Playing at home on a warm, blustery spring day, Iola High’s Mustangs won four of 12 matches in their tennis quadrangular meet.
Iola’s No. 1 singles player Garrett Catron played the wind well and won three matches. Catron recorded 8-5 decisions over Tyler Beardmore of Parsons and Aidan Goodrich of Independence.
Catron won by forfeit (8-0) over Columbus.
“Garrett is still playing some excellent tennis,” said Lyle Kern, IHS tennis coach. “We had some amazing hustle by all of our players again today.”
Iola’s Drew Smith missed the competition because of illness. So the Mustangs left the No. 2 singles spot open, losing three by forfeits.
Iola’s No. 2 doubles team of Chris Michaels and Zeph Larney netted an 8-1 win over Seth Humble and Aaron Napier of Columbus.
“Zeph and Chris played together for the first time and came away with a win,” Kern said.
They lost 8-1 to Parsons’ Elliot Brewer and David Ellis. Larney and Michaels lost 8-3 to Independence’s Brennan Gordan and Austin Whitson.
Andrew Lowell and Jordan Strickler are playing No. 1 doubles for Iola. They lost 8-1 to Blake Mackeson and Drake Brassart of Columbus.
Lowell and Strickler dropped an 8-6 decision to Parsons’ Dalton and Thatcher Murdock. The Mustang pair took Skye Conley and Zak Wallace of Independence to a tiebreaker and lost 8-7 (7-0).
“Andrew and Jordan are working well together. They just haven’t chalked up a win yet. They will soon,” Kern said.
The Mustangs are idle until Saturday, March 26 when they play in the Neodesha High Invitational.
Mustang tennis team plays home
