Reinert advances to state tennis championships

The boys tennis team competed under miserable weather conditions at the 4A/3A//2A/1A District 3 tennis tournament Sunday through Tuesday, May 10-12. Teams only got in 45 minutes of play on Sunday before the skies opened the floodgates and brought play to an abrupt end. Some matches were played in Redmond, and then teams were forced to indoor courts in Bend.

As miserable as Sunday was, Monday was worse. Teams were able to play from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Athletic Club of Bend, and finally, competition was wrapped up on Tuesday by 3 p.m., just in time, as the rain started again during the award ceremony.

Colin Reinert (senior foreign exchange student from Germany) finished with terrific results. Reinert beat Tyler West of St. Mary's, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, in an upset with scores of 6-4, 6-1.

"Colin played great, and beat the top-ranked player," said Bim Gander. "If you beat the top-ranked player, then you're next two matches are with unseeded players, which are almost always easier matches."

Reinert easily won his next two matches. Colin earned a 6-2, 6-1 win in the second round, and then defeated Ryan Reed of Marshfield 6-1, 6-1 in the quarter-finals. The win in the quarter-finals secured him a berth to the state tournament.

In the semi-finals, Reinert lost to Agular Ignacion, a foreign exchange student from North Bend and the No. 2 seed, 6-7 (5-7), 3-6.

Reinert went on to face Pratheev Werakoon, the No. 4 seed from St. Mary's. Colin lost the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), and finished the tournament in fourth place.

"Colin had a terrific showing," said Gander. "He played 11 sets in two days, and played as well as I've seen him play all year. He played much more consistent, and he picked his spots to be aggressive and come to the net and finish a point. This all-court style of play is a strategy we've been working on all year, to take advantage of Colin's speed and experience."

Reinert will play in the state tournament held at Oregon State University on Thursday and Friday, May 21, and 22.

Almost all the other members of the Outlaws squad won at least one match in the tourney.

Connor Schaab, at No.2 singles, beat Brett Wyatt of Marshfield 6-2, 6-1, and in the second round lost to Avery Kerevin of St. Mary's 2-6, 2-6.

Jonny Gurney (No. 4 singles) defeated Hose Arellano of Marshfield and then lost to senior Brandt Hammer of North Bend, 6-4, 5-7, in the first two sets, and then 7-10 in the super tie-breaker.

"Jonny almost won that match," said Gander. "He put up a terrific fight against North Bend's No. 2 player. He had an absolute fabulous showing and it shows the tremendous potential that Jonny has for the next two years."

Sisters' No. 1 doubles team, Shawn Horton and Ethan Stengel, blanked Jake Fish and Karl Giurlani of Hidden Valley 6-0, 6-0, in the first round. The duo lost 1-6, 1-6, to Hayden Lam and Leo Dosek (No. 2 seed) of Klamath Union in the second round.

Gabe Willitts and Ben Johnson (No. 2 doubles) had a great first match and defeated Chad Morse and Michael Toombs of Cascade Christian 1-6, 6-4, 10-7.

"These guys also had a terrific showing in a phenomenal match," stated Gander. "They got beat badly in the first set, but rallied and came back in the second set, and finished in a great tie-breaker."

The duo lost in the second round to the No. 4 seed Spencer Todd and RamRey Duran of Henley.

Josh Kizziar (sophomore) and Pierce Wehrle (junior) are both first-year players, and beat Nic Maurer and Adam Rooney of Klamath Union at the No. 3 doubles spot. The combo earned the win with scores of 4-6, 6-3, and 10-7 in the super tie-breaker.

"It was a very tight match," said Gander. "These two under-classmen are playing with the kind of poise you expect from seniors. I expect them to play much higher on our ladder next year."