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Craig tennis team edges Parker

Photo

Photo by Al Hoch

Craig's Chris Matteson plays single against Parker's Nick Gilbank.

Photo

Photo by Al Hoch

Parker's Nick Gilbank in singles play against Craig's Chris Matteson.

JANESVILLE — The close ones went Janesville Craig’s way, and that was all the Cougars needed to down Janesville Parker in a Big Eight Conference tennis match Tuesday.

Craig High won three of the four matches that went to three sets to pull off a 5-2 victory over the Vikings at Palmer Park.

“It couldn’t have gone more down to the wire,” said Craig coach Gary Hallowell.

The Vikings won the No. 1 singles and No. 3 doubles matches. Parker’s Nick Gilbank won 6-4, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, and Ken Konkol and Jake Lewis won at No. 3 doubles, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6). That was the only three-setter the Vikings won, and Konkol and Lewis pulled it off by winning the last seven points of the tiebreaker.

The rest of the matches belonged to the Cougars.

Steve Mickelson and Kenny Durfee each pulled out a three-setter at No. 2 and 3 singles, respectively.

Mickelson won 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 2, and Durfee won 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, at No. 3.

Ben Tanko won 6-1, 6-3 at No. 4 singles to give Craig three of the four singles matches.

At No. 1 doubles, Craig’s Ben Timblin and Doug Johnson survived a scare to win, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. Bryan Stevens and David Jacowski won at No. 2 doubles, 6-1, 6-1, to complete the victory.

Hallowell praised the amount of poise his players showed.

“You have to give credit to our No. 2 and 3 singles players and Ben and Doug,” Hallowell said. “They kept their composure. We talked about how resilient Parker would be. It was senior leadership.

In all of the three-set wins, the Cougars won the first set, dropped the second and won the third.

“They raised their level of their game,” Hallowell said. “We got tentative. Working through that is tough.”

Craig (2-4) plays at Beloit on Thursday. Parker plays Sun Prairie at Palmer Park.

CRAIG 5, PARKER 2

Singles—Nick Gilbank (JP) def. Chris Matteson, 6-4, 6-0; Steve Mickelson (JC) def. Mitch Curless, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Kenny Durfee (JC) def. Travis Wood, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Ben Tanko (JC) def. Matt Knutson, 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles—Ben Timblin-Doug Johnson (JC) def. Ethan Zillmer-Jason Knutson, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Bryan Stevens-David Jacowski (JC) def. Kyle Walker-John Zillmer, 6-1, 6-1; Ken Konkol-Jake Lewis (JP) def. Ike Neher-Stewart Winter, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6).

Junior varsity—Craig 5, Parker 2.