Johnson, Russell rebound for doubles win

By Bill Knust

To say the North Kansas City High No. 1 doubles team of Alec Russell and Corey Johnson was not having a good day would be an understatement.

The duo had reached the semifinals of the Class 2 District 8 tournament at Oak Park on May 8, but their season was in danger after dropping the first set to Park Hill’s Scott Florence and Paul Jensen. It was even further in doubt when they fell behind 4-3 in the second set.

Russell and Johnson dug deep, though, winning nine of the last 12 points to take the match in three sets.

“It was really scary not going to state, and that had been our whole expectation this year,” Russell said. “I don’t know if they got nervous or not, but we just picked up the pressure and played better tennis.”

The Hornets carried that performance over to the next night, when they knocked off Oak Park’s Preston Coughlin and Quinton Osborne in three sets 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 to win the finals. While most coaches would prefer their teams win in straight sets, Northtown coach Daniel Berkland has no fear when his doubles team heads for a third set.

“Both of them are so competitive that they are not going to let somebody beat them,” Berkland said. “They’re going to go out there and grind out the key points. I put my money on them every third-set match they play. They always seem to pull it out.”

Russell and Johnson’s victory gave the Hornets a No. 2 finish in the district meet and placed Oak Park third. The two teams made up a duel from earlier this season on Friday, May 9, and they turned around and played each other again in regional play on Tuesday, May 13. Results were not available at press time.

Oak Park doubles duo takes second

Coughlin and Osborne have not been a doubles team for long, but they sure act like it. The pair made haste through their half of the bracket, before meeting NKC’s Johnson and Russell in the finals.

Before making it to the finals, Coughlin and Osborne met up with Park Hill’s Mike Merchant and Luke Pauley in the semifinals.

It was a rematch of the North Division Tournament, where Oak Park prevailed 11-10 (9-7) in a tiebreaker. The district match went three sets, but the Northmen easily won the third set to move to the finals.

“The weight is off the shoulders at that point,” Coughlin said. “You are qualified for state, but you still want to compete because it is the finals.”

He said him and Osborne got excited when they saw that Merchant and Pauley could be waiting in the semifinals to face them.

“That was a lot of fun,” Coughlin said. “Once we saw them on our side we kind of circled that match, and wanted to get there.”

With two weeks to prepare for the state tournament, Coughlin said the team will work on staying unpredictable and keeping in shape. It will also give Osborne a chance to heal his injured shoulder.

“I would like to work on a few things before state,” Coughlin said. “I want to work on my second serve and make sure it is not so easily returnable, and then work with Q and his dad on my net game.”

Sports writer Bill Knust can be reached at 389-6605 or billknust@npgco.com.