BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Wolves are heading to the MHSAA Boys Tennis State Finals this week after qualifying during regionals at Clarkston High School last Thursday.
“They are hungry,” said Chas Claus, head coach, about the boys third visit in four years to Greater Midland Tennis Center this Friday and Saturday.
“For as much success as we have had over the years overall. We were talking today no one on this team has won more than one match at states,” he added. “Last year we didn’t win any double matches. Even our singles, who were excellent players, won a match and then lost. They are experienced but they are hungry for more. They want to do well. They want to make some noise.”
Besides being hungry the boys are also strong with their players’ skills and talents especially on the Singles courts.
“We have some great talent,” Claus said. “We also have, up and down the line up, guys who have been there. They know what it takes. We made the finals for the first time in 2013 and at that point it was all new for everyone. Most of the players this year went last year so they know what to expect. They know how it feels.”
The Wolves qualified for the state finals by finishing in second place at regionals with 22 points while Bloomfield Hills finished first with 31 points.
“It was a great day,” said Claus. “We played great. We knew going in, with the way states is structured for tennis, you need every flight to win their first round match. If you can sweep the first round you are in pretty good shape.”
Which is exactly what the Wolves did the first round with Singles players Alex Matisse, Luke Baylis, Jacob Burkett and Frankie Piana; and Doubles teams David Carpenter and Tristan Greenlee; Charlie Lussenhop and Jason Richards; Ryan Knight and Cole Manilla; and Shane McArthur and Luke Renchik defeating their opponents to give the team an edge going into the next round.
“It was a real team effort,” Claus added. “Everybody did their job. By relatively early in the day we knew we would make states, it was just a question of how many points can we pile up. We had more points than we have ever had in a regional tournament. It was our best regional as a program.”
Each of the Singles players made it to the finals with Burkett finishing in first place on Singles No. 3 court with a win over Bloomfield Hills’ Constantin Hemmrich.
Matisse, Singles No. 1; Baylis, Singles No. 2.; and Piana, Singles No. 4 finished as runner-up in their flights, each with a loss to Bloomfield Hills.
Manilla and Knight, Doubles No. 3, finished as runner up in the finals after losing to Bloomfield Hills’ Chaz Blamo and Vik Chakrabortty, 6-3, 6-3. They were also the only doubles team to make it to the final round.
Claus added they had a great day, beginning with their win over Rochester in the first round, who they had beaten a few times during the season.
“It was close both times,” he said. “They had opponents who knew if they played well they could beat them. Not only did they win, but they upset Rochester Adams in the second round to make it to the finals. The Adams win was a great win because they lost to them. It was a revenge win for them.”
Highlights for the day also included matches for Doubles No. 2 and Doubles No. 4.
Lussenhop and Richards, Doubles No. 2, drew Lake Orion for the first round.
“Orion played a real unorthodox style against them to throw us off,” Claus said. “It was a frustrating match for them. It limited them from doing the things they are very good at. But they survived it and played well enough to win.”
McArthur and Renchik, Doubles No. 4, drew Stoney Creek for their first match and knew it would be a tough one.
“They could win but it was not a pushover by any stretch,” said Claus. “They turned around and probably had their best day of the season beating stoney Creek and playing well the next round, too. They had a rough season.”
The state finals is this Friday and Saturday at Greater Midland Tennis Center, 900 E. Wackerly St., Midland. It is $5 per person.
“We said from day one of the season our stated goal was to be the best team in program history and so far that goal is still in play,” said Claus. “Now we are looking to finish higher than ninth. We have gone to states twice and have finished ninth both times. Our next goal is doing better than that and doing better than that by quite a bit.”

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