PITTSBURG — Iola High’s Mustangs were 1-2 in those “play-in” matches at Thursday’s Southeast Kansas League tennis tournament. It was the final SEK tournament for Iola, which becomes a member of the Pioneer League next year.
Juniors Zeph Larney and Jordan Strickler began the 2012 season as the No. 1 and No. 2 singles players for the Mustangs. They switched to play No. 1 doubles the past few weeks.
Larney and Strickler netted an 8-6 victory in the No. 1 doubles division’s play-in match Thursday. They beat Connor Traxon and Caleb Webster of Labette County to move into the tournament.
Independence High’s Gavin Webster and Tyler Posch shut out the Iola pair, 8-0. Larney and Strickler dropped an 8-1 decision to Kyle Altic and Bryce Daly of Fort Scott.
They lost 8-5 to Andrew McClean and Blake Mackenson of Columbus.
Iola’s No. 2 doubles team of juniors Stephen McDonald and Hayden Wolf came up just short of moving into the tournament. McDonald and Wolf lost 8-6 to Columbus’ Ross Westervelt and Aaron Napier.
Drew Smith, another junior, played as Iola’s No. 1 singles player. Smith dropped an 8-0 decision to Fort Scott’s Austin Sather.
The Mustangs prepare for next week’s Kansas Class 4A Regional Tennis Tournament at Chanute.
Mustang head coach Lyle Kern said Larney and Strickler decided to play singles at regional.
