NEGAUNEE — Negaunee swept the four doubles matches, more than making up for not winning any championships in singles as the Miners captured the Mid-Peninsula Conference girls tennis tournament championship for the third year in a row at the Negaunee High School courts on Thursday.

NHS scored 39 points for its sixth title in seven years as Westwood was runner-up with 31 and Iron Mountain a close third with 29. Ishpeming was fourth with 16 while Gwinn came in fifth with 5.

The Patriots and Mountaineers split the four titles in singles, also taking a pair of second-place finishes as the difference in their point totals came in their third- and fourth-place finishes.

“Our doubles have been our strength all year, and they all won titles,” Negaunee head coach Kyle Saari said in an email. “The girls continue to show up each day and they’ve progressed continuously. They’ve had the right mindset and they’ve been focused on having fun and enjoying each opportunity they get.

“The day as a whole ended at 9 p.m. under the lights. The (No.) 3 singles match went three hours and both girls showed tremendous heart. I think this is a match no one will ever forget.”

That match pitted Negaunee’s Rheana Nelson against IM’s Natalia Brown, with Brown prevailing in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. Nelson’s previous match also went three sets when she defeated Westwood’s Emersyn Nelson in the semifinals, 6-7 (3-7), 6-0, 6-2.

Negaunee’s Stella Harris and Maddie Frustaglio captured the No. 1 doubles title, with a victory in the finals over IM’s Elle Lofholm and Anja Kleiman also in three sets, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.

The Miners’ Olivia Lunseth and Sage Juntti captured No. 2 doubles, defeating Ishpeming’s Ciara Schaffer and Emma LaFave in the finals 6-4, 6-4.

NHS’ Kallen Schultz and Madalynn Peters won the title at No. 3 doubles with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Westwood’s Morgan Schneider and Niila Nurmi in the title match.

And Negaunee’s Paityn Brunette and Autumn Ring were victorious in the finals of No. 4 doubles over Westwood’s Kaya Etelamaki and Berkley Richards, 6-3, 6-4.

“Stella and Maddie showed a lot of grit in their match and really rallied together,” Saari said.

The Patriots got their championships at Nos. 1 and 4 singles.

At No. 1, Westwood’s Lexi Olson downed Negaunee’s Jordan Enright 6-4, 6-3 in the finals, while at No. 4, the Pats’ Samantha Ruby held off IM’s Redier Husing 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) for the championship.

And IM carried off titles at Nos. 2 and 3 singles.

The Mountaineers’ Aziza Burgoon dropped the Miners’ Aubrey Johnson in the finals at No. 2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.

Gwinn’s top finish came at No. 1 singles, where Miaha Schiefel finished third after losing to eventual champion Lexi Olson of Westwood and then winning the third-place match over IM’s Maia Hemmila 8-7.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.