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Washington Evening Journal
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Trojan two back to state
Flanagan, Hannes take 2nd at district tennis meet, reach the state tournament for the 2nd-straight year
FAIRFIELD — The pressure was on at Fairfield Middle School on Monday, as area boys tennis players took their shot at state tournament qualification in the Class 1A district tournament.
In another tough field that included players from perennial powers Xavier, Assumption and Maharishi, along with undefeated Mt. Pleasant, the dynamic duo of Fairfield’s Garrett Flanagan and Jace Hannes once again shined.
Flanagan and Hannes took second in the district doubles tournament, earning one of two doubles spots at the state tournament, which will take place later this month.
The Trojans, who made their state debut after a thrilling three-set semifinal win at last year’s district tournament, did it again on Monday evening.
After earning a first-round bye and sweeping a duo from Fort Madison in the quarterfinals, the Trojans took on Xavier’s Andrew Miller and Quincey Johnson in the semifinals. The winner of the semis earned a spot at the state tournament no matter what happened in the championship match.
The match started out bleak, as Xavier controlled the first set, winning 6-4 to put Fairfield’s back against the wall.
The Trojans buckled down and dominated the second set. Fairfield won the first five games, and after a minor slip up, closed it out 6-1 to even things up and take their opponents into the a winner-takes all third set.
An emotional back and forth saw Fairfield close the match out on a 4-0 run after Xavier had rallied back to tie things at 2-2. Just like one year prior, Flanagan and Hannes had knocked out a Xavier doubles squad and earned their spot at Iowa City on May 23-24.
Fairfield nearly won the district championship. The Trojans faced Xavier’s Garrett Nurre and Jacob Schmit in the final, but after the first two nail-biting sets split, the Xavier duo pulled out a win in the third to earn a 7-5, 6-7 (7-9), 6-3 victory.
The Trojans weren’t the only doubles quarterfinalists. Both Mt. Pleasant and Maharishi had teams make it that far, though neither squad made it to the semis.
Mt. Pleasant’s Jake Ensminger and Owen Vansickel rolled 6-2, 6-1 over an Assumption duo in the first round, but that set them up against Miller and Johnson of Xavier in the quarterfinals.
Miller and Johnson were too much for the Panther squad. Ensminger and Vansickel were ousted 6-2, 6-3, one game short of an all SEC matchup with Fairfield.
Maharishi School’s Polo Altynski-Ross and Jayanta Wegman took down Mt. Pleasant’s Gavin Ross and Phoenix Watson 6-4, 7-5 in the doubles opener. The Pioneers pushed Assumption’s best doubles team in the second set of the quarterfinals, falling 6-1, 7-5.
Three area singles players made the quarterfinals, and two advanced to one game away from the state tournament. Maharishi’s Han Wang and Rumin Luo both won their quarterfinal matches.
Wang had to battle tooth and nail to take down Assumption’s Adam Nikulski in the opening round. He beat Nikulski 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the quarters. In the quarterfinals, Wang knocked off Keokuk’s Brendon Worster, winning sets 6-3 and 6-2.
Unfortunately for Wang, eventual district champion Charlie LeGrand awaited him in the semifinals. LaGrand knocked out Wang 6-0, 6-1.
Rumin Luo earned a first-round bye and swept Aiden Benda of Fort Madison 6-0, 6-0 to make the semifinals in flying colors. He too, however, had a tough matchup in the semifinals, playing Xavier’s Ryan Schmit.
Schmit was too much for Luo in the semis. He knocked Maharishi’s top player out 6-4, 6-3.
Luo and Wang went at it in the third place singles match. It was Luo that had the upper hand, beating his teammate 6-3, 6-3.
While Flanagan and Hannes have already earned a state doubles berth, the team tournaments don’t take place until Friday. Rules were changed on the boys’ side this season to reflect the way the girls handle the postseason, which separates the singles and doubles competitions from the team race.
