By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
For the first time in three years, the Allegan boys tennis team is back on top of the SAC/Lakeland Conference.
The Tigers captured the conference tournament championship at the Gary Ellis Courts on Monday, Sept. 28, scoring 68 points to finish ahead of two-time defending champion Berrien Springs with 63 and Kalamazoo Christian with 62.
Allegan had already secured the regular-season conference championship, but coach Damien Arthur knew there was still work to be done.
“There was definitely some pressure, but I reminded our guys that we weren’t the team trying to defend back-to-back championships,” Arthur said. “Berrien was. They had the pressure of staying on top. We were there to spoil it.”
And the Tigers did just that.
Allegan was the only team to have all eight flights remain in the front draw and finish among the top four.
“That is how championships are won,” Arthur said. “It wasn’t one or two guys carrying us. We had all eight flights contributing. Every single spot in our lineup gave us points, and that’s been the identity of this team all season.”
The Tigers were particularly strong in doubles, sending all four teams to their respective championship matches.
At No. 1 doubles, Noah Kuebler and Ian Gualke won their second straight conference championship. They defeated Brandywine 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals before topping Berrien Springs 6-1, 7-5 in the championship match.
Carson Woodhams and Oliver Burnett also brought home a title at No. 2 doubles, beating Berrien Springs 6-4, 6-4 in the final. It marked Burnett’s second consecutive conference championship at No. 2 doubles.
“We leaned heavily on our doubles all season,” Arthur said. “In the biggest pressure situations we’ve faced all year, they stepped up at exactly the right time.”
One of the day’s biggest victories came from Charlie Morris and John DeLaet at No. 3 doubles.
Just days after losing to Kalamazoo Christian during a regular-season dual, Morris and DeLaet reversed the result with a 6-3, 7-6(6) semifinal victory.
“That was the moment where I really felt like we were in the hunt to win the whole thing,” Arthur said. “They got revenge against a team that had just beaten us last week, and winning that semifinal was a huge swing for us.”
Morris and DeLaet went on to finish runner-up, as did Noah Willett and Sully Morgan at No. 4 doubles.
Allegan also received runner-up finishes from Wesley Goodspeed at No. 1 singles and Ezra Smith at No. 2 singles.
Goodspeed won his first two matches in straight sets before falling to top-seeded Berrien Springs in the championship match. Smith opened with a 6-0, 6-0 victory before winning a three-set semifinal against Hackett.
Gage Mashburn placed third at No. 3 singles, while Deacon Morgan finished fourth at No. 4.
Arthur believes the challenging schedule Allegan played throughout the season helped prepare the Tigers for Monday.
“We built the hardest schedule any of my teams have ever played,” he said. “Our guys were put against high-quality players all season, and they were constantly put into pressure situations.
“Because of that, yesterday almost felt like just another tournament. They had already been there and done that. The moment wasn’t too big for them.”
Once the championship became official, however, Arthur and his players allowed themselves to enjoy it.
“When it was finally official, it was mostly just pride and happiness for the kids,” Arthur said. “They stepped up against a really tough field and proved that, this year, we were the best team in the conference.”
