Holzgrafe filling in at No. 1 doubles spot just fine for injured teammate, helps QHS tennis team win every set in victory

QUINCY — Ethan Stark will return soon, but in the meantime, Kael Holzgrafe has found a home in the No. 1 doubles spot for the Quincy High School tennis team.

Holzgrafe and Surya Reddy defeated Quincy Notre Dame’s Daniel Dyer and Alex Strong 9-7 in No. 1 doubles as part of the Blue Devils’ 9-0 victory in Monday’s dual at Reservoir Park.

Stark, who had been playing at No. 1 doubles with Reddy, suffered a sprained ankle in a dual against Macomb on April 16. Holzgrafe joined forces with Reddy in the next dual against Rock Island two days later. They have not lost a doubles match together, and the Blue Devils are 7-0 in duals since.

“It’s really fun playing with Surya,” Holzgrafe said. “He’s got a really nice serve, so that sets me up because I’m a beast at the net. That’s what he tells me. He really serves it well, so I’m just up there to finish the points, and that’s what really makes us work well together.”

Reddy and Holzgrafe used that combination of serving prowess and command at the net to come back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits against Dyer and Strong, who qualified for the Class 1A state tournament in 2024.

“I have a really good serve, so whenever I can get my first serve in, Kael’s always there, poaching it off and winning the point for us,” Reddy said.

QND coach Bob Catalpa complimented Holzgrafe on his ability to play at the net.

“Kael is very good at doubles,” Catalpa said. “That was a good combination. He likes to get up to the net. When he’s back, he’ll hit a ground stroke and come up and put pressure on you. He has good hands at the net, for sure.”

While Reddy and Holzgrafe excel in different areas, Blue Devils coach Mike Terry said one of their shared strengths makes them even tougher to contend with.

“They both return serve really well when they’re on,” Terry said. “That’s a huge advantage. They set each other up with good returns. That’s the start. If your partner can pick something off, that’s usually because of a good return or a good angle.”

Stark will likely return for the Belleville East Tournament this weekend, but Holzgrafe’s seamless transition from No. 2 to No. 1 doubles is the latest example of the depth Terry said sets his team, which is 15-2 in duals this season, apart from many others.

“We’re pretty strong one through six,” Terry said. “Most teams that we’ve played so far are good at one and two, but I feel like we’re quality all the way down the lineup, and that makes it even better for doubles.”

Holzgrafe also won his No. 3 singles match 6-2, 6-1 against Peter Damm.

“I started out alright with a couple of aces,” Holzgrafe said. “I was feeling pretty good, then the wind started blowing my ball toss around, and I couldn’t hit a first or second serve. I double faulted a couple times and gave away some games. I couldn’t really keep the ball in my hitting zone at first, then I started to find that in the second set. I felt like I really started to strike the ball well at the end of the first set going into the second set. I just ended up finishing off the points and playing pretty well.”

The Blue Devils did not drop a set in any match on a day when temperatures reached near 90 degrees and winds blew upwards of 20 miles per hour. The closest call was at No. 4 singles, as Arrow Crist defeated Aden Smith 7-6, 6-3. No other set was tighter than 6-4.

“We played well in the wind,” Terry said. “I was very really pleased with that, and the heat honestly because this has been a very cold, overcast and rainy spring so far. Playing in the heat and the wind, that was a challenge, but we played pretty well.”