By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
DeMatha freshman Brett Tielman-Fenelus was caught up in the middle of one of the most hostile and intense WCAC tennis matches in many people’s recent memory. He was nearly silent as chaos surrounded him.
Tielman-Fenelus battled from three games behind to force a tiebreaker in his fourth singles match, a match that would have essentially knocked Gonzaga out of Thursday’s WCAC championships early. But after all that, Tielman-Fenelus lost.
Once again he went silent afterwards. He said he didn’t talk to anyone for about 10 minutes, just reflecting by himself in the College Park Tennis Center locker room.
But as bad as that hurt, Tielman-Fenelus knew he had a chance at redemption ahead of him.
Tielman-Fenelus got his revenge, combining with fellow freshman partner Evan Ward to beat Gonzaga at second doubles, giving DeMatha the pivotal win it needed to inch-out Gonzaga by two points for the WCAC championship.
“It’s a great day, man,” Tielman-Fenelus said. “Maybe I lost, but it was close. It was a tiebreaker. And I really showed up here [in doubles]. I’d rather have a team win than a personal win.”
While the freshmen won the crucial match, DeMatha’s senior leaders took care of business as well. John Collins took the first singles crown after two straight years winning WCAC championships at second singles by beating Brian Hope of Paul VI, 10-3.
“It’s awesome, going out there and playing our best and playing our heart out,” Collins said. “And not only winning individually but contributing to the team so we can bring home the team title.
Stags senior Eric Ward capped off an undefeated three year span with the second singles crown by beating Gonzaga’s Paul Mascola, 10-4.
Collins and Ward combined to win first doubles against Paul VI’s Hope and Chris Rieves, 10-3, bringing the title trophy back to DeMatha after the Eagles took it last year. They of course capped the win with a leaping chest bump.
“We wanted to put an exclamation point on the match,” Ward said. “It’s perfect to end our season as seniors.”
But nobody could deny that the fourth singles match was Thursday’s turning point.
It all began when Tielman-Fenelus called a shot out as he was trying to rally from three games behind at 9-6. Even DeMatha’s Collins said the ball shouldn’t have been called out, but the call stood, leading to a tie at 9.
Gonzaga junior Mike Artiles argued the call vehemently and the two players met at the net for a heated exchange. Artiles several times yelled at Tielman-Fenelus and the rest of the DeMatha bench, “You want to win like that?”
After the match was delayed for several minutes and even moved to a different court, the two players traded games and went into a tiebreaker.
Tielman-Fenelus won the first point and two of the first three as he continued his strategy from his comeback — methodically lobbing the ball back to Artiles to let the extremely heated Eagle make the mistake. That especially rattled Artiles.
“I’m a constant head case,” Artiles. “It’s nothing new to me. My coaches have taught me to use that energy for good.”
Artiles gained momentum throughout the tiebreaker, biding his time and exploding with powerful forehands to win points. There was of course more drama when Artiles called a ball out but continued to play it afterwards. A judge ruled in his favor and Artiles won the tiebreaker, 7-2.
“After I lost it took me a while,” Tielman-Fenelus said. “I was like, ‘I’m not letting them beat me.’ A loss is a loss but I tried to make it up in doubles.”
Tielman-Fenelus and his even-keel partner Ward calmed down with a ride to Bowie Sport Fit when the matches were moved because of rain. They then combined to take care of business at second doubles in what first-year Coach Jason Ramos said was their best performance of the year.
They beat Aaron Artiles (Mike’s twin brother) and Mascola, 10-4, by winning eight of the final nine games.
DeMatha’s second doubles team won each of the previous meetings during the regular season as well but by scores of 10-7 and 11-9. DeMatha nearly blew a 9-2 lead in the first meeting and rallied from down 9-6 to win the second time.
“The past two times we played them it was close, but we just decided this time to let it all out,” Tielman-Fenelus said. “It was great knowing that we beat Gonzaga. I **** to say it, but it was pretty fun.”
FINALS RESULTS
Singles
1st: John Collins (DM) def. Brian Hope (PVI), 10-3
2nd: Eric Ward (DM) def. Paul Mascola (GZ), 10-4
3rd: Evan Ward (DM) def. Aaron Artiles (GZ), 10-1
4th: Mike Artiles (GZ) def. Brett Tielman-Fenelus (DM), 10-10 (7-2)
5th: Tom Lavin (GZ) def. Peter Burton (DM), 10-7
6th: Shane Hannon (GZ) def. Arturo Garcia (BO), 10-2
Doubles
1st: Collins/Eric Ward (DM) def. Hope/Chris Rieves (PVI), 10-3
2nd: Evan Ward/Tielman-Fenelus (DM) def. A. Artiles/Mascola (GZ), 10-4
3rd: Lavin/Hannon (GZ) def. Le/Jennings (PVI), 10-3
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