Dogs Fall In Group II Final

After dispatching of Haddonfield in Thursday morning's semifinals, Rumson-Fair Haven dropped a heartbreaking Group II final to Tenafly, now winners of four straight state titles. The Bulldogs forged ahead after wins by Greg Bach at third singles and the doubles team of Dave Seide (foreground, left) and Nick Kelly (background), but the Tigers withstood the heat to take three-set victories at first singles and second doubles.

            �??After 25 years, I don�??t take much personally,�?� Rumson coach Don Russell said. �??They�??ll hopefully take from this how to close out a match. Having had it both ways, I�??d rather go down getting clobbered.�?�

            Despite Tenafly sporting a pair of buzzsaws in senior twins Alex and Ben Lee at first and second singles, Russell felt confident that his team could earn the remaining three points to deliver Rumson its first state Group title Thursday at Mercer County Park. Tenafly rallied from the brink of defeat, however, to stave off five match points at second doubles to win Group II for the fourth straight year.

            �??I wasn�??t really concerned about second doubles after the first set (a 6-1 Rumson win) because I thought we were going to win,�?� Russell said. �??You don�??t want to lay everything on them, though, because we had two other kids that lost.�?�

            The first singles pair of Nick Kelly and Dave Seide provided the Bulldogs with the first point of the match after surviving a second-set tiebreaker to take down Jason Kleinman and Brian Brauntuch, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). Moments later Tenafly pulled even as Clark Maloof dropped his second singles match to Ben Lee, who teamed with his brother to win a state doubles title in 2005.

            Rumson sophomore Greg Bach came through with a victory at third singles, the point many thought would decide the match, by downing Alex Topchishvili, 6-4, 6-2.

            At just around the same time Bach was putting the finishing touches on his victory, Rumson�??s second doubles team of Ben Kelly and Jack Riker looked ready to do the same. In a marathon 12^th game of the second set, however, Tenafly�??s pair of Seth Goldman and David Ackerman denied opportunity after opportunity for Rumson to wrap up the title. After winning the game to force a tiebreaker, the Tigers had seized all of the momentum. The tiebreaker went 7-2 in Tenafly�??s favor and Goldman and Ackerman followed with a 6-0, third-set win.

            �??I was thinking, �??Just get this done,�??�?� Ben Kelly, a sophomore said. �??We had so many chances, and we just blew it.�?�

            �??I thought we matched up well with them at the bottom of the ladder, and we did,�?� Russell said. �??How can you really explain what happened? Kids are kids, and when you�??re young and give away four or five match points, in your head the match is over.�?�

            Junior first singles player Sean Pahler tried valiantly to get the Bulldogs over the hump. After dropping his first set, 4-6, Pahler fought back to battle through five deuces and earn the decisive break to go up 5-3 on Alex Lee.

            After closing the second set on serve, Pahler had a golden opportunity to begin the third set with a break, but Lee fought off a pair of break points.

            �??That first game was pretty important,�?� Pahler said. �??I could have played up a break the rest of the set.�?�

            Pahler won the second game of the set at love, but, after suffering from leg cramps, Lee was able to regain his mobility as the set wore on. Pahler went down a break at 1-3. With Tenafly players lining the court to cheer on Lee, Pahler breathed some life into the subdued Rumson faithful with a drop shot to win the sixth game. Pahler earned a break point in the next game, but Lee exploded a cross-court forehand at 30-40. A passing shot by Lee as Pahler rushed the net sealed the game, and, effectively, the match and championship.

            �??Sean fought back against a really good kid,�?� Russell said. �??He doesn�??t miss much. He�??s not a Lampa (Ocean sophomore Mike Lampa), but he�??s close.�?�

            Rumson advanced to the final by breezing past Haddonfield in the morning�??s Group II semifinals, dropping just one set in a 5-0 win. Kelly and Riker finished off Josh Green and Aaron Taylor to the tune of a 6-3, 6-2 win. Pahler, Maloof and Bach dropped just nine games total in their wins, while Nick Kelly and Seide rallied back after dropping their first set, 4-6, before winning 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) in a heated match.

            �??The goal was to get to the Group II final and we did that,�?� Bach said after the Haddonfield match. �??It was exciting and my nerves kind of kicked in there in the second set and I put it together.�?�

E-mail: clayton@digitalsports.com.