There was no room at all for mistakes by Montoursville’s pair if the Warriors wanted to advance to the quarterfinals on a chilly Saturday afternoon.

But Bobotas and Catino are a talented doubles duo and the two have already earned themselves a nice nickname entering the postseason: the three-set merchants.

They don’t care if they’re down or lose an early set. If they can force it to go to three, they’re going to secure a win. And that’s precisely what happened on Saturday at Williamsport High School.

Facing a 5-2 deficit, Bobotas and Catino played phenomenal to win that second set with a tiebreaker 6-3 (7-4) and then cruised from there for a 6-1 third-set victory.

Nathaniel DePrenda of Loyalsock returns a shot as he and his team mate Elijah Lin play Gio Catino and Teli Bobotas of Montoursville Saturday afternoon in Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

It gave Montoursville momentum which it carried into the quarterfinals to secure a trip to Monday’s District 4 doubles tournament semifinals.

“No matter what, if we lose the first one, we always win the third set no matter what. After you are up 5-2 on a kid and they come back and beat you, it’s hard psychologically,” Bobotas said. “It wasn’t a grueling, physical match but there was a whole lot of mental strategy that came with that match. I was glad we were able to get some of that challenge, some of that adversity. We’ll be ready for Monday.”

Bobotas and Catino beat Loyalscok’s talented team of Elijah Lin and Nathaniel DePrenda in the quarterfinals, 6-4, 6-1, to reach the semifinals where they will fae Lewisburg’s Canyon Swartzentruber and Henry Heintzelman.

In the other semifinals, Danville’s David Sommer and Munjal Mehta will face Jersey Shore’s Saul Hensler and Ezra Paulhamus.

It was quite a rollercoaster of emotions for Montoursville fans. After seeing that 5-2 deficit, many may have thought it was over for Montoursville but Bobotas and Catino continued battling and fighting to win and keep the postseason run going instead of an unfortunate early exit.

Mason Fry returns a shot as he and his Montoursville team mate Cole Snyder play Saul Hensler and Ezra Paulhamus of Jersey Shore Saturday afternoon in Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“We lost some of our footing, but our synergy came back and we just beat them, you know? It’s just a lot of the chemistry we have and the things that we do. It worked out in the end,” Catino said. “Since it’s our senior season, we knew we had to give it our all, or we wouldn’t be playing anymore.”

After getting that three-set thriller against South Williamsport, Bobotas and Catino had momentum going into a contest against Lin — the District 4 singles runner-up — and DePrenda. For Bobotas, he knows Lin well after playing him throughout the year and knew what he had to do against him.

“I played Elijah a lot this year, so I knew he was going to be coming really fast with the shots. So I had a feeling they were probably going to be out a lot today because he’s not used to playing doubles. We capitalized on that,” Bobotas said. “We hardly play singles at practice and I think it’s paying off.”

It’s a sentiment Catino echos.

“Me and Teli have been training hard in doubles specifically,” Catino said. “They’re mostly singles players playing on a doubles court. Whole second half of our season, we’ve been playing doubles and getting used to it.”

Gio Catino of Montoursville serves to Dylan Webb and Carson Harris of South Williamsport Saturday afternoon in Williamsport.

And now the Warriors have a date with Lewisburg’s Swartzentruber and Heintzelman in Monday’s semifinals at the Central PA Tennis Center.

“I like to strategize against my opponents to make sure I know what’s weak, what’s strong, what to avoid, but Lewisburg?” Catino said. “We haven’t exaclty had a contingency plan for that yet.”

“If Lewisburg wins, well we’ll show up,” Bobotas added.

The Green Dragons had tough matches throughout Saturday’s three rounds and knew it was bound to happen with the pair being the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The only pair seeded higher than them were Sommer and Mehta of Danville.

Swartzentruber and Heintzelman earned a 6-3, 6-2 win in the first round against Wellsboro’s RJ Doughtie and James Doughtie. The Green Dragon pair then had a hard-fought matchup against Towanda’s Bayley Poll and Kellen Colton, winning both matchups by 6-4 scores.

Elijah Lin and Nathaniel DePrenda of Loyalsock bump fists after a point against Teli Bobotas and Gio Catino of Montoursville as they play Saturday afternoon in Williamsport.

