An all-Barstow final highlights Missouri boys high school tennis tournament
Barstow tennis coach Tom O'Brien was just able to sit, relax and enjoy with great pride the championship match in Class 1 singles at the Missouri State High School Tournament Saturday at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.
O'Brien was in a no-lose situation, assured of a state champion as Knight teammates Fletcher Scott and Bradley Frye battled for the championship.
Scott, the sophomore, won the rubber match between the best friends, claiming the state championship 6-1, 6-4.
"I think those two guys are the best players in the state, and they proved that with their play here," O'Brien said. "Both competed hard and hugged at the end. That is all a coach can hope to see."
The pair played twice during the season, with Scott winning in the championship match of the Plaza All-Metro Tournament in straight sets. Frye won in three sets when the two played for the district championship.
"It is one of the hardest things to do — to play your best friend," Scott said. "I was proud of him after he beat the defending champion (Michael Peters of John Burroughs in straight sets in the semifinals). I thought our match had great points and great shots by both players. It was a great match and winning the state tournament is the peak of my high school career."
The all-Knight singles championship capped off an amazing tournament for Barstow. Its doubles team of seniors Ben Abbas and Steven Ketchmark finished third for the second year in succession.
"The biggest part of the whole experience was being able to take a team to state for the first time in 33 years," O'Brien said of his team, which finished third. "I never could have dreamed more than what we experienced this weekend."
Scott's championship was the lone title for Kansas City-area players.
Parkway West's doubles team of William Tong and Kenji Yanaba defeated both Rockhurst doubles teams Saturday.
Tong and Yanaba upset Jack Evans and Joseph O'Connor 7-5, 7-6 in the semifinals and then defeated Mikey Michaelis and Justin Nogalski in the finals 6-1, 6-2. Evans and O'Connor finished third, defeating Liberty's Griffin Turnage and T.J. Stansbury.
St. Louis-area players captured three of the four individual championships. Freshman sensation Carson Haskins of Parkway South defeated Micah Klousia of Springfield Glendale 7-5, 6-1 in the Class 2 singles championship.
Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School’s Tyler Raclin and Joe McAllister won the Class 1 doubles crown, giving St. Louis the doubles sweep, as Parkway West won in Class 2.
This story was originally published May 30, 2015 at 8:59 PM with the headline "An all-Barstow final highlights Missouri boys high school tennis tournament."