By RYAN WALKER
FORT WAYNE — Norwell left Concordia victoriously by the skin of its teeth in boys’ tennis on Wednesday.
A once 2-1 Cadet’s lead came down to the final two matches, and the Knights’ No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles pair held strong to scrape a 3-2 victory together on opening day.
The Knights were thrilled to get a win with the unknown with an inexperienced lineup. Four players out of the seven were new to varsity, and the others were entering higher-level roles for the first time.
Both the No. 2 and No. 3 singles players and the No. 2 doubles team were all making debuts on varsity, while the returning players — Gavin Reynolds, Eddie Archbold and Ayden Quintanilla — stepped up to the top slots in the lineup for the first time.
“It was good, and especially since Concordia continues to get better and better,” Norwell head coach Noah Tobias said. “To see that we were able to overcome some stuff that was going on, it made it feel really good.”
For Norwell, Braylon Troutt at No. 2 singles and the No. 2 doubles team of Ethan Williamson and Rylan Heyerly picked up their first varsity wins. Landon Diver fell in his first varsity match.
Tobias shared that he placed those four in the lineup because of their hard work, attitude and being coachable. Those types of players are who he wants on his team.
But the decision between picking Troutt and Diver in the two voids at singles wasn’t as easy. He said that both of them are deserving of No. 2.
Troutt and Diver have been getting after each other in friendly competition against one another in practice. In challenge matches, it’s at 1-1 tie.
“(It’s) as even as even can get,” Tobias said. “The way that they work with their effort and their attitude — I mean, everything is just so even. I just had to choose. There’s no reason, I just had to choose, which is tough.”
The easier spots to place in Tobias’ seven are the three returning lettermen. Reynolds was the clear favorite to earn the No. 1 singles spot, as was the strong tandem of Archbold and Quintanilla at No. 1 doubles. All three of them got the bump up to No. 1 starting roles for the first time.
Though Norwell doesn’t know how the season will end up by the time the postseason comes, Tobias is confident in his group despite a lack of varsity experience. The team is motivated and fighting for the varsity roster and wants to repeat as sectional champions later this fall.
“I feel like we’re doing really good things in our practices just preparing for what’s to come, but they’re also doing a great job in the summertime — really trying to better themselves,” Tobias said. “They come out first practice and they’re doing amazing because they want a varsity spot so bad and to win so bad. They did great tonight.”
Norwell will host its season opener against Jay County at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22.
Individual results:
• Evan Gerig (C) defeated Gavin Reynolds 6-1, 6-3 at No. 1 singles.
• Braylon Troutt (N) defeated Nico Conley 6-4, 6-4 at No. 2 singles.
• Adam Bible (C) defeated Landon Diver 6-4, 0-6, 10-8 at No. 3 singles.
• Eddie Archbold and Ayden Quintanilla (N) defeated Ashton Cramer and Hudson Kraft 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1 doubles.
• Ethan Williamson and Rylan Heyerly defeated Nolan Nutter and Nick Motter 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 doubles.
Norwell took the junior varsity match 2-0.
Results for JV:
• Greyson Chavis defeated Jude Peters 8-1.
• Brady Watkins defeated Jude Peters 8-5.
