2025 April & May in Review - Med Mutual takes the Spring Crown!

The first league trophy of the season has been handed out and it was handed out in historic fashion as Medical Mutual, quickly rising to become one of NEO's most popular clubs, brought home it's first ever 3.0 trophy!

Spring Records

Flight 1

Medical Mutual 10-0 #1 Seed Captain Dave

Paramount Westlake 8-2 #5 Seed Captain John

Flight 2

North Canton R.C. 9-1 #3 Seed Captain Jason

Paramount Medina 8-2 #4 Seed Captain Sayyad

Flight 3

La Tuchie T.C. 10-0 #2 Seed Captain Eric

Mayfield Village R.C. 7-3 #6 Seed Captain Mike

In Flight 1, Med Mutual enjoyed two 2-1 records versus the 2024 champs, Paramount Westlake, to take the Flight title and the #1 seed away from last year's Captain and 3.0er of the Year, Captain John, while in Flight 2, NCRC overcame a week 2 loss to go undefeated the rest of the way to narrowly deny Paramount Medina it's first Flight crown in many a year. Finally, in Flight 3, veteran laden La Tuchie went undefeated to take yet another Flight crown while Mayfield fought off a crowded field to once again enter the playoffs, this time as the #6 seed.

Playoffs - Opening Round A & B

The second week of May led off with the first round of the Spring playoffs, as Captain Mike's MVRC travelled to Paramount Medina to take on one of the rising players and captains in the entire area, Captain Sayyad, in the Opening Round A playoff match. Unfortunately for Captain Sayyad, availability is sometimes the best ability, and lacking players, he was forced to play the famed Frenchmen De & Fault at both second singles and third doubles. Despite the odds, Paramount Medina won at both 1st Singles and Doubles! MVRC's Trip and Alex, though, were able to withstand veteran Denny in a THIRD SET SUPER TIEBREAK to get the visitors on the board, meaning it would all come down to Paramount Medina's ... De and Fault! Sadly for the home team, De and Fault were unfortunately no match for MVRC's Jino and Jeeho, giving MVRC the 3-2 road victory!

Meanwhile, last season's champs, Paramount Westlake, were hosting Captain Jason's NCRC. Captain Jason led off with one of the strongest singles players in the area, Noah, who scored a hard-fought THIRD SET SUPER TIEBREAK win over another stalwart singles player, James. In doubles, Paramount's Captain John took the helm, but one of the leading players in the area, Jerome, was able to right the NCRC ship while Adam and Jason won in a THIRD SET SUPER TIEBREAK to give the traveling team - yet again! - an upset 4-1 victory on the road!

Playoffs - Spring Semifinal A & B

East side friendly rivals NCRC, the #3 seed, and La Tuchie, the #2 seed faced off the next week, and befitting two local rivals, they immediately split singles as Noah for the visiting team NCRC and Lucas for the home team La Tuchie, each won their courts. La Tuchie Captain Eric, one of the most veteran captains of the 3.0 scene, led his doubles troops back to the courts, but NCRC's Jerome, on an absolute winning tear, thwarted the home captain in a THIRD SET SUPER TIEBREAK! However, home cooking would prove to be the difference as 3.0 veteran Alan evened the match at 2nd Doubles while double-digit winners George and Steve did what they've done so many times this season - win! - at 3rd doubles to give La Tuchie the home 3-2 win!

Medical Mutual, the #1 seed, hosted their first ever playoff match, this time against well-travelled Mayfield who had just enjoyed a road-playoff victory! But taking this match - and the moment! - seriously, Med Mutual's Captain Dave put out an all-star 3.0 lineup (kind of an oxymoron, eh?!) that lost but 16 games in their 5-0 victory! Captain Dave, with singles star Abe, the recent Midwest NTRP 18+ Singles Champion, took 1st Doubles while veteran two-time Nationals qualifier Ado did the same at 2nd Doubles. Meanwhile, last season's Doubles Player of the Year, Ben was so intimidating that his opposition - De and Fault - were completely bagelled! WOW!

Spring Final

Thus the 3.0 stage was set, as #1 seed Medical Mutual, seeking their first ever 3.0 District title, would host historic La Tuchie, a club that was looking for their first 3.0 District title since 2014! THAT'S ALMOST MORE THAN A DECADE!

Befitting a match of 3.0 titans, the match was immediately on edge, as Med Mutual's Tyler, one of the top singles players on the west side, took out La Tuchie's Jacob, one of the top singles players on the east side. Lucas, then, at 2nd Singles, took out Eric, he of National Qualifier pedigree! Making these split wins all the more impressive is that ZERO GAMES separated the two clubs after two matches despite 36 games being played! WOWSERS!

At 1st Doubles, it was Captain versus Captain, as Captain Dave from Med Mutual was able to take out Captain Eric from La Tuchie. Meanwhile, at 2nd Doubles, it was La Tuchie veteran Alan who was able to take out Med Mutual veteran Ado. Besides the fact that both veterans share well over 100+ 3.0 wins, after four courts, the team score was not only tied 2-2, but also tied 33 games to 33 games with NOTHING SEPARATING THEM!

Thus, as it usually does, the match came down to 3rd Doubles, and Jay and Santos, enjoying the home crowd's support, took an early lead, only for double-digit winers George and Steven to even the match with a second set win. MEANING IT WOULD ALL COME DOWN TO A THIRD SET SUPER TIEBREAK!

WHOA!

And in the THIRD SET SUPER TIEBREAK it was the benefit of the home court advantage that ultimately proved the difference, as Med Mutual's Jay and Santos not only won the deciding set AND the deciding match but also Medical Mutual's first ever District championship!

Actual footage of Medical Mutual's first ever District Championship celebration parade, led by Captain Dave, through the streets of downtown Cleveland.

Congrats to ALL the Spring League participants who took part in the second ever NEO Spring season (that started in the winter) and good luck to all those who will be participating in the upcoming NEO, NWO, and OHVA Summer season (that starts in the spring)!