Sportsmanship highlights GMC championship match

East’s Zach Mueck gives opponent one of his own rackets instead of claiming win by default.

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By John Bombatch, Staff Writer 1:11 AM Sunday, May 10, 2009

CINCINNATI — Lakota East High School’s Zach Mueck could’ve won the Greater Miami Conference singles title with a simple shrug of a shoulder.

Instead, the Thunderhawks freshman chose to settle the championship on the court Saturday, May 9, at Princeton High School.

Playing defending state champion Wyatt Lippert of Lakota West in the No. 1 singles final and already down a set, Mueck looked on as Lippert broke a racket string.

With broken strings on his backup rackets from earlier in the week, Lippert found himself without a weapon. Mueck could’ve claimed the title right then and there by default. But instead, the freshman showed maturity beyond his years.

Mueck gave Lippert one of his own rackets and the two finished the match. About 30 minutes later, Lippert earned his third straight GMC singles title with a 6-3, 7-6 win.

“That was a first-class thing to do. In a big match like this, I don’t know if I’d have given somebody a racket to beat me,” Lippert said. “I’d’ve probably said something like ‘Sorry buddy, I’m out of rackets.’ But he’s a great kid and comes from a great family. It’s always good to play him in a tough match like this one.”

Lippert and Mueck have played each other three times in high school, with Lippert winning all three.

Middletown coach Tyrone Turner and the other coaches were buzzing about Mueck’s sportsmanship in the final.

“They’re competitors, yet there’s a mutual respect there between them,” Turner said. “And to give the other guy a racket like that ... Quite honestly, I don’t know if I’d be able to do it. That says a lot about him.”

Lakota East won the team title by two points over Lakota West, followed by Sycamore, Mason, Princeton, Middletown, Fairfield, Hamilton, Oak Hills and Colerain.

The Middies got fourth-place finishes from Michael Cole (first singles), Tariq Habash (second singles) and from the second doubles tandem of Lena Habash and Jake Fletcher.

“We played pretty well as a team, I thought,” Turner said. “We had two opportunities to be in two finals on Thursday. One was very unexpected from my No. 2 doubles team (of Lena Habash and Jake Fletcher), and we had some unlucky breaks for Tariq Habash (at No. 2 singles).”

Habash and the doubles tandem both lost in close three-set semifinal battles.

“Now we just have to get ourselves ready for sectionals,” Turner said.

The Middies have a make-up match Tuesday at Centerville. Sectional tournament action begins three days later, also at Centerville High School.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.

Check out more photos from the GMC tennis championship and other prep sporting events.

MiddletownJournal.com/sports

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