The Grundy Center boys tennis team placed second with 34 points and Aplington-Parkersburg was third with 33 points at Tuesday’s NICL Boys Tennis Tournament at Byrnes Park. The host Sailors were the champions.
AP coach Dave Price says every point mattered.
“I mean, our goal was obviously to finish higher than third,” Price says. “But when you look how everything broke down, we had a number six player in Jonah Carney that ended up getting third out of a three-way tie. And so that’s the worst that could happen in a three-way tie, and you just change that and we’re second place. Our number two doubles lost 6-5. So we were right there. And with a young team, the way they played and the way they competed, we couldn’t be happier for them.”
Tyler Wedeking was the champion at #2 singles.
“It was definitely the goal,” Wedeking says. “After I lost to Columbus in the dual, I thought I had a chance to beat him. I’ve been playing a lot better after that, and I just wanted to prove that I could play with the best, and I think I did that today. It was a good day of tennis and a beautiful day.”
Jonah Carney/Noah Harbaugh won the title at #3 doubles, rounding out first place finishes by the Falcons.
Grundy Center had two champions, including Kael Edwards at #4 singles and Dayton Myers at #6 singles. Edwards says he felt the title was within reach, despite playing a step up from his usual spot at #5 singles.
“I feel like it just shows my improvement over the season and how much I’ve gotten better as a player,” Edwards says. “With my improvements, I feel like it was kind of a nice surprise, but I also felt like it would have been close.”
Completing the standings, Union placed fourth and Oelwein was fifth.
Dave Price:
Jonah Carney/Noah Harbaugh:
Tyler Wedeking:
Kael Edwards:
