Sports

Clippers doubles team reaches quarterfinals

When K. J. Metz and Kevin Parma advanced to the quarterfinals, it was, said Coach Andrew Sadowski, the farthest any Southold/Greenport Clippers tennis player had advanced in five years. That was the goal, Metz said, adding of playing on day two, “This is just a bonus.”

Unfortunately for Metz and Parma, their bonus day at Shoreham-Wading River High School in the Suffolk County Division IV individual tournament lasted only one round. On Monday afternoon they lost their quarterfinal match to Spencer Kuzon and Trip Tuff of The Ross School, 6-3, 6-3. The quarterfinals were supposed to take place on Saturday, but were postponed because of the weather.

Metz and Parma struggled, losing their service games seven out of nine times. Parma did not win a service game, and connected on just 5 of his 27 first serves. That was not how things went for them on Friday, Parma said.

“Their everything [serve] is usually a higher percentage,” Sadowski said.

They had opportunities to break serve several times. Down by 4-3 in the first set, they had two break chances against Kuzon. Tuff hit a volley winner to bring the game to deuce.

Tuff and Kuzon spent much of the match trying to get to the net. Metz and Parma were most successful when they were able to lob the ball over their heads, but that did not always work out.

At deuce, Metz forced Kuzon back with a lob. Kuzon’s defensive lob was short. Parma leapt for it, but his slam went into the net. Serving at 3-5, Parma double-faulted twice, the second one on set point.

“It was tough with the wind today,” Parma said. “Nothing you could do about it.”

Added Metz, “The game would have changed completely if his first serve was going in.”

It might also have turned out differently had the pair converted their chances on game points. With Parma serving down 1-2 in the second set, he double-faulted at 40-30. Then a volley from Metz sailed wide.

Down 2-3 and up 40-15, Metz missed a forehand crosscourt and a lob long. Kuzon ended the game with a drop volley, but gave the break right back on a double fault. But that was the last point Metz and Parma won as Kuzon and Tuff took the match’s last eight points.

“We thought we could have gone a little farther,” Parma said.

Finishing the thought, Metz said, “That was the disappointing part of it.”

Three of their teammates — singles players Anthony Losquadro, Josh Robinson and Desi Tetrault — advanced to the second round on Friday. Losquadro beat Joe Stabile of Center Moriches, 6-4, 6-3, before falling to Eastport/South Manor’s Andrew Reiley, 6-0, 6-1. Robinson beat Chris Orzerotko of William Floyd, 6-3, 6-2, before being dispatched by Westhampton Beach’s J. D. Sipola, 6-0, 6-3. Tetrault defeated Andrew Pirozzi of Center Moriches, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. He then lost to Ross’ Cole Katzter, 6-3, 6-3.

Mattituck’s doubles team of Jack O’Donnell and Tim Winters lost in the first round to Jack Brinkley-Cork and Louis Caiola of Ross, 6-7 (8-6), 6-1, 7-6 (6-3).

Riverhead’s doubles team of Efe Erol and Andrew Plattner were also eliminated in the first round. They lost, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, to Sean Paul and Eric Grossman of Center Moriches.

But both Blue Waves in the singles bracket, Seth Conrad and Devon Brewer, advanced past the first round. Coach Bob Lum said he expected both players would have trouble with any seeded players in the bracket. Both did, falling in the second round.

Conrad won his first round match against East Hampton’s Shawn Franklin by default before losing to Longwood’s Eric Sumanary, 6-1, 6-0.

“That was good for him to see just how far he has to go to really compete for the top level of a division tournament,” Lum said. “This could discourage him or perhaps spur him on to try much harder to get better and more committed to his goals. I am betting on the latter.”

Brewer beat Shoreham-Wading River’s Brian Cuzzo, 6-3, 6-0, in the first round. He then lost to Henry Lee of Ross, 6-0, 6-0, in the second.

“This was a big accomplishment for him,” Lum said.

Meanwhile, Mattituck did not see a singles player advance past the first round. The doubles team of Jeff Streider and Kevin Reyer lost in the first round to Eastport/South Manor’s Dan Elithorop and John Quinn, 6-4, 6-1.

Connor Davis of Mattituck was defeated by Westhampton Beach’s Bryan Lehrer, 6-1, 6-1. Another Tucker, Joe Pfaff, took Ray Kahn of William Floyd to three sets before succumbing, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. “It was a valuable experience for them,” Mattituck Coach Mike Huey said. “Now they know what to do to get to the next level.”

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