Central Region Preview: Central Team Six

Central Region Preview: Central Team Six (Singles)

Do lineup positions have stereotypes? Are there characteristics unique to great Sixes? What is the revolving door? I hope to touch on these questions in my first season preview. As you can probably tell these are neither my favorite nor my forte (seeing as this is late for my self-prescribed late deadline and I didn’t even finish some of the teams last season), but I’m excited to switch up my preview format. Normally, I’d go through my teams – Which, for the record, are: Chicago, Wash U, Kenyon, Case, GAC, Kalamazoo, Denison, Oberlin, Depauw, and Augustana – and look at their possible lineups, highlight some interesting matchups on their schedule, and predict outlooks on their season ranging from historically good to frighteningly bad.

This time around, I want to spend some of my previews focusing on the lineups of the Central teams I cover and how they compare to each other at a particular position. Six is always a tough position for us to predict at the beginning of the year. Without any dual matches to reference and only sparse Fall to rely on, take my selections for each team’s Six with a grain of salt. That being said, I think that these are all more likely than not to be the Six to start out the year, excluding Chicago because their embarrassment of riches can be justifiably organized in any manner.

Words that come to mind when I think “Six Singles”?

1. Consistent
2. Crafty
3. Veteran/Experienced
4. Gritty/Tough
5. Pusher

Before we jump in and see who populates each team’s revolving door, I guess it’s important to define the term we toss around in our articles all the time. If you already know, you can skip this paragraph…though you probably have some spare time if you’re reading this article anyway plus you’re more than halfway so may as well persevere til the end. I fondly refer to Six Singles as the Revolving Door because teams, especially ranked teams, have a smorgasbord of singles options and because of that tend to play multiple people at the Six Spot all year. Even though all Nine Spots are equally weighted, there’s an extra pressure on Sixes because they’re always one of the last courts on in a deciding match and they know they have capable teammates waiting in the next section of the revolving door. It’s also a luxury for the coaching staff because an injury or two won’t cripple their lineup because they have multiple options who have all gained real match experience.

Who’s in the Revolving Door (Six Singles)?

Without further ado, here are the ten Sixes that will be holding it down at the bottom for my Central teams this Spring. I’m going to proceed in ascending order based on UTR.

Player: Scott Daluga

School: Augustana

Year: 4

UTR: 8.14

2019 Record: [3-0] – Notable Wins: Reddy (Dubuque 2), Bissegger (Carroll 6)

Career Record: 14-10

Who are You: Scott Daluga was an unranked recruit straight out of Libertyville, Illinois. Augustana returns six starters. Scott Daluga was not included in that list, but I believe that the winner of the Team’s “Hardest Worker” title and the Lone Captain (+one of two seniors on this team) of the Vikings should find himself on the frontlines to start the year. Especially since his main competition Panosso didn’t outright win the job last season. This is just a theory, but I think it’s more common to see teams that aren’t reloading a full rosters worth of talent every year (lower ranked teams) play upperclassmen at the bottom of their lineup. I think that this is because these players work themselves into the lineup because the team doesn’t have the luxury to recruit new lineup players and therefore must develop its own players, whereas top ranked teams are able to reload talent and toss their underclassmen into the fire and hope that matches will turn them into future top lineup players. Daluga should be successful in CCIW play and would be integral to another championship if he stays in the lineup. Unfortunately for Mr. Daluga he is outmatched in this totem pole of central Sixes and is at the very bottom.

Player: Will Sultan

School: Depauw

Year: 2

UTR: 8.99

2019 Record: [0-1]

Career Record: 2-4

Who are You: Will Sultan was a two-star recruit from Cincinnati, Ohio who had steadily gotten better as he got closer to college tennis. He even ended his senior year as a Second-Team Ohio boys tennis all-star. Last year he got little burn as shown by his 0-1 dual match record (to someone else on this list). Sultan’s a wildcard seeing as he has few college results, but he does upset my theory on lower-ranked teams and their Sixes that I posited above. However, I think that Sultan and Depauw is an outlier since the team has fifteen underclassmen out of their eighteen man roster – can’t stabilize the lineup with experience at the bottom when the whole team is practically new.

