MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon High School boys tennis team continued its strong start on Tuesday against the visiting Newark Wildcats. The Jackets won four of the five matches contested to improve to 6-2 on the season.
“This was a good one,” said Mount Vernon coach Jeff Jarosz. “This whole year has been unbelievable. I have a great bunch of kids. We are winning all of the close ones, which is the difference from last year. ... We are coming out and winning the close matches, which is what we need to do.”
The two most contested matches of the night were at first and third singles. In first singles, Mount Vernon’s Austin Kasserman faced off against Kyle Barnaba. It looked like Kasserman would run away with the match after taking the first set, 6-0. Barnaba battled back to claim the second set, 6-4, and the competition was on.
Kasserman and Barnaba went back and forth, eventually tying at 6 to force a match tiebreaker. Kasserman jumped ahead early, 6-4, but three straight points by Barnaba put him on the ropes. Kasserman responded, however, with three points of his own to win the tiebreaker, 9-7.
“[Austin] has been playing a lot of tennis the last three days,” said Jarosz. “He could have got a little winded. We would have rather he won in two so he could play [today]. I don’t know if he will get to play after this one.”
In third singles, Brenden Brody and Newark’s Troy Patterson matched up well. The first set went back and forth with neither player gaining ground. As a result, the set was tied at 6, forcing a tiebreaker. Brody took the tiebreaker, 7-5, and gain the upper hand in the match. Visibly tired, Patterson struggled to keep any consistency in the second set. Brody was able to come from behind to post a 6-2 win.
“He was always hitting the ball back. When I felt like I was getting momentum, he would get a couple of points,” said Brody of his opponent. “I just tried to keep my head in it. ... Winning the tiebreaker helped. If I had lost that, I probably would have got down on myself. It definitely helped.
“I started moving my feet more and getting down low. I was hitting better approach shots as the match went. I went after his second volley and was able to put it away.”
Mount Vernon picked up two more wins in doubles play. The first doubles team of Chris Jaymes and Russell Melick had little trouble with Newark’s Jeremy Dotson and Chris Binckley, winning in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2. In second doubles, Chase Bolender and Russell Ramser picked up a 6-1, 7-5, victory over Newark’s Alex Brent and Brad Becktell.
“The doubles teams want me to keep my hair and the singles matches want me to lose it,” said Jarosz. “Those doubles matches are great. We are really strong in doubles.”
The only loss of the night for the Jackets came at second singles. James Beckett couldn’t match Newark’s Geoff Becktell and ended up losing, 6-0, 6-1.
Mount Vernon is scheduled for two more matches this week. Today, the Jackets are scheduled to face Mansfield Madison at Memorial Park, and on Thursday, they are at Olentangy.
“We are definitely going to send some rust out (against Madison),” said Jarosz. “A couple of guys who play doubles are going to play singles, and a couple of guys who don’t get a chance to play will play. Madison will be a good practice match for us. I want to get everybody to play and get some rest.
“Olentangy is going to be huge for us. Our goal is to come in the top three in the division. Worthington Kilbourne, at this point, is way above us so we are battling with those other teams for second or third. We need to come out strong Thursday and, hopefully, beat Olentangy.”