Having gained local bragging rights over Cicero-North Syracuse in a 5-2 decision on April 30, the Liverpool boys tennis team knew that, to keep it, it had to topple the Northstars again in their rematch just eight days later.
And the Warriors did so, by the same 5-2 margin, to improve to 9-5 on the season, starting in singles with Evan Maestri handling Connor Doren 6-0, 6-1 and Evan Vogue going to a second-set tie-breaker to finish off Rich Dennis 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
The Northstars countered with Brian Emigolz overcoming a brutal first set and a second-set tie-breaker to somehow beat Aaron Laviolette 0-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-6. But even that, combined with Justin Kegelbein and Connor Millias beating Logan Enerzillo and Mike Fensken 6-2, 6-2, could not pull C-NS through.
Leon Truong and Mitch Virkler won for Liverpool in a 6-7 (8-6), 6-2, 6-4 decision over Andrew Hughs and Kyle Spivalk. Adam Reed and Mike Sill got past Ryan Delao and Austin Fehrman 7-6 (8-6), 6-0, with Jacob Munski and Tyler Popp beating Jack Irwin and Nate Perrotta 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
Prior to that, Liverpool beat Central Square 6-1 last Monday afternoon, sweeping singles as Sam Min beat Jake Kane 6-1, 6-1, Vogue handled Nate Ecker 6-2, 6-2 and Truong grabbed a 6-1, 7-5 decision over Parker Wells. Laviolette and Maestri led the doubles sides with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Brandon Falise and Tyler Wolstenholme.
A classic battle with Baldwinsville followed on Wednesday afternoon, and the Warriors made enough inroads in doubles to earn a tough 4-3 victory over the Bees.
Liverpool won two of the three singles matches. In three sets, Maestri beat Nick Walker 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to gain the crucial point in the match, while Fensken handled Nick Grage 6-0, 6-4. That made up for Laviolette taking a 6-1, 6-2 defeat to Hunter Cohen-Ciampichini.
The four doubles matches were split. Truong and Virkler roared past Daniel Mark and Kyle Robinson 6-0, 6-2, with Adam Reed and Mike Sill routing Nick Jerome and Alex Shaban 6-1, 6-0. Min and Vogue fell to Austin Dukat and Scott Ferrari 6-3, 6-1, with Enzerillo and Griffin Watson taking a 6-1, 6-4 defeat to Mason Soeder and Matt MacConaghy.
Making it three consecutive wins for the week, the Warriors swept Syracuse East 7-0 on Thursday. Min beat Richy Llanon 6-2, 6-0, with Vogue stopping Aung Htoo 6-0, 6-3 and Truong routing Muhialdain Muhialdain 6-0, 6-1. In the closest doubles match, Fensken and Virkler defeated Quoc Phan and Samir Subba 6-1, 6-4.
