Missouri Military Academy wins Round 1 vs Capital City 6-3

Missouri Military Academy tennis won this round against Capital City.

The Colonels (2-1) defeated the Cavaliers (2-1) 6-3 at home on Thursday before they're scheduled to face them again in early May before districts. 

"They were a great team to see early in the season giving us a great challenge, keeping our motivations engaged moving forward," head coach Brad Smith said. "Thanks to this match, we will be able to visualize quality tennis in our practices and continue to grow."

In singles, Gorka Yarte won 8-3, Francisco De La Maza won 8-2, Nathan Dempsey won 8-4 and Temuulen Manlai won 8-0. The team's No. 1 junior varsity player Manlai stepped in for Ernesto De La Maza, who hurt his hand in doubles, won his first varsity match in what was the second time he's had to play up in varsity.

In doubles, Yarte and Francisco De La Maza won their match 8-5 while Dempsey and Ernesto De La Maza won 8-4.

MMA hosts Kirksville (1-0) at 4:30 p.m. April 4.

MMA splits first two matches against Hickman, Columbia Independent

Missouri Military Academy began the season with a tough loss but bounced back quickly.

MMA lost a 6-3 home match to Hickman on March 17, dropping all three doubles matches but losing two via tiebreakers. The Class 2 Colonels, who finished fourth in Class 1 a year ago, went to Columbia Independent on Monday to win 8-1.

MMA went 3-3 in the singles matches, with Gorka Yarte, Francisco De La Maza and Nathan Dempsey winning matches each by the score of 8-5. Dempsey and Samuel Way lost a tight 8-6 doubles contest, but the MMA pairs of Yarte and Patricio Bravo Knobloch and Francisco and Ernesto De La Maza each came closer. Yarte and Bravo lost their match 9-8, losing the tiebreaker 9-7, and the De La Mazas lost their match 9-8 after dropping a 7-5 tiebreaker.

“We could have just as easily won this match as we lost,” head coach Brad Smith said. “We played very tough matches with the overall match lasting just over three hours. Hickman has a strong team this year and we are grateful to see high level tennis early in the season.”

Against Columbia Independent, MMA won five of six singles matches, with Yarte, Way, Dempsey and both De La Mazas coming out victorious. Dempsey and the De La Mazas each won via a score of 8-0, and Yarte and Way each posted 8-3 scores. Smith said the Colonels’ No. 1 junior varsity player Temuulen Manlai had to be substituted into the No. 1 match for Bravo because of sickness and did well, falling short 8-6.

In doubles, MMA swept all three matches, with Bravo and Yarte winning 8-3, Way and Francisco De La Maza winning 8-2, and Dempsey and Ernesto De La Maza each picking up their second 8-0 victory of the day.

“After losing to Hickman last week, we were ready to come back strong and really show our brand of tennis,” Smith said. “A confident showing, all of our matches showed how hungry we are to win, trying to achieve similar results to last year, even though we are in a new class and district.”

MMA (2-1) won 6-3 Thursday at home against Capital City (2-1).

Mexico loses opening match to Jefferson City

After waiting a day, Mexico boys tennis finally started the season.

The Bulldogs lost a home match 9-0 to Jefferson City on Wednesday after the match was postponed on Tuesday due to weather.

The results of the matches were 8-0 and 8-1 much of the time, but Brendan McKeown competed to the closest margins for varsity. He lost his singles match 8-5 and also dropped his doubles match by the same score with partner Declan Gleeson.

On junior varsity, Quaid Grubb took a couple doubles sets with Trevor Wright, winning 6-2, during one match and Skyler Shaw during another, winning 6-5. Brennan Beasley and Carter Blackburn also won a set 6-2.