Baylor's Marko Mandic celebrates a point against doubles opponents Montgomery Bell Academy during the division II class AA finals at Spring Fling in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Friday, May 25, 2012.
Baylor's Eric Roddy swings for the ball during the division II class AA finals against doubles opponents Montgomery Bell Academy at Spring Fling in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Friday, May 25, 2012.MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- No matter how they're playing, the Baylor doubles tandem of Marko Mandic and Eric Roddy always make themselves heard on the tennis court.
They have found that in some cases, you can still be loud while trying to find a way to play better, but Friday they were both good and loud.
The two won the Division II-AA state doubles title, defeating Montgomery Bell Academy's Andrew Karpos and Mark Lowe 6-0, 6-4 in the championship match at Old Fort State Park. They ended up as the only area boys to win a title, as Arts & Sciences' Jackson Lenoir lost 6-4, 6-4 to Christ Presbyterian Academy's Lucas Spickard in the Class A/AA singles final.
After watching the MBA duo pull off two upset victories to advance to the title match, Mandic and Roddy didn't want to suffer the same fate Friday.
"We had beat that team earlier in the season and we knew what it would be like today," Mandic said. "They played a lot better, but we were very loud."
Roddy admitted that sometimes their volume has helped them through some tough stages of a crucial match. He usually is the loudest Baylor boy on the court during competition.
"I think it really helps us," he said. "We're not always the best players skill-wise, but we're loud and that helps us on the court."
Lenoir found the sledding quite tough in his final, missing shots he normally would make and not displaying the skill that helped him to a 24-0 record going in. The lanky senior acknowledged that some previous heart problems slowed his pace of play and gave him nearly the same amount of troubles as Spickard, whom he had defeated twice in the summer circuit.
"Obviously, I'm very frustrated," Lenoir said. "There were a few stages when I got dizzy and my heart rate went up. It's happened about three or four times this year. Unfortunately it happened again here in the finals.
"My body just shut down and I had no energy."
Lenoir did praise the play of Spickard in the finals.
"I think we've both improved from the summer," Lenoir said.
"I had a great season and I obviously wanted to win state, but I didn't. I want to thank God and give him all the glory. He obviously has a plan for me."