Sometimes the opportunity to play tougher competition can benefit a team even if it loses. That was the case in Friday’s tennis match between Durango High School and Class 5A Grand Junction.
The Demons had their hands full and were swept 7-0, providing a late season wake-up call.
“It was a tough day for us,” Durango head coach Dave Weisfeldt said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “Hopefully we can learn from it and rebound (Saturday).”
Durango’s No. 1 singles player, Fred Edwards, took a rare defeat at the hands of Jacob Lapkin, 6-4, 6-2. Alijah Konikowski played well in the No. 2 singles spot but came away defeated by Cal Hegstrom, 6-2, 6-4. Jake Beekman lost at No. 3 singles 6-0, 6-0.
It was no better fate for Durango’s doubles teams.
Will Downs and Boyd Matheson lost 6-0, 6-0 to Grand Junction’s Ian Hegstrom and Matt Miller. The Demons’ No. 2 doubles team of Amon Ledger-Swenson and Nick Chaney-Roberts were on the losing end of a 6-3, 6-2 match against Ryan Bowen and Sam Shaver.
Durango’s Ian Osby and Tommy Rodgers went down 6-2, 6-0 to Colton Prout and Sam Welling, while Luke Meyer and Eno Ulshafer lost 6-0, 6-0 to Elijah Crick and Tommy Mahre.
“It’s good that we can see this type of competition,” Weisfeldt said. “It might not seem like it now, but these are the types of days that make us better.”
The Demons will try to bounce back Saturday at Grand Junction Central.
jfries@durangoherald.com
