E.C. Glass exits state tennis tournament

By Ted Allen

Published: May 27, 2008

Going into Tuesday’s Group AAA state quarterfinal boys tennis match at E.C. Glass, the only team the host Hilltoppers or Deep Run had lost to this spring was Colonial District and Central Region champion Mills Godwin, this year’s state tournament favorite.
The visiting Wildcats (16-2), who finished runner-up to the Eagles in the district and region, weren’t intimidated playing in front of a sizeable student-based crowd at Glass (15-2), dealing the Hilltoppers a 5-1 setback in singles.
Hundreds of students took the option of getting out of class or taking their lunch outside to support the team. But the match, which started in the morning, was over quickly, in only an hour and 45 minutes.
“It was very sudden,” Glass coach Ed Dawson said. “You hate to see it end like that. Our guys played well. They did what they were supposed to do. They hung in there mentally. (But) Deep Run’s a good team.”
No. 3 seed Evan Charles, one of two freshmen in the Wildcats’ starting lineup, was the only player who needed three sets before finishing off Glass’ Andrew Frey 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, to clinch the team triumph.
“All season, (Charles) and our No. 2 singles player (Hunter Koontz), who’s also a freshman, showed calmness,” Deep Run coach Salman Parvaiz said. “When they got down, they stayed calm, didn’t lose it or get upset. They stayed in the game.”
The Wildcats advance to Friday’s state semifinal against two-time defending Group AAA champion James Robinson in Newport News.
Glass lost to Deep Run 6-3 last year, but it figured to have a better shot this time after the Wildcats graduated three players and the Hilltoppers returned their entire starting lineup.
“This year, our goal was to beat Douglas Freeman and give Godwin a run for its money,” Parvaiz said. “Our girls always go, but this is a first for the boys team to make it to state.”
Dawson said they were definitely deserving.
“You can see the difference in having the ability to play great competition week in and week out, being in a metro area (Richmond),” he said. “They were able to play the key points better than we were.”
The Wildcats’ only senior was their normal No. 1 seed, Eric Shulman, who didn’t play against Glass (15-2) due to a show of poor sportsmanship in last week’s regional final defeat. Parvaiz direct substituted Stefan Hinds in his place and Glass junior George Gianakos quickly disposed of him, 6-0, 6-2, for the Hilltoppers’ only match victory.
Dawson sent Gianakos and No. 1 doubles partner Charlie Andrews out on the court for their match against Hinds and Glenn Diersen with the final singles match still in progress.
“We wanted to put pressure on them by starting the doubles,” Dawson said.
But it was ceased in the first set after the diminutive Charles ousted the much taller Frey, who threw his racket toward the net in frustration.
“Andrew (Frey) battled back and (Charles) showed some nerves, but he was able to fight through that,” Dawson said.
The Hilltoppers graduate eight of their 16 players, including three of their six starting singles seeds — Frey, fourth-seeded Andrews and No. 5 Jay Hanna.
“We have lots of juniors chomping at the bit to break into the top six,” said Dawson, whose son, No. 3 doubles player Davis also graduates. “We’ll be a good team next year. We’ve got some players and they’re going to get better.”