Blue Jays top Dickinson

The Jamestown High School tennis team will head into postseason play with some momentum.

The Blue Jays won five of six singles matches and two of three in doubles en route to a convincing 7-2 win over Dickinson on Saturday afternoon at Bolinger Courts.

“It was a good team win. We’re definitely pleased to get in the win column,” JHS coach Pat Mullowney said. “We’ve taken some lumps through the course of the season, but our guys are learning to win and it was good to see them get over the hump.”

Braydon Love, Ashton Johnson, Nate Soulis and Nick Fuchs each went 2-0 on the day.

“We would have liked to have gotten a few more (wins) along the way, but we’re young as far as playing experience and I’m proud of the way the kids have worked and improved,” Mullowney said. “They’re getting experience. There’s no substitute for playing.”

Nick Watne, the Blue Jays’ No. 1 singles player, won a tough first set over Hunter Jerome (7-5), but then put it away quickly in the second, 6-1.

“Nick’s playing some really good tennis,” Mullowney said.

Love was “in command” from start to finish in a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 3 over Kevin Schwab.

The victories by Johnson and Soulis were the first varsity wins for each. Johnson and Fuchs did not drop a single game.

“It’s no easy feat getting singles wins in the West Region,” Mullowney said. “They’ve persevered all year and went out and got one.”

Declan O’Higgins nearly made it a clean sweep in singles, but lost the last two sets after taking a 1-0 lead at No. 2.

“(Alex) Priebe is a pretty good player. Declan played well. It was a fun match to watch,” Mullowney said.

In the two Jays’ doubles wins, Dickinson won just five games combined. Love and Soulis sailed 6-1, 6-2, while Johnson and Fuchs surrendered just two games total.

The Blue Jays will be the No. 6 seed for the team portion of the West Region meet, which begins Thursday in Bismarck. Individual play will be held Friday and Saturday with eight singles players and eight doubles teams advancing to the state meet Oct. 4-6 also in Bismarck.

Jamestown 7, Dickinson 2

Singles

No. 1: Nick Watne, JHS def. Hunter Jerome, 7-5, 6-1.

No. 2: Alex Priebe, DHS def. Declan O’Higgins, 3-6 6-1, 6-3.

No. 3: Braydon Love, JHS def. Kevin Schwab, 6-1, 6-1.

No. 4: Ashton Johnson, JHS def. Jakob Schmidt, 6-0. 6-0.

No. 5: Nate Soulis, JHS def. Tyus Praus, 6-1. 6-4.

No. 6: Nick Fuchs, JHS def. Johnathon Griffeth, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles

No. 1: Jerome/Priebe, def. Watne/O’Higgins, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.

No. 2: Love/Soulis def. Schwab/Griffith, 6-1, 6-2.

No. 3: Johnson/Fuchs def. Schmidt/Praus, 6-0, 6-2.

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at dselvig@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, jays, tennis