Ryan Waits and Clint Bowles lose in straight sets to a Marathon pair in the doubles final.
By GREG AUMAN
Published April 30, 2004
Saddlebrook's Ryan Waits and Clint Bowles lost out on the overall state doubles title, falling to individual doubles champions Marek Czerwinski and Maciek Skyut of Marathon 6-1, 6-3 in the Class A tournament in Tallahassee.
"The other team's players play together more often and that showed today," Spartans coach Matt Holsopple said. "Clint and Ryan play together only during practice and in high school matches. I think they enjoyed the experience of playing together this week, but the lack of that experience worked against them."
The loss marks the first time in four years Saddlebrook hasn't won an overall boys or girls state championship in singles or doubles. Waits and Bowles won the No. 1 doubles crown among players from the eight teams competing for the Class A state title Wednesday, getting a 6-2, 6-0 win against Trinity Prep's David Freedman and James Moye.
Waits, a senior, has committed to the University of Miami, while Bowles is only a freshman, from Oregon. Both players advanced to the team finals at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, leading Saddlebrook to third overall, but both lost in the singles finals in straight sets.
The Spartans' Marc Spicijaric and Leonard Gullan won in boys doubles last year 6-3, 6-2 against North Palm Beach Benjamin's Dimitri Chimerakis and Scott Myers. The year before, Saddlebrook won a state championship with the help of singles champion Jose Muguruza, and in 2001, Kelly McCain and Emily Sechaud won girls doubles in leading the Spartans to the overall girls state championship.
Both Saddlebrook teams finished third this year, with Bradenton St. Stephens winning the boys championship and Delray Beach American Heritage winning the girls title.
