The Philomath High School boys tennis team won three of four singles matches at home Tuesday but couldn’t overcome a dominant doubles performance from Valley Catholic, falling to the Valiants 5-3.
Junior Nate Houck, freshman Cameron Barlow and freshman Andrew Sims each picked up singles wins for the Warriors. Barlow handled sophomore Owen Ramku, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 3 and Sims dispatched junior Vic Shen convincingly, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 4. Houck needed a second-set tiebreaker at No. 2 singles to get past junior Conrad Ward, winning 6-4, 7-6.
Valley Catholic’s Edward Kong was the lone singles winner for the Valiants, defeating Lane Schell, 6-2, 6-4, in the No. 1 slot
Valley Catholic swept three doubles matches and was awarded a fourth by default. At No. 1, Valiants junior Gabriel Dolan and freshman Owen Scesa topped Jovi Tavano and Lev Grose, 6-2, 6-1, and at No. 2, junior Michael Wilkes and sophomore Zeeshan Kasim defeated Kayden Reynolds and Mika Laukkanen Raskauskas, 6-3, 6-2.
Juniors Shaurya Badiganti and George Comack edged Samuel Holroyd and Elijah Arthurs, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 3 doubles. The Valiants won by default at No. 4 doubles.
Philomath will see action on the court again Friday with a trip to the Coos Bay area. The Warriors will play at noon against Marshfield and 3 p.m. at North Bend.
Valley Catholic 5, Philomath 3
Tuesday, March 31, at Philomath HS
Singles
Edward Kong, VC, def. Lane Schell, 6-2, 6-4; Nate Houck, PHS, def. Conrad Ward, 6-4, 7-6; Cameron Barlow, PHS, def. Owen Ramku, 6-3, 6-2; Andrew Sims, PHS, def. Vic Shen, 6-2, 6-1.
Doubles
Gabriel Dolan/Owen Scesa, VC, def. Jovi Tavano/Lev Grose, 6-2, 6-1; Michael Wilkes/Zeeshan Kasim, VC, def. Kayden Reynolds/Mika Laukkanen Raskauskas, 6-3, 6-2; Shaurya Badiganti/George Comack, VC, def. Samuel Holroyd/Elijah Arthurs, 6-3, 7-5; Valley Catholic won by default.