MARQUETTE — Negaunee and Marquette had just about every kind of result during high school boys tennis matches held this week — a win, a loss and even a tie.

After the Sentinels lost a narrow 5-3 decision at Kingsford on Monday, the Miners shut out Gladstone 8-0 on Tuesday.

Then on Wednesday when the Marquette County teams got together in Negaunee, the Miners and Marquette played to a 4-4 tie.

Negaunee will have a busy day today at the Kingsford Invitational that starts at 10 a.m. EDT. Other participants are scheduled to be the host Flivvers, Iron Mountain, Escanaba and West Iron County.

The Miners also host Westwood at 4 p.m. Monday and travel to West Iron County on Tuesday afternoon, while Marquette’s next meet isn’t until 4 p.m. Thursday when the Sentinels play at Westwood.

Here is information on the recent meets:

Kingsford 5, Marquette 3

On Monday at Kingsford, the Sentinels won a pair of doubles matches and one in singles to just fall short.

Marquette’s DJ Menhennick won at No. 4 singles, 6-1, 6-2, over the Flivvers’ Camden White.

“DJ Menhennick played his first-ever varsity match today at No. 4 singles and looked like a seasoned veteran,” MSHS coach Karl Thomsen said in an email detailing the result. “DJ’s decision-making on the court was very veteran-like as he played patient points and hit big forehands when the opportunity presented itself.”

The Sentinels’ Bode Helman and Connor Dunn won 6-2, 6-0 over Kingsford’s Alex Hemgren and Beau Bracket at No. 2 doubles, while Marquette’s Billy Krebs and Jack Tiziani prevailed 6-0, 6-0 over the Flivvers’ Tyler Berglund and Gabe Mancuso.

“Bode Helman and Connor Dunn played a fundamentally solid game,” Thomsen said. “Essentially, they didn’t beat themselves. They handled the wind well, put the ball in play and never tried to do too much with a shot.

“It is fun having these U.P. Finals-type matches in the early season.”

Negaunee 8, Gladstone 0

On Tuesday at Negaunee, the Miners lost just 14 games among the eight matches, winning each in straight sets.

“This is a really big week for us because every day is a (Division 1) opponent,” Negaunee head coach Kyle Saari said in an email detailing this meet, about larger U.P. foes that the Miners will face at the U.P. Finals on May 27. “The best thing about this group is they’ve responded to any challenge they’ve been given.

“We’ve had a few flights on changeovers that we’ve told them what we need from them, and they flat-out go and do it.

“But, it has to continue and be even better in the days ahead.”

He singled out his No. 1 doubles tandem, Quinn Walters and Carson Lajimodiere, who faced the toughest test in this meet, winning 6-2, 6-4 over the Braves’ Tyler Soderman and Teagan Reynolds.

“Quinn and Carson have come on strong of late,” Saari said. “They’ve grown more comfortable at No. 1, won a few challenge matches and their confidence has increased.”

Marquette 4, Negaunee 4

On Wednesday at Negaunee, Marquette carried the day in three singles matches, but the Miners countered with three victories in doubles.

Negaunee remained undefeated at 7-0-2 after a similar 4-4 tie at Kingsford on April 22.

In a meet this close, it couldn’t have been too surprising that three matches went to a third set, and three of the sets within those matches went to tiebreakers.

“We have positives and negatives from today that both give us some teaching moments,” Saari said in an email detailing this meet. “We’re learning at certain flights how we have to carry ourselves, and how to react to certain situations.

“That’s the biggest part of growth that has to occur for us still. We know there are some flights we have to step up at, and it’s a great challenge pursuing that this week.”

Marquette’s three-set victory came at No. 3 singles, where Connor Dunn prevailed in a marathon over Negaunee’s Max Larson, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).

“Connor Dunn and Max Larson had one heckuva battle at No. 3 singles,” Thomsen said in his email about this meet. “Connor was able to sneak out a win after 2 1/2 hours of tennis. 

“He typically plays doubles, but his partner was sick today so we tossed him into the singles lineup. Connor did not disappoint. The level of compete and his upbeat attitude I think were the keys to his victory.”

