EAST TORY - It wasn't easy, but after five hours of rain delays at the WIAA Division 2 East Troy sectional, Monroe senior David Shon at No. 1 singles and the Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of Kevin Noriega and Matt Monahan are headed to the individual state tennis tournament.
Shon battled back from an early hole and a 21⁄2-hour rain delay to defeat Kewaskum's Bille Lehman in three sets 2-6, 6-1, 10-6. After dropping the first set, Shon trailed in the second set before the second rain delay hit.
"It (the 21⁄2 hour rain delay) was probably the best thing that could have happened for David," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "David was playing a very consistent player and was struggling with consistency and wind. The rain delay gave David a chance to regroup and the wind died down. After the rain delay, it was like a completely different match and David played solid tennis."
Madison Edgewood won the sectional with 54 points, well ahead of runner-up Grafton (32). Monroe took fifth place (17) out of 18 teams.
"I was incredibly happy with how the boys played," Saugstad said. "They had to stay mentally focused while waiting out close to five hours of rain delays and they did that and earned a second place and two third-place finishes. It's been a couple of years since we have had this high of finishes at sectionals."
By winning his first match, Shon clinched a state berth. Plymouth's Matt Primezic then defeated Shon 6-2, 6-1. Shon won a third-place match by knocking off Jefferson's Ty Jay 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Noriega and Monahan defeated Ripon's No. 1 doubles team 6-1, 6-0 to assure a state berth. They then lost a match to Plymouth's top team 7-5, 6-1. Noriega and Monahan won a third-place match by edging Grafton's No. 1 doubles team 6-3, 6-4.
Monroe sophomore Silas Setterstrom finished second place at No. 2 singles. Setterstrom defeated Grafton's Michael Rathke 6-4, 6-3. He then lost the championship match to Madison Edgewood's Noah Colletti 6-1, 6-1.
"Silas continued his strong play and earned a hard-fought win over Grafton," Saugstad said. "It doesn't necessarily look like it by the score, but Silas actually played really well in the championship match."
Shon battled back from an early hole and a 21⁄2-hour rain delay to defeat Kewaskum's Bille Lehman in three sets 2-6, 6-1, 10-6. After dropping the first set, Shon trailed in the second set before the second rain delay hit.
"It (the 21⁄2 hour rain delay) was probably the best thing that could have happened for David," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "David was playing a very consistent player and was struggling with consistency and wind. The rain delay gave David a chance to regroup and the wind died down. After the rain delay, it was like a completely different match and David played solid tennis."
Madison Edgewood won the sectional with 54 points, well ahead of runner-up Grafton (32). Monroe took fifth place (17) out of 18 teams.
"I was incredibly happy with how the boys played," Saugstad said. "They had to stay mentally focused while waiting out close to five hours of rain delays and they did that and earned a second place and two third-place finishes. It's been a couple of years since we have had this high of finishes at sectionals."
By winning his first match, Shon clinched a state berth. Plymouth's Matt Primezic then defeated Shon 6-2, 6-1. Shon won a third-place match by knocking off Jefferson's Ty Jay 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Noriega and Monahan defeated Ripon's No. 1 doubles team 6-1, 6-0 to assure a state berth. They then lost a match to Plymouth's top team 7-5, 6-1. Noriega and Monahan won a third-place match by edging Grafton's No. 1 doubles team 6-3, 6-4.
Monroe sophomore Silas Setterstrom finished second place at No. 2 singles. Setterstrom defeated Grafton's Michael Rathke 6-4, 6-3. He then lost the championship match to Madison Edgewood's Noah Colletti 6-1, 6-1.
"Silas continued his strong play and earned a hard-fought win over Grafton," Saugstad said. "It doesn't necessarily look like it by the score, but Silas actually played really well in the championship match."
