Mayo boys tennis team finally falls, but hope remains
May 10—ROCHESTER — There can be satisfaction even in a loss.
That was the case Wednesday for the Mayo boys tennis team as it sustained its first setback of the season, falling 4-3 in a non-conference dual to Wayzata.
Mayo entered with 15 wins, 0 losses and a No. 3 state ranking.
In playing Wayzata, the Spartans weren't expected to bump that win total to 16. That's because the Trojans are that good. Not only do they have the top player in the state, Collin Beduhn, but also the No. 1 team.
Yet even after losing to Wayzata, the Spartans left their home court with pep in their step. There were two reasons for that. Foremost, it was due to all of the fight they showed, coming back to win the final three matches of the afternoon after dropping the first four.
It also had to do with the confidence they'd just built, Mayo now believing that on the right day, it might just beat Wayzata. That right day — if it does happen this season — would be in the state tournament.
There is one month remaining before that confrontation would surface. For now, Mayo is just going to feel good about things and keep trying to get better.
"We played pretty well," Mayo longtime coach Jeff Demaray said. "Wayzata is a heck of a team and we knew that coming in. But I am proud of our guys for not quitting, even after giving up those first four (matches). We won the last three points. We just kept battling. That meant a lot to me to see our guys continue to play hard every point and leave it all on the court."
Hope and good feelings are very much alive within the Spartans.
"This was a 10 out of 10 in terms of the experience," said Ben Erickson, one of five seniors on Mayo's team and also one of its winners on Wednesday, Erickson teaming with fellow senior Phil Wiesnewski to win in three sets (6-4, 3-6, 6-2) at No. 1 doubles.
Mayo also got wins at No. 4 singles (Ian Li) and No. 3 doubles (Daniel Meunier and Zach Thomas). Li won 7-6 (7-5 tie-breaker), 6-4, while Meunier/Thomas won 7-6 (8-6 tie-breaker), 1-6, 6-4.
"I'm proud of the way we battled," Erickson said. "That comes from our team mentality. It doesn't matter if we are down 5-1, we always have that positive attitude."
And now they have the attitude that if there is a second meeting, that they've got a real shot.
Wisniewski was thrilled with the battle that his team showed and with the experience, period.
"I really enjoyed the competition," he said. "When you know you're going to get a really good match against people you don't usually play, it's a lot of fun. We definitely feel like Wayzata is beatable. I think the next time we play them, we got it."
—The premier match of the day came at No. 1 singles, with Wayzata's 6-foot-7, 230-pound senior star Beduhn taking on Mayo 5-7 freshman Tej Bhagra. Beduhn is considered the top player in the state, while Bhagra is ranked fifth.
It was Beduhn who prevailed, winning 6-4, 6-2. But the future University of Wisconsin player left impressed with Bhagra.
"I really like Tej's game," said the affable Beduhn. "He didn't give me any unforced errors. He is definitely a future Division I player once he develops a few more weapons. When he does that, he's going to be a force to be reckoned with. He already is."
Wayzata 4, Mayo 3
Singles: Collin Beduhn (W) def. Tej Bhagra 6-4, 6-2; Rishi Ranjith (W) def. Caleb Neisen 6-1, 6-2; Raghav Amin (W) def. Noah Wisniewski 6-1, 6-0; Ian Li (M) def. Nolan Behuhn 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Doubles: Philip Wisniewski/Ben Erickson (M) def. Aron Behuhn/Tanay Panguluri 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; Brad Hagen/Jacob Salisbury (W) def. David Teng/Caleb Kennel 6-2, 6-1; Daniel Meunier/Zach Thomas (M) def. Dhiren Akkina/Karming Phoon 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4.
