HYANNIS – This one was by no means easy.
Barnstable High School first singles player Sonny Bisazza serves it up to Needham’s Kevin Chao in Tuesday’s Div. 1 South Sectional Quarterfinal at BHS.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports
The #2 seed Barnstable High boys’ tennis team (18-1) defeated the visiting #7 seed Needham High Rockets (14-3) Tuesday afternoon, 4-1, in what could only be deemed a battle for superiority from start to finish in the MIAA Division 1 South Sectionals Quarterfinals held at Barnstable High School.
The level of competition was evidenced by the scores in each of the singles rounds, with Sonny Bisazza edging Needham’s Kevin Chao at first singles, 7-6 (7-4) and then 6-2.
The Red Raiders witnessed a rare loss – his only one of the season – with Tyler Shibles falling to Sam Cohen at second singles. After Shibles took the first set, 6-1, a string on his racket snapped and Cohen took full advantage, defeating the 16-1 south sectional individual champion, 7-5, in the second set.
“He broke a string at 5-3 in the second set and he never recovered,” Barnstable head coach Mike Sarney said.
Cohen then took the tiebreaker, 10-7, to even the match, Barnstable 1, Needham 1.
But it was sophomore Max Francis who took matters into his own hands and bailed his Red Raider teammates out when he beat Alex Cohen at third singles, 6-1, and 7-5, to give Barnstable just enough to push for the win.
At first doubles, Cooper Blaze and senior co-captain Donnie Brodd were equally put to the test against Jacob Shuman and Jake Davidson, but the Red Raider duo prevailed, 6-4, 6-3.
Barnstable High’s Tyler Shibles suffered his first loss of the season Tuesday in the Div. 1 South Sectional quarterfinals. He is 16-1 heading into today’s match with Wellesley.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports
At second doubles, Barnstable breathed a little easier with a more decisive victory from Daniel Dettinger-Klemm and Cooper Hesse taking down Ian Levin and Ben Dellaripa, 6-0, 6-1.
Barnstable will face #6 seed Wellesley (15-3) Wednesday afternoon in Hyannis at 4:00 pm in the Division 1 South Sectional Semifinals. Barnstable defeated Wellesley last year almost to the day in the south sectional semifinals and then fell to BC High in the south sectional championship.
— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm
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