Bremerton tops at Narrows Invite

PORT ORCHARD — Bremerton’s boys tennis team tied with North Kitsap with 30 points, but came out with the top spot in win percentage last Saturday in the annual Narrows Invitational at South Kitsap High School.

South Kitsap came in third with 27 points followed by Central Kitsap (23), Enumclaw (21), Puyallup (19), Olympic (14) and North Mason (9.)

“It was a great day of tennis,” said organizer and Olympic coach Don Patraw. “We had 80 kids participating in 72 matches throughout the day.”

The day started on the South Kitsap tennis courts at 8 a.m. and wrapped up at 7 p.m.

“You play at your level,” Bremerton coach Ursula Huhta said, noting the format placed No. 1 singles players against No. 1 singles players, No. 1 doubles teams against No. 1 doubles teams, and so on. “That was a definite advantage. It makes the competition better.”

Leading the way for the Knights were the power singles duo of Joel Trudel and Josh Scheving.

Trudel, who is still recovering from a broken jaw in late August, showed why he’s a two-time participant in the state Class 4A singles tournament when he defeated Central Kitsap’s Venezuelan exchange student Francisco Carrasquero 6-2, 6-1 for the No. 1 singles crown. Carrasquero had just defeated Trudel three days before when CK beat Bremerton 3-2 in team play.

“I knew I could beat him before — I just didn’t play well,” Trudel said of Carrasquero. “So I mixed it up on him and it seemed to work.”

Scheving, who reached districts last season and played No. 1 singles in Trudel’s absence, took the No. 2 singles title with a 6-3, 6-3 win in the finals against North Kitsap’s Spencer Thomas.

“It was cool,” Scheving said. “I was happy to support my team and I thought everybody played well.

“There were a lot of people there from parents to people from other schools.”

Olympic’s Corey Dunn easily handled a North Mason player 6-1, 6-1 for third place.

The South Kitsap boys were in firm control of the doubles action, taking two firsts and a third.

The duo of Adam Bennett and Elliott Hulscher downed North Kitsap’s Alex Haupt and Eric Lander for the No. 1 doubles title after opening with wins against teams from North Mason and Enumclaw.

In No. 2 doubles, it was SK’s Donnie Zeth and Brad Klinzig defeating Bremerton’s Bryan Cochran and Doug Duryea 6-2, 6-2 for their title. North Kitsap’s Nick Dillon and Evan Faulk took third in a 6-3, 6-2 win against Olympic’s Andrew Wren and Jace Caulkins.

CK’s Max Bowen and Anthony Rulloda needed a U.S. Tennis Association tie-breaker to defeat a Peninsula team 6-4, 4-6, 10-6 for the top No. 3 doubles spot. SK’s Derek Perkins and Kramer Mott needed the extra set as well to beat an Enumclaw team 1-6, 6-3, 15-13 for third.

The No. 4 doubles title went to North Kitsap’s Jordan Prince and Aaron Beal 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 against a Peninsula duo.

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