By Ron Haramia
Pilot Sports

SOUTH BEND - Same teams, same result, but much more nerves.

Just a week after winning the regular season match between these two county rivals, Culver Military Academy downed Plymouth 4-1 in the South Bend Clay Regional boys tennis match Tuesday afternoon to move into today's final.

The Eagles will face Penn, a 3-2 winner over the host Colonials. Penn (16-3) gave the Eagles their only loss a year ago - in the regional finals.

CMA narrowly defeated the Pilgrims a week ago by winning all three singles positions. But with one new face in the Plymouth lineup, PHS had high hopes for an upset over the 13th-ranked Eagles.

The Academy matched its singles domination though, and added a win at No. 2 doubles for the convincing victory.

“There was a lot of good tennis played out there,” said CMA head coach Alan Loehr. “It was a very competitive match, which it always is against such a good program as Plymouth.”

The match at No. 3 singles between CMA's Peter Ianello and Plymouth's Josh Beguin had all of the story lines going in. The two did not meet in the dual match last Tuesday, and on paper, if the other four matches followed the script, the team score would be split 2-2 with No. 3 singles the deciding match. Making it even more interesting, Beguin won a tight three-setter over Ianello during a tourney earlier in the season.

The Plymouth senior jumped out to an early 2-1 lead in the opening set, but Ianello won the next eight games to claim the first set and gave himself enough of a cushion in the second to win in straight sets.

By that time the Eagles had already secured wins at Nos. 1 and 2 singles as well, putting them into the finals.

“I was very proud of the way Peter played,” said CMA head coach Alan Loehr. “He got smart and realized he did not have to press.”

“(Ianello) played well,” said Plymouth head coach Michael Delp. “It's tough knowing that you have to win one of those three singles spots against a tough CMA team.”

At No. 1, Frank Sunseri cruised in the first set, then held off a Kyle Stump comeback bid in the second. Stump held a 4-1 lead in the second stanza, but Sunseri charged back to win it, 6-4, after a 6-0 first set.

Rogelio Lemarroy's win over Nick Neidlinger at No. 2 was almost identical. Lemarroy won six of the first seven games, but Neidlinger won three straight midway into the second set to pull within 5-4 before dropping the 10th game.

“If there is a kink in their (CMA's Nos. 1 and 2 singles) armor, it is that they lose focus,” said Loehr. “But they played much better than a week ago, as did Kyle and Nick. I'm very pleased our guys got the job done.”

Delp added, “To Kyle and Nick's credit, they battled all the way. I feel bad for the seniors (having the season end), especially Kyle. He has put in so many hours. It is tough playing a talent like Frank.”

Plymouth's lone win came at No. 1 doubles, meaning the tandem of Evan Birchmeier and Jake Palmer will continue in the individual portion of the playoffs and will play South Bend St. Joseph's duo today at Leeper Park starting at 4:30 p.m.

The CMA No. 2 doubles team of Nithin Riddy and Luis Trejo avenged a loss to Plymouth last week with a tight three-set win for the final Eagles point.

Plymouth finishes its fine season 13-5, while CMA is now 12-1.

CMA 4, PLYMOUTH 1
At Leeper Park, South Bend
SINGLES: 1. Frank Sunseri (CMA) def. Kyle Stump 6-4, 6-0; 2. Rogelio Lemarroy (CMA) def. Nick Neidlinger 6-1, 6-4; 3. Peter Ianello (CMA) def. Josh Beguin 6-2, 6-3.
DOUBLES: 1. Jake Palmer-Evan Birchmeier (P) def. Omar Kattan-Shareef Kattan 6-4, 6-2; 2. Nithin Riddy-Luis Trejo (CMA) def. PJ Gretter-Matt Cartwright 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Records: Plymouth 13-5 (final), CMA 12-1