STATE TENNIS ROUNDUP: Sequim’s Richards eighth at 2A boys tournament

Published 12:01 am Sunday, May 29, 2016

SEATTLE — Sequim’s Matthew Richards claimed an eighth-place finish at the Class 2A state boys tennis singles championships at Nordstrom Tennis Center.

Richards lost his opening-round match against Ephrata’s Garner Sears on Friday 6-3, 6-2.

Richards then won two matches later Friday to advance to the fifth-place match Saturday.

He fell behind Jose Ignacio Perez of Hudson’s Bay by one set but bounced back to win 4-6, 7-5, 12-10.

Richards again fell behind in his third match, but again rallied back, defeating Clarkston’s Don Arsenev 3-6, 6-4, 10-5.

In the fifth-place match against Michael Mannion of East Valley of Yakima, Richards fell in two sets 6-0, 6-2.

The North Olympic Peninsula’s other state competitor, Janson Pederson of Port Angeles, went two-and-out at state.

Lost to champ

Pederson lost to the state’s No. 1 player, Tumwater’s Ty Gentry, who will play tennis at the University of Oregon, in two sets 6-0, 6-0.

Gentry went on to claim his third state championships.

In the consolation bracket, Pederson fell to Clarkston’s Gregory Arthur 6-1, 6-1.

Pederson only recently returned his focus to tennis after helping the Roughriders baseball team advance to the state regionals earlier this month.

“For a multisport athlete, Janson had a great tennis season six months ago and played very well in the championship,” Port Angeles coach Gil Stockton said.

“He is truly a gifted athlete and a treat to coach.”