MONROE - The last time someone other than Al Schroeder won the city singles tournament, the Steelers were Super Bowl champions, George W. Bush was president and the movie "Cars" was a smash-hit at the box office.
Schroeder's streak of seven straight singles championships came to an end Sunday when he elected not to play in the 42nd annual Park and Recreation Class A city singles tournament. Joe Soddy, a 2004 Monroe graduate, won the class A men's title by knocking off Kevin Monahan 6-1, 6-4 Sunday, June 23 at Rec Park. Soddy, the singles tournament runner-up the last two years, was excited to capture the title.
"It feels good to finally win one of these," Soddy said of the championship. "When Al is here he always raises the level of competition and the tournament. I would have liked to had a chance to play him. Maybe next year."
Soddy, who is a teacher in Appleton and an assistant tennis coach at Oshkosh West High School, breezed through his first two matches. Soddy defeated Dan Henkel 6-1, 6-3 and beat Frank Westphal in the semifinals 6-0, 6-0. Soddy wanted to stay away from a net-intensive game in the championship against Monahan.
"I knew (Monahan) was really good at the net," Soddy said. "I wanted to make it a ground stroke game. The more I did that the better off I was."
Kevin Monahan defeated Willie Noriega 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. He then beat Kevin Anderson 6-3, 7-5 in the semifinals. Anderson took third place after defeating Westphal 6-2, 6-2. Brad Saugstad defeated Chris Garrow 6-3, 6-1 in the consolation match.
Monroe junior Matt Monahan defeated Kevin Kohlstedt 5-7, 6-0, 10-8 to win the class B men's championship. It's the second straight year Matt Monahan has won the class B men's title.
"It was fun," he said. "We both knew each other really well. He was a doubles player in high school and I'm a singles player. I think that helped me out in the end."
After dropping the first set 7-5, it didn't take Monahan long to find his stride in the second set.
"I tried to calm down a little bit," he said. "I was trying too hard to put the ball away. I just wanted to keep it in and that is what you have to do."
Monahan defeated Chad Manor in the first round 6-0, 6-0 and beat Mark Jenson 6-2, 6-2. Kohlstedt knocked off Ellyott Baertschi 6-0, 3-6, 10-6. He then defeated Monroe junior Jeremy Miller 3-6, 7-6, 10-4. Miller won a third place match over Jenson 6-2, 6-0. In the consolation match, Bob Seichter defeated Baertschi 6-3, 6-4.
Monahan is playing tennis this summer with his father, Kevin Monahan and he is playing in a Monroe league and several tournaments.
"I just want to improve my serve," Monahan said. "I just need to get more consistent with my ground strokes."
Schroeder's streak of seven straight singles championships came to an end Sunday when he elected not to play in the 42nd annual Park and Recreation Class A city singles tournament. Joe Soddy, a 2004 Monroe graduate, won the class A men's title by knocking off Kevin Monahan 6-1, 6-4 Sunday, June 23 at Rec Park. Soddy, the singles tournament runner-up the last two years, was excited to capture the title.
"It feels good to finally win one of these," Soddy said of the championship. "When Al is here he always raises the level of competition and the tournament. I would have liked to had a chance to play him. Maybe next year."
Soddy, who is a teacher in Appleton and an assistant tennis coach at Oshkosh West High School, breezed through his first two matches. Soddy defeated Dan Henkel 6-1, 6-3 and beat Frank Westphal in the semifinals 6-0, 6-0. Soddy wanted to stay away from a net-intensive game in the championship against Monahan.
"I knew (Monahan) was really good at the net," Soddy said. "I wanted to make it a ground stroke game. The more I did that the better off I was."
Kevin Monahan defeated Willie Noriega 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. He then beat Kevin Anderson 6-3, 7-5 in the semifinals. Anderson took third place after defeating Westphal 6-2, 6-2. Brad Saugstad defeated Chris Garrow 6-3, 6-1 in the consolation match.
Monroe junior Matt Monahan defeated Kevin Kohlstedt 5-7, 6-0, 10-8 to win the class B men's championship. It's the second straight year Matt Monahan has won the class B men's title.
"It was fun," he said. "We both knew each other really well. He was a doubles player in high school and I'm a singles player. I think that helped me out in the end."
After dropping the first set 7-5, it didn't take Monahan long to find his stride in the second set.
"I tried to calm down a little bit," he said. "I was trying too hard to put the ball away. I just wanted to keep it in and that is what you have to do."
Monahan defeated Chad Manor in the first round 6-0, 6-0 and beat Mark Jenson 6-2, 6-2. Kohlstedt knocked off Ellyott Baertschi 6-0, 3-6, 10-6. He then defeated Monroe junior Jeremy Miller 3-6, 7-6, 10-4. Miller won a third place match over Jenson 6-2, 6-0. In the consolation match, Bob Seichter defeated Baertschi 6-3, 6-4.
Monahan is playing tennis this summer with his father, Kevin Monahan and he is playing in a Monroe league and several tournaments.
"I just want to improve my serve," Monahan said. "I just need to get more consistent with my ground strokes."
