Eagle netters wrap up regular season with sweep of CJ
May 1—The Joplin boys tennis team wrapped up its regular season as undefeated Central Ozark Conference champs with a 9-0 sweep of Carl Junction on Tuesday at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
In the No. 1 doubles match, Joplin's Adam Badr and Leif Garrity combined for an 8-3 win over Carl Junction's Blaine Wilkerson and Hayden Wilkerson.
Ben Converse and Taylor Schlag also gave the Eagles an 8-3 win in their No. 2 doubles match against CJ's Daniel Hodson and Cory Samuel.
Josiah Hazlewood and Oscar Kienzle kept Joplin perfect with an 8-2 victory over Bulldog netters Joshua Frakes and Alexander Schneickert in their No. 3 doubles match.
Badr posted an 8-2 win over Blaine Wilkerson in the No. 1 singles match and Garrity prevailed by the same score over Carl Junction's Hodson in the No. 2 slot.
Converse was an 8-4 winner over Carl Junction's Hayden Wilkerson in their No. 3 singles tilt, and in the No. 4 singles match Hazlewood beat CJ's Samuel 8-3.
Joplin's Schlag blanked CJ's Frakes 8-0 in the No. 5 singles match and Kienzle completed the Eagles' fifth sweep of the season with an 8-1 win over Carl Junction's Schneickert.
Joplin head coach Aaron Stump praised his squad after the match.
"The guys were consistent with their shots, which is what we've asked from them all season long," Stump said. "They have worked hard, overcoming a couple tough seasons, to turn things around and earn their undefeated conference record this year."
Joplin (13-1) returns to action at the Class 3 District 5 Tournament on May 6-9 at Kickapoo High School with Kickapoo (15-7), Carthage (3-8), Neosho (1-12,) Nixa (6-7), Ozark (13-7) and Republic (7-5).
Carl Junction (2-9) will compete in the Class 1 District 11 tourney May 6-9 at Mount Vernon with Aurora (1-10), Clever (5-5), Monett (10-1) and host Mount Vernon (2-9).
