Creston tennis splits with Clarinda

Creston boys defeated Clarinda 6-3 Monday in a battle of teams searching for their first victory of the season, and in Creston the undefeated Clarinda girls sailed to a 9-0 victory over the Panther girls.

In the boys action, Conner Wiley, Lucas Rushing, Ben Hill and Damion Meyer all picked up singles victories for the Panthers. Creston went 2-1 in doubles play. Prevailing at No. 2 doubles was the team of Rushing and Carson Cooper, while the duo of Hill and Meyer prevailed at No. 3 doubles as the Panthers improved to 1-10. Grant Barr had a 2-0 night for the 0-7 Cardinals.

“It was nice to get the win in our boys dual tonight,” Creston coach Kevin Cooper said. “We have had some close matches here and there this year, but tonight we were able to win six matches and get the win.”

The Clarinda girls outscored Creston 72-13 in games, improving to 6-0 in dual meets for the season. Brooklyn McKinney had the closest match of the day for Creston, falling 8-3 to Brooke Brown at No. 5 singles.

“We knew going into tonight that Clarinda would be one of the best teams we would play all year,” Cooper said. “That was certainly the case. They were a quality team from top to bottom. They were just more consistent than us in every match.”

The Panther girls competed Friday in the Knoxville Tennis Invitational and placed sixth in a field of seven teams with five points.

Josie Mahan went 3-2 in singles, including a tiebreaker loss. Caitlin Bruce was 1-2 in singles.

In doubles, the team of Brooklyn McKinney and Kolbey Bailey finished 2-2. The team of Ava Adamson and Sasha Wurster finished 0-2.

Pella won the event with 22 points, followed by Ballard 19, Clarke 14, Knoxville 7, Creston 5 and Chariton 2.

“It was a great experience for our girls,” Cooper said. “None of them had played in this tournament since last year was canceled due to rain. It is a very challenging tournament with multiple state qualifiers participating.”

BOYS

Creston 6, Clarinda 3

Singles — Conner Wiley (Cr) def. Drake Riddle (Cl), 10-8; Grant Barr (Cl) def. Gavin Millslagle (Cr), 10-7; Lucas Rushing (Cr) def. Ben Miller (Cl), 10-5; Ben Hill (Cr) def. Brady Cox (Cl), 10-3; Dillon Hunter (Cl) def. Carson Cooper (Cr), 10-7; Damion Meyer (Cr) def. Ian Smith (Cl), 10-6.

Doubles — Riddle-Barr (Cl) def. Wiley-Millslagle (Cr), 10-7; Rushing-Cooper (Cr) def. Miller-Cox (Cl), 10-2; Hill-Meyer (Cr) def. Hunter-Smith (Cl), 10-7.

GIRLS

Clarinda 9, Creston 0

Singles — Taylor Cole (Cl) def. Caitlin Bruce (Cr), 8-2; Mayson Hartley (Cl) def. Josie Mahan (Cr), 8-2; Avery Walter (Cl) def. Ava Adamson (Cr), 8-1; Riley Nothwehr (Cl) def. Sasha Wurster (Cr), 8-1; Brooke Brown (Cl) def. Brooklyn McKinney (Cr), 8-3; Emma Stogdill (Cl) def. Abbie Wheeler (Cr), 8-2.

Doubles — Cole-Hartley (Cl) def. Bruce-Mahan (Cr), 8-0; Walter-Brown (Cl) def. Adamson-Wurster (Cr), 8-0; Nothwehr-Stogdill (Cl) def. McKinney-Wheeler (Cr), 8-2.