“Joe could have played singles and Reece could have been a No. 1 at a lot of schools, but we were just so deep,” Miami Valley coach Brenna Bretscher said. “They had to accept a role that they may not have been excited about at first but, sometimes, when that’s the case, you get rewarded. It’s their turn now, as individuals, after they gave all season to the team.”
As a fourth seed, the Rams duo has a difficult road, facing top-seeded Michael Lee and Josef Horwath of Hawken in the opening round. Lee and Horwath qualified to state last year, falling to eventual state runners-up Hirsh Hede and Austin Lawrence of Gahanna Columbus Academy. Both Keller, a senior, and Quigley, a sophomore, are first-time state qualifiers.
“I didn’t even think about going to state,” Keller said.
While Keller is an experienced doubles player, Quigley had never shared the court until they teamed up just before the sectional tournament.
“They both have a strong tennis foundation and solid skills and blend well together,” Bretscher said. “They know each other’s strengths.”
The Rams are quick to pinpoint each other’s strengths.
“His net game for sure,” Quigley said of Keller.
“His serve is something to key off of and his ground strokes are really good,” Keller said of his state partner.
It would take two wins Friday to advance to the state semifinal round Saturday.
“They want to win, but they are very happy to be where they are,” Bretscher said.
D-II Singles: Milton Union senior Philip Brumbaugh has already checked off most of his tennis to-do list – everything else is a bonus.
This is Brumbaugh’s second state trip in the past three seasons. He and his older brother Matt placed fourth in doubles in 2015. But it’s the first time he has done it alone.
“I wanted to see if I could make it in singles,” Brumbaugh said. “It’s a pretty big accomplishment.”
Brumbaugh, a fourth seed, will face another state tournament veteran in the first round of D-II singles play in top-seeded Lodi Cloverleaf senior Austin Hanna, who posted a first-round win last year. The D-II singles bracket is loaded, including defending state champion Kevin Yu of Cincinnati Country Day as well as state runner-up Connor Biernat, Columbus Wellington School.
Brumbaugh will continue his tennis career at Cedarville University in the fall.
Boys State Tennis
When: Friday and Saturday, starts 9 a.m. both days
Where: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason
Admission: $8 per person/per day
About the Author