Mattoon’s Tejas Zala and Ethan Bahney won a third-set tiebreaker to secure a 5-4 victory over Charleston in boys tennis.
Zala and Bahney had played even with Charleston’s Vince DiNaso and Adam Rudibaugh, splitting the first two sets at No. 1 doubles, 7-5, 1-6, before winning the tiebreaker 10-6.
Zala captured the No. 1 singles and Bahney swept to a win at No. 4 singles.
“This was the exact kind of match we needed to test our toughness and fight in a pressure situation,” Mattoon coach Joey Boyer said. “We didn’t play our best tennis, but found a way to win with grit and determination.”
SINGLES
No. 1 – Tejas Zala, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL def. Vince DiNaso, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL, 6-2, 6-0
No. 2 – Josh Ramage, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL def. Pierson Smith, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 – Adam Rudibaugh, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL def. Pierce Farmer, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL, 6-4 , 7-5
No. 4 – Ethan Bahney , MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL def. Ashton Fifield, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL, 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 – Braden Pschirrer, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL def. Josiah Donaldson , MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL, 6-1 , 6-3
No. 6 – Trenton King, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL def. Nik James, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL, 6-1 , 6-3.
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Tejas Zala, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL – Ethan Bahney , MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL def. Vince DiNaso, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL – Adam Rudibaugh, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL, 5-7, 6-1, 10-6
No. 2 – Josh Ramage, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL – Pierce Farmer, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL def. Pierson Smith, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL – Braden Pschirrer, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL, 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 – Trenton King, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL – Eugene Ohba, CHARLESTON HIGH SCHOOL def. Nik James, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL – Jason Jaing, MATTOON HIGH SCHOOL, 7-5, 6-3
