Saints Miss National Tournament For First Time Since '09
A shorthanded Seward County bunch gave it their best effort at the Region VI Tournament in Wichita Saturday, but with just three players playing, it was too much to overcome as they fell four points short of their fifth straight trip to the NJCAA National Tournament.
Ronzai Saurombe worked his way all the way from the 4th seed in the draw to the championship match on Saturday where he met up with 2nd seeded and 9th ranked Harry Busby of Cowley. The former Seward recruit, Busby, had little trouble with the Saints top man, winning 6-2, 6-2 over Saurombe to kill his chance at an individual trip to the National Tournament.
The third place match at #2 singles was one of the more intriguing matchups of the day as the Saints 20th ranked Alejandro Gonzalez took on 24th ranked Kevin Kochersperger of Johnson County. Gonzalez controlled the first set, winning 6-2, but had to grind out a 7-5 victory in the second set to win the match and take third in the tournament.
The highlight of the day for Seward came in #3 singles where freshman Trevor Kipping finished off one of the finest rookie seasons in school history as he improve to 10-1 on the season and claimed the Region VI Championship with a dominating 6-4, 6-1 upset win over 26th ranked Josh Coleman from Cowley.
The Saints lost valuable point opportunities at #4, #5, and #6 singles as Colin Glassman was forced out due to an injury at #4 and they failed to have a representative at #5 and #6.
Out of the race for a team trip to the National Tournament, Saurombe and Gonzalez still had an opportunity to go as a pair if they were to win the championship match at #1 doubles. After winning the ITA National Championship in the fall and opening the spring season ranked #1, the pair finished a disappointing spring with a 6-4, 6-3 loss to Harry Busby and Erik Eldgasen of Cowley in the championship match to finish the season at just 7-5.
With Glassman injured, the Saints were unable to compete at #2 doubles, finishing 4th without even taking the court in the tournament, while Seward did not have a representative at #3 doubles.
The Saints finished with 9.5 points overall in the tournament, trailing Cowley who nearly pulled off a sweep with 26 points, Johnson County who finished with 14.5, and Barton who makes their first trip to the National Tournament in 5 years with 13.5 points. The lone team the Saints finished in front of was Hesston who ended the tournament with just 3 points.