April 23, 2024

Newton boys are fifth at LHC tournament

By Jocelyn Sheets

Newton’s Jon Vitek hits a forehand shot in a doubles match at the Little Hawkeye Conference meet at Pella Christian High School on Tuesday in Pella. Vitek and Ben Van Dalen finished fifth in No. 1 doubles at the conference meet. (Ben Schuff)

PELLA — Four fives on the day for Newton’s Cardinal boys in Little Hawkeye Conference tennis tournament action. The Cardinals finished fifth as a team at Tuesday’s tournament hosted by Pella Christian.

Newton’s No. 2 singles player, No. 1 doubles team and No. 2 doubles team ended the day with wins in the fifth-place matches in their respective divisions. Chas Antle reached the No. 1 singles’ fifth-place match and lost.

Antle dropped a 6-2, 6-2 decision to Adam Vanersvelde of Grinnell in the first round. In the fifth-place match, he lost 6-2, 6-4 to Jimmy Brown of Oskaloosa.

Joe Stammeyer played No. 2 singles for the Cardinals. After losing 6-2, 6-0 to Jackson Wright of Norwalk, Stammeyer decked Gerrit Van Maanen of Oskaloosa, 6-1, 6-0, to claim fifth place.

Jon Vitek and Ben Van Dalen claimed a hard-fought fifth-place match against Brandon Denhartog and Dakota McBurney of Oskaloosa. The Newton No. 1 doubles pair won 7-5, 6-3. They lost in the opening round, 6-2, 6-0, to Kirk Rudolph and Jonah Benning-Shorb of Grinnell.

In No. 2 doubles play, Newton’s Brian Jones and Alex Cron went to a third-set tiebreaker to claim fifth place. Jones and Cron beat Oskaloosa’s Griffen Wonderlich and Samuel Ginaven, 6-2, 4-7, 10-6.

Jones and Cron lost their first match , 6-2, 6-4, to Colby Jones and Bradne DeLong of Knoxville.

Newton moves into postseason play Thursday. The Cardinals play in a Class 2A district tournament at West Des Moines Valley High School. Also in the district are Ankeny, Des Moines Lincoln, Des Moines North and Southeast Polk.