Sports
Tigers Boys' Tennis In Playoff Hunt After Win Over Coventry
The Tiverton High boys' tennis team evened its divisional record and remained in the hunt for a state playoff berth by besting the Oakers, 6-1, in a Division III-South outing.
“A step in the right direction.”
So said boys’ tennis Coach Jeff Heath after his Tigers outclassed visiting Coventry High, 6-1, Thursday afternoon in a Division III-South match played under very windy conditions.
Tiverton won three of the four singles’ contests and all three doubles’ tilts when evening its divisional record at 4-4 and remaining ahead of fifth-place West Warwick High School (3-5) in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Oakers slipped to 1-9.
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Tiverton impressed Thursday while winning all six of its matches in just two sets, paced by its No. 1 singles’ player Jordan Darkow and No. 2 singles’ performer Dan Tierney.
“This was a good win for us,” Heath said. “Coventry has really improved since we beat them last month and we needed to play well today to beat them. I was especially pleased by the performances of Jordan and Dan.”
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Darkow handled Coventry’s Scott Botelho by margins of 6-1 and 6-1, and Tierney blanked Oaker Richard Sharkey, 6-0, 6-0. At No. 4 singles, Tiger Jordan Hancock bested Coventry’s Geoff Bean by a comfortable 6-0, 6-2 margin.
The Oakers collected their only point of the contest at No. 3 singles when Matt Haley defeated Alessio Ayuninjam by tallies of 6-4, 6-0.
The swept the doubles’ clashes while dropping only two games. The No. 1 tandem of Tom O’Hara-Andrew Sampaio outclassed Zach William-David Brodeur by 6-0, 6-0 scores and the No. 2 unit of Matt Correia-Travis Doumaney triumphed at 6-0, 6-2. Tiverton’s No. 3 duet of Alex Rosa-Colin Mallory breezed to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Bryan Hoole-Katina Gustufson.
The Tigers return to action today (Friday) at home against Somerset High School in a non-league encounter before facing a stiff scheduling challenge in the final week of regular season. Because of postponements, Tiverton must still play five full contests and complete a suspended match against Mt. Hope Regional prior to the start of the state playoffs.
“Winning today was important because of our tough schedule remaining and because it showed we could bounce back after a tough loss earlier this week to (undefeated) Exeter-West Greenwich Regional,” Heath said. “I’m happy that our players are focused as we head into the final stretch of the season and hopefully nail down a playoff berth.”
