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Bison tennis ends season in Lincoln
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The McCook boys tennis season came to an end Thursday at the Class B state tournament in Lincoln. The Bison had two entries advance to the second round, before losing to seeded opponents.
As a team, the Bison finished with six points and tied with Omaha Brownell Talbot/Concordia for 18th place.
"I thought our team did very well" said head coach Matt Wiemers. "Everyone got beat by better players, which is acceptable if you have to get beat. I thought the experience was good for everyone."
The Bison's lone seeded player, 12-seed Sam Knoll in No. 2 Singles, started his day with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Langston Hoover of Nebraska City.
"We didn't think Sam got the respect he deserved with his seeding. I thought he had a great season going into state," Wiemers said. "Nerves got to him pretty heavily in that first set, but he did a nice job coming back to battle and calm his nerves in the second set. Then he caught fire that third set. He managed to go up 5-0 and win that final set 6-2."
His second-round opponent was a familiar foe from Grand Island Central Catholic. Five-seed Carson Hamik ended Knoll's season 6-1, 6-4.
"(Hamik) is a very good, consistent player," Wiemers said. "I thought Sam did a nice job and played him well all match long."
At No. 1 Singles, Teagan Sitzman fell to Drake Hobson of Omaha Skutt 6-1, 6-1.
Sitzman was one of a number of McCook players who got shuffled around the state lineup due to Von Fritsche being out with an injury.
"Since Von was injured, we had to move people around," Wiemers noted. "Teagan played well, he just went up against someone who was better than him."
Playing in his final high school tennis competition, Josiah Hegwood teamed up with Spencer Krysl at No. 1 Doubles. Hegwood/Krysl swept Tyler Tjaden/Dyson Dollarhide of Gering 6-0, 6-0 in the first round before falling to top-seed Riley Warner/Joseph Burt of Lincoln Pius X.
"(Josiah and Spencer) got after Gering pretty well," Wiemers said. "They played good tennis and didn't get pushed too hard, which was good because that was the first time they had played together since Von was injured."
Wiemers couldn't fault his doubles duo for bowing out to the title favorites 6-1, 6-2.
"It's a night-and-day difference," he said about the difference between Gering and Lincoln Pius X. "Pius was solid, oh my goodness. Our guys battled hard and did everything they could. We switched formations, hit lobs, short balls and hit alleys. (Josiah and Spencer) played hard and knew they had nothing to lose, and that showed on the court. Pius was, by far, the more superior team."
In No. 2 Doubles, Caden Bortner/Zion Moyer fell in the first round to 9-seed Mason Wright/Dalton Mogul of York in a tight 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 7-5 match.
"Caden and Zion got off to a heck of a start," said Wiemers. "They built a lot of momentum and played great tennis that first set. That second set was so close the entire time. They ended up losing in a tiebreaker, and we definitely had our chances to pull out the win there."
The hard part came in the third set, where the Bison duo were at match point with a 5-4 lead.
"Once again, the third set was back and forth," Wiemers recalled. "We just couldn't close the deal. I thought the boys played great, and was pleased with the effort there. York was a good team."
With the season in the books, the Bison will lose only one player to graduation. With Hegwood being the lone departure, Wiemers noted his contributions to the tennis program.
"We'll miss Josiah. He's a great leader and competitor, and a very gifted individual. He's done a lot for our program."
That said, the Bison will return the rest of its varsity lineup next season. McCook only had one underclassman, Knoll, who had ever competed at the state tournament before, making Thursday a valuable learning tool.
"You get to play against, and see, the level of competition and it's going to do nothing but good things for our players. It's a different game when you get to state and go up against the eastern schools."
Wiemers said a conversation he had with his team on Thursday also had him optimistic for next season.
"I was talking to them after the tournament, to get a feel for how they were doing, and they said, 'we have to take it more serious and be better competitors.' Pius, Gretna, Elkhorn and Elkhorn South are committed to this year-round, and I think our players are starting to realize that's what it takes."
"It's going to be a fun season for us next year," Wiemers continued. "We will use this state experience and carry it into the offseason. Hopefully it will pay dividends next August."