SIOUX FALLS – Aberdeen Central struggled with the pace of a pair of top tennis squads during a triangular at the Huether Matchpointe Tennis Center on Tuesday.
The Golden Eagles were blanked by both Harrisburg and Sioux Falls Christian.
“They’re obviously two of the better teams in the state. I think Christian would be the favorite to win Class A, and then Harrisburg, the defending ESD champs and brings everybody back but one,” said Central coach Trent Kurtz. “Two of the better teams, and again their pace, especially up top, bothered us. We struggle against teams that have a lot of pace. We’re just not used to it.”
Central did have a few matches that were close, all involving Mika Dannen at fifth flight singles and Gannon Pederson at sixth flight singles.
“Mika and Gannon, five and six singles, really played well,” Kurtz said. “Had chances in both matches. It would have been nice to sneak those ones out so we would have got something on the board, but I’m happy with how those two played.”
Dannon dropped a 10-7 decision to a Harrisburg foe, while Pederson fell in a triebreaker, 10-9 (7-3). Against SFC, Dannon fell 10-7 and Pederson was edged 10-8.
Kurtz said deuce points costs the Eagles in those tight contests.
“We have to play those big points better,” Kurtz said.
He said the more the players are involved in those close encounters the better they will become.
“The more they play those, the more comfortable they’ll be in them,” Kurtz said.
The duals featured a unique circumstance as Central went up against its former top player Mitchell Hofer, who transferred to Sioux Falls Christian this past season.
“I liked it a lot better when he was on our side,” Kurtz said. “He’s really good.”
Central, 2-4 on the season, plays against defending Class AA power Sioux Falls Lincoln and Watertown on Thursday in Watertown.
Kurtz knows the competition won’t get any easier, but also knows his players will benefit from the stellar competition.
“We need to play more of these good teams,” Kurtz said. “We need to see this pace that we’re really struggling with just to get more comfortable with it.”
Harrisburg 9, Aberdeen Central 0
Singles
Alex Rallis, H, def. AJ Prehn, 10-3.
Mav Ragon, H, def. Gracen Casper, 10-0.
Cooper Rott, H, def. Dawson Pederson, 10-2.
Brayden Rausch, H, def. Aric Tennant, 10-1.
Evan Miller, H, def. Mika Dannen, 10-7.
Tanner Eisenbeisz, H, def. Gannon Pederson, 10-9 (7-3).
Doubles
Rallis-Ragon, H, def. Prehn-Dannen, 10-1.
Rausch-Rott, H, def. G. Pederson-Wyatt Kiesz, 10-1.
Miller-Ozil Sharma, H, def. D. Pederson-Tennant 10-3.
Sioux Falls Christian 9, Aberdeen Central 0
Singles
Mitchell, Hofer, SFC, def. AJ Prehn, 10-3.
Rex Lefever, SFC, def. Gracen Casper, 10-0.
Jack Squier, SFC, def. Dawson Pederson, 10-2.
Jack DeYoung, SFC, def. Aric Tennant,10-1.
Logan Boyle, SFC, def. Mika Dannen, 10-7.
Zeke DeYoung, SFC, def. Gannon Pederson, 10-8.
Doubles
Hofer-Squier, SFC, def. Prehn-Dannen, 10-2.
Leferer-Boyle, SFC, def. G. Pederson-Wyatt Kiesz, 10-1.
J. DeYoung-Elijah Lindgren, SFC, def. D. Pederson-Tennant, 10-4.
