MADISON - The top three singles players for the Monroe boys tennis team and one doubles team are still in contention for championships at the Badger Conference tournament.
Monroe jumped ahead of Oregon to move into second place in the Badger South Conference race. Madison Edgewood leads Monroe 26-20, followed by Stoughton (18) and Oregon (16) after Friday's first round of the tournament at the University of Wisconsin's Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
"We jumped ahead of Oregon for now," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "We need to keep it up in day two. Oregon and Stoughton are right behind us so we need to get some wins day two to get some more points for the team."
Monroe senior Taylor Soddy at No. 1 singles, sophomore Kevin Noriega and sophomore Matt Monahan at No. 3 singles each advanced to today's semifinals. The Cheesemakers' No. 2 doubles team of senior Josh Riese and junior Mark Jenson as well as the No. 3 doubles team of Vince Wartenweiler and Jared Nix also advanced to the semifinals.
After a first-round bye, Soddy at No. 1 singles defeated Sauk Prairie's Sterling Walsh 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-4.
"It wasn't Taylor's best day of tennis today, but in the tournament setting the only important thing is to win and move on," Saugstad said.
Noriega at No. 2 singles, after a first-round bye, defeated Portage's Jack Narel 6-1, 6-2. At No. 3 singles, Monahan defeated Portage's David Johnson 6-2, 6-0 and then beat Fort Atkinson's Owen Kirkeby 6-3, 6-2.
Monroe sophomore Jeremy Miller lost a first-round match to Fort Atkinson's Justin Gdaniec 6-7 (5), 6-2, 10-4. The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of Kevin Kohlstedt and Jess Hager defeated Fort Atkinson's top duo 6-2, 6-1. Kohlstedt and Hager then lost to No. 1 seed Cody Mack and Tyler Ballweg of Sauk Prairie, 6-3, 6-3.
"Sauk Prairie has a very good team," Saugstad said. "Kohlstedt and Hager fought hard and won a lot of points. They just struggled to win the big momentum-changing points."
Riese and Jenson at No. 2 doubles defeated Portage's team 6-2, 6-1. They then edged Madison Edgewood in three sets 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.
"Mark and Josh had a great day," Saugstad said. "They played with such energy and intensity against the higher-seeded Edgewood. These two guys wanted that win so bad and they really rose to the occasion. I don't know if I have ever seen them play better."
At No. 3 doubles, Vince Wartenweiler and Jared Nix knocked off Portage in the first round 6-0, 6-2. Wartenweiler and Nix then lost to Waunakee 7-5, 6-1.
"Vince and Jared played a nice first round and played a good first set against Waunakee," Saugstad said. "Waunakee started putting up more lobs and we just couldn't stick with them."
Monroe jumped ahead of Oregon to move into second place in the Badger South Conference race. Madison Edgewood leads Monroe 26-20, followed by Stoughton (18) and Oregon (16) after Friday's first round of the tournament at the University of Wisconsin's Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
"We jumped ahead of Oregon for now," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "We need to keep it up in day two. Oregon and Stoughton are right behind us so we need to get some wins day two to get some more points for the team."
Monroe senior Taylor Soddy at No. 1 singles, sophomore Kevin Noriega and sophomore Matt Monahan at No. 3 singles each advanced to today's semifinals. The Cheesemakers' No. 2 doubles team of senior Josh Riese and junior Mark Jenson as well as the No. 3 doubles team of Vince Wartenweiler and Jared Nix also advanced to the semifinals.
After a first-round bye, Soddy at No. 1 singles defeated Sauk Prairie's Sterling Walsh 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-4.
"It wasn't Taylor's best day of tennis today, but in the tournament setting the only important thing is to win and move on," Saugstad said.
Noriega at No. 2 singles, after a first-round bye, defeated Portage's Jack Narel 6-1, 6-2. At No. 3 singles, Monahan defeated Portage's David Johnson 6-2, 6-0 and then beat Fort Atkinson's Owen Kirkeby 6-3, 6-2.
Monroe sophomore Jeremy Miller lost a first-round match to Fort Atkinson's Justin Gdaniec 6-7 (5), 6-2, 10-4. The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of Kevin Kohlstedt and Jess Hager defeated Fort Atkinson's top duo 6-2, 6-1. Kohlstedt and Hager then lost to No. 1 seed Cody Mack and Tyler Ballweg of Sauk Prairie, 6-3, 6-3.
"Sauk Prairie has a very good team," Saugstad said. "Kohlstedt and Hager fought hard and won a lot of points. They just struggled to win the big momentum-changing points."
Riese and Jenson at No. 2 doubles defeated Portage's team 6-2, 6-1. They then edged Madison Edgewood in three sets 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.
"Mark and Josh had a great day," Saugstad said. "They played with such energy and intensity against the higher-seeded Edgewood. These two guys wanted that win so bad and they really rose to the occasion. I don't know if I have ever seen them play better."
At No. 3 doubles, Vince Wartenweiler and Jared Nix knocked off Portage in the first round 6-0, 6-2. Wartenweiler and Nix then lost to Waunakee 7-5, 6-1.
"Vince and Jared played a nice first round and played a good first set against Waunakee," Saugstad said. "Waunakee started putting up more lobs and we just couldn't stick with them."
