CHANUTE — The Iola High tennis team took third place at Chanute Wednesday.
The Mustang duo of Kyndal Bycroft and Harper Desmarteau earned a first place finish while Keira Fawson also took home first place in singles action.
“It was a great day for tennis,” Iola head coach Chris Belknap said. “The weather was perfect and the wind didn’t make it impossible to play. Win or lose, as long as we’re trying our best and bringing something off the court to work on at practice, I’m happy.”
Fawson started her day by taking down Labette County’s Lily Beery, 8-7, before defeating Neodesha’s Callie Parrett, 8-1. She then defeated Columbus’ Hailey Ediger, 8-0, before falling to Chanute’s Ella Guernsey, 8-4.
“Keira is doing well so far this year. We are working on playing more aggressively and I am pushing for her to charge the net more often for faster points,” Belknap said.
Rebekah Coltrane won two of her four matches. She first lost to Labette County’s Hilary Byrd, 8-3, before beating Neodesha’s Madison McClanahan, 8-0. Coltrane won her third match over Columbus’ Paige Kueser, 8-3, before losing to Chanute’s Faith Fewins, 8-2.
In doubles action, Bycroft and Desmarteau stumbled to Labette County’s Madison Bevans and Kaitlyn Carson, 8-7, before they took down Neodesha’s Maggie Chandler and Rose Imhoff, 8-2.
The duo won their final two matches including an 8-3 victory over Columbus’ Chloe Ash and Meagan Hosier and then an 8-4 win over Chanute’s Ava Campbell and Laynie Jones, 8-4.
“They are playing very well together,” said Belknap. “Harper is becoming more aggressive at the net and that will help win a lot of doubles. The team is having to fight for playing positions since we have 15 on the roster and only six varsity and six JV positions are open.”
Iola’s duo of Molly Riebel and Melanie Palmer couldn’t pick up a win.
The pair lost to Labette County’s Amelia Carnahan and Alice Carnahan, 8-0; to Neodesha’s McKenzi Murrson and Abby White, 8-1; to Columbus’ Macey Allison and Lizzy Welch, 8-3, and to Chanute’s Willow Vaughn and Gracie Wheeler, 8-1.
Iola traveled to Independence on Thursday. Results were not available at the time of publication.
