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Blue Springs, MO —
The drama was palpable – and it had a few twists.
Coach Sheri Rehmer’s Blue Springs South tennis team was without its No. 1 player and lost its No. 3 player to cramps, yet found a way to win thanks to the heroic effort of all three Jaguar doubles teams, who each claimed a victory en route to the 6-3 triumph over crosstown rival Blue Springs Tuesday night at Wilbur Young Park.
The Jaguars won their fifth conference crown in the last seven years and finished this season with a perfect 5-0 Suburban Big Six record and 13-3 overall mark.
“This might be the most special conference championship we’ve ever had,” said Rehmer, who told sophomore Paul Province that he would replace Chris Hammond as the No. 1 singles player after Hammond didn’t attend school because of an illness.
“Coach told me at lunch I was going to be No. 1,” said Province, who downed Blue Springs’ Tyler Casey 6-2, 6-4. “My first thought was that I have to be ready mentally, so all I did the rest of the day was get prepared.”
Province then teamed with No. 9 singles player Jose Garchitorena in the No. 1 doubles match as Garchitorena replaced Alec Barber, who had to retire from his singles match because of leg cramps.
“I felt like I let everyone down until I saw how Joey (Garchitorena) played on that doubles team,” Barber said.
Province and Garchitorena topped Tyler Casey and Max Martel 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“Even though we lost the first set, we were confident. I was confident, because of my doubles partner,” Garchitorena said. “He kept me pumped up and confident.”
Province – who won the Mr. Jaguar Award, which is given to the player who shows the best leadership skills and has the best team approach – was on fire most of the doubles match.
He was high-fiving his partner, double-pumping each winning shot and getting all his teammates on the sidelines fired up.
“I’m ready for a leadership role on this team,” Province said. “This was a great victory for our team. We were missing our No. 1 singles and Alec went down and we still found a way to win.”
The Jaguars won the match when No. 1 doubles team – brothers Alex and Jared Martin – topped Dan Noud and Andy Anderson 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
“It feels so great to beat your biggest rival and clinch an outright conference championship,” said Alex, who lost 6-1, 7-5 to Martel in No. 2 singles play. “Even when we lost 6-1, our intensity level picked up and we really played well in the third set.”
The drama was palpable – and it had a few twists.
Coach Sheri Rehmer’s Blue Springs South tennis team was without its No. 1 player and lost its No. 3 player to cramps, yet found a way to win thanks to the heroic effort of all three Jaguar doubles teams, who each claimed a victory en route to the 6-3 triumph over crosstown rival Blue Springs Tuesday night at Wilbur Young Park.
The Jaguars won their fifth conference crown in the last seven years and finished this season with a perfect 5-0 Suburban Big Six record and 13-3 overall mark.
“This might be the most special conference championship we’ve ever had,” said Rehmer, who told sophomore Paul Province that he would replace Chris Hammond as the No. 1 singles player after Hammond didn’t attend school because of an illness.
“Coach told me at lunch I was going to be No. 1,” said Province, who downed Blue Springs’ Tyler Casey 6-2, 6-4. “My first thought was that I have to be ready mentally, so all I did the rest of the day was get prepared.”
Province then teamed with No. 9 singles player Jose Garchitorena in the No. 1 doubles match as Garchitorena replaced Alec Barber, who had to retire from his singles match because of leg cramps.
“I felt like I let everyone down until I saw how Joey (Garchitorena) played on that doubles team,” Barber said.
Province and Garchitorena topped Tyler Casey and Max Martel 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“Even though we lost the first set, we were confident. I was confident, because of my doubles partner,” Garchitorena said. “He kept me pumped up and confident.”
Province – who won the Mr. Jaguar Award, which is given to the player who shows the best leadership skills and has the best team approach – was on fire most of the doubles match.
He was high-fiving his partner, double-pumping each winning shot and getting all his teammates on the sidelines fired up.
“I’m ready for a leadership role on this team,” Province said. “This was a great victory for our team. We were missing our No. 1 singles and Alec went down and we still found a way to win.”
The Jaguars won the match when No. 1 doubles team – brothers Alex and Jared Martin – topped Dan Noud and Andy Anderson 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
“It feels so great to beat your biggest rival and clinch an outright conference championship,” said Alex, who lost 6-1, 7-5 to Martel in No. 2 singles play. “Even when we lost 6-1, our intensity level picked up and we really played well in the third set.”
His brother agreed, adding, “This really is sweet. We were down two players and still found a way to win.”
Jared Martin lost to Ashton Rhodes 6-3, 6-4 in singles play, so it was especially “sweet” to win the clinching doubles match.
“We lost in singles and won in doubles,” Jared said. “It’s just so sweet to contribute to a big win like this.”
South’s No. 3 doubles team completed the sweep in doubles action by winning 6-1, 6-2 over Rhodes and Anderson.
Noud also won a singles match for the Wildcats when Barber had to leave the court because of cramps. Barber won the first set 6-3, Noud won the second 7-6, taking the tiebreaker 7-4, before Barber was forced to retire.
“We’re down this year,” Wildcats coach Jody McClain said after Blue Springs fell to 5-7 overall and 2-3 in the Big Six. “Sheri’s kids played well. She has most of her players back from last year, but I am proud of the way our players competed tonight.”
