Rams’ doubles duos gain experience at state tennis

WATERLOO - Neither of Glenwood’s two doubles teams that reached the Iowa State Tennis Doubles and Singles Tournament are coming home with medals.

But both duos that reached state are coming home with something valuable:
Experience.

“The boys played well at state but ran into teams that went on to win the state title and place fifth,” said Glenwood coach Kevin Tucker. “State was a great warm up for the boys before the team final four. They played against some of the elite players in the state and found they could hang right in there with them.”

The Rams were to play in Tuesday’s Iowa State Dual Tennis Team Championships in Des Moines. Results were not available at press time.

In the doubles tournament Friday and Saturday, the Rams teams of Aaron Bertini and Adam Konfrst and Alex Chekal and Sam Lauritsen opened their brackets strong and focused.

Bertini and Konfrst dominated an opponent they knew well in their opening round match, downing Atlantic’s Grant Podhajsky and Cooper McDermott in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

Chekal and Lauritsen lost their opener to Grinnell’s Jonah Benning-Shorb and Edward Lopatto, 6-3, 6-4. The Ram duo was eliminated in the consolation bracket with a loss to Boone’s Danny Anderson and Ethan Patterson, 7-5, 6-3.    

Bertini and Konfrst battled in the second round match but were defeated 6-0, 6-2 by eventual state champs Thomas Resnick and Luke Fennelly of Davenport Assumption in the second round. Bertini and Konfrst would go on to drop their consolation bracket match to Boone’s Anderson and Patterson,4-6, 6-2, 10-8. The Boone duo would go on to place fifth.

The Rams now turn their eyes to the team championship meet. Glenwood is undefeated in duals this season with a record of 13-0.

“Our team is very solid one through six, we have won 13 duals in a row because of that,” Tucker said. “Now the boys need to just play with confidence and everything will play itself out. The town has supported the boys all year long and the boys want to bring some hardware home for the school.”