Top-Seeded Player Helps Newport Win

Top-seeded Jeremy Berman of Newport High School downed Kentridge’s Kevin Woo 6-3, 6-2 to win the singles title at the boys State AAA tennis championships Saturday at the Spokane Racquet Club.

Woo struggled to keep up with Berman after playing a 3 1/2-hour semifinal match against Cascade’s Clayton Harris less than an hour prior to the championship.

Woo beat Harris 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, but the strains of playing nearly back-to-back matches underneath a demanding afternoon sun proved to be too much.

“I knew if I came out on top early, he’d get down on himself because he knew he’d have to work hard to come back,” Berman said. “I think that’s one thing he didn’t want to have to do after how long it took him to play his first match.”

With Berman’s victory, Newport claimed the team title with 18 points. Mountain View finished second with 11 points, while Cascade placed third with nine.

In doubles action, Newport’s top-seeded duo of A.J McClure and Steve Fortney beat Albert Lu and Ryan Hoy of Sammamish 6-3, 6-4.

Berman said he and Woo practice together frequently, and while the two maintain a rivalry, they also possess a healthy respect for each other.

“We’re not too competitive off the court like I am with some people,” Berman said. “So there’s no hard feelings. You can beat him and still be as good of friends as you were.”

Berman, who finished fourth at state last year, said the tournament marked one of the first times he’d played up to his potential and avoided falling to a lesser opponent.

To alleviate the situation, Berman said he tried bringing a new approach to this year’s tournament.

“I think I went into every match not taking any opponent lightly,” he explained. “I prepared for every match the same - just take 20 minutes to stretch, warm up and visualize. I think that helped a lot.”

In the consolation round, Mead’s Jon Wrigley and Eric Donovan finished sixth after losing to Cascade’s Geoff Mays and Brady Fife 6-1, 6-2.