The 3.0er of the Year - James Schulte
(Towpath)
Singles Player of the Year - Kevin Le
(NCRC)
Doubles Player of the Year - James Schulte
(Towpath)
Doubles Team of the Year - Clayton Cundiff & Jondavid Smith
(NCRC)
Captain of the Year - Michael Kramer
(Towpath)
Special 3.0er of the Year - Andrea Ayyappan
(Wembley)
Even though the awards were split between two historic clubs, many of the winners were teammates as they split their time between the various 18+ and 40+ teams that both clubs offered, showing that everyone could be a winner! The big winners, however, were Captain Michael, who was honored for leading Towpath to one of it's best finishes ever, while rivals (and teammates!) Clayton and Jondavid proved to be the strongest tandem of the year. Their teammate Kevin took home Singles Player of the Year recognition thanks to his expert play in all three phases while Towpath's James broke his own record in both doubles (25) and overall wins (28) to repeat as The 3.0er of the Year, the first to do so in over a decade (Barry Bastian, '03-'04)!
In an extremely close vote, Kevin emerged victorious in his final 3.0 season with one of the most prized - and unknown - awards around, the D.F.O. Singles Player of the Year award! Now, the vote was close not because Kevin didn't richly deserve it. Indeed, his multiple victories in singles and doubles, in league and tournament, in playoffs and Nationals, proved that when it came to 3.0 players, Kevin was, and will forever be, one of the greatest of all-time! However, with so many new leagues (Fusion and 6.0 Doubles was added!), so many amazing candidates (multiple teams made it to Nationals!), and so many tournament title holders, well, the list of potential nominees was at an all time high! But, with Kevin's amazing season, in which he displayed incredible 3.0 play in league, tournament, and playoff play, was more than enough to earn him the 2017 Singles Player of the Year award!
Michael, captain of one of the best 3.0 teams to ever come out of the area not once but twice, and Jondavid, one of the most accomplished doubles players of his time, enjoyed a fantastic tag-team season together, as their undefeated league play showed the 3.0 world (and by "world," we obviously mean "Ohio"), that they were a doubles force to be reckoned with!
Leading the historic Towpath club to one of their best finishes in club history, Michael led his 3.0ers to a 4th place Nationals finish when the season was complete! Not only that, but he was a major player on the team as well, showing he could lead with words, lineups, and play!
And let's not forget history, for Andrea, leading Wembley to the first ever Fusion District title did something no one else had done before - led a team to a Fusion District title! WOW!
2017 DFO 3.0 Player of the Year Finalists
* = Years at 3.0; Nomination Criteria
Tournament Qualifiers
Jim Augsburger*4
Tournament: Perrysburg Open Runner-up (1-1)
League: 6-1 Doubles
Hasan Celik*4
Tournament: Paramount Winter Champion (2-0)
Trayton Crow*2
Tournament: Akron Open Semi-Finalist (2-1)
League: 4-1 Singles, 3-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 1-3 Singles, 1-2 Doubles
Michael Fink*4
Tournament: Perrysburg Open Champion (2-0)
League: 1-0 Singles, 4-4 Doubles; Playoffs: 0-1 Doubles
Joshua Grischow*7
Tournament: Akron Open Shootout Champion (3-0), Akron Open Consolation Title (3-1)
Levi Hall*3
Tournament: Akron Open Shootout Runner-up (2-1), Akron Open Consolation Finalist (2-2)
Travis Haselswerdt*5
Tournament: Paramount Fall Finalist (1-1), Akron Open Round of 16 (0-2)
League: 2-1 Singles, 2-0 Doubles
Kevin Le*2
Tournament: Akron Open Finalist (3-1)
League: 3-0 Singles, 7-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 3-0 Singles, 5-1 Doubles
Aaron Smith*5
Tournament: Paramount Winter Finalist (2-1)
League: 2-2 Singles
Donald White*5 (QRC)
League: 6-2 Singles, 2-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 0-1 Singles, 0-1 Doubles
Trayton Crow*2 (Towpath)
Tournament: Akron Open Semi-Finalist (2-1)
League: 4-1 Singles, 3-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 1-3 Singles, 1-2 Doubles
Kevin Le*2 (NCRC)
Tournament: Akron Open Finalist (3-1)
League: 3-0 Singles, 7-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 3-0 Singles, 5-1 Doubles
Jondavid Smith*3 (Towpath)
League: 3-1 Singles, 14-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 10-5 Doubles
Mayu Si*2 (Towpath)
League: 3-0 Singles, 6-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 5-1 Singles
Andrew Puch*2 (Towpath)
League: 5-1 Singles; Playoffs: 2-5 Singles, 1-3 Doubles
John Tomic*3 (Towpath)
