ESCANABA---It was a bad combination of fatigue and facing a strong opponent that did in the Escanaba High School boys tennis team on Tuesday.
With many of the top players returning from a school trip to New York City just hours before the match, the Eskymos looked slow. And the fact that they were facing the Kingsford Flivvers didn't help much. The Flivvers are strong, and they won, 8-0.
"We didn't play our best today," Escanaba Coach Jim Hansen said. "We've had one outside practice this year, most of our team today just got back from a week long trip to New York. I'm not taking anything away from Kingsford."
"They beat us, Coach Shanks does a great job with that program and has for years. But we didn't start on time in some of our matches and didn't help ourselves in some."
Hansen says he did see some positives, even though all eight flights ended up in straight set losses.
"I was happy with the competitiveness of our 3 and 4 doubles," Hansen said. "They had tight matches. 3 singles battled back all day. Our guys tried hard, but we were rusty."
They will get a chance to shake off that rust, with lots of make-up matches coming.
"We need improvement going forward, with no practice days to do it," Hansen said. "We have 10 meets in eleven days with our only day off coming this Sunday."
Escanaba hosts Menominee Wednesday afternoon, weather permitting.
Tuesday's results:
Singles
With many of the top players returning from a school trip to New York City just hours before the match, the Eskymos looked slow. And the fact that they were facing the Kingsford Flivvers didn't help much. The Flivvers are strong, and they won, 8-0.
EHS Senior Jared Bizaeau returns serve.
"They beat us, Coach Shanks does a great job with that program and has for years. But we didn't start on time in some of our matches and didn't help ourselves in some."
Hansen says he did see some positives, even though all eight flights ended up in straight set losses.
"I was happy with the competitiveness of our 3 and 4 doubles," Hansen said. "They had tight matches. 3 singles battled back all day. Our guys tried hard, but we were rusty."
They will get a chance to shake off that rust, with lots of make-up matches coming.
"We need improvement going forward, with no practice days to do it," Hansen said. "We have 10 meets in eleven days with our only day off coming this Sunday."
Escanaba hosts Menominee Wednesday afternoon, weather permitting.
Tuesday's results:
Singles
Szabo def Prica 6-1 6-1
Hicks def Wood 6-1 6-1
Roell def Aos 6-2 7-5
Shanks def Eastin 6-1 6-1
Doubles
Harrington/Gregory def Uhazie/Bizeau 6-0 6-2
McCole/Hofer def Berhow/Wendrick 6-2 6-3
Fornetti/LeClaire def Slaga/Larsen 6-4 7-6
Wittanen/Bianco def VanEffen/Beem 6-3 6-4
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos.
Escanaba's Stephen Prica (right) congratulates Kingsford's Adam Szabo after Tuesday's match.
