NEGAUNEE - Many consider David Terzaghi of the Negaunee High School boys tennis team the best player in the Upper Peninsula.
After all, the senior is 10-0 in dual meets at No. 1 singles this season and won his flight at the Kingsford Invitational last Saturday.
But if he is, indeed, the best, teammate Cody Tossava can't be far behind.
The NHS junior is also 10-0 and captured the No. 2 singles crown at Kingsford. In addition, he's the defending U.P. Division 1 champion at second singles, going 20-0 last season overall.
"Since the beginning of the year, we've thought we have two No. 1 singles players in Dave and Cody," Miners' coach Kyle Saari after his club blanked visiting Iron Mountain on Wednesday, 8-0, to go to 10-0 this season.
"On the scoresheet, Cody's listed at No. 2 singles, but we feel we have two No. 1s that are capable of filling that role. Dave just has one more year of experience."
Tossava downed the Mountaineers' Josh Beauchamp 6-0, 6-1 on Wednesday.
"Cody's play has been outstanding," Saari said. "He has learned how to play well and efficiently, too."
A lefthander, Tossava said that's to his advantage.
"There aren't many (players) in the U.P. who see a left-hander," he said. "I think I'm the only one at No. 2 singles.
"On my serve, instead of kicking right-to-left, the ball goes left to right so I can always hit it to the backhand. Most players like it on the forehand."
Tossava said his forehand was the best part of his game against IM.
"I hit a lot of forehands and got to the net a lot," he said.
Besides Terzaghi and Tossava picking up wins, the Miners' Kevin Price and Rob Sertich also prevailed at No. 3 and 4 singles, respectively, against the Mountaineers.
At No. 1 doubles, Lucas Christianson and Nick Kill turned back IM's Gerry Pirkola and Max Frorenza, 6-4, 6-3.
"That was our most competitive match," Mountaineers' coach Greg Stegall said. "I think if my guys would have cleaned it up - they made some mistakes - the next time they see (Christianson and Kill), it might be even more competitive.
"Negaunee's a top-notch tennis team (though). They're the real deal and come to play. It's a good program.
"We did as well as we could have expected," he added. "We were competitive in a few flights. Negaunee just has some superior talent."
At No. 2 doubles, Negaunee senior Austin Rice and freshman Ryan Syrjala improved to 10-0 in dual meets by dominating IM's Henry Hakamaki and Taylor Huotari, 6-0, 6-1.
"We played well. We worked on some things we needed to, like volleys at the net and some ground strokes," Rice said.
Added Syrjala: "Our serves were consistent and we didn't double-fault. Our ground strokes were consistent, too."
Saari said despite the age and experience gap between the two, Rice and Syrjala mesh on the court.
"They have good chemistry because they were on the same hockey team," Saari said. "Both are real level-headed.
"They're steady players. They don't have the hardest forehand or serve, but (the stroke is) going to be consistent and effective."
Also posting doubles wins for the Miners were Andrew LaJoie and Josh Lyle (No. 3), and Tyler Beaumont and Eric Ludlum (No. 4).
Craig Remsburg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 251.