NEGAUNEE — The Negaunee High School boys tennis team just keeps rolling after downing Marquette 7-1 at home on Wednesday to improve to 8-0 this spring.

The Sentinels gave the Miners some problems at several flights, forcing three-set matches twice and a tiebreaker in another. But Negaunee also had three victors in singles where they lost a total of only four games.

The most hotly contested matches, however, came at No. 2, both doubles and singles.

In doubles, the Miners’ Blake Holmgren and Carson Lajimodiere posted a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win over Marquette’s Abe Kentala and Connor Stade, while in singles, it was the Sentinels’ Chase Thomsen coming back for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Negaunee’s Mick Kumpula.

“We’re real proud of how Blake and Carson responded after a sluggish second set,” NHS head coach Kyle Saari said about his No. 2 doubles tandem in his email detailing the results. “They never hung their head, (they) regrouped and were real energetic in the third (set).

“Blake is a great example of a kid who truly paid his dues and has risen to the occasion as a senior. He’s played very well.”

Not surprisingly, MSHS head coach Karl Thomsen in his email about the meet was enthused after Chase Thomsen earned his team’s lone match victory.

“At No. 2 singles, Chase Thomsen made a few tweaks in his game after the first set, played the next two sets really well and solidified a nice comeback win,” his coach said. “(Wednesday) is the type of meet, going up against the perennial powerhouse, that really becomes a learning experience for our young team.

“Despite the (team) score, I saw a lot of positives from our boys out on the courts. All four of our doubles teams had their runs of good tennis. If they can learn to trust the process, I think there can be some big steps taken in the next couple of weeks.”

Two other flights in doubles were also hotly contested.

At No. 3, Negaunee’s Easton Guenette and Nolan O’Dovero hung on through a first-set tiebreaker to outlast Marquette’s Grady Schumann and Brady Janofski, 7-6 (7-0), 6-1.

And at No. 4, the Miners’ Kolten Store and Quinn Walter were pushed in a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the Sentinels’ Bode Helman and Cam Mileski.

But the Negaunee coach was also pleased with the progress of No. 4 singles player Ethan Harris, who prevailed 6-0, 6-2 over Marquette’s Elan Chu.

“Ethan Harris has transitioned into our singles lineup seamlessly,” Saari said. “He plays a ton, but it’s still an adjustment when learning how or when to be aggressive.

“He has a nice mix of shots, and he only gets better each time out.”

Other Miners’ victories were posted by No. 1 singles player Gavin Saunders and No. 3 Tyler Lajimodiere, along with the No. 1 doubles duo of James Thomson and Brady Johnson.

Marquette has a meet scheduled at 10 a.m. today at home against Munising, while Negaunee travels to the Kingsford Invitational scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT Saturday.

Both teams have busy schedules next week, each starting with Monday matches — Negaunee hosts Westwood while the Sentinels go to Escanaba, both starting at 4 p.m.

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