Neuman, Hager fall on first day at state tennis tournament

COLUMBUS - After he survived a 2 hour and 40 minute first round win in Friday's Division II State singles tennis tournament, Elida junior Evan Neuman knew he had to raise his game to an even higher level in the second round.

Unfortunately, his opponent picked that same match to elevate his own game to an untouchable level, while securing a spot in Saturday's final four at the Stickney Tennis Center on the campus of Ohio State.

Devin McCarthy, a junior from Cincinnati Indian Hill, rolled past Neuman 6-0, 6-1 in the second round match that lasted a little less than an hour. Neuman won his opening match 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 over junior Josh Berggrun of Pepper Pike Orange High School.

Wapakoneta junior Alex Hager lost 7-5, 6-0 in the first round of the Division I singles bracket to Thomas Worthington senior Tyler Cempre.

This was the second consecutive year that Hager lost in the first round of the Division I singles tournament. He was more than aggravated with his service game.

He led 5-3 in the opening set, before dropping 10 consecutive games.

"I wasn't good enough with my first serve, he said. "(Cempre) had a chance to look at a lot of second serves and that puts you in a defensive mindset right away. I had some chances in the first set, but wasn't able to come through. This is a little more disappointing than last year, I thought I had a favorable draw, but (Cempre) hit a good streak when he was down. I couldn't regain my focus after that first set."

Wapakoneta coach Darrell Heintz was still pleased overall.

"He had a real good run this year, a real good run ... .finishing 27-3," Heintz said. "He's just a junior, second year down here....hopefully next year we make a lot deeper run."

Elida coach Dennis Schwinnen, who has led a Bulldogs' representative into the state tourney in six of the last seven years, was hoping Neuman could somehow re-fuel for his second round match.

From the start of the match, however, it was apparent McCarthy was fresher.

He broke Neuman in the first game and never looked back. He steamrolled to the 6-0 first set, hitting lots of clean winners mixed in with a couple of aces, playing almost a perfect set.

He jumped out again in the second set, leading 3-0, when Neuman broke serve to get to 3-1, but three games later it was all over, 6-1 in favor of McCarthy.

"I watched (McCarthy) this morning and he did not play that good," Schwinnen said. "He just got his confidence as this match went on and he just reared back and ripped it.

"Obviously, it was an uphill climb with Evan playing a 2 hour, 40 minute match before, but that's the rules and that's what you have to go by. No excuses ... we just ran into a better player, and then (Friday) he was a lot better."

Neuman couldn't argue that point.

"I knew I had to run the court a little better in the second match," Neuman said. "He was spanking the ball; he played really well and served very, very well, better than I have ever seen him serve before.

"I kind of wanted to make it to the second day just to have a shot at it, but there's next year, I just have to work hard in the offseason and come back ready to go next year."

Neuman also lamented the fact that the competition around the area was hard to equal the state tournament caliber player.

Both Neuman and McCarthy were first time entrants into the state singles category. McCarthy was on a state championship doubles team as a freshman while finishing second last year in doubles, including semifinal win over the Neuman's. Evan and his brother Landon were teamed together the last two years, finishing fourth and third in the state, respectively.