Player: Zack Ray

School: Kalamazoo

Year: 4

UTR:  9.53

2019 Record: [2-3] – Notable Wins: Frank (Wabash 6)

Career Record: 14-13

Who are You: My only other senior that I’ve slotted in at Six to start the year, meet Zack Ray of Kalamazoo. I had him as the Next Man Up last year and that more or less rang true with Kalamazoo’s lineups last year. Research shows me that Ray has actually gone down about a half UTR point since his junior year, but I wouldn’t put too much stock in that since I think the #SeniorBoost should overcome any depreciation. The econ major from Iowa has been a rock for Kalamazoo during this tumultuous stretch off the court by being a beacon of academic success over his first three years in Michigan. Ray will find himself being more of a success in doubles where he’s 35-23 over his career, but I think that he could combine a #SeniorBoost and another year of Singles experience to be a rock rather than a liability at the bottom of the Hornet Lineup. It’s noteworthy that while Kalamazoo is 7^th ranked team in the region, their Six is 8^thhere on a list missing Carleton and UWW. It’s looking like if Kalamazoo is to break back through and defeat their scandal(ous) demons they must be stupidly good at the top of their lineup.

Player: Sam Topper

School: Oberlin

Year: 2

UTR: 9.79

2019 Record: [10-8] – Notable Wins: Guillermo (UWW 6), Weisberg (Denison 6), Sultan (Depauw 6)

Career Record: 17-13

Who are You: Another NCAC two-star, but our first Six to hail from outside the Midwest…Sam Topper out of Irvine, California had an up and down dual-match season but was one of Oberlin’s more consistent points last season. For the most part, he either won or lost in a hurry. A good sign for the Yeomen is that Topper won both of his d3 matches that went three with 10 pt. tiebreak wins over Denison and OWU. Doubles seems to be foreign art to him, but he should find success at the bottom half of the Oberlin lineup. Unfortunately, as you’ll soon see through the UTRs of the top dogs – it is going to be exceedingly tough for Oberlin to break into the next class of teams with their lineup as it stands. Topper, existing here in the middle of my central team Sixes, will win when he’s expected to but Oberlin’s issue is winning when they’re not supposed to.

Player: Joel Hug

School: GAC

Year: 2

UTR: 10.02

2019 Record: [5-2] – Notable Wins: Mrozek (Augustana 3), Smith (Luther 6)

Career Record: 5-2…at least

Who are You: A Hilton Head two-star (who by the numbers should be a three star) lefty should be playing Six for the Gusties to start the year. While I don’t think there’s ANY player more volatile, more hot & cold than a Hilton Head lefty, Hug will try and occupy a spot normally left to the team’s backboard, the grinder, the player built to go three with a Wall. This GAC season realistically comes down to their championship against Carleton, and I agree with Reg NE/C that it normally takes a 3-6 or 4-5 loss before you breakthrough against a national power. Hug is in a fantastic spot as a second-year. No one believes in GAC, they’re slept on, Carleton is the flavor of the week…GAC has no pressure despite being the 98613274-time defending champion and that lack of pressure will allow the enigma that is a Hilton Head lefty to shine and keep their Head Up. Hug has the talent and training to rise up into a more classic spot for him, but look for him to start from the bottom.

Player: John Purnode

School: Denison

Year: 3

UTR: 10.54

2019 Record: [0-0]

Career Record: 4-3

Who are You: From Newark, Ohio the Hometown Kid…John Purnode will be tossed into the Big Red fire and will hold down the Six spot this year. Standing at a million feet tall, Purnode has a booming serve and will try and use that weapon to break the backboards he’s likely face at Six. Purnode has a classic mid 2000s American Tennis game. He’s aggressive and his offense is spearheaded by the serve. The data analytics major with a minor in Arabic (Langley Research Position in his Future?) followed in his older sister footsteps (a senior on the Denison tennis team) and will hope to have a more successful career and some Thanksgiving bragging rights. Even if Purnode’s UTR is inflated due to his few results, he is the second highest rated Six in the NCAC (not that it matters this year with how Kenyon is lookin and cookin).

