Depth and experience helped the Hotchkiss tennis team beat Durango High School 5-2 on Friday in Delta.
“That’s the first time I can remember (losing to them),” DHS head coach Dave Weisfeldt said. “Hotchkiss has a lot of seniors, and the experience wore down our doubles.”
Fred Edwards started DHS off with a win at No. 1 singles 6-0, 6-1 against Azure Eller.
“He cruised without too many problems,” Weisfeldt said.
Drew Downs, the normal No. 2 singles player for DHS, didn’t make the trip with the team because of the American Collegiate Testing exam. Easton Verduzco stepped in.
He lost 6-0, 6-2 to Luke Yerion.
“He picked up valuable experience,” Weisfeldt said of Verduzco. “He was playing way up in the lineup from where he normally sees as an alternate.”
Alijah Konikowski lost 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 in a supertiebreaker that was used instead of a third set to Enoch Kropp.
“He played, I think, phenomenally well, given his opponent,” Weisfeldt said.
Jake Schanfarber and Gavin Syme lost 6-0, 6-1 to Kaleb Bayles and Nick Cambria at No. 1 doubles.
At No. 2 doubles, Will Downs and Micah Hwang lost 6-3, 6-1 to Eddie Cambria and Ulises Mendoza.
There also was a change for DHS at No. 3 doubles.
Blaise Paige teamed with Corbin Reiter instead of his usual partner Riley Wanzek, who also stayed at home for the ACT.
Paige and Reiter lost 6-3, 6-2 to Keegan Burke and Ethan Eller.
“They got games for the first time playing together,” Weisfeldt said. “I’m hoping they gained momentum for the tournament.
No. 4 doubles provided Durango’s other bright spot.
Jake Beekman and Amon Ledger-Swenson beat Eli Etter and Isaac van Horn 7-5, 6-0.
“It was a matter of them settling down,” Weisfeldt said. “Getting off the bus and warming up, they were slow to get into the match. Late in the first set, they settled down and knew where to hit it.”
Weisfeldt said they reduced the number of unforced errors they hit late in the first set and into the second set.
The Demons will stay in Delta for the next couple days to compete at the Delta Invitational.
With eight teams competing, DHS will aim for a second- or third-place finish.
“(Losing to) Hotchkiss was kind of a surprise. That gives us an extra level of competition that we weren’t expecting and we haven’t seen,” Weisfeldt said. “That complicates the calculus of our brackets. It’ll be an interesting mix.”
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
