A TENNIS RIVALRY: Escanaba Outlasts Gladstone

GLADSTONE---The Escanaba Eskymos beat the Gladstone Braves, 6-1, in boys tennis Monday at Pfotenhauer Park. But several of the matches were tough, three-set affairs.

One of the best matches was at #2 singles, where Escanaba's Nick Dufour (pictured above) outlasted Gladstone's Ross Miron. The first set went to Miron, 7-6, but not after a lengthy 10-8 tiebreaker that included several long rallies. Dufour regrouped after that long set and took the next two sets, 6-2 and 6-0.

Another three-set match came at #4 singles, and the Eskymos were again the winners. Freshman Christer Carne defeated Gladstone's Nathan Hardwick, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6. The final game went to a tiebreaker, with Carne winning, 7-5.

Carne's older brother, Paul, was invloved in a three-set match of his own. At #1 doubles, Paul Carne and Addam Claes defeated Gladstone's Matt Casey and Nick LaRose, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.

"I think we need to improve on our serving, and just eliminate our unforced errors," Paul Carne said. "And I think the key to winning today was good play at the net."

"Returning serves, I'd say, was a big thing, because they had some big serves," Claes added. "And good ground strokes. Making sure the ball stays in play."

And a fourth match went three sets, and this time, Gladstone came out on top for its only win. It was at #1 singles, where the Braves' Alec Miron defeated Escanaba's Bryant Beem in three tight games, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

"I just want to see them keep progressing and keep learning," Gladstone Coach Dan Williams said. "And I really want them to have fun. If you're having fun and you're enjoying it, the rest will fall into place. I just keep stressing that."

"The numbers are good," Escanaba Coach Tom Penegor said. "We've got 17 guys on the roster, and that's a good number to have, especially with the number of courts that we have to practice on. Whenever we get with Gladstone, no matter what the sport is, no matter what the records are, it's a battle."

The results: ESCANABA 6, GLADSTONE 1
Singles
#1: Alec Miron (Gladstone) def. Bryant Beem (Escanaba), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
#2: Nick Dufour (Escanaba) def. Ross Miron (Gladstone) 6-7 (8-10), 6-2, 6-0.
#3: Josh Grassell (Escanaba) def. Danny Pederson (Gladstone), 6-2, 6-3.
#4: Christer Carne (Escanaba) def. Nathan Hardwick (Gladstone), 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5).

Doubles
#1 Paul Carne/Addam Claes (Esc) def. Matt Casey/Nick LaRose (Glad), 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
#2 Dan VanEffen/George Eastin (Esc) def. Dean Herioux/Sean Holm (Glad), 6-2, 6-1.
#3 Brandon Kangas/Nathan Pascoe (Esc) def. Jesse LaRose/Jonathon Douglas (Glad), 6-0, 7-6 (7-3).
#4 Max Shariff/Dylan Rosenalfelt (Esc) def. Sam Hill/Cooper Koski (Glad), 6-2, 6-2.