With 10 weeks down and only 1 week to go before the split, all positions have been determined. With the threat of a possible 4 team only play-off, each week can prove critical in making a spot in the post-season tournament for the Top 6 contenders.
In the bottom six, only 4 points separate the 7th place team from the 12th place team, so each point is equally as important going into the final 6 weeks of play. Just as a reminder (because someone was going to ask), each team keeps its points after the split.
Captain Safford and his Waynesborough crew appeared up for the task (at least on paper) taking on the second place cross 252 rival Aronimink. Although Aronimink had lost 3 matches this year to Waynesborough’s one match, they were only a single point behind due to the ties in each of their three losses.
Waynesborough has only dropped a single court in three of their last 7 matches (all on court 1). Other than court 3, where Ridder and Oberly took all three sets from Stefanik and Farley, each match came down to the third set. On Court 1, Friel and Kirk battled from behind to take the first set from Captain Tom and Vlatko but then dropped the final two sets 2 & 4. On Court 2, Parker Sherry and Pete PiJawka pulled out a first set tie breaker from the undefeated Beers and Sopko, but also saw their match go in the L column as Beers and Sopko won the final two sets. On Court 4, Neal “special sauce” Bozentka and Cliff McLaughlin had a tough match with Studnick and Ryan and during a match point in the tie-breaker saw Neal’s serve hit the let cord and then magically roll across the net for about 2 feet an landed no more than an inch out which led to Studnick and Ryan wining the TB and the set. With “Mr. Philly” Tim Mcavoy working in warmer pastures, this win gave some confidence to Captain Tom’s squad in a win won for the gipper type of moment. These two teams will lock horns at least one more time as they both made the Top 6.
A Zinkless Greenville squad pulled off an upset over Shragerless Wallingford in a tie-breaker of 3 games. Greenville has now won 4 in a row and Wallingford has now dropped their 3rd of the last four weeks. Due to both of their starts of the season, Wallingford will be in the Top6, while Greenville will remain in the bottom six regardless of next week’s matches.
Overbrook secured their ticket into the Top 6 for the first time in a few years with their victory over Merion and pushing Merion into the Bottom 6. Overbrook has won 4 of their last 5 matches while Merion has won only 1 of their last 6 matches. The featured match was on Court 1 as Chas Burkhart and Jeff Lyon won their match in the third set, taking down Eger and Adams. Steve Hall continues his unbeaten season playing this week with Andrew Tomson over the father and son duo of Chip and Doug Morrow.
In the battle of the bottom, H-Valley picked up a win over Picket Post in a tie-breaker of sets. The once up and coming team of Dave Hissey and Tom McAvoy suffered a three set loss to Rodney Stewart and Sean Seese. Both teams are now in a tie for the cellar and the next 6 weeks will determine if either of these teams can take down the likes of Merion, P-Country, P-Cricket, or Greenville or face relegation next season.
Martins-2 picked up a victory over P-Country 3 courts to 1 and secured their place in the Top-6. Captain Dan’s squad now holds a 1.5 point lead over his fellow members in MD1 and could not be more proud. P-Country now only holds a half point lead over Picket post and H-Valley and it appears that the whole paddle community is cheering for them in their quest to stay out of the bottom 2 spots and face a demotion to D2 next season.
P-Cricket had their “A” games in full force as they took 3 courts off of Martins-1 to secure 2 critical points for them and move them out of the bottom 2, while MD1 earned a spot into the Top6. It seemed almost impossible to predict this feel good story of the season, in which two teams from Martins Dam make the Top 6. Many early prognosticators predicted that with the loss of Greg Frigerio, that it was quite possible that neither team would make a spot in the Top 6.
Just when everyone thought they had figured out Scott Falatek as he dropped his first 4 matches of the season, he has stormed back to win his next six and will face off next week against his tournament partner Vlatko in a battle that will be featured live on MDTV. Seating at MD will be limited and on a first come basis. Tailgating will be permitted in the lower parking lot.
The final D1 Survey has been posted on the mapta.tennscores.com website.
If you want to watch some great paddle next weekend, come out to watch the PA States, played at all of the local area clubs which significant President Cup Points on the line.
Standings after 10 weeks
Top 6 (all clinched spots after the split into the Top 6)
1 Waynesborough – 18 pts (@ MD1 next week)
2 Aronimink – 15 pts (@P-Country next week)
2 Wallingford – 15 pts (@ MD2 next week)
2 Overbrook – 15 pts (@P-Cricket next week)
2 MD2 – 15 pts (vs Wallingford next week)
6 MD1 – 13.5 pts (vs Waynesborough next week)
Bottom 6
7 Merion – 11 pts (vs Picket Post next week)
8 Greenville – 10 pts (@ H.Valley next week)
9 P-Cricket – 9 pts (vs Overbrook next week)
10 P-Country – 7.5 pts (vs Aronimink next week)
11 H-Valley – 7pts (vs Greenville next week)
12 Picket Post – 7 pts (@ Merion next week)
Please remember, after next week, there will be 5 more weeks of paddle followed by the season ending tournament. The Finals are slated for Feb 28th. If we have no missed matches in the first 5 weeks, we will hold a quarter-final for D1 on February 21 and then on February 28th we will hold the Semi-Finals and Finals. If we need to use February 21 as a rain out week, then we will only take the top 4 teams in the semi-finals on February 28th and play the semi’s and Finals. Please mark your calendars.
