DOWN TO THE WIRE

Bulldogs Stun LeBlond In Sectionals, Fall To Pembroke In Quarterfinals

Nick Shields stared across the net at LeBlond’s John Lierz. The two players, both number one on their respective teams, were the only two left on the court.
Shields led the decisive third set 5-4 in a match that would determine which team advanced to the state quarterfinals on Thursday. Lierz, serving at deuce, sent his first serve into the net. His second skipped off the top of the net and out of play. Shields roared his approval as the double fault gave Trenton a 5-4 win and the quarterfinal bid.
Shields’ victory capped an improbable comeback for the Bulldogs, who entered the final three matches of the dual needing to sweep LeBlond’s top three players to get the win and keep their season alive. Trenton did just that as Kade Ockenfels, Jacob Davis and Shields all picked up victories, but none came easily. All three needed tiebreakers or third sets to fend off their LeBlond counterparts and send Trenton to victory.
“I am super proud of this team,” Trenton Coach Dave Sager said. “Man, being down 2-4 going into those last three matches and needing those wins. It’s just a great feeling.”
Ockenfels, playing number three for Trenton, won his first set on a tiebreaker before falling 5-7 in the second set. With the dual on the line, though, he delivered, coming through with a 6-2 win in the decisive third set to keep the action going. In the state playoffs, duals are stopped after one team reaches five wins.
Davis, Trenton’s number-two player and lone senior, picked up a 6-2, 7-6 win to again continue the action. Davis needed a tiebreaker to take the second set, prevailing past his opponent 7-4 in the extra action.
“I feel like I played pretty well overall,” Davis said. “My first set was pretty solid, but then I started losing it a little bit in the second. I had to work my way back, which is hard. I ended up getting the win, but I can’t say enough about my teammates. They were great and they are the ones that really got the W here.”
Davis’ win brought the dual down to Shields’ match. Shields had dropped the opening set 7-5, but rallied with a dominating second set, winning 6-1 to force a third set. There Shields continued to roll, running out to a 4-1 lead. Lierz pulled back to within a game, trailing 5-4 before Shields broke his serve for the win.
“(The pressure) felt like a big weight on my shoulders,” Shields said. “When I won that second set 6-1 and had all of the momentum, it was like the weight was lifted and I just had to keep the ball in play and do my thing and I was going to win.”
Trenton got off to a rocky start, taking just one of the opening three doubles matches. Ockenfels and Creed Houghton walked away with an 8-2 victory, the first match completed on the day, but the Bulldogs dropped the other two doubles matches in hard-fought contests. Shields and Davis fell 8-5 as did the Bulldog duo of Gabe Swann and Wyatt Neal.
When singles play began, Houghton fell 6-0, 6-2 and Neal lost 7-6, 6-1. Swann was able to score a 6-4, 6-1 win for Trenton’s second win on the day.
The victory over LeBlond put Trenton’s growth over the course of the season on full display. Trenton dropped the opening dual of the year to the Golden Eagles by a score of 2-7. At sectionals, however, Trenton didn’t even resemble that team from months earlier, delivering on the big stage that is the state playoffs.
With the dual victory over LeBlond at sectionals, Trenton improved its record on the season to 12-4 overall. Trenton played the winner of Pembroke Hill and Marshall in the state semifinals Thursday afternoon.
Trenton’s Season Ends With Quarterfinal Loss
After a thrilling victory over LeBlond to get to the state quarterfinals, Trenton saw its season end against Pembroke Hill.
The Raiders dominated the tournament, defeating Trenton 5-0 in the final after routing Marshall 5-0 in the semifinals.
Trenton was swept in doubles play. Nick Shields and Jacob Davis were able to scratch out two games against their opponents – one of which will play tennis for the Arkansas Razorbacks next year. Davis and Shields’ 8-2 loss represented the closest Trenton would come to a victory in the quarterfinal match-up. Kade Ockenfels and Creed Houghton were defeated 8-0 and Wyatt Neal and Gabe Swann fell 8-0 as well.
In singles play, only two matches were completed. Neal fell 6-0, 6-0 and Swann lost 6-0, 6-1, ending the dual.
“This is probably the farthest our team has gone in a really, really long time,” Trenton Coach Dave Sager said. “In 1985 we won our district title and got pretty far in state that year, too. It’s just a fun opportunity to have been this far, being a small school and playing all of these private schools. I’m very proud of this team for getting this far.”
With the loss, Trenton closed its season with a 12-5 record overall. Trenton loses just one senior in Davis for next year’s team.