Clarkston’s tennis team was not lacking for opponents the past week with three matches played on successive days, but by the end of the action they were lacking for players.
The Wolves began their busy week on a positive note defeating Rochester High 5-3 on April 19. But multiple holes in their lineup doomed Clarkston as they lost 7-1 to Birmingham Groves on April 20 and suffered an 8-0 setback to Rochester Adams on April 21.
‘Groves and Adams are both excellent teams,? said Clarkston Coach Chaz Claus. ‘We have to grow as a team. We have a lot of people who haven’t played or are not used to the positions they are playing right now.?
Claus was forced to juggle the Wolves lineup for various reasons against Groves and Adams. He felt that this hindered the Wolves in those defeats. Clarkston’s number one singles player, Senior Amit Surapaneni missed both the Groves and Adams matches due to travel plans. The Wolves were also without junior Erik Maesch, their number four singles player, against Adams due to illness.
Clarkston’s most consistent players over the past week were the number one doubles tandem of sophomore Chris Graczyk and Junior Pat McIlrath, who won two of their three matches. Graczyk and McIlrath bested Rochester’s Steve Doronio and Matt Nordstrom in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4; and outlasted Groves? Ian Cohen and Mike Simonov, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.
In the Wolves lone victory against Rochester, Clarkston got wins from Surapaneni, Maesch, their number two doubles team of seniors Paul Chun and Paul Gunckle, and the three doubles tandem of junior Zach McDonald and Dan Osterhage.
The Wolves matchup with Farmington on April 26 finished too late for this edition of The Clarkston News. Clarkston has another stiff league test in the coming week at Berkley on April 28.
‘Both (Berkley and Farmington) beat us last year. But we matchup better with them this year,? said Claus. ‘Hopefully, we can get some wins and avenge last year’s losses.?
The Wolves are now 2-3 (1-3) on the season.