Goetz, Vroom Speed Through to States Following Doubles Bracket Domination

With just one make-up match played in the past month, the Mustangs enjoyed a long layoff leading up to the started of the Region B Tournament last Saturday, May 24. Even without the matches, that time was not uneventful.

Dissatisfied with their practice regimen, the top six Mason players finally took their coaches aside and vented their frustrations. As a result, Mason Head Coach Matt Sowers said his team is gelling like never before.

“The guys are completely united now,” Sowers said before jokingly tacking on a qualifier. “They’re united because they’re all mad at me.”

Despite the airing of opinions, Sowers explained that he was proud of his players for voicing their displeasure and believes the compromise he reached with them — a 50-50 split between drills and challenge play — will prepare them well to defend their status as four-time reigning state champions.

If last Saturday’s Region B opener is any indication, Sowers’ assessment is spot on.

The Mustangs cruised by Wilson Memorial 5-0, ending the match in singles play. The Mustangs got wins from No. 1 Tim Goetz (6-0, 6-0), No. 2 Brian Sham (6-1, 6-0), No. 3 Johnny Vroom (6-1, 6-1), No. 4 Thomas Burnett (6-1, 6-0) and No. 6 Chris An (6-0, 6-0). No. 5 Carlos Clarke led his match (6-1, 4-1), when An clinched the match for Mason.

The team now advances to face Randolph Henry on Saturday. Sowers says confidence is running high for a return to the state tournament after the Mustangs’ top doubles team of Goetz and Vroom dispatched Randolph Henry’s top pairing with relative ease (6-1, 6-1), to win the Region B doubles tournament on Tuesday, May 28. The Mason duo swept aside their semifinal opponents from Wilson Memorial earlier in the day, 6-0, 6-0.