Boys state tennis: Avon's Logan DeHaven, Vermilion's Severin Kretchmar see stellar seasons end with first-round losses

COLUMBUS — As one stellar career came to an end, another concluded a promising chapter. Logan DeHaven played his final match for Avon on Thursday after helping the Eagles tennis program reach new heights in the last three seasons. After losing 6-2, 6-2 to New Albany's Jackson Clements in the first round of the Division I state singles tournament at Ohio State's Ty Tucker Tennis Center, he will leave with a program-record 89 career wins. The senior was making his second straight trip to the state tournament. Severin Kretchmar, in just his sophomore season, has already begun rewriting the Vermilion record book. His 28-6 season set a school record for most singles wins in a season and he's the first Vermilion boys player to qualify for the state tournament since Ronald Brown in 1963. While his first trip ended with a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Orange's Krish Mehra in the opening round of the Division II singles tournament, the sky seems to be the limit for his future. "The atmosphere here is clearly next level," Kretchmar said. "Everyone here is really good. You can't not play well and expect to have success. That's what happened, I just didn't play very well." DeHaven — in just three seasons because the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out his freshman year — has helped Avon raise the bar for tennis, going from a regional entity to a state contender. The Eagles have reached back-to-back district semifinals in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association state team tournament, and this year broke through to the district final for the first time in program history. He has 89 total wins and this year went 29-5 record, 3-1 at doubles. "It was a good season," DeHaven said. "I beat some good players, played close with others. It was a very competitive season. It was fun." DeHaven opened his match against Clements with four break opportunities in the opening game, only to see the New Albany sophomore rattle off three straight points and hold. DeHaven went up a break at 2-1, but Clements won five straight games, getting three breaks in the process, to take the opening set. DeHaven won the first eight points of the second set to take a 2-0 lead, but again Clements responded with three breaks. "I somehow got myself to play two games somewhat consistent," DeHaven said. "I was just trying to hit away at the ball today, which wasn't the greatest decision. I was just too inconsistent and impatient, that was ultimately my downfall today." DeHaven's teammates, Luke LeMaster and A.J. Sidoti, also were eliminated in the first round of the Division I doubles tournament by Mason's Eric Xu and Connor Buckingham. Kretchmar got arguably the toughest draw of the Division II bracket — Mehra in the opening round with Orange's Ben Pomeranets, the defending singles champion, waiting in the quarterfinals. Mehra showed off the depth that makes Orange one of the state's top programs regardless of division. Kretchmar held to open the match but Mehra won the next 12 games, keeping the Vermilion sophomore off-balance with a strong drop shot. "He's just a solid hitter who switches it up," Kretchmar said. "He's really good with off-speed, spin, no spin. He's just an all-around solid player and I just wasn't playing up to what I needed to." Contact Chris Sweeney at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com and follow him @CSweeney1686 on Twitter.