South opens ECIC Division III league play 2-0

The Williamsville South boys tennis team got off to a fast start by winning its opening two ECIC Division III matches of the season, defeating Depew, 3-2, last Wednesday at South, and Starpoint, 3-2, last Thursday at Depew.

Against Depew, freshman Alex Podgorsak got the first point for South at third singles, winning 6-3, 6-1, but Depew came back to tie the score by defeating South's second doubles team of Joe Putrelo and Trevor Lawler.

First singles R.J. Grampp put South in the lead again by narrowly defeating Depew's Mike Eusani, 6-4, 7-6.

South's second singles, Greg Potter, lost his first set, 2-6, but came back to win the second set, 7-5. Potter lost the final set, 5-7.

South's first doubles team of Joe Paul and Doug Bounds lost a tough first set tie breaker but came back to crush Depew, 6-0, in the second set. That meant that South had to win one of the final two matches in the third set.

Paul and Bounds provided the final point by continuing to dominate Depew, winning the final set, 6-1, to give South the win.

Starpoint was 2-0 going into its match with the Billies but left South with its first blemish of the season.

Podgorsak provided the first point again, winning 7-5, 6-1. Starpoint's Josh Doores proved to be a little too tough for Grampp at first singles and Starpoint evened the score at 1-1.

Potter evened his record to 1-1 at second singles by defeating John Billingsley, 6-2, 6-3, to give South a second point.

Paul and Bounds wrapped up the victory for South with a 6-2, 6-3 win at first doubles.

South's second doubles team of Putrelo and Lawler stretched Starpoint to three sets but came up a bit short, losing, 3-6, in the third set.

South lost a non-league match to Lancaster, 4-1, on April 8.

The Billies are off until they face Cheektowaga at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 21, at South.