Six-peat: Willard wins outright SBC Bay title

WILLARD — The entire process is exhausting. Pressure is a privilege. Willard girls head tennis coach Josh Bauerle knows that better than most in recent years. But entering this season, with a roster full of turnover, his Crimson Flashes team found a way to do it again. With Tuesday's 3-2 win over visiting Port Clinton, the Flashes (12-5, 10-0) won the SBC Bay Division championship outright at the Dean Ave. Athletic Complex. The win marks the sixth straight league title for Willard, which is 76-2 in that span. "It is mentally draining to be carrying a legacy of five straight titles and trying not to be the ones who end it," Bauerle said. "You have a target on your back and get everyone's best shot. I couldn't be more proud of how these girls have embraced that challenge and went out and achieved something special." Port Clinton's Reagan Ruthsatz won at first singles over Naomi Schag (6-1, 6-1). Willard evened the score with a win by Macey Robinson over Gracie Arnold at second singles (0-6, 6-4, 6-1). But the match of the night for Willard came at third singles, as Belle Van Zoest rallied from 0-3 down in the third set against Alexa Taylor (2-6, 6-1, 6-3). "It's hard to single out any individual girls tonight, but Belle going down 0-3 and nearly 0-4 in the third set and coming back to win was incredible," Bauerle said. "Macey playing through pain and overcoming an 0-6 first set was amazing. And first doubles overcame a tough first set loss to play great tennis." The first doubles team of Moriah Slone and Maelyn Shaarda defeated Paige Smothers and Grace Smothers, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. Port Clinton's other win came at second doubles as Olivia Spencer and Isabella Marvicsin beat Rebecca Honaker and Emmy Danhoff (6-2, 6-3). "There is almost never a time I give up on these girls, but tonight I almost thought it was over," Bauerle said. "I let myself start to think a share would be OK, still a great accomplishment for a team so inexperienced. "And then boom, out of nowhere they flipped the entire match and started coming back," he added. "Every thing I love about these girls and this team and even this sport is summed up in what happened tonight. It's so unique because unlike almost every other sport there is no time clock, so if you keep your head you are never out of a match." Bauerle also credited Schag for battling at first singles. "Naomi is finishing an amazing career and puts us in position to win every night just with being willing to fill that spot and take on the giants each night," he said. Port Clinton coach Joe Miller was complimentary of the Willard program. "This one stings," Miller said. "We put ourselves in a great position to get a huge win by winning all five first sets, but Willard did what Willard does. You can't beat them without putting a full match together, and while we played our best tennis of the season early in the match, Willard was able to adjust and finish." Port Clinton (10-7, 6-2) had snapped Willard's lengthy SBC Bay win-streak with a marathon match, and the programs have gone back and forth over the past couple of years, including sharing a league title. "It's been an incredible run, and like I told both teams tonight before the match, every girl on these teams should be proud that for three straight years these are the only two teams left standing," Bauerle said. "It's always a slugfest and I have so much respect for their program." Asked to sum up the sixth straight title, albeit somewhat surprised, Bauerle said it was a group that willed itself to a championship. "I think what makes this one so special is that on paper these girls had no business winning a title," he said. "We returned three total varsity players. We had a second doubles player that picked up a racket three weeks before the season started. Our second singles player has been tennis for a year. "This is a sport that typically depends heavily on experience. But they just willed themselves to a title. They made it a goal, as unlikely as it was, and then put in the work and grabbed the opportunities they had."