CENTRAL NEW YORK – Having rolled through all of its Onondaga High School League Liberty division foes, the Skaneateles boys tennis team now challenged itself against the strongest program in Ccentral New York.
Playing at Fayetteville-Manlius last Thursday afternoon, the Lakers could not earn a set in any of the matches and lost, 7-0, to the Hornets.
Marty McNeil played the closest singles match, falling to Xavier Sul 6-2, 7-5 as Max Karpinski lost 6-3, 6-0 to David Fernando and Jake Salzhauer had a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Cameron Lukasik.
F-M was just as good in doubles, twice not allowing a game. Marcus McClanahan and Hatcher Gutchess fell to Davin Woolridge and Jaden Duggal 6-1, 6-2 as James Lovier and Kevin Torrisi had a 6-0, 6-3 loss to Colin Byer and Andy Dalal.
Prior to that, Skaneateles had a real fight agaisnt Chittenango last Tuesday afternoon, doing just enough to pick up a 3-2 victory over the Bears.
McNeil blanked Logan Bronner 6-0, 6-0 as Salzhauer beat Micah Alperuto 6-2, 6-2, while Louvier absorbed a 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Seth Boulter.
Gutchess and McClanahan got the clinching point when they beat Josh Boulter and Luke Dahlin 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) as Ethan Pickup and Nick Cerimeli fell to Artie Paul and Jake Simmons 6-2, 6-2.
As for other local teams, Marcellus had no trouble last Tuesday against Pulaski, blanking the Blue Devils 5-0.
In singles, Chris Barbaro handled Garrett Starbird 6-1, 6-1 as Matt Vitale and Caeden Cox did not lose a game in either of their singles matches. The doubles teams of Tyler Szalach-Dan Fox and Michael Miller-Tucker Guerina dropped just one game apiece in their wins.
Things turned around on Friday, though, when Marcellus was shut out 5-0 by Cazenovia. The closest call was in doubles, where Barbaro paired up with Szalach and could not hold on in a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 loss to Andrew Falso and Gabe Reagan.
West Genesee went for its first win of the season last Tuesday against Central Square and almost got it, but settled for a 4-3 defeat to the Redhawks.
Ian Palmieri and Nate Ruston both lost straight-set singles matches, but Noah Ruston blanked Michael Schaap 6-0, 6-0 as the Wildcats also got two points from doubles.
Ty’San Scott and Cooper Corcoran won 6-3,6 -4 over Alessandro Preziosa and Akira Kurtate, with Jameson Bard and Tanner Young handling William Appleton and Andrew Beardsley 6-4, 6-1. However, the teams of Sam Barth-Nathan Smith and Joe Paoli-Josh Pierce each absorbed losses in two sets.
Two days later, WG faced East Syracuse Minoa and lost again, 4-3, with Noah Ruston winning in straight sets along with the doubles teams of Paoli-Nate Ruston and Bard-Young, but the Spartans taking every other match in two sets, including Ian Palmieri’s 7-5, 6-2 singles defeat to Noah Satterlee.
WG did not get on the board Friday when it lost 7-0 to F-M. Four of the matches were shutouts, and Noah Ruston, despite a close first set, fell in singles to Lukasik 6-4, 6-1. A 7-0 defeat to Baldwinsville followed on Saturday.
Onondaga/Westhill was shut out 5-0 by Cazenovia last Tuesday, the only close matches in singles, where Shay Smyth fell to Traian Cherciu 6-4, 6-0 as Jon Massaro fell to Garrett Lounsbury 6-3, 6-2.
But OCS/Westhill turned around Thursday and beat LaFayette 4-1, with Evelynn Loan’s 6-3, 6-2 win over Jenna Reese adding to a singles win by Smyth plus Zane Eldred’s 6-4, 7-5 win over Alex Bush asas Massaro and Loomis paired in doubles for a fourth point.
In another 4-1 decision on Friday, OCS/Westhill lost to Christian Brothers Academy, who swept the doubles and two singles matches other than Smyth’s 6-1, 6-0 romp over Chanu Yang.
