The chances of winning your opening match in the district tennis tournament are greatly increased when you win the sectional title and earn a No. 1 seed. It also helps if you know your opponents going in and have time to formulate a strong game plan.
Such will be the case for Westlake`s Colton Buffington and the Avon Lake doubles team of Robert Clayton and Adam Gross in the Division I tournament at Oberlin College on Thursday.
“Our first round match is definitely winnable,” Clayton said of the Shoremen`s matchup against Revere`s Justin Sugerman and Michael Gersman. “I know the two players – I`ve beaten Sugerman in some USTA tournaments in singles competition.
“At this point, I just want to get out there Thursday and do work – get the job done.”
“There`s a lot of preparation going into districts,” Gross said. “Our only goal in this tournament is to make it to state. If there`s a year to do it, it`s got to be now. It`s our last chance.”
While Clayton and Gross are seniors, Buffington is a freshman and is familiar with many of the top names that litter the district singles bracket.
“The district is so strong,” he said. “You`ve got Tommy (Marx), Nolan (Marks), Ethan (Dunbar) and myself – a handful of contenders in the district and the state. It`s a very strong, strong district.”
Buffington will face Revere`s Alex Danesis in the first round, then should have a second-round showdown with Kenston`s Marks, who handed Buffington one of his two losses this season.
“He beat me the last time we played so I`m kind of the underdog — which should be kind of fun,” Buffington said. “There`s always pressure to win, but I`d like to think that I have less pressure because I`m the freshman that nobody expects to do much.”

Bulldogs bear down

The Olmsted Falls doubles team of Sean and Colin Kloock earned the No. 3 seed from the Oberlin sectional and will face the No. 2 seed from the Brush sectional – Eastlake North`s Matt Roche and Steve Kovacic in their Division I district opener.
“I know both of them – I`ve played with them on the east side (of Cleveland) during winters,” Sean said. “I played against Roche in singles and we split two matches, so I think we`re pretty even.”
Six singles players and six doubles teams from the Oberlin district will advance to state, so winning the first two matches puts a player into state and losing a second-round match doesn`t necessarily mean elimination.
“It takes off the pressure a little bit,” Colin said. “You want to win your first match to get your momentum going. If we`re confident going in, I think we`ll do very well at districts.”
The second day of competition will be moved to Rocky River`s Tri-City Park due to Oberlin College`s graduation Saturday morning. Also competing from the area will be the St. Ignatius doubles team of Shaundeep Sekhon and Venai Suresh – both hail from Westlake – who earned the No. 2 seed at the Oberlin sectional.

Singles show up

The area earned three of the four singles spots open to the Division II district tournament this week. Earning berths at Tri-City Park last week were Bay`s Curtis Lockhart – the No. 2 seed – and Peter Scanniello – the No. 3 seed – and Lake Ridge`s Mitchell Rice – the No. 4 seed.
Lockhart was a district qualifier in doubles last year while at St. Ignatius, and transferred to Bay during the offseason. Rice, a freshman and the normal No. 3 singles player for the Lions, said he`s really only gone to clinics and lessons before this season, and the sectional tournament was the first tennis tournament he`s participated in.
“This actually was my first year playing matches against other people,” Rice said. “I think it definitely helps my self-esteem to know as a freshman I made it to districts.”

Double doubles

A pair of area doubles teams advanced to the Division II district tournament at Weis Park in Canton this week. They faced each other in the consolation match of the sectional tournament, with Oberlin`s Melvin Medina and Clayton Brehm coming away with the win over Parker Riemann and Ajit Ramadugu. That gives the Phoenix the No. 3 seed at district, and the Eagles will be a No. 4 seed.
Not that the Avon players should be too upset about facing a sectional champion in the opening round. The Eagles are enjoying a landmark season.
“They are the first district qualifiers in Avon history,” Eagles coach Matt Brinda said. “That`s coming off (third singles player) Eric Stancz winning the school`s first (West Shore) conference title a week ago.
“So we`ve been enjoying the last couple of weeks.”
Contact Shaun Bennett at 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Robert Clayton, Avon Lake

YEAR: Senior
POSITION: First singles
RECORD: 19-6
LAST WEEK: Teamed with Adam Gross to go 5-0 – including a thrilling three-set victory over top-seeded St. Ignatius – and win the Division I sectional championship at Oberlin College.
BIO: Ran cross country for the Shoremen this season. Spends most of his free time teaching tennis at the North Ridge Racket Club. He teaches youth clinics, beginner adult classes and helps Avon Lake coach Rich Mostardi with group lessons. Plans to attend Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., next year and study toward a degree in professional tennis management.
PARENTS: Steve and Carla Clayton

Adam Gross, Avon Lake

YEAR: Senior
POSITION: Second singles
RECORD: 17-7
LAST WEEK: Teamed with Robert Clayton to go 5-0 – including a thrilling three-set victory over top-seeded St. Ignatius – and win the Division I sectional championship at Oberlin College.
BIO: Plays tennis all year long, slowing to just two times a week – at North Ridge Racket Club or Five Seasons – during the winter. Enjoys playing both acoustic and electric guitar around the house. Plans to attend the University of Toledo next year and major in psychology.
PARENTS: Bill and Kathy Gross

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