“I think it’s honestly our communication and synergy together,” Swartzentruber said of him and Heintzelman’s strengths. “Henry and I are great friends off the court as well, so we usually have a great time playing tennis. I think both of our net games are very strong. Just our communication in general (too).”

In the quarterfinals, the Green Dragon doubles team had an extremely tough matchup against Selinsgrove’s Lomond Rodgers and McAlister DeFazio. Swartzentruber and Heintzelman beat Rodgers and DeFazio in the first set, 7-6 (7-4) and settled in to secure a tough 6-4 second-set win to advance to the semifinals for a second consecutive season.

“It means a lot. Last year, Henry Heintzelman and I were a little bit of a Cinderella story. We didn’t think we’d make it this far last year,” Swartzentruber said. “This year, a lot more pressure on our backs being the two-seed but once again, I’m very proud of how we preformed today. A little bit tired, legs are hurting a little bit, but once I rest up I know we’ll be ready for Monday for the semifinals.”

Loyalsock’s Lin and DePrenda reached the quarterfinals thanks to beating Jersey Shore’s Luke Sarge and Abram Paulhamus in the second round, 6-4, 6-3 and had a first-round sweep against Muncy’s Clynt Oden and Alec Noviello, 6-0, 6-0.

Hughesville’s Kevin Bobak and Luke Ragan lost in the second round to Central Columbia’s David Toscano and Nate Lang 6-1, 6-0 after they had a 6-4, 6-0 win over Milton’s Tevin Reitz and Tobin Strouse. 

Teli Bobotas returns a shot as he and his team mate Gio Catino of Montoursville play Elijah Lin and Nathaniel DePrenda of Loyalsock Saturday afternoon in Williamsport.

Jersey Shore’s Hensler and Paulhamus reached the semifinals thanks to an outstanding three-set win against Toscano and Lang, 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 7-5. The Bulldog duo beat Montoursville’s Cole Snyder and Mason Fry, 6-0, 7-4 and earned a 6-0, 6-1 first-round win against South Williamsport’s David Miller and Levi Jackson.

“We just pushed through, we didn’t give up” Hensler said. “A lot of times I’ll see players give up, but we did our best to keep fighting.”

Wellsboro’s Rothermel and Brill beat Lewisburg’s Luke Azeredo and Colby Jacob in the second round, 6-1, 6-0, to reach the quarterfinals and the Green Hornets duo beat Muncy’s Michael Howard and Aiden Murphy in first round, 6-2, 6-2. Azeredo and Jacob had a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win in the first round against Selinsgrove’s Joaquin Basu and Nathan Lauver.

In the top of the bracket, Loyalscok’s David Bjorkman and Ian Bower had a 6-1, 6-1 loss in the second round to Danville’s Sommer and Mehta. The Lancer pair beat Bloomsburg’s Marc-Alexi Dobbins and Will Keller, 6-0, 6-4, in the first round of the tournament.

DISTRICT 4 DOUBLES TOURNAMENT

FIRST ROUND

Loyalsock’s David Bjorkman/Ian Bower def. Bloomsburg’s Marc-Alexi Dobbins, 6-0, 6-4; Lewisburg’s Luke Azeredo/Colby Jacob def. Selinsgrove’s Joaquin Basu/Nathan Lauver, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2; Wellsboro’s Luke Rothermel/Mason Brill def. Muncy’s Michael Howard/Aiden Murphy, 6-2, 6-2; Jersey Shore’s Saul Hensler/Era Paulhamus def. South Williamsport’s David Miller/Levi Jackson, 6-0, 6-1; Montoursville’s Cole Snyder/Mason Fry def. North Penn-Liberty’s Ray Nickerson/Silas Boiywo, 6-2, 6-1; Hughesville’s Kevin Bobak/Luke Ragan def. Milton’s Tevin Reitz/Tobin Storus, 6-4, 6-0; Central Columbia’s David Toscano/Nate Lang def. Towanda’s Emma Ackley/Brody Hennessy, 6-0, 6-0.