Player: Evan Dean

School: Kenyon

Year: 1

UTR: 10.66

2019 Record: [0-0]

Career Record: 2-1

Who are You: One of Kenyon’s best first years claims the title of the best Six in Ohio. The should be four-star, three star posted his recruiting video to Vimeo – so not only is the man super hip, but he’s familiar with grinding due to his proximity to clay in Boca Raton. I worry for a Florida man transitioning to Ohio, but if Dughi could do it, anyone can. Dean will look to follow the Pascal Lee model to the NCAC newcomer of the year award and up the Lord lineup. Wielding a classic Aero Pro and Western FH game, Dean should remain unblemished in conference play and I predict a major upset win in a 5-4 (idk which way tho) match against Wesleyan…hopefully at Six for my preview prediction but come Spring Break I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as high as Four. (If he starts there I’m gonna take credit for it).

Player: Diego Maza

School: Case

Year: 1

UTR: 10.79

2019 Record: [0-0]

Career Record: 6-1

Who are You: Undefeated at the “heralded” and infamous OC Invite, Maza steals the six spot from his contemporary Vicario because it seems that Todd likes to see if first-years can hack it from the get-go. The August born Virgo was nearly a California four star ending his career at 206 for his class. Maza, whose father played college soccer, will hope that strong legs are genetic as he hopes to survive Case morning practices and the tough slog ahead. Case first years are the dandelion fuzz of the region, they start with a bunch but once the first Wojo breeze blows…how many will stay? Maza fits into a first-year class headed by James “Todd’s Guy#1” Hopper, and I think that he will join his contemporary as a rock in the Spartan Lineup. With it or ON IT is their motto (more or less, maybe I’m projecting but that is neither here nor there), and hopefully Maza comes back with it.

Player: Alex Guzhva

School: Chicago

Year: 2

UTR: 11.16

2019 Record: [15-5] – Notable Wins: Kroot (Wash U 5), Esses (Emory 5), Schoenherr (PP 5), Concannon (Case 5), Cihlar (Brandeis 6), McClelland (Wash U 6)

Career Record: 21-7

Who are You: Lefty, consistent, crafty, clutch – these are all words used to describe perfect Sixes and also Guzhva the Floridian four star who won some barnburners (HA you thought I wouldn’t use it) last season. The second-team all UAA singles player started the season much hotter than he ended (winning 11 of 12). His doubles record is nearly non-existent, but that’s fine since Chicago might have the best lefty doubles player in the region of the past decade. It seemed as though Coach Tee lost faith in Guzhva as the season progressed, but I think that the second-year will use his experience as a Maroon on and off the court to much more sustained success this season. Guzhva is the typical backboard, crafty grinder that every coach wants to put at Six and with an 11.12 UTR Tee is blessed with the second highest-rated (but for my money the best) Six in the region.

Player: Luke Smith

School: Wash U

Year: 2

UTR: 11.92

2019 Record: [1-0] – Notable Win: Brice (Hampden-Sydney 5)

Career Record: 5-0

Who are You: Barely a record to speak of, the Scarsdale (which if you know me and I hope that you don’t but if you do, has a special place in my heart) native was primarily a four star for his junior career before taking time off and ending as a three star. Unstoppable as a first-year, literally since he has a 100% college winning percentage, Luke Smith will try to break into the lineup as a regular and help Wash U end its stagnation and rid itself of the lucky elite eight participant. There’s not much to go on but based on his record and lack of matches in the Spring, I’d guess that Luke Smith suffered some injury or other setbacks, which held his debut until now. Smith has the highest UTR in the central of every single Six, but until he proves it, I’m still holding Guzhva out as the crème de la crème of Central Sixes.

 

These are the ten sixes from the Central teams that I’m covering this season presented in ascending UTR order…However, this is how I would rank them:

10. Daluga (Augustana)
11. Sultan (Depauw)
12. Ray (Kalamazoo)
13. Purnode (Denison)
14. Topper (Oberlin)
15. Hug (GAC)
16. Maza (Case)
17. Smith (Wash U)
18. Dean (Kenyon)
19. Guzhva (Chicago)

This is the first of my season previews. If you miss the team-centric previews, don’t worry I’ll still make those after these six lineup previews. Tomorrow’s article will be styled after the incredible accomplishment by the most entertaining quarterback of the year, our savior, Jameis Winston.

 

 -newCentral