The Miners won both No. 1 flights in three sets, Easton Guenette prevailing in singles over the Sentinels’ Lucas Belkowski, 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 6-2, and Carson Lajimodiere and Quinn Walters winning in doubles over MSHS’ Winston Leonard and Conner Henry, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

“Easton at the top set a good of example of how to respond to adversity,” Saari said. “He had a real sluggish second set, but his feet kicked in late and (he) reset mentally. It’s exactly what we want.

“Carson and Quinn mirrored Easton’s match in that way, and remained steady when it mattered most.”

Marquette also got straight-sets wins from Brady Janofski at No. 2 singles, Dominic Camilli at No. 4 singles and Billy Krebs and Jack Tiziani at No. 4 doubles.

“Brady Janofski had a match that should give him some confidence going forward,” Thomsen said. “He faced some adversity and nerves in the second set when he lost a lead, only to bounce back and win those key points at the end.”

The Miners added two-set victories from Vince Tincknell and Marshall Knapp at No. 2 doubles and Connor Steede and Trent Emard at No. 3 doubles.

Kingsford 5, Marquette 3

Monday at Kingsford

SINGLES — No. 1, Landon Adam (K) def. Lucas Belkowski 6-3, 6-4; No. 2, Isaac LeBeouf (K) def. Brady Janofski 6-1, 6-0; No. 3, Evan Grymes (K) def. Caden Laurn 6-4, 6-1; No. 4, DJ Menhennick (M) def. Camden White 6-1, 6-2

DOUBLES — No. 1, Andy Yu-Clark Robb (K) def. Winston Leonard-Conner Henry 6-2, 6-2; No. 2, Bode Helman-Connor Dunn (M) def. Alex Hemgren-Beau Bracket 6-2, 6-0; No. 3, Jacob Waara-Richard Waara (K) def. Jude Balding-Kane Bush 6-4, 6-4; No. 4, Billy Krebs-Jack Tiziani (M) def. Tyler Berglund-Gabe Mancuso 6-0, 6-0

Negaunee 8, Gladstone 0

Tuesday at Negaunee

SINGLES — No. 1, Easton Guenette (N) def. James Blair 6-1, 6-2; No. 2, Nolan O’Dovero (N) def. Brant Veeser 6-0, 6-2; No. 3, Max Larson (N) def. Chase Ketcham 6-0, 6-0; No. 4, Axl Sarasin (N) def. Henry Trottier 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES — No. 1, Quinn Walters-Carson Lajimodiere (N) def. Tyler Soderman-Teagan Reynolds 6-2, 6-4; No. 2, Marshall Knapp-Vince Tincknell (N) def. Matt Hagebusch-Nick Thill 6-0, 6-2; No. 3, Conner Steede-Trent Emard (N) def. Eric Anderson-Alex Beauchamp 6-0, 6-0; No. 4, Wyatt Nelson-Brandon Alba (N) def. Justin Straub-Kristoff Stahlmann 6-1, 6-0

Marquette 4, Negaunee 4

Wednesday at Negaunee

SINGLES — No. 1, Easton Guenette (N) def. Lucas Belkowski 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 6-2; No. 2, Brady Janofski (M) def. Nolan O’Dovero 6-3, 7-5; No. 3, Connor Dunn (M) def. Max Larson 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 7-6 (7-4); No. 4, Dominic Camilli (M) def. Axl Sarasin 6-0, 6-2

DOUBLES — No. 1, Carson Lajimodiere-Quinn Walters (N) def. Winston Leonard-Conner Henry 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; No. 2, Vince Tincknell-Marshall Knapp (N) def. DJ Menhennick-Jude Balding 6-0, 6-0; No. 3, Connor Steede-Trent Emard (N) def. Kane Bush-Elan Chu 6-4, 6-1; No. 4, Billy Krebs-Jack Tiziani (M) def. Wyatt Nelson-Brandon Alba 6-2, 6-3

Story contents based on emails received from Marquette coach Karl Thomsen and Negaunee coach Kyle Saari. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.