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Friendswood falls to Montgomery in region final
By Manuel Moreno Jr.
Contributor
Published November 1, 2009
KATY — It was déjà vu for the Friendswood High School tennis team Saturday afternoon.
For the second year in a row, the Mustangs dropped a 10-1 decision to top-seeded and No. 5 state-ranked Montgomery in the final of the Region III-4A Team Tennis Championships at Taylor High School.
“They beat us the same way they beat us last year,” Friendswood second-year coach David Cook said. “We even won the only match we did on the same court.”
The Mustangs’ boys’ No. 2 doubles team of Chase Crouse and Eric Linde avoided the shutout with a straight-set win.
But the inevitable was at hand, as Montgomery’s 6-1 advantage after the doubles play turned to four quick wins in the singles half for the final 10-1 count.
“We just lost to the better team (Saturday),” Cook said. “They were deep in the top, middle and bottom part of the lineup, all the way through.
“But it will be time to get back to work on Monday. We’re not going to quit shooting for them.”
Friendswood, the No. 2 seed, started the day with a 10-0 semifinal win over Lamar Consolidated, which had upset third-seeded and No. 20 state-ranked San Marcos in Friday’s quarterfinals.
The Mustangs did so without the singles services of No. 1 boy Cody Westphal, who was nursing a sore back and resting for the Montgomery showdown.
Westphal did take part in the doubles, though, teaming up with Travis Runge to win the No. 1 match.
Joining in the boys’ doubles victories against Lamar Consolidated were the No. 2 team of Crouse and Linde, and the No. 3 team of Matt Kibikas and Chris Labra.
On the girls’ doubles side, picking up wins were No. 1 Cindy and Mindy Tiu, No. 2 Caity James and Lindsey Watson, and No. 3 Katie Purdum and Carson Stanch.
Also notching a doubles victory was the mixed tandem of Sarah Westphal and Kent Tollette.
Then Runge, Crouse and Kibikas padded the 7-0 lead with decisive boys’ singles wins at the Nos. 2 through 4 positions, respectively.
“Overall, I’m very pleased with the way the team played against Montgomery,” Cook said. “But we still need to get better.”
Friendswood, which carried a No. 23 state ranking into the regional tournament, finished the season at 15-3.
“That’s not too shabby,” Cook added. “I’ll take that any day.”
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