The Marshalltown boys’ tennis team will honor its seniors today at the Marshalltown Court Complex. Monday’s doubleheader sweep was yet another chapter in their successful storybook.
The Class 2A No. 9 Bobcats improved to 12-0 for the spring with a pair of victories on Monday, beating 1A No. 8 Pella as well as North Polk to steam into Tuesday’s Senior Day celebration.
Marshalltown knocked off Pella 8-3 before beating back North Polk 9-2 to remain unbeaten this season, improving to 45-11 over the seniors’ four years on the court.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating 13 seniors tomorrow night against Des Moines North,” said MHS head coach James Christensen. “These guys have brought a lot of success to our squad these past four years.”
Monday’s triangular was a part of that. Pella pounded the Bobcats last spring, 10-1, so this rematch marked a drastic turn of events. The Dutch have qualified for seven of the last eight 1A state team tournaments, claiming runner-up four times in that stretch.
Marshalltown commandeered a 5-1 advantage through singles play but had to battle past the doubles-savvy Dutch (7-3) to finish off the dual. Pella picked up wins at Nos. 1 and 2, but straight-set sweeps at Nos. 3 and 4 doubles delivered the victory for the Bobcats. A three-set grinder by Will Swartz and Evan Roush was hard-earned icing on the win.
“Four- and 5-doubles were nails as always,” said Christensen. “(Isaac) Seberger and (Tayven) Dutton fought through some tough serving stretches but had enough of a return game to get wins.”
Seberger and Dutton picked up a 6-3, 6-1 triumph at No. 4 doubles over Pella’s Malik Fisher and Ryker Jones. Jacob Christen and Kyle Smith secured a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 3 over Brayden VanHorn and Corbin VanDyke to help the Bobcats seal the match.
Swartz and Roush rallied against the change in momentum to beat Mars Chapel and William Mills, 6-3, 6-7 (0-7), (10-5).
The Bobcats got straight-set singles wins from Caleb Rasmussen at No. 3, Christen at No. 4, Elliot Kodis at No. 5 and Smith at No. 6, while Isaac Benscoter scored a 6-4, 2-6, (10-5) triumph over Nile Rozenboom at No. 1.
After standing by to watch Pella defeat North Polk, the Bobcats took their turn against the Comets. North Polk No. 1 singles player Easton Moon presented a problem Marshalltown couldn’t overcome, but he was the Comets’ lone source of resistance in the 9-2 outcome.
Moon improved to 19-1 in singles play this season by beating Benscoter 6-1, 6-2, and he teamed with Eli Pederson for a 6-4, 2-6, (10-5) win over Adam Boone and Rasmussen at No. 1 doubles.
Marshalltown took the other nine bouts — eight of them in straight sets.
“Benscoter in singles and Rasmussen and Boone in doubles had their work cut out against Easton Moon,” said Christensen. “He and [Micah] Flaherty are the best players we’ve seen this year and he is tough. Taking doubles to a tiebreak was awesome. Best tennis [Rasmussen and Boone] have played this year.”
Moon and his brother Ethan won the 1A state doubles title last spring.
Boone, Rasmussen, Christen, Kodis and Smith all scored singles victories against the Comets, including a 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), (10-3) win at No. 6 for Smith. The Bobcat junior basketball standout is 9-1 at No. 6 singles this season.
“Christen and Smith going 4-0 on the day was so clutch,” said Christensen. “Each had some dips in play but fought through them and came out with some great results.”
The Bobcats mixed and matched a little in doubles and was almost entirely successful with the rearranged lineup. Benscoter and Kodis won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2, Christen and Smith were 6-0, 6-4 winners at No. 3, Seberger and Dutton stuck together for a 6-3, 6-3 triumph at No. 4, and Swartz and Roush capped an unbeaten day with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 5.
“We tried out some new doubles lineups today — have to find the right combination for Ames, district individuals and team substate,” Christensen said. “It’s all coming up in the next week or so.”
The Bobcats host Des Moines North today at 4 p.m., and Marshalltown hopes to prolong the postscript into Thursday’s makeup match with Ames. The dual will decide the Iowa Alliance Conference North Division title.
Marshalltown 8, Pella 3
SINGLES
Isaac Benscoter (MHS) def. Nile Rozenboom, 6-4, 2-6, (10-5)
Jordan Shaffer (P) def. Adam Boone, 6-4, 6-3
Caleb Rasmussen (MHS) def. Maddox Jones, 6-1, 6-1
Jacob Christen (MHS) def. Brayden VanHorn, 6-4, 6-2
Elliot Kodis (MHS) def. Trevin Sutton, 6-4, 7-5
Kyle Smith (MHS) def. Corbin VanDyke, 6-0, 6-1
DOUBLES
Rozenboom and Shaffer (P) def. Benscoter and Boone, 6-4, 4-6, (12-10)
Jones and Sutton (P) def. Rasmussen and Kodis, 6-4, 6-3
Christen and Smith (MHS) def. VanHorn and VanDyke, 6-2, 6-4
Isaac Seberger and Tayven Dutton (MHS) def. Malik Fisher and Ryker Jones, 6-3, 6-1
Will Swartz and Evan Roush (MHS) def. Mars Chapel and William Mills, 6-3, 6-7 (0-7), (10-5)
Marshalltown 9, North Polk 2
SINGLES
Easton Moon (NP) def. Benscoter, 6-1, 6-2
Boone (MHS) def. Eli Dickinson, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1
Rasmussen (MHS) def. Drew Fausch, 6-1, 6-2
Christen (MHS) def. William McConnell, 6-0, 6-2
Kodis (MHS) def. Stockton Huether, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
Smith (MHS) def. Eli Pederson, 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), (10-3)
DOUBLES
Moon and Pederson (NP) def. Boone and Rasmussen, 6-4, 2-6, (10-5)
Benscoter and Kodis (MHS) def. Dickinson and Fausch, 6-0, 6-1
Christen and Smith (MHS) def. McConnell and Huether, 6-0, 6-4
Seberger and Dutton (MHS) def. Payton Lehman and Daniel Wickman, 6-3, 6-3
Swartz and Roush (MHS) def. Evan Fowle and Brecken Schlichte, 6-1, 6-1