Escanaba Eskymos Open Tennis Season With Loss

ESCANABA---The Escanaba High School tennis team opened its home season on Tuesday with a 5-3 loss to the West Iron County Wykons.

Eskymo senior Tyler Myrick won a tough three-set battle at #2 singles, and the Eskymos won two tight doubles matches. But the Wykons were able to win three of the four singles matches, and split at doubles, to earn the non-conference victory.

"We played hard. The effort was there," Eskymo Coach Jim Hansen said. "We made 'first match of the season' mistakes. I was extremely proud of Tyler Myrick, Kyle Pinozek, and the team of John Brant and TJ Myrick. They battled in 3 set matches were 2 of the three sets went into tiebreaker in two of them. West Iron won two of those matches and that is what decided the meet. "

Tyler Myrick vs Caleb Pellizzer

Tyler Myrick defeated West Iron's Caleb Pellizzer, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. A number of the points between these two were long, back-and-forth battles. Both are multi-sport athletes. Pellizzer was the West Pac Player of the Year in boys basketball this season, and Myrick was a key member of the Eskymo hockey team that upset Marquette in the playoffs.

Austin Martin was at #1 singles Tuesday.

"Our kids never quit or backed down. We weren't making technique or strategy errors," Hansen said. "We were simply inconsistent and most teams are at this time in the season. We have a long way to go but we are going to get there."

In other Upper Peninsula tennis matches on Tuesday, Negaunee beat Ishpeming, 8-0; Westwood topped Iron Mountain, 6-2; and Kingsford blanked Menominee, 8-0.

Escanaba will host Menominee on Thursday. And as for Tuesday's match-up, Hansen says he got what he expected to get from the Wykons.

"Since I've started coaching tennis, five years ago, we have always had tight matches with West Iron," Hansen said. "They've always been either 5-3 one way or the other or 4-4. They are a well-coached team of good athletes and good tennis players. They deserve lots of credit."

The results:

Singles

1 Austin Waara WIC def. Austin Martin E 6-1 6-0

2 Tyler Myrick E def. Caleb Pellizzer WIC 6-2 3-6 6-2

3 Adam Newby WIC def Kyle Pinozek E 6-3, 6-7, 7-6

4 Alex Rolston WIC def Mike Shields E 6-4 6-4

Doubles

1 Rogers/Peterson WIC def Fix/Eastin E 6-2 2-6 6-0

2 Gustafson/Capadagli WIC def Brant/Myrick E 1-6 7-6 7-6

3 Bradford/Belanger E def Schmelebech/Maloney WIC 6-3 6-1

4 Prica/Wood E def Maki/Peterson WIC 6-4 6-2

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

4/24	4:00 PM	at Escanaba Eskymos	5 - 3 (W)

5/1	6:00 PM	Iron Mountain Mountaineers	3 - 5 (L)

5/9	4:00 PM	at Kingsford Flivvers	1 - 7 (L)

5/29	4:30 PM	Escanaba Eskymos	2 - 5 (L)