A few seconds after his match point, Western singles player Eli Mast was no longer alone on the court.
A few heartbeats after finishing his 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory at No. 1 singles Thursday, Mast’s teammates burst through the fence gate at the Kokomo tennis courts and have assailed.
With a tense Kokomo Boys’ Tennis Sectional Championship match finally decided, the Panthers were eager to celebrate. Western earned a tough 3-2 win over Kokomo that took place on Court No. 1, where Mast outlasted Kokomo’s Caleb Taflinger in three sets to break a 2-2 deadlock once the other matches were over .
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“It was cool for these guys to celebrate this moment together,” Western coach Judson Quinn said. “That’s something I’ve really tried to talk to them about this year: we win together, we lose together, but whatever the outcome, we do it together. So for them to celebrate an accomplishment like this together was very special to watch.
Western repeated as section champion in a close game that lasted 2 1/2 hours to play. Western also had wins at No. 2 singles, where Evan Trauring beat Micah Taflinger 6-3, 6-2, and at No. 1 doubles, where Aidan Mawbey and Kaleb York beat Easton Douglas and Mitch McClelland 6-2, 6-4. .
Quinn said the game was “probably one of the closest games I’ve ever coached” and that playing it in the sectional final made it even more tense. “I really want to emphasize — I know (Kokomo athletic director) Nick Sale said it when he presented the trophy — the sportsmanship that was displayed, with the intensity at the same time. Great work from both teams, especially Kokomo. It’s always difficult to be in that situation and not come out a winner when you probably deserved to win with the way you played.
“The emotions are crazy. It’s been a really tough couple of weeks for us. We had to deal with injuries, roster changes, playing a position they haven’t played all year, and we had to dig deep and win three points as a team. It’s how you deal with adversity, I guess.
For Kokomo, No. 3 singles player Malte Klaus beat Charlie Gilbert 6-2, 6-3, and the No. 2 doubles team of Austin Moos and Josiyah Mayfield beat Alex Aaron and Brady Thompson 5- 7, 6-3, 6- 3. Kokomo’s 2-doubles victory tied the team match at 2-2.
“It was a great game,” Kokomo coach Travis Taflinger said. “Sections aren’t won in October, they’re won in June and July, and Western has a group of players working on it and they’re steady, they’re deep and it was a good instinctive test to show us what to what the tournament teams look like Judson did a great job making adjustments. They fought until the end.
Once Kokomo’s No. 2 doubles team secured its victory, it tied the team match at 2-2 and all attention was focused on the No. 1 singles match, which was at tie 5-5 in the third set. Caleb Taflinger broke Mast to go up 5-4, then Mast came back to tie the score at 5-5. It took Mast a dozen minutes to win the final two games and spark Western’s celebration.
“Having a freshman play 1 single and be the deciding point, as a freshman it puts a lot of pressure on your team because you have upperclassmen wanting to win it, and it all comes down to his racket “” Quinn said. “I just want to say the mental toughness he showed was incredible.”
A tense match, it was also physically tough. The coach present was called several times to different pitches, and on pitch number 1, both players were suffering.
“In the third set, we were a game ahead on serve and we couldn’t close it out,” Travis Taflinger said. “It’s not Caleb’s fault, he’s the backbone of this program.
“Neither guy gave up. I kind of go back to the second set. Caleb won (the first set) 6-1 and in this second set, every point is important. It could have changed the narrative; That would have been great obviously.
“Man, these boys fought. Neither deserves to lose, but someone has to.
Western takes a 17-1 record into regional action next Tuesday at Kokomo Regional. Kokomo finishes its season 15-6.
“Third straight sectional finalist, but win or lose, it’s a chance to build character,” Travis Taflinger said. “What I saw in my boys and how they rallied around each other and showed each other love – proud of them.”
He received praise throughout the training.
“Easton and Mitch, Easton wasn’t on our all-tournament team last year and he struggled, he became 1 doubles. Pinch and tuck, they fought,” Travis Taflinger said. “Micah, him and Evan combined had two losses this year, I think. Both have only lost once. It was just a good, solid match of good tennis.
“Two dubs…freshman and sophomore, they fought and fought. And then Malta had the match of the evening, the 3rd player singles. It goes up and down and (Thursday) it stayed stable. I was just super proud of him. He ends the season on a good note. »
Quinn also praised his team. The Panthers picked up key wins that put Mast in position to clinch.
“Evan Trauring at 2 singles has been so steady,” Quinn said. “I’m so proud of him. He works so hard and he has to be one of the best 2 in the state. And our 1 doubles team had a very difficult section last year. They ended the season with a series of defeats, so it’s up to them to set the tone (Thursday) and be our first point, very proud of them.
“October tennis is special.”
