By CHRIS BROOKS, sports editor, wellsvillesports.com
ALMOND — It was a match that the Lions of Wellsville had to grind their way through all the way to the very end. Battling neck and neck with host Alfred-Almond on Friday, they would have fight their way through multiple tiebreaks to get the job done, going on to do just that, as they picked up two huge victories from Matt Bittel and the second doubles team of Mohamed Ahmed and Keaton Sharpe to finish a 3-2 road win.
Bittel battled back and forth with Alfred-Almond’s Cameron Heinig at first singles all night long, as each traded a 6-1 win in the first two sets before deciding it all in the decisive third set, one that saw Bittel claw his way towards victory by a 6-4 decision to pick up the overall victory. Hua Qui Zhang added Wellsville’s (3-2) next win at third singles, firing past Noah Dusinberre with a 6-2, 6-1 win.
In their second doubles match, Ahmed and Sharpe fought tooth and nail through not only one, but two straight tiebreaks against Alfred-Almond’s team of Eric Butts and Patrick Powers, with the Lions doublers taking the narrow 7-6 decision first before the Eagles followed with a 7-5 second set win. But they would quickly regroup shortly after, as they finished on a masterful note with a 6-1 third set win to clinch match victory for the Lions.
Alfred-Almond would go on to take a win at second singles over Wellsville, as Ryan Carlton fell in three sets by a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 count, while the first doubles team of Ryan Haggerty and Adam Iantorno fell to the Eagles in a close 6-4, 6-2 defeat.
Wellsville will look to continue their winning ways Monday night with a 5 p.m. contest at Campbell-Savona.
Singles
1. Matt Bittel (WLSV) def. Cameron Heinig (A-A), 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.
2. Chris Mormino (A-A) def. Ryan Carlton (WLSV), 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
3. Hua Qui Zhang (WLSV) def. Noah Dusinberre (A-A), 6-2, 6-1.
Doubles
1. Maddox Dixon/Lucas Koegel (A-A) def. Ryan Haggerty/Adam Iantorno (WLSV), 6-4, 6-2.
2. Mohamed Ahmed/Keaton Sharpe (WLSV) def. Eric Butts/Patrick Powers (A-A), 7-6, 5-7, 6-1.
Fillmore 5, Andover/Whitesville 0
ANDOVER — The Eagles of Fillmore were at the top of their game Friday night in Andover, as they swept the competition in dominant fashion, with four matches resulting in straight-set shutouts to pave the way towards a 5-0 team win over host Andover/Whitesville to record their fourth straight win to start the season.
Carter Sisson, Eben Schilke and Isaiah Sisson all collected straight-set sweeping shutouts in the singles department to pace Fillmore (4-0). The team would add one more 6-0, 6-0 victory on the doubles side, as the team of Henry Decker of Joe Derck provided the triumph over Olivia Hanks and Morgan Saterlee at first doubles.
Layton Sanasith and Noah Strickland finished off the match sweep for the Eagles with a 6-2, 6-1 second doubles win over Andover/Whitesville’s (0-2) Bryne Hunt and Taegan McCrea.
Both teams are back in action Monday night in 5 p.m. first serves, as the Eagles head back home to Houghton College to host Bolivar-Richburg, while Andover/Whitesville heads to Genesee Valley/Belfast.
Singles
1. Carter Sisson (FIL) def. Will Kent (A/W), 6-0, 6-0.
2. Eben Schilke (FIL) def. Jayden Reed (A/W), 6-0, 6-0.
3. Isaiah Sisson (FIL) def. Trey Kent (A/W), 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles
1. Henry Decker/Joe Derck (FIL) def. Olivia Hanks/Morgan Saterlee (A/W), 6-0, 6-0.
2. Layton Sanasith/Noah Strickland (FIL) def. Bryne Hunt/Taegan McCrea (A/W), 6-2, 6-1.
Scio 4, Bolivar-Richburg 1
BOLIVAR — Scio found their groove over the road on Friday, as they captured three victories out of the four total matches courted in Bolivar, with a lengthy victory from the second doubles team of Will Broach and Austin Gowdy leading the charge for the Tigers in their 4-1 win over the host Wolverines.
Broach and Gowdy fought their way back from a second set defeat to Bolivar-Richburg’s Zane Pangburn and Nebula Wilson-Smith with a close victory in the final set of the night, as they squeezed their way towards triumph with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win. Scio (1-1) would collect the doubles sweep in the process, as the first doubles team of Liam Carouge and Ben Weimer secured the narrow 6-4, 6-3 victory over Gwen Coats and Ben Kisel.
In the singles department, Scio declared match victory with two more additional wins, one from Corey Field at second singles, as he rolled past Bolivar-Richburg’s (0-1) Anthony Densmore with a 6-1, 6-2 win, while Jordan White followed with a forfeit win at third singles.
The Wolverines scored just one victory on the court from their first singles competitor, Jacopo Canepa, as he rounded off the scorecard with a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Scio’s Jude Marion.
Both teams are back in action after the weekend with a pair of 5 p.m. first serves on Monday, as Scio hits the road for Avoca/Prattsburgh, while Bolivar-Richburg heads to Houghton College to meet unbeaten Fillmore.
Singles
1. Jacopo Canepa (B-R) def. Jude Marion (SCIO), 6-4, 6-2.
2. Corey Field (SCIO) def. Anthony Densmore (B-R), 6-1, 6-2.
3. Jordan White (SCIO) by forfeit
Doubles
1. Liam Carouge/Ben Weimer (SCIO) def. Gwen Coats/Ben Kisel (B-R), 6-4, 6-3.
2. Will Broach/Austin Gowdy (SCIO) def. Zane Pangburn/Nebula Wilson-Smith (B-R), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
