Blue Jays fall to Bismarck
The top four tennis teams in the West Region are tough, and Bismarck is one of them. The Demons showed it again Thursday night with a 9-0 win over the Blue Jays, although JHS coach Pat Mullowney liked the way his team played. “There’s no let up with those top four teams,” he said. “They’re just really strong. That’s the way it is. We battled them all the way. I was proud of how our kids played, Bismarck is just tough.”
The top four tennis teams in the West Region are tough, and Bismarck is one of them.
The Demons showed it again Thursday night with a 9-0 win over the Blue Jays, although JHS coach Pat Mullowney liked the way his team played.
“There’s no let up with those top four teams,” he said. “They’re just really strong. That’s the way it is. We battled them all the way. I was proud of how our kids played, Bismarck is just tough.”
Mandan, Minot, Bismarck Century and Bismarck High have each beaten Jamestown, Dickinson and Williston 9-0 this season, although the Blue Jays did give the Demons a good run in a non conference match earlier in the season, 4-3.
“We’ve come a long way since week 1. This is week 6 and I think we’re playing our best tennis,” Mullowney said. “Tonight, I thought we played well in singles. We didn’t end up getting the result we wanted, but it wasn’t because we played poorly.”
Nick Watne was one point away (5-4, 40-0) from taking the first set from Willi Ulness at No. 1 singles, but couldn’t quite finish it off.
“Nick’s playing some real strong tennis right now. He’s on the edge of breaking through,” Mullowney said.
Declan O’Higgins, Braydon Love, Ashton Johnson and Nate Soulis also had moments in their matches. Freshman Nick Fuchs took the middle set at No. 6, but David Keys won in three.
Fuchs and Johnson teamed to win the opening set at No. 3 doubles, but Bismarck’s duet surrendered just two games in the final two sets to win in three.
The Blue Jays wrap up the regular season on Saturday, hosting Dickinson at 1 p.m. The West Region tournament begins Thursday in Minot.
Bismarck 9, JHS 0
Singles
No. 1: Willi Ulness, BHS def. Nick Watne, 7-5, 6-1.
No. 2: Jaden Wirringa, BHS def. Declan O’Higgins 6-1, 6-2.
No. 3: Austin Meuchel, BHS, def. Braydon Love, 6-4. 6-2.
No. 4: Jared Spooner, BHS def. Ashton Johnson, 6-3, 6-1.
No. 5: Andrew Krechlau, BHS def. Nate Soulis, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 6: David Keys, BHS def. Nick Fuchs, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-1.
Doubles
No. 1: Ulness/Spooner, BHS def. Watne/O’Higgins, 6-2, 6-0.
No. 2: Wirringa/Meuchel, BHS def. Love/Soulis 6-0, 6-0.
No. 3: Keys/Krechlau, BHS def. Johnson/Fuchs, 6-7 (3), 6-0, 6-2.
— Dave Selvig
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