Each of the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse boys tennis teams found themselves squeezing in as many matches as they could and hoping the weather didn’t misbehave too much.
And that would include Friday’s head-to-head showdown, as the two rivals waged an instant classic where three matches went to three sets, all of them claimed by the Northstars – but the Warriors still ended up on top by a 4-3 margin.
Two of those three-set matches came in singles, but in between the Warriors earned a valuable point when Ian Szczesniak routed Brian Emigolz 6-1, 6-0.
C-NS’s Jason Wisely split the first two sets with Evan Maestri, but Wisely pulled it out 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. it was far more extreme in third singles, where the Northstars’ Rich Dennis lost badly in the first set, but recovered to stop Leon Truong 1-6, 6-1, 6-1.
It was the same story in doubles, where the longest match went in C-NS’s favor as Justin Kegebein and Connor Millias, two games from defeat, rallied to beat Adam Reed and Mike Sill 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.
But the other three points, and the match, would end up in Liverpool’s possession. Jeff Fenksen and Dan Muelhemann handled Mike Riccardi and Adam Wisely 6-4, 6-2, while Matt Fenksen, pairing with Evan Vogue, beat Adam Hughes and Kyle Spivalk 6-4, 6-2. Logan Enzerillo and Griffin Watson had a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ryan Delao and Nick Perrotta.
In last Monday’s action, C-NS swept Syracuse West 7-0, having a close match in singles, where Connor Doran defeated Cang Tul 7-5, 6-1. Emigloz rolled past Daniel Tron 6-2, 6-1, with Wisely rolling to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Husam Jameel.
Moving to doubles play, Riccardi and Adam Wisely won, 6-0, 6-0, over Amad Aberdeen and Amed Shaalan, while Adam Hughes and Kyle Spivalk beat James Davis and Axavier Johnson 6-1, 6-1.
Liverpool, meanwhile, gained a 6-1 victory over Fulton, a match where Ian Szczesniak and Evan Maestri both won 6-0, 6-0 singles matches over, respectively, Mark Parry and Brad Crofoot. Aaron Laviolette lost to Mark Parry in the other singles match.
Each of the doubles matches only lasted two sets. Jeff Fenksen and Dan Muehlemann beat Ben McKay and Jacob Strauss 6-1, 6-3, with Mark Fensken and Evan Vogue also winning in straight sets.
Anthony Arcaro and Mitch Virkler were impressive, beating Carlos Feliciano and Austin Naim 6-0, 6-1, with Adam Donle and Keaton Thiel prevailing over Seth Reidy and Dave Stoutenger 6-3, 6-0.
