Singles players lead Hubs over Newman Central Catholic

Griffith, Nava lock down wins in 3-2 team victory

Russell Hodges
Posted 5/12/17

The Hubs varsity tennis team defeated Newman Central Catholic at Rockford Jefferson earlier this season, and the boys doubled down on the Comets Thursday afternoon at Sauk Valley College, winning by a score of 3-2 to improve to 5-11 on the season.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Singles players lead Hubs over Newman Central Catholic

Griffith, Nava lock down wins in 3-2 team victory

Posted

DIXON — The Hubs varsity tennis team defeated Newman Central Catholic at Rockford Jefferson earlier this season, and the boys doubled down on the Comets Thursday afternoon at Sauk Valley College, winning by a score of 3-2 to improve to 5-11 on the season.

Junior Noah Griffith’s spectacular season continued at No. 1 singles on Thursday, with Griffith taking down Newman Central Catholic’s Cody Bonnell 6-1, 6-1 to pick up his 20th victory of the year and run his record up to 20-1 overall. The junior is expected to make a serious push for the singles title at the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference Meet this weekend.

Stepping up to the varsity level from the freshman/sophomore team in No. 2 singles, sophomore Emilio Nava gave Rochelle tennis fans a glimpse of the future, defeating Comet junior Caleb Ardis 6-3, 6-1 to complete the Hubs’ sweep in singles play. Nava filled the spot usually taken by junior Kevin Zheng, who played with sophomore Hector Garcia at No. 1 doubles.

Zheng and Garcia fell to Jacob Terveer and Issac Blaney by a score of 2-6, 4-6, while juniors Ozzy Fulgencio and Tyler Nalley lost to Comet freshman Dean Ellorando and sophomore Kyle Yole 2-6, 0-6. With the team match tied 2-2, Rochelle senior Bryan Garcia and freshman Ben Hickey split their first two sets with Ethan Partington and Jacob Neisewander 6-4, 1-6.

But it was Garcia and Hickey who hung on in the end, taking the third set 6-1 to score the Hubs’ third point and seal the match victory. Rochelle’s remaining schedule includes the Northern Illinois Big 12 Varsity Conference Meet this weekend, a nonconference match with Harlem on Monday and the IHSA Class 1A Sectional at Rochelle Township High School beginning Friday, May 19.