40s Playoff 3/28 - 3/30

The moment of truth has arrived.   I’ve heard a lot of players say that the season really starts at playoffs.  I have to agree.  The regular season is interesting but playing for a championship gets your adrenaline flowing.  It is time for a quick recap and then my predictions and your criticism as well as the obligatory discussion of ‘he that I will no longer mention.’

I recall a post in a previous thread on 12/30 at 2:01 PM.  In 4.5, the guy predicted GH/Sweeney to win 4.5A and Lakes/Wagner as runner up.  He predicted T-Bar  to win flight B.  As for CC/Nolen finishing third…  He missed that.  His second place Flight B was off too but pretty good considering before the season.  Not sure how he missed Brookhaven but not bad

In 4.0, he predicted McKinney to win flight A in a runaway.  It wasn’t a runaway but they did win the flight.  In Flight B, he predicted CC with TBar and High Point probable third.  Close as it looks like all three teams were  close but HP wins and TBar handled the tiebreakers better.  Capt. Fantastic thought his picks were a bit off but can’t say that is too bad.

In 3.5, he picked Bender but the wrong Bender team.  I will try and determine this one as I know very little other than pick Bender to win.  It is usually a pretty good bet.

It took me a little while to find the schedule the DTA put the 4.5 tennislink playoffs in with the 4.0s.  The 4.0s are more excitable so maybe they thought it would be fun to play playoffs twice.  Actually, the DTA screws everything up and this is nothing different.   It will be interesting when they get the actual 4.5s up

4.5+:  All four teams are very strong.  They are all capable of making noise in 18s…  Especially if they brought their 5.0s with them.  Sweeney got his boys to sectionals last year but he is missing the ‘one that shall not be named.’  He would not be so automatic against those 5.0s but having him at line 2 singles would definitely be huge.

This is a very interesting grouping.  In the first match, you have…

(1)    GH/Sweeney vs  (4) Brookhaven/Harlee-Assuming, all players are available, I like GH in this match.  Rich and Correia are probably the strongest 5.0s in this matchup.  That is no knock on Mezzour.  He is definitely capable of knocking either off.  He better get his singles or doubles line because there is no other 5.0 for the other line.  BH has a lot of excellent 4.5s but so does GH.  I think in the end, GH is just a little too much.  Prediction: Greenhill 3-2.

(2)    TBar/Fikes vs (3) Lakes/Wagner-Once again, assuming all players are available.  TBar has best player in 40s.  Bartzen is a lock down to win.  I would probably put both my 5.0s in doubles and conceded that line.  Talbot all but locks down a doubles line.  TBar only needs to find one more line.  Prediction: TBar wins 3-2.

(3)    Lakes/ Wagner vs (1) GH/Sweeney-Lakes matches up better with GH than they do against TBar.  They split regular season matches.  They can compete with either Rich or Correia in singles.  They may not win but it isn’t the humbling experience Bartzen will bring.  Prediction: Greenhill 3-2

(4)    Brookhaven/Harlee vs TBar/Fikes-This is a group that split matches in the regular season.  If TBar has Talbot and Bartzen available they win.  Only Mazzour can match up to either.  The first two matches were 4-1 each way.  Not this time… 3-2.  Prediction: T-Bar 3-2.

(3)    Lakes/Wagner vs (4) BH/Harlee-I am assuming not all the players will be available as it will be a fight for who stays out of the cellar.  Won’t analyze as who know who gets to play.  I will go with Lakes because BH can unload the bench much deeper than Lakes.

(1)    GH/Sweeney vs (2) TBar/Fikes-This is extremely interesting.  Bartzen and Talbot vs Correia and Rich is mighty fine tennis.  It is hard to pick.  I am going with TBar and a bunch of third set breakers.  GH must split the 5.0 lines to have a chance.  I think the TBar 5.0s are a little better.  I think Sweeney’s team is deeper.  It will all come down to who wins line 2 doubles.

4.0s—This appears to be a three way race between TBar, High Point and McKinney.  TBar is the unknown to most but I can assure you they belong.  I know most of these guys and it is a very good 4.0 team.  Nobody was really surprised that High Point fielded a good team.  McKinney was the previous year’s city runner up and added a couple of the High Point players that were nationals guys.  It is surprising for High Point to rebuild so quickly.

(1)    High Point/Wiley v (4) TBar/Beckner- HP won 5-0 in the regular season but this will not be the same team.  Wilson is automatic for TBar.  HP has Zackary which is pretty automatic.  TBar really needs to have Wilson draw him to take him out giving TBar a chance to win the other singles line.  Tbar can win 2 out of 3 doubles lines but so can HP.  HP has better depth; TBar has more experienced players.  Prediction: High Point 3-2 but don’t be surprised if TBar pulls the upset.

(2)    McKinney/Peterson v (3) GH/Kayser-GH won in week 1 but as the season went on, we see that was more overlooking a good team than indicative of what should happen.  It looks like GH has ridden their doubles all year with solid but not spectacular singles.  McKinney looks to have better singles with Schwartz and Hutchison.  I think McKinney gets revenge when it really matters.  Prediction: McKinney 4-1

(3)    GH/Kayser v HP/Wiley-I see HP sweeping singles and getting a couple of doubles lines.  GH doubles are too good to get swept.  Prediction: HP Wiley 4-1.

(4)    TBar/Beckner v (2) McKinney/Peterson-Wilson wins his singles line and 50/50 on the other line.  TBar has very strong doubles and gets 2 out of 3.  Prediction: TBar wins 3-2.

(3)    GH/Kayser v (4) TBar/Beckner-TBar sweeps singles and gets 2 out of 3 doubles lines.  Prediction: TBar 4-1.

(1)    HP/Wiley v (2) McKinney/Peterson-McKinney will need this to overthrow Wiley and all the TBar players will be rooting for McKinney too.  It looks like a probable split in singles.  Schwartz is really tough and so is Hutchison.  I think it will be a split but if it is a sweep, the chances are more likely to be McKinney.  HP’s doubles depth probably gets 2 lines.  HP’s depth will keep them from being as fatigued.  Prediction: HP wins 3-2.

3.5 is a mini-tournament with Stonebriar/Dickey playing High Point/Gardner.  The winner gets to place first place Fretz/Bender.  Since Bender already beat them both; I don’t see that changing this time around.  Prediction: Fretz wins.

Have fun and tell me why I am wrong.  The pay for writing on this blog makes all of the ridicule and abuse worth it.