TJ tennis gets a little revenge

By CASEY OLSON

The Mirror

Revenge is sweet. The Thomas Jefferson tennis team got a good taste of it Friday afternoon when they beat the previously undefeated Decatur Gators, 3-2, to take the early-season lead in the South Puget Sound League South Division title chase.

The close win over Decatur culminated an impressive 5-0 week by the Raiders, who won the South title last year with a perfect 13-0 record. Jefferson now sits 6-1 in league play, ahead of the 5-1 Gators.

“The big victory for TJ came at No. 2 singles,” said Raider coach Andrew Buchan.

Jefferson’s Colin Okazaki downed Decatur’s Lawrence Lin, 6-2, 6-3, to earn the point. In the two teams’ first meeting of the season, Lin beat TJ’s Chris Yoon at No. 2 singles to give Decatur the 3-2 team win.

Jefferson’s other match victories Friday came from the No. 2 doubles team of Zach Bunting and Shane Odewalder over Decatur’s Joey Hua and Tim Blackner, 6-3, 6-3, and from Matt Davidson and Yoon over Chris Coble and Kevin Hilden at No. 3 doubles in a tight two-setter, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

Decatur got wins from Fabian Saenz at No. 1 singles over TJ’s Kenny Fritschy, 6-2, 6-3, and Chris Rice and Travis Wagner over John Poore and Jewel Sharpe in the only three-setter of the match, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

Jefferson

The Raiders took a rare double-header in tennis Thursday afternoon. Jefferson beat Puyallup, 4-1, in their first match of the day, and downed Federal Way, 3-0, in their nightcap.

Against Puyallup, the Raiders got wins from Bunting at No. 2 singles, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3, Sharpe and Poore at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-2, Odenwalder and Okazaki at No. 2, 6-0, 6-2, and Davidson and Sam Yi at No. 3, 6-3, 6-1.

Against Federal Way, the Raiders won three matches before darkness fell. Poore beat Derek Van DeWege at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-3, Sharpe and Tim Zitzer beat Brett Scarpello and Brian White at No. 2 doubles, 6-1, 6-1, and Tyler Engstrom and Josh Williams beat Jesse Johnson and Matt Christopher at No. 3, 6-1, 6-1.

Federal Way

The Eagles picked up their first win of the season Friday over the Spanaway Lake Sentinels, 3-2.

Federal Way got victories from Eric Ryan at No. 1 singles, 7-5, 6-0, Kyle Skinner at No. 2, 6-3, 6-2, and Brian White and Kim at No. 2 doubles, 7-6, 7-6.

Beamer

The Titans picked up a big victory over the Curtis Vikings Thursday, 3-2. The loss was the first of the season for Curtis. Beamer got wins at No. 2 singles and No. 2 and No. 3 doubles.

Sports editor Casey Olson: 925-5565, sports@fedwaymirror.com

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