Finish is Tigers’ best in four years

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

WAUSAU — Marshfield’s No. 2 doubles team of Jared Draxler and Ayush Shukla won the championship in a three-set tiebreaker, and the Tigers finished in a tie for second at the 2016 Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Tennis Tournament on Thursday at Wausau East and West high schools.

Draxler and Shukla defeated Shia Vang and Lucas Ratanawang of Wausau East 7-5, 2-6, 10-6 to claim the conference championship and help the Tigers to 22 points, which was tied for second with Stevens Point.

Wausau East won the tournament title with 25 points and — combined with its dual meet points — won the overall WVC championship, its first since 2011. Stevens Point had won the previous four and 11 of the last 12 conference titles.

Marshfield’s second-place finish is its best since taking second in 2012.

Marshfield’s No. 1 doubles team of Evan Fait and Derek Reckner finished second, losing in the championship match to Wausau West’s Ben Nichols and Ben Reich 6-3, 7-5.

Craig Paulman was second at No. 4 singles, losing in the title match to Stevie Hanzlik of Wisconsin Rapids 6-0, 6-4, and the No. 3 doubles team of of Isaac Houk and Luke Kaiser also placed second for Marshfield, falling in the championship match to Stephen Martell and Mario Duwe of Wausau East 6-4, 6-4.

Freshman Sam Haessly took third at No. 3 singles for the Tigers, winning the third-place match over Marcus Bean of Wisconsin Rapids 6-2, 6-3.

Marshfield will compete in the WIAA Division 1 subsectionals Monday at Tomah.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

2016 Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Tennis Tournament

May 19, at Wausau East & West high schools

Team scores: 1. Wausau East 25; 2. Marshfield and Stevens Point 22; 4. Wausau West 20; 5. Wisconsin Rapids 19; 6. D.C. Everest 4.

No. 1 singles
Championship: Dane Steidl (WR) def. Jon Peck (SP) 1-6, 6-2, 15-13; Third place: Sawyer Schlindwein (WE) def. Luke Bailey (WW) 6-1, 6-1; Fifth place: Justin Twardowski (MAR) def. Ilias Ouertani (DC) 4-6, 6-1, 10-7.

No 2 singles
Championship: Adam Schneider (WE) def. Thomas Hardy (SP) 6-2, 6-1; Third place: Ryan Graczkowski (WR) def. David Richetto (WW) 6-4, 6-2; Fifth place: Eli Lee (DC) def. John Weisenberger (MAR) 6-0, 6-1.

No. 3 singles
Championship: Jon Richetto (WW) def. Patrick Hefferan (SP) 6-3, 6-3; Third place: Sam Haessly (MAR) def. Marcus Bean (WR) 6-2, 6-3; Fifth place: Tyler Neill (DC) def. Miles Stifler 6-2, 6-2.

No. 4 singles
Championship: Stevie Hanzlik (WR) def. Craig Paulman (MAR) 6-0, 6-4; Third place: Tate Raumen (WW) def. Gray Chlahessy (WE) 6-2, 6-0; Fifth place: Ryan Begley (DC) def. Kyler Smigaj (SP) 6-3, 6-0.

No. 1 doubles
Championship: Ben Nichols-Ben Reich (WW) def. Evan Fait-Derek Reckner (MAR) 6-3, 7-5; Third place: Keachy Chang-Isaac Stine (WE) def. Garrek Wierzba-Grant Czaikowski (SP) 6-0, 7-5; Fifth place: Mitch Hruska-Isaac Vanderwaal (DC) def. Josh Beyer-Shane Glinski (WR) 6-4, 7-5.

No. 2 doubles
Championship: Jared Draxler-Ayush Shukla (MAR) def. Shia Vang-Lucas Ratanawang (WE) 7-5, 2-6, 10-6; Third place: Jack Kiiskila-Trevin Bonkoski (WR) def. Carter Smigaj-Angis Blackman (SP) 6-1, 3-6, 11-9; Fifth place: Tim Cornish-Preston Pagel (DC) def. Jordan Kowalski-Feuchi Yang (WW) 6-4, 6-2.

No. 3 doubles
Championship: Stephen Martell-Mario Duwe (WE) def. Isaac Houk-Luke Kaiser (MAR) 6-4, 6-4; Third place: Danny Cornish-James Radloff (DC) def. Luke Halversen-Ben Brown (WW) 6-1, 7-5; Fifth place: John Nigon-Read Zirnhelt (WR) def. Joe Dickelman-Ethan Whitmarsh (SP) 4-6, 7-6, 10-8.

Overall team standings (including dual meet points): 1. Wausau East 73; 2. Marshfield and Wausau West 62; 4. Wisconsin Rapids 57; 5. Stevens Point 54; 6. D.C. Everest 14.