Lexington is not just the best tennis team in North Central Ohio, they are a perennial state powerhouse. On Wednesday they advanced their number one singles player and top doubles team to next week’s division two state tournament at The Ohio State University.
Lexington’s Mason Dragos beat Derek Krieger of Rossford (6-0,6-0) in his first match in district play at Bowling Green State University on Wednesday and then dispatched of Alex Schroeder of Ottawa Glandorf (6-1,6-1) in the quarterfinals.
Coach Ron Schaub says Dragos is an excellent player that isn’t done playing this spring, his record dictates that. “Mason also qualified in his freshman and sophomore years. Saturday he goes back and to see if he can take first, second, third or fourth. If you make to Saturday you have had an unbelievable tournament. The state tournament is next week at Ohio State and starts on Friday. Mason’s goal to tray and get to Saturday next week,” he said.
Dragos is slated to meet Alex Seibel of Celina on Saturday in semi-final play. If he wins he will meet either Pierre Desprat of Lima Central Catholic or Manickam Manickam of Sandusky Perkins. Schaub thinks he has a good chance to win his third straight district title.
“He won it his freshman year and he won it his sophomore year. There is an exchange student from France that goes to Lima Central Catholic that is very strong, potentially that would be the match-up in the finals. Mason is very, very good. He has a live arm, he has really good hands, a heavy top spin forehand and a big serve. We have played a lot of good teams this year. Hopefully he will get it done this weekend,” said Schaub.
The Lexington doubles team of Matt Youse and Tommy Barkett have also reached the semis with wins over teams from Celina (6-4,6-3) and Port Clinton (6-1,6-1) on Wednesday. Schaub like their chances too. “Matt Youse is a very good athlete, very competitive and Tommy Barkett is another one too, he plays a lot of sports, he has really good hands and a big forehand. Matt is a junior and has qualified for the third year in a row. Hopefully they can get the job done also on Saturday,” he said.
Lexington had qualified a second doubles team too in Matt Barkett and Jansen Webster, who beat a team from Lima Central Catholic (6-4,6-1) before losing to a team from Ottawa Hills (6-1,6-3) in the quarters. “They won their first match (Wednesday), but lost in the quarterfinals to a team from Toledo Ottawa Hills, but they also did great, so we are really pleased,” he said.
Phil Zitko of Mansfield St. Peter’s won his first singles match over Dereck Vincent of Bryan (7-6 (8-6) 6-3) and lost in the next round to Desprat (6-0,6-1). Clear Fork’s Adam Remy lost his opening round match to Jason Judis of Ottawa Hills (6-3,4-6,6-1) on Wednesday. Ontario’s doubles team of Ty Carcione and Brandon Wagner lost their first match to a team from Celina (6-1,6-0).