Sectional action begins Monday at home
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
A lack of varsity experience at the start of the season could have kept the East Troy boys tennis team from reaching its Rock Valley Conference goals.
But the Trojans refused to let that happen.
With three second-place finishes to its credit, the Trojans placed second overall to conference champion McFarland on Friday at UW-Whitewater.
“It was an outstanding night,” East Troy coach Dave Lindow said. “Everyone held their own and Mac (Dudkiewicz at No. 2 singles) went from fourth to third. Seven kids medaled.
“… I’m really proud of this group for coming together and working hard (to) achieve great success at the tournament. We had very little varsity experience coming into this year, and this team played like veterans down the stretch. They should be really proud of their accomplishments.”
Advancing to the finals were Dayne Lindow at No. 1 singles, Josh Marshman at No. 4 and the No. 1 doubles team of Sam Jurgilanis and Griffin Gerber at No. 1 doubles.
Lindow defeated Jefferson’s Blake Drays, 6-0, 6-1 and Whitewater’s Slate Spear, 6-1, 6-0, before he fell, 0-1, 1-6 to McFarland’s Carter Johnson.
The 2-1 day improved Lindow to 14-4 as he became the first freshman in program history to medal at No. 1 singles.
“He played an outstanding tournament, winning handily over two quality opponents before losing to one of the best kids in Division 2 in the finals,” his father said. “… (I’m) really proud of how he listens and adjusts his game. He has improved over the season, and seeing him medal at the conference tournament was very rewarding.”
The team of Jurgilanis/Gerber defeated Whitewater’s Colin Chenoweth and Broderick Frye, 6-3, 6-2, followed by a 6-3, 6-4 win over Luther Prep’s Caleb Hengst and Elijah Schulz, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the finals.
In the title tilt, the East Troy duo fell, 3-6, 6-7 (4) to the Big Foot team of Christian Karabas and Gunnar Smith. The 2-1 day moved the pair to 9-5 overall.
“They played the best tennis of the year,” Lindow said. “They took the conference champs to the limit. They played No. 3 doubles last year and made the jump and are really coming into their own. We talked about being more aggressive, and they met that challenge. What a great accomplishment for these two.”
Marshman defeated Whitewater’s Henry Bresser, 6-3, 5-7, 10-5, followed by a 0-6, 0-6 loss to McFarland’s Logan Snelling in the No. 4 finals.
“Josh keeps getting more consistent, and his game is improving,” Lindow said. “(An) outstanding job for a first-year player. … He’s working on his offense, which is the next level for him. (I’m) really proud of him.”
Finishing third were Mac Dudkiewicz at No. 3 singles and Connor Knudsen and Paul Friemoth at No. 2 doubles, who each finished 2-1. Connor Paulin at No. 2 singles was sixth, while the No. 3 doubles team of Zack Burke and Nick Schwall lost both of their matches.
East Troy closed its regular season Monday with a 6-1 non-conference win over Burlington.
Picking up wins in singles were Lindow at No. 1, 6-2, 6-3; Dudkiewicz at No. 2, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3) and Marshman at No. 3, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Winning doubles matches were Jurgilanis-Gerber at No. 1, 6-3, 6-2; Knudsen-Friemoth at No. 2, 7-5, 6-3; and Schwall-Burke at No. 3, 7-5, 6-2.
Next up for the Trojans is the WIAA Division 2 subsectional at home Monday at 9 a.m., and Lindow is hoping the momentum his team gained at the conference tournament will carry over.
“I’m really proud of my team,” he said. “They came and competed. A second-place finish is quite an accomplishment, and every kid contributed. They have really come together as a team and cheer for each other. They have done everything I’ve asked of them. I’m proud to be their coach.”
