For two years they have been the Interstate Athletic Conference’s top tennis programs, twice reaching the final regular season match with a title on the line.
It has been the perfect opportunity for each team to prove once and for all who deserves the championship banner. For the second straight season that honor goes to Bullis.
In a match that featured close calls throughout, the Bulldogs somehow emerged in six of them to earn a slightly misleading 6-1 victory over IAC rival Episcopal.
It is Bullis’ second straight IAC title. The Bulldogs also beat Episcopal in the season final last spring.
“We know how good they are and the type of program that Episcopal has had the last couple of years,” said Bullis junior No. 2 Andrew Zutz, who outlasted Maroon senior Thomas Light, 6-1, 6-4. “There were a lot of close matches. But I love to play that way because I’m a grinder. I have to use my feet to win games and finish out matches.”
Bullis got off to a good start with a surprising sweep in the three doubles matches and a quick win at No. 4 singles when sophomore Chris Seckman beat Episcopal freshman Sanders Phelps, 6-0, 6-1.
The turning point came in No. 2 doubles when Bullis junior Brian Lee and freshman Alvin Fludd fought back from four games down in the first set to win 6-4 and swept through the second set, 6-0. The Bulldogs were then on a roll when junior Casey Fashouer and junior Doug Silverstein held off Episcopal senior Mark Battinand junior Clark Barber, 6-5, 6-3, at No. 1 doubles.
“It was just one of those matches that could have gone either way,” said Episcopal senior David Hannan, who lost his match at No. 1 singles to Bullis junior Will Beck, 7-5, 6-3. “I wish we could have played a little better. But we had our chances. We just didn’t convert on them.”
Episcopal’s lone victory came after the outcome was decided. Senior Paul Light outlasted Bullis senior Ronald Kamdem, 6-0, 5-7, 6-3, in a match that lasted well over two hours. The Bulldogs also took No. 3 doubles when juniors Alex Jackson and Chris Lathem beat Episcopal senior David Lambeth and sophomore Spencer McKenna, 6-0, 6-3.
“It’s a great thing to win a championship like this, especially because of the rivalry we have with the other IAC schools,” Zutz said. “But also it’s been kind of a tough year for sports teams at Bullis in the IAC. We’ve been struggling a little bit so for our team to win back-to-back championships is something the rest of the school can take some pride in.”
Match notes
» Bullis’ top six singles players are a combined 85-9.
» Players from both teams will compete in the season-ending Ben John’s Invitational, the IAC’s postseason tournament, which begins at 4 p.m. today at Episcopal.
» Bullis remained unbeaten at 14-0 and finished a perfect 5-0 against IAC competition. Episcopal is now 14-1 and ends the IAC season at 4-1.