Montoursville’s Teli Bobotas/Gio Catino def. Galeton’s Corbin Basile/David Martin, 6-0, 6-2; South Williamsport’s Carson Harris/Dylan Webb def. Milton’s Adam Kerstetter/Cole Blackmon, 6-1, 6-1; Jersey Shore’s Luk Sarge/Abram Paulhamus def. North Penn-Liberty’s Ayden Deitrick/Toby Nolt, 6-0, 6-0; Loyalsock’s Elijah Lin/Nathaniel DePrenda def. Muncy’s Clynt Oden/Alec Noviello, 6-0, 6-0; Selinsgrove’s Lomond Rodgers/McAlister Defazio def. Danville’s Colin Sauers/Donovan Larson, 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3; Central Columbia’s Tanner Fensch/Joey Pecora def. Bloomsburg’s Colton Roberts/Pret Patel, 6-0, 6-0; Towanda’s Bayley Poll/Kellen Colton def. Hughesville’s Luke Vermeire/Michael Swales, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6; Lewisburg’s Canyon Swartzentruber/Henry Heintzelman def. Wellsboro’s RJ Doughtie/James Doughtie, 6-3, 6-2.

SECOND ROUND

Danville’s David Sommer/Munjaal Mehta def. Loyalscok’s David Bjorkman/Ian Boer, 6-1, 6-1; Wellsboro’s Luke Rothermel/Mason Brill def. Lewisburg’s Luke Azeredo/Colby Jacob, 6-1, 6-0; Jersey Shore’s Saul Hensler/Era Paulhamus def. Montoursville’s Cole Snyder/Mason Fry, 6-0, 7-4; Central Columbia’s David Toscano/Nate Lang def. Hughesville’s Kevin Bobak/Luke Ragan, 6-1, 6-0; Montoursville’s Teli Bobotas/Gio Catino def. South Williamsport’s Carson Harris/Dylan Webb, 6-1, 3-6 (4-7), 6-1; Loyalsock’s Elijah Lin/Nathaniel DePrenda def. Jersey Shore’s Luke Sarge/Abram Paulhamus, 6-4, 6-3; Selinsgrove’s Lomond Rodgers/McAlister Defazio def. Central Columbia’s Tanner Fensch/Joey Pecora, 6-3, 6-2; Lewisburg’s Canyon Swartzentruber/Henry Heintzelman def. Towanda’s Bayley Poll/Kellen Colton, 6-4, 6-4.

QUARTERFINALS

Danville’s David Sommer/Munjaal Mehta def. Wellsboro’s Luke Rothermel/Mason Brill, 6-1, 6-3; Jersey Shore’s Saul Hensler/Ezra Paulhamus def. Central Columbia’s David Toscano/Nate Lang, 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 7-5; Montoursville’s Teli Bobotas/Gio Catino def. Loyalsock’s Elijah Lin/Nathaniel DePrenda, 6-4, 6-1; Lewisburg’s Canyon Swartzentruber/Henry Heintzelman de. Selinsgrove’s Lomond Rodgers/McAlister DeFazio, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

SEMIFINALS

(Monday, 1 p.m. at Central PA Tenis Center)

Danville’s David Sommer/Munjaal Mehta vs. Jersey Shore’s Saul Hensler/Ezra Paulhamus; Montoursville’s Teli Bobotas/Gio Catino vs. Lewisburg’s Canyon Swartzentruber/Henry Heintzelman.

Elijah Lin of Loyalsock jokes with Gio Catino and Teli Bobotas of Montoursville Saturday afternoon in Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Saul Hensler of Jersey Shore returns a volley as he and his team mate Ezra Paulhamus play Saturday afternoon in Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Dylan Webb reaches for a shot as he and his team mate Carson Harris of South Williamsport play Teli Bobotas and Gio Catino of Montoursville Saturday afternoon in Williamsport.

Dylan Webb, foreground, and Carson Harris of South Williamsport switch sides of the court as they play Teli Bobotas and Gio Catino of Montoursville Saturday afternoon in Williamsport.

Saul Hensler and his team mate Ezra Paulhamus of Jersey Shore tap rackets after winning a set Saturday afternoon in Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Saul Hensler of Jersey Shore returns a volley as he and his team mate Ezra Paulhamus play Saturday afternoon in Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette