Cardinals making progress, lose to Norwalk

Progress is being made on the tennis courts by Newton High’s boys.

“Our scores don’t always show it, but we continue to get better after each and every meet,” said Nick Hoskins, Newton head coach. “One thing has stayed the same, however, the boys’ attitudes. They have remained upbeat and are having a lot of fun this season.”

The Cardinals dropped a home Little Hawkeye Conference dual, 9-2, to Norwalk Monday. Newton drops to 0-5 overall and 0-4 in conference action.

Newton plays a non-conference dual at Des Moines North Tuesday.

The Cardinals’ Joe Stammeyer netted a tiebreaker win at No. 2 singles. Stammeyer pushed out quickly for a first set win against Norwalk’s Andrew Clark then had to battle in a close second set. Stammeyer came through with a big 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) win.

Newton got a three-set tiebreaker win in doubles action. James Trettin and Jared Griffin were tied one set each with Norwalk’s Clark and Colton Chambers in the No. 2 doubles match. Trettin and Griffin won the tiebreaker to put up a 6-3, 6-2, 10-8 win.

“Jared and James were solid today, pulling out a win in the No. 2 spot in the third-set tiebreaker,” Hoskins said. “Joe played well tonight.”

At No. 1 singles, Newton’s John Trettin dropped a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 decision to Jackson Wright and James Trettin lost 6-4, 6-3 to Zach Coote of Norwalk at No. 3 singles. Griffin lost 6-0, 6-1 to Trey Sievers at No. 4 singles.

Newton’s Reid Miller dropped a 6-0, 6-4 decision to Noah Daniels in the No. 5 singles match. At No 6 singles, Chambers handed Newton’s Seamus Vandemore at 6-3, 6-2 setback.

“John had a rough start, getting behind in the first set 1-4. but he quickly recovered to force a tiebreaker in the first set and fell just short,” Hoskins said.

John Trettin and Stammeyer came up short in the No. 1 doubles match against Norwalk’s Wright and Daniels, 6-4, 6-3. Miller and Vandemore lost 6-0, 6-0 to Coote and Sievers at No. 3 doubles.

“Joe and John continue to show improvement playing together at the No. 1 spot in doubles,” Hoskins said.

Newton’s Mike McKinney and Jonah Keeton went to a tiebreaker in the first set and lost. Norwalk’s Michael Madison and Collin Kilgore pulled out a 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 win at No. 4 doubles.

At No. 5 doubles, Newton’s Parker Schuster and Nick Geerlings lost 6-2, 6-1 to Norwalk’s Alex Fee and Doug Stanley.