Earlier this week, Free State High tennis coach Keith Pipkin hinted to Erik Czapinski that a change might be in the works for the sophomore, who typically has played for the Firebirds’ No. 1 doubles combination this spring.

“I was a little bit worried at first,” Czapinski admitted after he teamed with junior Cooper Rasmussen to take first place in No. 2 doubles at the Lawrence High Invitational, “but it turned out to be this, so I think it worked out well.”

Indeed, the duo went a perfect 3-0 after getting thrown into a potentially difficult situation for their afternoon at Rock Chalk Park.

“Erik’s fantastic,” Rasmussen said after the new doubles pair helped FSHS finish third in the team standings at the invite, won by Shawnee Mission East. “He’s a phenomenal player, and he’s really good at doubles, too. So going with him, he talks a lot, and it’s just a flow once you get into it. There’s a lot of communication. You hit a shot, it’s ‘good job.’ If not, you miss it, it’s fine.”

photo by: Richard Gwin

Free State freshman Sawyer Nickel eyes a backhand Friday, April 22, 2016, at Rock Chalk Park.

While Rasmussen has been a mainstay for Free State’s No. 2 doubles team, the player standing next to him has varied.

“I’ve been thrown around a lot,” the junior said.

It sounds like that’s about to change. Pipkin anticipates sticking with the combinations he tried out at the invitational: Czapinski with Rasmussen, and Ian Pultz-Earle with Seamus Ryan in No. 1 doubles.

“At two dubs, (Czapinski) just had free rein today,” the coach said, “and it looked like he was having a great time.”

Likewise, Pipkin witnessed Pultz-Earle and Ryan acclimating themselves in a hurry, as they went 2-1 to finish third.

“Seamus and Ian are kind of the same on the court, same demeanor,” Pipkin said. “They were getting really pumped up there toward the end, which I really liked.”

Long after the Firebirds completed all of their matches — Sawyer Nickel took fifth at No. 1 singles, while Garrett Luinstra finished third on the No. 2 line — Lawrence senior Elliott Abromeit found himself in a familiar battle during the invitational’s final match.

With all the nearby courts empty, Abromeit and Nick Claerhout of Shawnee Mission South traded rally after rally for more than an hour, before the Lions’ No. 1 singles player prevailed, 8-6, with the sun about to set.

“There’s a lot of history there,” Abromeit said, adding Claerhout beat him at this same event a year ago, as well as at regionals, before Abromeit prevailed at state. “A little bit of bitterness, but I think we keep it pretty clean. He’s such a good competitor.”

Often, Abromeit yelled “come on” after a big point in the match, which he led 4-1 early. Usually his outbursts resulted from success, but occasionally they came out of frustration.

“Facing (Claerhout) brings out a little bit more of the positive intensity,” Abromeit said after winning the third-place match, securing the Lions a tie for fourth with Shawnee Mission West in team points. “The negative intensity is always there, and that’s what I’ve really been trying to work on in my game — keeping my head on straight, trying to be mindful. Because I can get pretty hot-headed and (waste) a lot of points.”

Of late, Abromeit has found pre-service rituals and in-match routines that work for him on that front.

“That was a heck of a match,” LHS coach Chris Marshall said, “and both of them are very equal, so it’s a matter of who’s going to control it without breaking. We’ve been struggling with that, so that was a big win for us to fall off and get back on.”

Abromeit said the victory should help his seeding in the upcoming postseason, too, because he, Claerhout and Free State’s Nickel are so close in terms of records. He tried to keep that out of his mind as Claerhout cut a three-game deficit to one.

“It’s really difficult, because once you’re up, you don’t want to lose,” Abromeit said. “And you almost start to give into that urge that you’re playing not to lose, and then you’re not playing to win. My mantra is just: no fear. You just have to be fearless out there and hit the snot out of the ball.”

photo by: Richard Gwin

Lawrence High senior Elliott Abromeit, makes a good volley on Friday, April 22, 2016, at Rock Chalk Park.

Team scores: 1. Shawnee Mission East, 21; 2. Olathe Northwest, 17; 3. Free State, 16; tie-4. Shawnee Mission West, 11; tie-4. Lawrence, 11; 6. Shawnee Mission South, 8.

Free State results

No.1 singles — Sawyer Nickel, 5th: lost to Jack Santilli, SME, 8-0; lost to Nick Claerhout, SMS, 8-4; def. Robert Kunze, SMW, 8-1.

No. 2 singles — Garrett Luinstra, 3rd: lost to Bily Louiselle, SME, 8-2; def. Hank Rielley, SMS, 8-2; def. Zach Bowie, LHS, 8-5.

No. 1 doubles — Ian Pultz-Earle-Seamus Ryan, 3rd: lost to Glazer-Schuetz, SME, 8-3; def. Searl-Iba, SMS, 8-5; def. Holcomb-Hui, SMW, 8-3.

No. 2 doubles — Erik Czapinski-Cooper Rasmussen, 1st: def. Holtgraves-McKissick-Hawley, SME, 8-4; def. Zeller-Norton, SMS, 8-1; def. Ralphs-Deatherage, SMW, 8-2.

Lawrence results

No. 1 singles — Elliott Abromeit, 3rd: lost to Cutter Sanders, ONW, 8-4; def. Robert Kunze, SMW, 8-0; def. Nick Claerhout, SMS, 8-6.

No. 2 singles — Zach Bowie, 4th: lost to Thompson Thong, ONW, 8-0; def. Zane Teague, SMW, 8-2; lost to Garrett Luinstra, FSHS, 8-5.

No. 1 doubles — Brendan Connor-Sam Allen, 6th: lost to Boschma-Gible, ONW, 8-4; lost to Holcomb-Hui, SMW, 8-1; lost to Searl-Iba, SMS, 804

No. 2 doubles — Jonathan Kinder-Austin Buttell, 4th: def. Patterson-Firnhaber, ONW, 8-6; lost to Ralphs-Deatherage, SMW, 8-1; lost to Holtgraves-McKissick-Hawley, SME, 8-5.