HIBBING—The first time the Rock Ridge and Hibbing High School boys tennis teams met back in April, the Wolverines came away with a 7-0 victory over the Bluejackets.
One month later, things just got a little tighter.
Rock Ridge had to win three singles matches, along with one doubles match, en route to a 4-3 victory over Hibbing Monday at the Lincoln Elementary School Courts.
Wolverine coach Jace Friedlieb figured it was going to be a much-tighter match than the first time around.
“Absolutely,” Friedlieb said. “We’re always looking to get better every day, and Hibbing has to. They’re a well-respected program. We knew it would be a tight match. It was great to see them today, and the level that they’re at right now.”
Even though his team lost, Conda couldn’t have been more pleased with the progress his team has made since that first match.
“We played well,” Conda said. “We improved all of the way through all seven matches. We played extremely well, but we had a couple of little lapses here and there, but it was important that we could show them that we belonged on the court.
“It helped to play outside, there’s no doubt. That first match of the season indoors, we weren’t quite ready, but they’re a solid team. I was happy.”
It took awhile for Rock Ridge to get going, however.
“I thought our guys, after the first sets, figured out the weather,” Friedlieb said. “They were able to hit a little less than they were used to. We had a lot to figure out in those first sets.
“Luckily, our depth and experience pulled through a little bit today.”
That depth paid off at second, third and fourth singles.
Kasey Lamppa and Jack Gabardi had a back-and-forth battle at second singles, but it would be Lamppa who would come away with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
At third singles, Will Peterson beat Brady Fosso 6-2, 6-1, and at fourth singles, Gage Benz beat Rex Walli 6-4, 6-1.
“He (Benz) is consistent,” Friedlieb said. “He’s been our anchor there all year. I don’t see him moving anytime soon. Gage did a nice job at fourth singles, but they’re all steady players.
“I like to always call them backboards. They don’t make a lot of mistakes. The big thing today was we had to minimize our errors in the second sets, and that’s what they all did.”
Cooper Hendrickson picked up the lone Hibbing singles win with a 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 win over Payton Marks.
“He (Hendrickson) lost to him the first time, so that was a good turn around for him,” Conda said. “I couldn’t be happier. Jack was right there. He has to get a little confidence in his volley.
“He could have caused a lot of problems there. We had a chance to work on that a little bit.”
Now it was up to the doubles teams.
The Bluejackets got a first-doubles win from Isaiah Hildenbrand and Keaton Petrick over Peyton Bialke and Rory Cope-Robinson, 6-4, 6-3, and Benny Galli and Whitaker Rewertz took down Tyler Callister and Grady Dimberio at third doubles, 6:-3, 6-2.
At second doubles, the Wolverines Aidan Sandnas and Dawson Ruedebusch beat Tyler Fisher and Joey Gabardi 7-6 (2), 6-0.
“That was the turning point in the match,” Friedlieb said. “It all came down to that one. We needed that doubles win, and they almost were able to sneak a couple of points away in the big spots. In any part of our lineup, we have trust in them.”
Conda was impressed with the way all of his doubles team played.
“All three doubles were on fire at the beginning,” Conda said. “It was fun to watch. There were three good doubles matches going on. Keaton played well. He made another step. Benny and Whitaker, there’s an example of a couple of good athletes.
“They were flying around the court and making things happen. Benny must have put 50 balls away, and he pounded about 10 of them over the fence. They were having fun out there.”
Rock Ridge 4, Hibbing 3
Singles: No. 1—Cooper Hendrickson, H, def. Payton Marks, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8; No. 2—Kasey Lamppa, RR, def. Jack Gabardi, 6-4, 6-4; No. 3—Will Peterson, RR, def. Brady Fosso, 6-2, 6-1; No. 4—Gage Benz, RR, def. Rex Walli, 6-4, 6-1.
Doubles: No. 1—Isaiah Hildenbrand-Keaton Petrick, H, def. Peyton Bialke-Rory Cope-Robinson, 6-4, 6-3; No. 2—Aidan Sandnas-Dawson Ruedebusch, RR, def. Tyler Fisher-Joey Gabardi, 7-6 (2), 6-0; No. 3—Banny Galli-Whitaker Rewertz, H, def. Tyler Callister-Grady Dimberio, 6-3, 6-2.
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