SIOUX FALLS – Aberdeen Central got off on the right foot, before running into some major obstacles during the first day of the Eastern South Dakota Conference tennis tournament on Monday.
The Golden Eagles had four play-in matches to get into the main draw and won each of those with victories coming from Mika Dannen, AJ Prehn, Dawson Pederson and Aric Tennant.
“Got off to a really good start. We had a couple of play-in matches that we knew were going to be tough,” said Central coach Trent Kurtz. “One we had a loss to earlier. Mika played really well to avenge that one and won pretty easily. AJ’s match early in the year was close, tiebreak, it was another close one today and he played great. So those two really played well.”
Pederson and Tennant kept the momentum going in their play-in matches.
“Obviously, Dawson played well at the end to get a win, and Aric closed his match really well,” Kurtz said, “so got off to a good start with those wins and then obviously the draws get a lot tougher, when you’re playing the (number) one seeds.”
Pederson battled hard before falling 10-7 to the top-seeded player at flight four singles.
“He played great, one of his better matches of the year,” Kurtz said.
In consolation, Prehn kept his tournament alive with a hard-fought 9-7 victory over a foe that he lost to 10-2 this past Saturday.
“So happy for AJ,” Kurtz said. “Obviously, he’s a great kid and he’s our leader.”
Kurtz said the junior played well under pressure.
“He played the big points well,” Kurtz said. “To get another singles match (Tuesday), I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Mason Ligon and Gannon Pederson did not have play-in matches and lost their opening-round contests.
Both battled back from early deficits in consolation action to pull out victories.
Kurtz noted that consolation is an eight-game pro set, so “to get down 3-0 is really digging a hole. They both did a good job of just fighting and coming back. Mason really frustrated his kid and ended up pulling out a win. Gannon’s win was one the more impressive things I’ve seen him do.”
Central won two of three play-in matches in doubles and now faces top-seeded foes when action resumes today.
“We have to play one seeds (Tuesday), but your never know,” Kurtz said. “Doubles is a funny game where funny things can happen.”
All in all, the Golden Eagles are doing the best they can to accomplish their goal.
“Our goal it to get as many flights to Tuesday as possible,” Kurtz said. “We always talk every year at this tournament, state tournament, outplay your seed. … We have guys that have chances to do that.”
Team Points: Yankton 177, Harrisburg 155, Watertown 95, Brandon Valley 92.5, Mitchell 65.5, Aberdeen Central 13.5, Brookings 12, Pierre 8.5, Huron 4.
SINGLES
First Flight
AJ PREHN: def. Devin Dodson, Pierre, 10-6; lost to Alexander Rallis, Harrisburg, 10-2; def. Dah Christ Moo, Huron, 9-7.
Second Flight
MASON LIGON: lost to Evan Meester, Watertown, 10-1; def. Lucas Hight, Pierre, 8-6.
Third Flight
DAWSON PEDERSON: def. Carson Kreie, Brookings, 10-1; lost to Cooper Rott, Harrisburg, 10-7; lost to Lucas Fogarty, Brandon Valley, 9-7.
Fourth Flight
ARIC TENNANT: def. Xavier St. Pierre, Brookings, 10-7; lost to Luke Moeller, Yankton, 10-5; lost to Weston Northrup, Pierre, 8-6.
Fifth Flight
MIKA DANNEN: def. Brady Lowery, Pierre, 10-5; lost to Miles Krajewski, Yankton, 10-1; lost to Evan Miller, Harrisburg, 8-0.
Sixth Flight
GANNON PEDERSON: lost to Ryley McKeown, Brandon Valley, 10-4; def. Ler Hai Moo, Huron, 8-6.
DOUBLES
First Flight
AJ PREHN-MASON LIGON: def. Lucas Hight-Jacob Leiferman, Pierre, 10-3.
Second Flight
MIKA DANNEN-GANNON PEDERSON: lost to Stefan Nicolic-Xavier St. Pierre, Brookings, 10-7.
Third Flight
DAWSON PEDERSON-BROCK ANDERSON: def. Levi Hight-Marty Blanchette, Pierre, 10-3.
