Wissahickon’s Tran, Wolfe take 1-2 at SOL American singles
UPPER DUBLIN >> After the Suburban One League American Conference turned out to be a two-horse race between Upper Dublin and Wissahickon, the result of Friday and Saturday’s American Conference singles championship did not come as much of a surprise.
For two-time defending conference champion, Ben Wolfe he knew when the bracket was released he would be on a collision course to play the top seed Bryan Szayna from Upper Dublin.
Wolfe had to go through Szayna the last two years to capture the title as the pair met three consecutive years in the finals. Wolfe took care of Szayna once again this time in three sets, 3-6, 6-1,6-1.
“Ben’s win over Brian, even though he’s done it before at this tournament that was a sign right there of (good things to come),” Wissahickon coach Mark Daniels said. “They go back and forth with wins and losses because in the dual matches, Ben the last couple years playing as No. 1 would lose to him in the dual match and then beat him in this tournament.
“It’s not a surprise that he came back after losing the first set to Bryan because he’s been here before. He has a lot of heart but physically and mentally [(it took a lot out of him).”
Szayna went on to win the third place consolation match against Cheltenham’s Josh Victor. Victor was eliminated with a 6-1,6-0 loss to Wissahickon’s Andrew Tran in the semis.
Standing in the way of Wolfe’s three-peat was teammate Tran. The dynamic that went into the match was compelling.
Wolfe—senior captain, two- time defending conference champion. Against Tran—freshman, the new up and comer and new face of the program. Wolfe was in no hurry to pass the torch to his understudy.
“It was great to see that,” Daniels said. “Even though they just battled for two hours, they’re buddies off the court. We had breakfast together yesterday before the tournament. They’re about the team. It’s not just an individual thing.”
Perhaps because Wolfe had such a tough battle in his semifinal match with Szayna that he looked a little gassed and clearly not 100 percent, cramping up several times through out the match.
While Wolfe wasn’t too affected early in the finals match, he took the first set with Tran 6-3. The freshman responded to force a third set, winning the second 6-3.
“In the final when we started out it started out kind of friendly,” the two-time defending champion said. “After a few games we focused in and it became a battle, like we no longer became friends for that point in time.”
By the third set it was clear that Wolfe’s tank was running on empty and Tran smelled blood in the water as he closed out in the final game 6-0.
“He’s a player I have a lot of respect for,” Tran said of Wolfe. “In the beginning of the season they just treated me like everyone else so I didn’t really have it in my head that like, ‘Oh yeah I’m the new up and coming (talent).”
Wissahickon still has some marquee matches left on its regular season schedule and knows the importance in strong finishes in those matches will depend heavily in where it will be seeded come team district time.
As for Wolfe and Tran, they are both looking for top-four finishes at the District 1 tournament to ensure a trip to the PIAA Class AAA championships.
SOL American Conference Singles Championship
Semifinals
Ben Wolfe (Wissahickon) defeats Bryan Szayna (Upper Dublin) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Andrew Tran (Wissahickon) defeats Josh Victor (Cheltenham) 6-1, 6-1
Consolation
Bryan Szayna (Upper Dublin) defeats Josh Victor (Cheltenham) 6-0, 6-2
Finals
Andrew Tran (Wissahickon) defeats Ben Wolfe (Wissahickon) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
