Faced with plenty of challenges, the Skaneateles boys tennis found that its initial assignment in the 2015 season was to find out if it was the best Laker side.
Alas, that was not the case, Skaneateles taking a 4-1 defeat to Cazenovia last Tuesday afternoon in the season opener at Austin Park.
The lone Skaneateles point came on the doubles side, where Ryan Baily and Malcolm Lombardi rallied from an early deficit to beat Tim Kempton and Andrew Terry 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Connor Driscoll and Anthony Panasci had a 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Harry McDonough and Ben Kmetz.
However, all three singles matches went in Cazenovia’s favor. Max Hall fell to Mason Stehle 6-1, 6-4, with Ethan Weldon taking a 6-2, 6-1 defeat to Wyatt Lansing and Connor Jones falling, 6-1, 6-0, to Nate Romig.
Skaneateles inched closer a team win in Wednesday’s match against Manlius-Pebble Hill, but did not quite get there, falling to the Trojans 3-2.
Connor Driscoll’s 6-3, 6-1 singles victory over Ini Oguntola helped the Lakers shake off defeats by Jones to Andrew Mariados 6-0, 6-0 and Weldon to Ryley Amond 6-2, 6-0. Then Baily and Benson beat Max Charlamb and Kithr Martin 6-2, 6-0, but Panasci and Lucz Kunz lost a tough 6-4, 6-3 match to Cole Meier and Trilok Reddy.
The skid got halted Thursday afternoon, when Skaneateles shut out the LaFayette Lancers 5-0, seeing Weldon go through the toughest singles match, but still beat Tanner Fitzpatrick 6-4, 6-0.
Connor Driscoll blanked Devon Scott 6-0, 6-0, with Jones rolling past Evan Pelton 6-0, 6-1. In doubles play, Panasci paired with Zach Driscoll, and Bayly teamed with Lombardi, neither of them dropping a game in their four sets of work.
