Edwardsville blanks Alton 9-0 in SWC boys tennis meet
by Brent Feeney
published March 21 2018 6:25 AM
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ALTON – Edwardsville's boys tennis team came off a big win in last weekend's DecoTurf High School Tennis Championships tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn., with a 9-0 triumph over Alton Tuesday afternoon at Alton High's courts to begin the Southwestern Conference season for both schools.

'We had a great weekend in Chattanooga,” said Tiger coach Dave Lipe. “That weekend is over, so we're back here; we've had lots of good matches with Alton. Tonight, we were pretty sharp in most places – in a couple of places, we're still going through a few growing pains, but it's good to win 9-0 and we're looking forward to preparing and getting ready for our tournament (the Spring Invitational) on (March 30-31).”

EHS had a bit of a different lineup Tuesday. “The kids are still playing challenge matches and figuring out who we are,” Lipe said. “The lineup's not set, the doubles isn't set; you saw we had different combinations out there tonight. Alex (Gray) was out there with Drake (Schrieber at No. 1 doubles), we had Jason (Pan) and Logan (Pursell) at (No. 2 doubles) and Ben (Blake) and Nick (Hobin) playing for the first time this year in varsity competition.

“They had a little jitters, but they settled down and played a good second set, I thought.”

 
Redbird coach Bob Lowe thought the experience against the Tigers will be a big help later on. “It was a good experience,” Lowe said. “I'm glad we got this one over early and I thought the kids all played great; it was a good experience for them.

“We expected a tough match and we were overwhelmed, but the kids fought hard and it was good. I'm real happy with how the kids played; they competed well.”

Tuesday's conditions were difficult at best for both teams; the temperatures hovered the low 40s with windy conditions. “This is not tennis weather,” Lowe said with a laugh. “Hopefully, it'll get better.”

“The conditions were tough,” Lipe said. “All things considered, I'm pleased with how we played; it's cold, it's gray and everybody we cold on both sides, but the elements are the same on both sides – you just have to deal with them.”

Zach Trimpe got things started off for the Tigers in singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Walker Moan at No. 1 singles, followed by Gray topping Ben Simansky at No. 2 singles 6-0, 6-0. At No. 3 singles, Seth Lipe defeated Carson Freeman 6-1, 6-0 and Pursell topped Sam Kane 6-0, 6-1; Schrieber scored a 6-1, 6-1 win over Jared Engleman at No. 5 singles and Pan scored a 6-1, 6-1 win over Owen Williams at No. 6 singles.

In doubles play, Schrieber/Gray defeated Moan/Simansky 6-0, 6-0 in No. 1 doubles while Pan/Pursell took a 6-2, 6-2 win over Freeman/Kane at No. 2 and Ben Blake/Nick Hobin won at No. 3 doubles 7-5, 6-3 over Engleman/Williams.

The Tigers are off until their Spring Invitational tournament March 30-31 before hosting O'Fallon at the EHS Tennis Center at 3:30 p.m. April 4; the Redbirds are back in action at 3:30 p.m. March 27 at O'Fallon before taking part in the EHS Spring Invitational March 30-31 and traveling to Collinsville for a SWC match at 3:30 p.m. April 5.

Feeney, 56, is a native of Granite City and graduated from Granite City South in 1978. He was a part-time writer for the old Granite City Journal from 1979-84 before attending Eastern Illinois University in Charleston,
from which he earned his BA in journalism in 1988. He has worked for newspapers in Sikeston, Mo., Rocky Mount, N.C., Seneca, S.C. and in Charleston-Mattoon. He also worked for the old St. Clair County Suburban
Journals.

Edwardsville blanks Alton 9-0 in SWC boys tennis meet
by Brent Feeney
published March 21 2018 6:25 AM
Listen to the story
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ALTON – Edwardsville's boys tennis team came off a big win in last weekend's DecoTurf High School Tennis Championships tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn., with a 9-0 triumph over Alton Tuesday afternoon at Alton High's courts to begin the Southwestern Conference season for both schools.

'We had a great weekend in Chattanooga,” said Tiger coach Dave Lipe. “That weekend is over, so we're back here; we've had lots of good matches with Alton. Tonight, we were pretty sharp in most places – in a couple of places, we're still going through a few growing pains, but it's good to win 9-0 and we're looking forward to preparing and getting ready for our tournament (the Spring Invitational) on (March 30-31).”

EHS had a bit of a different lineup Tuesday. “The kids are still playing challenge matches and figuring out who we are,” Lipe said. “The lineup's not set, the doubles isn't set; you saw we had different combinations out there tonight. Alex (Gray) was out there with Drake (Schrieber at No. 1 doubles), we had Jason (Pan) and Logan (Pursell) at (No. 2 doubles) and Ben (Blake) and Nick (Hobin) playing for the first time this year in varsity competition.

“They had a little jitters, but they settled down and played a good second set, I thought.”

 
Redbird coach Bob Lowe thought the experience against the Tigers will be a big help later on. “It was a good experience,” Lowe said. “I'm glad we got this one over early and I thought the kids all played great; it was a good experience for them.

“We expected a tough match and we were overwhelmed, but the kids fought hard and it was good. I'm real happy with how the kids played; they competed well.”

Tuesday's conditions were difficult at best for both teams; the temperatures hovered the low 40s with windy conditions. “This is not tennis weather,” Lowe said with a laugh. “Hopefully, it'll get better.”

“The conditions were tough,” Lipe said. “All things considered, I'm pleased with how we played; it's cold, it's gray and everybody we cold on both sides, but the elements are the same on both sides – you just have to deal with them.”

Zach Trimpe got things started off for the Tigers in singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Walker Moan at No. 1 singles, followed by Gray topping Ben Simansky at No. 2 singles 6-0, 6-0. At No. 3 singles, Seth Lipe defeated Carson Freeman 6-1, 6-0 and Pursell topped Sam Kane 6-0, 6-1; Schrieber scored a 6-1, 6-1 win over Jared Engleman at No. 5 singles and Pan scored a 6-1, 6-1 win over Owen Williams at No. 6 singles.

In doubles play, Schrieber/Gray defeated Moan/Simansky 6-0, 6-0 in No. 1 doubles while Pan/Pursell took a 6-2, 6-2 win over Freeman/Kane at No. 2 and Ben Blake/Nick Hobin won at No. 3 doubles 7-5, 6-3 over Engleman/Williams.

The Tigers are off until their Spring Invitational tournament March 30-31 before hosting O'Fallon at the EHS Tennis Center at 3:30 p.m. April 4; the Redbirds are back in action at 3:30 p.m. March 27 at O'Fallon before taking part in the EHS Spring Invitational March 30-31 and traveling to Collinsville for a SWC match at 3:30 p.m. April 5.

Feeney, 56, is a native of Granite City and graduated from Granite City South in 1978. He was a part-time writer for the old Granite City Journal from 1979-84 before attending Eastern Illinois University in Charleston,
from which he earned his BA in journalism in 1988. He has worked for newspapers in Sikeston, Mo., Rocky Mount, N.C., Seneca, S.C. and in Charleston-Mattoon. He also worked for the old St. Clair County Suburban
Journals.