Published: May 12, 2008 12:26 pm            

EHS picks up Apollo Conference tennis title

OLNEY — Effingham High School picked up a narrow victory at the Apollo Conference boys' tennis tournament in Olney Saturday, scoring 24 points to edge out second-place Salem's 21 1/2.

Top-seeded singles player Kory Poland was crowned champion; the Flaming Hearts' junior surrendered just seven games in four matches, winning his opener 7-5, 6-0 before rattling off two consecutive 6-0, 6-0 victories before claiming the title 6-1, 6-1 over Andy Bays of Charleston.

In other singles play, Derek Minor dropped his first-round match 6-3, 4-6, 4-6 but bounced back to win three matches in a row and scored three points for his team that may very well have been the difference between first and second place.

That streak included a 6-1, 4-6, 11-9 win over Newton's Conner Niebrugge along with a 6-4, 6-0 win and a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win. Minor dropped his final match 3-6, 1-6 to Olney's Jarred Stoll, who was also Poland's first victim.

"Derek struggled at first, but gained confidence and grit when he saw his team really needed him to get some points," said EHS coach Kaye Kimpling. "As usual, Kory was dominating against all opponents all weekend."

In doubles action, Ryan Hoekstra and Paul Kenter were the second-seeded team in the field while Logan Ellington and Craig Minor garnered a No. 4 seeding.

Both pairs held their seedings, although each gave a higher-seeded team a run for its money.

"Logan and Crain played some of their best tennis and came really close to toppling the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds," said Kimpling. "Ryan and Paul played the best high school doubles match I believe I've ever seen against Salem's (David) Armbrust and (Matt) Dye.

"All four young men made some amazing shots and gave it their all."

Hoekstra and Kenter faced top-seeded Armbrust and Dye in the doubles final and lost in three sets by an excrutiatingly close 6-7, 6-2, 6-7 final.

Ellington and Minor were also winners of their first two sets before falling to Armbrust and Dye 4-6, 6-2, 2-6 in the semifinal round, where they faced the third-seeded Charleston combo of Adam Drake and Quinn Hussey.

Drake and Hussey had lost their semifinal 6-7, 6-7 to Hoekstra and Kenter and got another great match in a 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) third-place nail-biter over Ellington and Minor.

"The guys played some terrific matches during the Apollo tournament with everyone contributed significantly to the win," said Kimpling. "The team spirit, personal effort and sportsmanship from the Effingham team this weekend was what every coach wants to see. I'm really proud of them."

EHS has two more dual meets scheduled before this weekend's Effingham Sectional.

The Hearts host Shelbyville Tuesday before facing crosstown rival Effingham St. Anthony Thursday at 4 p.m. on the Bulldogs' home courts.

Apollo Conference Tournament

At Olney

Saturday

Team Results — 1. Effingham (E), 24; 2. Salem (S), 21.5; 3. Charleston (C), 13; 4. Robinson (R), 12; 5. Olney (O), 8.5; 6. Newton (N), 5; 7. Mount Zion (MZ), 4; 8. Paris (P), 3

Effingham Results

Singles

Kory Poland (No. 1 seed) — def. Jarred Stoll (O), 7-5, 6-0; def. Aaron Storey (P), 6-0, 6-0; def. Dan McGuire (S), 6-0, 6-0; def. Andy Bays (C), 6-1, 6-1 (Champion)

Derek Minor — def. by Justin Chiu (MZ), 6-3, 4-6, 4-6; def. Conner Niebrugge (N), 6-1, 4-6, 11-9; def. Aaron Storey (P), 6-4, 6-0; def. Aaron Bolton (S), 7-6 (5), 6-3; def. by Jarred Stoll (O), 3-6, 1-6

Doubles

Ryan Hoekstra/Paul Kenter (No. 2 seed) — def. Powless/Beck (O), 6-2, 6-3; def. Dirks/Hodson (R), 6-2, 6-0; def. No. 3 Drake/Hussey (C), 7-6, 7-6; def. by No. 1 Armbrust/Dye (S), 6-7, 6-2, 6-7 (Second Place)

Logan Ellington/Craig Minor (No. 4 seed) — def. Shick/Davis (C), 6-1, 6-1; def. Murphy/McDaniel (R), 6-2, 6-1; def. by No. 1 Armbrust/Dye (S), 4-6, 6-2, 2-6; def. by No. 3 Drake/Hussey (C), 6-1, 4-6, 6-7 (4) (Fourth Place)