Mexico’s tennis squad compiled their first winning season in two decades. They earned second in conference and second in districts.
But they ran into the Colonels three times. And the last …
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Mexico’s tennis squad compiled their first winning season in two decades. They earned second in conference and second in districts.
But they ran into the Colonels three times. And the last encounter ended their season.
Missouri Military Academy swept the Bulldogs 5-0 on Wednesday evening at the Fairgrounds Park courts to claim the Class 1 District 7 title. Gorka Yarte’s win over Bryson Stuehmer in the six slot sealed the championship for MMA.
“I know how he serves,” Yarte pointed out. “It turned out pretty good.”
In the district team format, play ends when one team reaches five wins. The Colonels blanked Mexico in the doubles round to go in front 3-0.
MMA’s nearly unstoppable number one Isaac Way dispatched Randy Hernandez to put the match on the brink.
“He’s the best player I’ve played by far,” Hernandez observed. “He gets your brain working.”
Despite the lopsided outcome, singles play was close for the most part. Mexico’s Ryan Pemberton battled MMA’s Oscar Lopez to a tiebreaker in the first set and was even in the second. The Bulldogs’ Haden Frazier was locked in a see-saw struggle against Simon Way.
And things were also in doubt between Carter McIntosh, Mexico’s number three, and the Colonels’ Marco Tavarez – at least for a time.
“He just kicked on the afterburners,” McIntosh said. “They’re good – they go deep.”
Pemberton says he gathered from the action on nearby courts that play was tight. If district assignments had been different, the Bulldogs might have been in line for a title.
“It just happens to be a really good MMA team,” he added.
Mexico wraps up the season 9-7 as a team, with three of those losses at the hands of their cross town rivals.
“It’s our first winning season in 20 years,” Hernandez said. “It’s something to be proud of.”
“We just had a lot of fun,” Pemberton added. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group.”
The Colonels are 12-0 heading into sectionals.
Isaac Way anticipates stiff competition. He hopes to pick up his game from districts.
“I wasn’t getting the feel of the ball,” he explained. “It’s all about the mind. I just have to keep improving.”
