The host Eagles finished fourth at their own Joplin Invitational boys tennis tournament on Friday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
“As a team, we were one match away from finishing in third, which was won by Glendale,” Joplin coach Aaron Stump said. “We played a tight match against them, going 2-3.”
Branson was the team champion after going 22-3 on the day, while Willard took second with a 20-5 mark. Glendale was third after going 12-12, with Joplin fourth at 11-14, Clever fifth (5-20) and the Joplin JV sixth (4-21).
Joplin’s Adam Badr was the runner-up at No. 1 singles.
“Adam had the best performance for our team today, going 4-1,” Stump said. “His only loss was to Caden Lingenfelser from Willard. Adam was hitting his serves well and played out great points throughout the day.”
Badr defeated Branson’s Jack Dawson 6-4, beat Clever’s Cade Clements 6-1, defeated Glendale’s Eli Hancock 6-2, suffered a 6-1 loss to Lingenfelser and beat Joplin JV’s Oscar Kienzle 6-3.
At No. 2 singles, Joplin’s Josiah Hazlewood went 2-3.
Hazlewood beat Clever’s Triston Keithly 6-0 and he topped Joplin JV’s Landon White 6-1.
Hazlewood took a 6-0 loss to Branson’s Ben Merrifield, had a 6-3 setback to Glendale’s Carson Johnson and suffered a hard-fought 7-6 (7-5) loss to Willard’s Brigham Thedell.
At No. 3 singles, Joplin’s Leif Garrity won two matches.
Garrity beat Clever’s Greg West 6-0 and then won his match against Joplin JV’s Griffan Keller by default.
Branson’s Preston Volz defeated Garrity 6-2, Glendale’s Tilio Levy topped Garrity 6-4 and Willard’s Gabe Hernandez beat Garrity 6-4.
Joplin’s No. 1 doubles team of Michael Mancipe and Hunter Merkley went 1-4.
The Eagles lost to Branson 6-0, suffered a 6-2 loss to Clever, fell 7-5 to Glendale and lost 6-0 to Willard. Mancipe-Merkley defeated Joplin JV’s Cooper Burrow-Zekir Ajruloski 6-2.
Joplin’s No. 2 doubles team of Roman Venturella and Chapel Braman went 3-2.
The Eagles edged Clever’s Jason Williams-Kadon Smith 7-5, beat Glendale’s Connor Cook-Carter Roberts 6-3 and beat the Joplin JV by default.
The Eagles lost to Branson 6-0 and suffered a 6-2 setback to Willard.
The Joplin JV squad earned four wins.
At No. 1 singles, Joplin JV’s Kienzle defeated Glendale’s Hancock 7-6 and topped Clever’s Clements 6-2.
White earned a 6-2 win over Clever’s Keithly, while Kellar beat Clever’s West 6-2.
Willard’s Lingenfelser won the No. 1 singles bracket, Branson’s Merrifield won the No. 2 singles bracket and Branson’s Volz was the top performer at No. 3 singles.
The top No. 1 doubles team was Willard’s Seth Miller-Dawson Amstutz, while Branson’s Heath Stark-Zach Zander were the top No. 2 doubles team.
