04/18/2007

TC Central nets Up North tourney title

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump
Traverse City Central's Doug Burkeplays Aldo Silva of Ludington at No.1 singles at the Up North Invitational.

TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Central won four flights Tuesday en route to capturing the six-team Up North Invitational.

The Trojans finished with 33 points. Traverse City West was second with 28, followed by Petoskey (25), Ludington (15) and the Central JV (15) and Alpena (4).

Doug Burke paced the Trojans, beating Petoskey's Austin Lo 6-4, 6-4 in the finals at No. 1 singles. Both are sophomores.

"They're the two best players in the conference and I'm sure they'll have many battles like that over the next three years,” Central coach Larry Nykerk said.

The Trojans won three of the four doubles flights. Jamie Olson and Spencer Powell beat West's Nathan Feenstra and Vikash Pillay 6-2, 6-3 in the finals at No. 1. Michael Leigh and David Noble upended the JV's Spencer Engler and Ryan Thompson 6-4, 6-2 for the championship at No. 3. Jeff Byl and Glover Koech downed Petoskey's Scott Lamont and Mike Swabash 6-0, 6-2 for the title at No. 4.

The JV's Dante Valentino and Sam Kelly claimed No. 2 doubles with a 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 win over West's Ben Street and Cam Williams.

West's Andrew Greenman took No. 4 singles by edging Petoskey's Tim Downey 7-5, 7-5.

Petoskey's Dan Nellis and Jason Muller claimed No. 2 and No. 3 singles. Nellis defeated Central's Ethan Weckstein 6-1, 6-0 in the finals while Muller topped West's Josh Peterson 6-2, 6-2.