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Tennis: Esky edges Negaunee to win Kingsford Invitational tourney

West Iron County No. 1 singles Neil Tomasoski returns a shot Saturday in the Kingsford Invitational boys tennis tournament. (Burt Angeli/The Daily News)

KINGSFORD — Escanaba edged Negaunee to win the Kingsford Invitational boys tennis tournament on Saturday.

The Eskymos, who took three of four doubles divisions, posted 18 points in beating the Miners with 17. The host Flivvers took third with 15.

Escanaba won at No. 2 singles with Josh Grassel. The Eskymos also captured No. 1 doubles Paul Carne-Nick Dufour, No. 2 doubles Addam Claes-Branden Kangas and No. 4 doubles Max Shariff-Dylan Rosenfeldt.

“It was extremely close all day,” said Kingsford coach Mark Shanks. “There was a lot of three-set matches and tiebreakers.”

The six teams were divided into two pools — Escanaba, Kingsford and Iron Mountain in one; Negaunee, West Iron County and Menominee in the other. After two dual matches in pool play, the players had cross-over matches with the top individuals and doubles competing.

“Everybody gets three matches,” Shanks said. “This shows true team strength. On this day, Escanaba and Negaunee were a little stronger than us.”

The Flivvers (7-1-1) beat Iron Mountain and lost to Escanaba in the duals. The Flivvers did not have their No. 1 doubles available and the other doubles moved up a flight.

Kingsford captured No. 1 singles with Alek Shanks and No. 3 singles with Nick McCole. Mikhal Roell was runner-up at No. 4 singles.

Flivvers No. 3 doubles Reece Fortner-Ethan Fox took second. Matt Moreau and Nick Murvich moved from junior varsity to No. 4 doubles and won two matches.

West Iron No. 1 doubles Brandon Henschel-Kevin Ballinger lost in the finals.

Here are the tournament results:

Standings — Escanaba 18, Negaunee 17, Kingsford 15, West Iron County 10, Menominee 9, Iron Mountain 3

SINGLES — 1. Alek Shanks, K, def. Jon Antilla, M, 6-4, 4-6, 10-2; 2. Josh Grassel, E, def. Luke Skewis, N, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 10-7; 3. Nick McCole, K,, def. Levi Kempka, M, 2-6, 6-1, 10-7; 4. Chas Kumpula, N, def. Mikhal Roell, K, 6-2, 6-3.

DOUBLES — 1. Paul Carne-Nick Dufour, E, def. Brandon Henschel-Kevin Ballinger, WIC, 5-7 6-2 10-8; 2. Addam Claes-Branden Kangas, E, def. Drew Lindberg-Jakson Sager, N, 6-4, 6-1; 3. Jacob Talaga-Darius Provost, N, def. Reece Fortner-Ethan Fox, K, 7-5, 7-5; 4. Max Shariff-Dylan Rosenfeldt, E, def. Jake Larson-Evan Hassell, N, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3).

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