The Rock Bridge boys’ tennis team’s fourth consecutive trip to the state final four team competition in Springfield ended up being its worst.
The Bruins placed fourth in Class 2 on Thursday at the Cooper Tennis Complex after placing second in 2002, third in 2003 and second in 2004.
Kirkwood (20-4) defeated Rock Bridge 5-3 in the semifinals and Saint Louis University High School (16-1-1) beat Rock Bridge 5-3 in the third-place match. The losses were the first two of the season for the Bruins who finished 20-2.
Rockhurst won its 10th consecutive state title beating Kirkwood 5-1.
In the third-place match, the Bruins only managed to win two of the six singles matches. Stefan Nosic defeated Kevin Howenstein 7-5, 6-7 (7-4), 6-0 in No. 5 singles and Daniel Lopez defeated Paul Eschen 6-3, 6-3 in No. 6 singles.
The Bruins needed to win all three doubles matches to finish third, but the match ended when Steve Hipkiss and David Lesko beat Rock Bridge’s Kyle Kinderknecht and Dennis Smith 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1) at No. 2 doubles.
In the semifinals, the Bruins split the singles matches 3-3 before losing two doubles matches. Brett Waite and Kyle Schlotz defeated Rock Bridge’s Justin Winner and Matt Dresner 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 at No. 1 doubles, and Matt Waite and John Schlotz defeated the Bruin’s Kyle Kinderknecht and Dennis Smith 6-4, 6-3 at No. 2 doubles.
The five Bruins seniors will get another chance to continue their seasons in the individual state championships at 9 a.m. today in Springfield.
Kinderknecht will compete in singles. Winner and Dresner, and Smith and Andrew Darkow will compete in the doubles tournament. The finals and consolation matches will be held Saturday.