Evening Sun Report
Boys’ Tennis
Norwich 4, Owego 3
OWEGO - Norwich avenged its only loss of the season, and validated its 2011 Section IV Class B team title by winning the STAC Central Division title Wednesday afternoon at Owego.
Each team had three wins in the bank with the outcome of the fourth singles match determining the outcome. Norwich junior Grant Brightman, a first-year varsity player, overcame deficits in each set to pull out the victory defeating Matt Wieckhorst, 7-5, 7-5. Just moments earlier, the Tornado’s second doubles team, Bill Whaley and Julian Gillner, pulled out a three-set victory to set the stage for Brightman’s decisive team point.
“Winning the sectional title was great because you take your best players there,” said Norwich coach John Stewart. “The division title has always been elusive for us. It’s special when you see all 17 kids on the team pushing, watching, and cheering on their teammates. This was the thing I wanted the kids to experience...from the first day of practice, they worked together and pushed each other. All of the kids played important roles and pushed themselves to heights they didn’t think they could reach.”
Norwich dropped a 5-2 final in its first matchup with Owego, but avenged three of those defeats – two in singles. Matt Craig, who lost 6-3, 6-1 to Owego’s Tyler Stickler the first time around, rolled to a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second singles. Brightman also flipped an earlier loss as did Whaley and Gillner. “Matt knew he could play better, and he showed why he was our number two player all year long,” Stewart said.
Norwich (10-1) hosts Binghamton Friday in a non-league match, and plays at Maine-Endwell on Monday in the first round of the STAC team playoffs.
Results
Singles: Tommy West (O) d. Alexander Stewart, 6-3, 6-1; Matt Craig (N) d. Tyler Stickler, 6-0, 6-4; Colin Stewart (N) d. Josh Fisher, 6-1, 6-1; Grant Brightman (N) d. Matt Wieckhorst, 7-5, 7-5.
Doubles: Mike Steidle-Josh Raftis (O)  d. Sal Cole-Roman Cwynar, 6-4, 6-3; Bill Whaley-Julian Gillner (N) d. Jeremy Barth-Dylan Wyrough, 3-6, 6-2, 10-8. Matt Keslowski-Nate Skiff (O) d. Akil Ruzich-Linas Impolis, 3-6, 6-3, 10-1.
Sidney 5, Greene 0
SIDNEY – Sidney clinched its 10th straight Midstate Athletic Conference title blanking Greene on Wednesday.
Evan Eliason and Nick Meno, the one and two players for the Warriors, extended their unbeaten strings over the past three seasons. Eliason, a senior, is 36-0 in MAC competition over the past four years, and Meno is 18-0 over the past three. Marcus Obeada completed a 5-0 run at third singles with a straight sets victory, while the doubles tandem of Joe Morris and Hunter Sowersby completed a perfect run through division play.
Results
Singles: Evan Eliason (S) d. Cameron Race, 6-2, 6-2; Nick Meno (S) d. Brady Race, 6-1, 6-4; Marcus Obeada (S) d. Karl Zaengle, 6-2, 6-4.
Doubles: Joe Morris-Hunter Sowersby (S) d. Connor Moriarty-Brian Leone, 6-2, 7-5; Alex Morrow-Kwok Hing Chen (S) d. Garrett Hebbard-Shawn Deering, 6-3, 6-3.
Baseball
Deposit 5, Unadilla Valley 4
NEW BERLIN – Deposit scored the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh inning to deal Unadilla Valley just its third loss of the season on Wednesday.
Brandon Macumber walked and ultimately scored the tying run on a fielder’s choice, and Derek Lenio came home on an infield groundball for the winning run.
UV erased a 3-1 Deposit lead in the bottom of the sixth. Brandon Miles and Kurt Haycook had RBI singles, and Haycook put his club in the lead scoring on a wild pitch.
Lenio pitched a complete-game victory allowing just five UV hits. “(Lenio) was really efficient all night,” said UV coach Gary Alford. “He kept us off balance with a good mix of pitches, and their boys really played solid defense behind him, along with timely hitting."
Miles had two runs scored for UV (9-3), who play at Hancock today in the first round of the MAC playoffs.
