Greg Tunnicliff
Sports Scene
ORTONVILLE, Michigan – Spencer Navarre seemed more concerned about his teammate’s match than his own.
During Brandon High School’s Metro League tennis dual September 4 against visiting Holly, the Blackhawks No. 1 singles player routinely could be seen offering words of encouragement to his younger brother, Nathan Navarre, who was playing No. 2 singles for the Blackhawks.
The older Navarre, a senior, has been the Flint area’s premier player the last four years, posting a 95-7 (.931) overall record and winning three Metro and two Division 2 regional championships at the top flight. He also earned honorable mention All-State honors last year.
While he could easily rest on his own laurels, he realizes high school tennis is a team sport, and Brandon’s team goals must come first.
“My [personal] goals in high school are secondary to what I want my team to accomplish,” Navarre said. “I would love to win a Metro League team championship, and I would love to go to states as a team.”
Brandon struggled in the three years prior to Navarre’s arrival, posting an 8-18-6 overall record and a 5-9-5 league record. The Blackhawks never finished higher than fourth in league play and fifth at the regional.
Navarre’s presence on court at No. 1 has played a major role in Brandon becoming one of the Flint area’s top programs. Since he took over the top spot, the Blackhawks have posted a 24-6-6 (.750) overall record and 19-2-3 (.854) in the Metro. Brandon is 1-1-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the Metro this season.
The school has not only taken runner-up honors in the Metro the previous three years, but it also made back-to-back trips to the state finals as a team in 2009 and 2010 – the first two times in the program’s 35-year history.
The Blackhawks finished third at the regional both years, but they were able to move on by eclipsing the state’s minimum qualifying standard of 18 points. Brandon finished fourth at the regional last year.
“[Navarre’s impact] is enormous for sure,” coach Debbie Sebetic said. “It ripples right down. All the players respect him. He’s a great role model for the guys.”
While team accomplishments rank first, his individual accomplishments put him among the best players in area history.
He became the first freshman to win the Metro at No. 1 singles in 2009, and he is one of only four boys to win three league titles at the top flight.
The 17-year-old will have an opportunity to become the league’s first four-time champion at the league tournament October 2 at Flint Kearsley and Clio.
He has won 26 or matches in each of his first three seasons, including a career-best 31-3 mark last year. He is 11-0 this season, including victories over such notable teams as Romeo, Richmond, DeWitt, and Holly.
“I’ve put a ton of work into tennis and it seems to be paying off,” Navarre said. “My ball-striking ability has come a long way. I can put balls away easier. I don’t get tentative anymore.”
While not overpowering, he has tremendous control over his shots. He has the ability to work his opponents from side to side, keeping the ball deep and away at all times. Because of his control, he is able to win a lot of points by setting himself up with a number of short balls.
“His placement is wonderful,” Sebetic said. “He puts it in the corner, he puts it deep. He’s always hit the ball hard, but he’s hitting harder right now.”
Navarre would like to play at the next level, and he has already received interest from the University of Detroit (Division I), Wayne State (Division II) and The College of Wooster (Division III) in Wooster, Ohio.
Before he can think about next year, he would like to finish his final season at Brandon in sterling fashion. He indicated he would like to win a fourth straight Metro title and make an extended run at the state tournament.
“I have to stay determined and not let up,” Navarre said. “I have to stay the course and drive it home.”