Chase Thomsen of Marquette prepares to serve during a match at No. 1 singles during the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals in boys tennis held in Escanaba on Wednesday. (Adam Hinch photo courtesy MHSAA.com)

ESCANABA — For the first time, Escanaba hosted the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals in boys tennis on Wednesday.

And also for the first time in 16 years, Marquette won the championship, edging Negaunee by three points as the Miners sought to add to their two-year title streak.

Marquette scored 17 points, followed by Negaunee with 14, Kingsford 13, Escanaba seven, Westwood four and Gladstone one.

“I’m super proud of these guys and the effort they have put in,” Marquette coach Karl Thomsen said. “The work they have put in over the last three years to get the program back where it used to be really shows up in the results this season.”

In singles, Chase Thomsen of Marquette picked up the championship at No. 1, defeating Kingsford’s Gavin Moore 6-2, 6-3.

“I was definitely a little nervous for this match coming in,” Chase Thomsen said. “After seeing how they were hitting in the other semifinal, I think I channeled it well and played the best tennis I have played all season.”

He had a bye in the first round before knocking off Westwood’s Jaxon Alderton 6-4, 6-1 on the way to the championship match.

Kingsford’s Landon Adam picked up a title at No. 2 singles, defeating Negaunee’s Ethan Harris 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Adam earlier earned a three-set victory over Escanaba’s Connor Howes 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Negaunee’s Kolten Store picked up the No. 3 singles crown, defeating Kingsford’s Evan Grimes 6-3, 6-2 after previously downing Brant Veeser from Gladstone 6-1, 7-5.

Elan Chu of Marquette emerged with a hard-fought three-set win over Negaunee’s Max Larson in the No. 4 singles final after he earned a three-set win over Escanaba freshman Chris Economopoulos 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

“It was a special moment for all these kids,” Coach Thomsen said. “They watched Negaunee celebrate last season, and it drove them to keep working and it was our goal coming into this season to capture the U.P. Finals.”

In doubles, Marquette claimed three of the flight championships.

At No. 2, Lucas Belkowski and Conner Henry defeated Escanaba’s Adam Prey and Caden Fulsher in two sets 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, the first set going to a tiebreaker. Belkowski and Henry also had defeated Jayce Patron and Xavier Grondz of Westwood 6-3, 6-2.

The Sentinels’ Connor Dunn and Winston Leonard earned the No. 3 doubles clincher over Negaunee’s Hank Tincknell and Vince Tincknell 6-3, 6-2, while teammates Kane Bush and Bode Helman claimed the No. 4 flight with a deciding win over Clark Robb and Andy Yu of Kingsford 6-2, 6-0.

At No. 1 doubles, Kingsford’s duo of Isaac Lebouef and Jacob Crockford defeated Negaunee’s Nolan O’Dovero and Easton Guenette 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. The Flivvers pair also defeated Andrew Lord and Alex Morgan of Escanaba in the semifinals 6-2, 6-2.

Adam Hinch is a sports writer at the Daily Press of Escanaba who was reporting for the Michigan High School Athletic Association website, mhsaa.com.