League: 5-0 Singles, 6-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 2-2 Singles
Doubles
Tournament Qualifiers
Kevin Le*2/Ryan Rodau*2
Tournament: Akron Open Doubles Championship (2-0)
James McClanahan*2/Thomas Mackie*8 (QRC)
League: 5-1; Playoffs: None
Mark Garner*8/Dave Moravek*4 (QRC)
League: 5-1; Playoffs: None
Michael Kramer*4/Daniel Davila*3 (Towpath)
League: 1-0; Playoffs: 6-0
Michael Kramer*4/Jondavid Smith*3 (Towpath)
League: 7-0; Playoffs: 0-1
Clayton Cundiff*3/Jondavid Smith*3 (Towpath)
League: 2-0; Playoffs: 6-0
Michael Moser*3/James Schulte*2 (NCRC)
League: 0-0; Playoffs: 6-0
Kevin Le*2/Michael Kramer*4 (NCRC)
League: 2-0; Playoffs: 5-1
Voting Notes
This selection looked as if it should take approximately seven seconds and we should be honoring the coming of age story of the youngest D.F.O. 3.0 Player of the Year in modern history ... but ... the Voting Panel couldn't get around the technical one-and-done status of Kevin, a renowned youth player who has participated in but one 3.0 event (though a glorious participation it was). Though it is interesting to note that Kevin, at 15, would be the youngest ever winner of this award, he could take solace in the fact that he is the youngest ever recorded 3.0 tournament champion, so that's some solid solace! Which meant that Kevin, with his runner-up tournament status and amazing Nationals Final Four playoff finish would seem to be next in line for the most illustrious 3.0 award 2017 had to offer (even if it was offered in 2020, but that's neither here nor there). Which is why Michael, hailing from the Northwestern part of the state took the lead for a moment as he seemed the legit 3.0 nominee. In the end, however, the Voting Panel did a complete 270 as they often do and settled on rewarding Kevin's amazing season, agreeing that Kevin's great league, tournament, and playoff run were the deciding factors in earning him an award he probably never even dreamed of. Or heard of.
In doubles, the voting was even more difficult, as there were numerous quality teams that hit the courts in 2017. Indeed, making the Voting Panel's decisions all the more difficult is that many of the teams had the same person on them, just with different partners. Michael dominated ... Kevin dominated ... Clayton dominated ... Jondavid dominated ... and all of them dominated with, and sometimes against, one another. Thus, the Voting Panel was in a quandary ... which doubles team should earn the ultimate recognition the D.F.O. had to offer?! In the end, the Voting Panel went a somewhat controversial route and awarded two players for their individual doubles acumen who happened to also team up during the year. If that makes sense, then you are welcome...
In the captain vote, the Voting Panel was faced with a tough choice. One one hand, Michael had led Towpath to the second best ever 3.0 finish in Ohio 3.0 history, a 4th place Nationals standing. On the other hand (the backhand if you will ... ahem), Clayton Cundiff of North Canton Racquet Club had done the same with his club and had actually won more team titles (four to Michael's two). In the end, the Voting Panel was simply too impressed with Michael's undefeated Flight run, his 4th place Nationals finish, and his ability to wear flashy, flashy tennis t-shirts, to deny him the greatest captain honor this organization bestows!
Ineligible Nominees
Brendo Johnson*
Tournament: Paramount Fall Champion (2-0)
League: 6-1 Singles, 1-0 Doubles
None: A near-perfect one-and-done go 'round at the 3.0 level set Brendo up for later 3.5 success!
Austin Millet*
Tournament: Paramount Fall Consolation Title (1-1), Paramount Winter Quarter-Finalist (0-2)
League: 1-1 Singles
Notes: Austin's tennis career started with a very solid introduction to the 3.0 world in both league and tournament play!
Kevin Si*
Tournament: Akron Open Champion (4-0)
Notes: Perhaps the youngest ever 3.0 tournament champion, Kevin no doubt learned the 3.0 skills necessary to win at the next level!
John Zitzner* (QRC)
League: 6-2 Singles, 2-0 Doubles; Playoffs: 0-1 Singles, 0-1 Doubles
Notes: A great league season followed by a great Midwest Ohio Championships Championship is a great way to start - and end - your 3.0 career!
Christopher Buford*/Trayton Crow*2
Tournament: Akron Open Doubles Finalists (1-1)
Notes: Making the finals of the biggest and oldest doubles event in all the 3.0 landscape is a great way to end your 3.0 season!
Richard Gegner*/Mayu Si*2
Tournament: Akron Open Doubles Consolation Title (1-1)
Notes: The Si family all but dominated the courts of Akron in 2017!
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