Newtown Tennis Plays Well In Individual Title Matches

Just two days after capturing the first South-West Conference team championship in their program's history, the Newtown boys tennis team were back in action Wednesday at Pomperaug High School for the individual round.

On a hot and humid afternoon in Southbury, six of the 10 Nighthawks who qualified for the individual championships participated with two singles player and one doubles team advancing to the finals while one match-up was left as a cliffhanger after play was suspended due to nightfall.

Colin Jacob and Connor Howell, the No. 2 seed in the one doubles bracket, were the first Nighthawks to play. In their first round match the duo cruised to an early 5-0 lead against the No. 7 pair of Spencer Law and James Bizak from Bunnell.

Bizak and Law were able to make a late surge but ultimately fell short. Jacob and Howell went on to win 8-5, in the pro set, or the first to win eight games by a margin of two games.

In their second match, Jacob and Howell faced New Milford's Josh Jugler and Luke Stolz in the semifinals of the one doubles bracket.

With strong serves and great overhand shots, Jacob and Howell quickly took the first set 6-3. But Jugler and Stolz didn't collapse. Instead, with strong net play the New Milford pair rebounded, winning the second set 6-4. Facing elimination, Jacob and Howell pulled it together, finishing the match with a third set 6-1 win.

"We knew we had to be more aggressive at the net," Jacob said. "We just weren't attacking enough in the second set and because of that we let them back in it."

Jacob and Howell will be facing the winner of the semifinals match between Weston's Harrison and Jon Lipsitz and Joel Barlow's Blake Kramer and Sean Hanczor in Thursday's finals.

Jacob and Howell are very familiar with the Lipsitz brothers, having beaten them in three sets Tuesday at Treadwell Park, as well as during a match earlier in the season. However, the Newtown pair lost to Kramer and Hanczor earlier in the season.

"I think the match between those two teams will be very exciting to watch," Howell said. "I really don't know who I would rather face because they both are good teams."

Pete Manos, the No. 4 seed in two singles, played the No. 5 seed Donald Torre, of New Fairfield, in a pro set to determine who would face the No. 1 seed Nikko Squeglia in the semifinals.

Early on Manos dominated, showcasing great footwork and a solid forehand as he raced out to a 4-1 lead. But Torre fought back, and eventually knotted the score at 6-6. With Torre serving, Manos regained his composure, broke Torre's serve and then went on to hold his serve, winning 8-6.

In the subsequent semifinals match, Squeglia jumped to a quick start and won the first set 6-3. But then play was suspended because it had gotten too dark outside, leaving the match on a cliffhanger.

Early in the season, Squeglia beat Manos in straight sets but Manos has since battled back, winning against Squeglia just last week during the team semifinals. This time with a spot in the individual finals on the line, Manos and Squeglia will continue play Thursday with Squeglia serving at the start of the second set.

In the semifinals of the four singles bracket, Newtown's Casey Tenney beat the No. 3 seed Sam Weyrauch, of Weston, in what was a grueling battle under the hot sun. Both players went back and forth, each responding to the other with a magnificent shot of their own. Tenney eventually took the first set following a tiebreaker, and then went on to win the match 7-6(3), 7-5.

"I didn't play well early," Tenney said. "But I just kept trying to keep the ball on the court and force him into making unforced errors."

Tenney will play the winner of the other semifinal match-up between Bunnell's Mike Dolph and Brookfield's Josh Dores on Thursday in the finals of the four singles bracket.

No. 2 seed Rob Beier beat No. 3 Shryan Appalaraju, of Pomperaug, 6-3, 6-3, in the semifinals of three singles and will now play the finals Thursday.

"Going into the match I knew (Appalaraju) had a better backhand," Beier said. "So I really focused on hitting it to his forehand where he is less comfortable."

Beier will face the No. 1 seed, D.J. Karasik, of Bunnell, or New Fairfield's Matt Anderson in the finals. In matches played earlier in the season, Beier won against Anderson but was beaten by Karasik.

"Going into tomorrow I am focusing on consistency," Beier said. "I have to try to get most of my first serves in."

Newtown's other doubles teams of Max Paynter and Cam McCleary, and Rich Andreotta and Tyler Ruefenacht didn't get a chance to play Wednesday, but they will Thursday in the two doubles and three doubles semifinals.

Ruefenacht and Andreotta, the No. 1 seed in two doubles, will play Joel Barlow's Steve Dreznick and Grayson Kramer. Paynter and McCleary, the No. 1 seed in three doubles, will face Weston's Matt Wasserman and Zach Levine, who beat the Newtown duo during Tuesday's team championship.

SINGLES

(Pro set) #1 Jeremy Schwartz (W) def. #8 Timo Roehrs (N): 8-0 (1 singles)

(Pro set) #4 Pete Manos (N) def. #5 Donald Torre (NF): 8-6 (2 singles)

(Semifinals) #2 Rob Beier (N) def. #3 Shryan Appalaraju (P): 6-3, 6-3 (3 singles)

(Semifinals) #2 Casey Tenney (N.) def. #3 Sam Weyrauch (W): 7-6(3), 7-5 (4 singles)

(Semifinals) #4 Peter Manos (N.) vs. #1 Nikko Spequilla (B): Match suspended after first set. Spequilla 1-0

DOUBLES

(Pro-set) #2 Colin Jacob/Connor Howell (N) def. #7 Spencer Law/ James Bizak (B): 8-5

(Semifinals) #2 Colin Jacob/ Connor Howell (N) def. #3 J. Jugler/ L. Stolz (NM): 6-3, 4-6, 6-1