverdale.