No stopping Edmond North boys tennis
We’re minutes away from ending the spring sports championship season. Been camped out (as always) at the OKC Tennis Center for the state tennis tournament, and it was another great weekend.
Some things went as expected (looking at you, Chris Haworth). Some things caught me off guard (looking at you, Heritage Hall, tying for the championships). But through it all, great two days.
6A
- How good is this Edmond North team? With Putnam North star/legend/icon Haworth now leaving to attend at Oklahoma State, you could realistically see the Huskies sweep 6A the next couple of years. Heck, only Haworth prevented that from happening this year.
And it wasn’t because Nate Roper didn’t give it his all. That first set Roper came out firing. He wasn’t frozen by the moment at all. That’s all you ask. Eventually his play dipped a little and Haworth did what he’s done all four years with the Panthers and found a way. Score was 6-4, 6-1.
On the court right next to him, Edmond North’s David Hager was engaged in an entertaining battle with Putnam North’s Wil Rodwell. I promise to stop mentioning Hager’s size, but it was among the most talked about things this weekend. Teams that had never seen Hager got an understanding of what he’s all about.
This match turned at 6-2, 1-4 in the second set. Rodwell hit a beautiful winner but started cramping. And then he started cramping in the other leg. And before you knew it, a 4-1 advantage became down 5-4 and match point. On Hager’s second match point, he closed the show.
I enjoyed this match immensely. The patience of Hager vs. the power of Rodwell. That final game saw points that lasted more than a minute. I videoed them, I know. Heck of a battle.
And on the court next to him, the doubles team of Bryan Lilley and Eric Olson were claiming their title against Norman North’s Nick Hardersen and Trey Pirtle. Edmond North beat Norman North in the other doubles title match.
