Boys tennis gets in three matches

The Outlaws tennis players traveled to Estacada on Tuesday, April 13, and a day later hosted the Cascade Cougars. On Friday, they wrapped up their week with a match at Molalla. The Outlaws only have six players, so the younger ones are getting a lot of time on the court.

Nate Weber easily won his singles match against Avery Dryden, 6-2, 6-0, in Tuesday’s match at Estacada. Dryden is newer to tennis and couldn’t handle Webers’ pace and shot-making. Nate lost two games in the first set due to just settling back into the game. He only got in a few practices prior to the match due to wrapping up his football season.

KJ Sweet paired up with Dexter Payne, and lost 6-2, 6-4. Although the duo lost the match, many of the games went to deuce where, in no-ad tennis, the final point a deuce is winner take all for the game.

Coach Carl Click said, “If they would have been able to win a few of those points at deuce, they could have flipped the match score significantly.”

Jaxon Barry and Zenus Ortega lost in three very close sets with scores of 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. Click noted it was a very impressive first time out for the pair.

“Ortega likes to ram the net and put away volleys, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t,” said Click. “As he gets more skilled he’ll be able to win more points. Barry was adept at safe, short around strokes in the back to keep the ball in play.”

After the official matches were over, the teams played some exhibition matches, and in this match Click was impressed with Sweet and Payne. Payne defeated Estacada’s No. 3 singles player, Kyle Richards in a pro set, 8-2. Dexter, who is a hockey player, can cover a lot of space on the singles court and he’s learned how to play more aggressive shots instead of safe ones. Sweet defeated No. 4 Abe Luna 8-4. Click noted that Sweet is experimenting with spin shots, and has a nasty drop shot with lots of spin when it works.

At home two days later, the Outlaws lost all three of their matches against Cascade.

Weber lost to Zach Moore, 6-2, 6-1. According to Click, Moore is probably the best singles player Nate has faced in his four years of tennis. Moore plays year-round and it showed in the match. Click has hopes Weber will close the gap if he faces Moore again in the district tournament.

Jaxson Barry won a singles exhibition set and defeated his opponent 8-3 in his first singles outing.

On Friday, the Outlaws only had four players healthy enough to make the road trip to Molalla.

Weber played a great match and easily defeated Anthony Ehleringer 6-0, 6-1.

In exhibition play, Jaxon Barry and Dexter Payne lost in a close doubles set, 6-8. Barry then paired up with KJ Sweet and the duo defeated Tag Grossnickle and Allen Simental 8-3.

Click said, “Because we have so few tennis players, the younger, inexperienced players are getting a lot of opportunities to advance their skills. Three sets in a day is a lot of effort, and while they get somewhat tired, they are getting important repetition and match experience.”

The Outlaws were to play at home against Madras on Tuesday, April 20. On Thursday, they will travel to Philomath, and will finish out their week with a match at home against North Marion on Friday.