By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
To say the Cheney boys tennis team had a good week last week might be something of an understatement.
The Blackhawks lost just one match in knocking off both Deer Park and Riverside to run their Great Northern League mark to 3-0. The Hawks had no trouble last Tuesday downing the Stags, 7-0, and kept up their momentum with a 6-1 win against the Rams, Thursday.
David Denenny coupled consistent groundstrokes with a new serve to knock off Jason Henning in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 1 singles while Tanner Bennett overcame some first game timing issues to down Cody Chambers 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2. Aaron Pollock attacked the net aggressively and used good angles on his volleys to beat Dayne Brunell 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3, while Justin Bockstruck mixed shots well, and used a solid two-handed backhand in downing Heath Sherman 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4.
Tanner Tait and Paul Kauwe were clicking on all cylinders in the No. 1 doubles match with Matt O'Brien and Blake Harlan, downing the Stags duo in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. James Higuera and Henrik Flygare used good net play and strong overhand put away shots to win their second match as the No. 2 doubles team, easily beating Tim Greene and Greg Sherman, 6-1, 6-2, while Marco Bertone and Zac Malik wrapped things up with a solid overall match in beating Avery Thagbert and Ryan wolf, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3.
Thursday at home against the Rams it was pretty much a repeat performance. Denenny rallied from a 0-3 deficit to win the first set against Marton Ruby at No. 1 singles, and was up 2-0 in the second when the Rams Hungarian-exchange student changed his game, pulling back a bit and committing fewer errors.
“That's where the match turned the other way,” Cheney head coach Jesse Erickson said.
Ruby captured the second set 6-3, and had Denenny down 2-5 in the third before the sophomore rallied to close to within 4-5, but suffered a service break in losing the final set 4-6 and the match.
“They both played great tennis,” Erickson said. “It was a great match – two and a half plus hours.”
Bennett also started slow at No. 2 singles, but found his groove quicker than against Deer Park, rallying from 2-3 in the first set to breeze to an easy 6-3, 6-2 win over Eric Sager. Pollack showed improved court position and used a solid ground game to beat Jacob Bolton 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3.
“That was probably the best I have ever seen him,” Erickson said of the senior. “He played great.”
Bockstruck wrapped up singles competition with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ryan Major at No. 4. In doubles play, Tait and Kauwe whitewashed brothers Trevor and Troy Larson, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1; Higuera and Flygare showed their chemistry is continuing to improve in a 6-0, 6-3 win over Alex Angel and Lowman Cole at No. 2 while Bertone and Malik overcame some first set errors with better consistency in a 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 win over Jordan Powell and Isaac Glenmaker at No. 3.
Cheney continues GNL play this week, facing Clarkston at home on Thursday in the Hawks only action.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com
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