By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Both the Hopkins County Central and Madisonville-North Hopkins tennis teams entered Tuesday's rivalry match with one goal: continue improvement leading to Monday's 2nd Region first round at Henderson.
With less than one week until the postseason, North exhibited solid performances on both the boys and girls squads with a pair of wins, 8-1 and 7-2 respectively.
"What you like to pull out of something like this is to make sure you work on the things you need to improve," North coach Richard Sarles said. "We played Central before, so we know their strengths and weaknesses.
"We know what to pick on and they know what to pick on us, but what you're really trying to do is clean up the places where you're sloppy in your game."
North and Central last played April 18 with the boys winning 8-0 and the Lady Maroons on top 5-3.
Tuesday, the Storm's lone winner for the boys was Nick Adcock, who defeated Chris Clark 6-4, 6-0.
Maroon boys singles winners included Rohit Nair, Austin Gerwe, Evan Spikes, Sean Whitfield and Jon Lam. For the Lady Maroons, Veronika Wheeler, Katelyn Brown, Alyssa Davis and Taylor Alexander each won. Central's Ellen Cox and Kristen Browning secured victories for the Lady Storm. In doubles play, North swept boys and girls.
With less than one week until the postseason, North exhibited solid performances on both the boys and girls squads with a pair of wins, 8-1 and 7-2 respectively.
"What you like to pull out of something like this is to make sure you work on the things you need to improve," North coach Richard Sarles said. "We played Central before, so we know their strengths and weaknesses.
"We know what to pick on and they know what to pick on us, but what you're really trying to do is clean up the places where you're sloppy in your game."
North and Central last played April 18 with the boys winning 8-0 and the Lady Maroons on top 5-3.
Tuesday, the Storm's lone winner for the boys was Nick Adcock, who defeated Chris Clark 6-4, 6-0.
Maroon boys singles winners included Rohit Nair, Austin Gerwe, Evan Spikes, Sean Whitfield and Jon Lam. For the Lady Maroons, Veronika Wheeler, Katelyn Brown, Alyssa Davis and Taylor Alexander each won. Central's Ellen Cox and Kristen Browning secured victories for the Lady Storm. In doubles play, North swept boys and girls.
While North posted sizable team wins on both sides, Central had many hard fought matches and near comebacks such as Chase Durrance's competition with the Maroons' Gerwe.
Gerwe jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but Durrance fired back to pull within two points at 6-4.
After his match, Durrance said when faced in such a difficult position a player must focus on one point at a time.
"Sometimes you feel like you just have to lessen the blow a little, try to come back and pull out a win and if not at least you tried your hardest," he said.
"If you can just change up the tempo, get your momentum going then it's easier to push through some points. Play smart instead of trying to play hard."
Central coach Jill Quinn observed boys matches at Madisonville Community College while Sarles watched the girls at North's campus.
Quinn said there are both pros and cons to such a setup.
"When there are only four courts and fewer kids, you get to watch them longer and see more of their game," she said. "The disadvantage of course would be I didn't get to see the girls play or get to give them any advice or tips."
Tuesday's match represented the final of the season for North, but Central will return to the courts 4 p.m. Thursday against McLean County and Quinn made sure to inform all her players about today's practice.
"We'll do some drills to work on some of the things I noticed today like court movement and positioning, volleys, things like that I noticed in match play we can improve upon," she said.
Meanwhile, Sarles and the North squad will await Friday's seedling for next week's regional action.
Gerwe jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but Durrance fired back to pull within two points at 6-4.
After his match, Durrance said when faced in such a difficult position a player must focus on one point at a time.
"Sometimes you feel like you just have to lessen the blow a little, try to come back and pull out a win and if not at least you tried your hardest," he said.
"If you can just change up the tempo, get your momentum going then it's easier to push through some points. Play smart instead of trying to play hard."
Central coach Jill Quinn observed boys matches at Madisonville Community College while Sarles watched the girls at North's campus.
Quinn said there are both pros and cons to such a setup.
"When there are only four courts and fewer kids, you get to watch them longer and see more of their game," she said. "The disadvantage of course would be I didn't get to see the girls play or get to give them any advice or tips."
Tuesday's match represented the final of the season for North, but Central will return to the courts 4 p.m. Thursday against McLean County and Quinn made sure to inform all her players about today's practice.
"We'll do some drills to work on some of the things I noticed today like court movement and positioning, volleys, things like that I noticed in match play we can improve upon," she said.
Meanwhile, Sarles and the North squad will await Friday's seedling for next week's regional action.
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