Packer tennis team braves the cold to beat Fairmont

Published 10:06 pm Monday, April 14, 2014

Austin Seth Hebrink plays in the No. 3 singles match for Austin agiainst Fairmont in Paulson Courts Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin Seth Hebrink plays in the No. 3 singles match for Austin agiainst Fairmont in Paulson Courts Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Temperatures may have been dipping in the mid-30s and there may have been wind gusts of up to 20 miles per hour, but that didn’t stop the Austin boys tennis team from beating Fairmont 5-2 in Paulson Courts Monday.

Austin's Owen Nelson closes in on the ball during his No. 2 doubles match against Fairmont at Paulson Courts Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Owen Nelson closes in on the ball during his No. 2 doubles match against Fairmont at Paulson Courts Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

No. 1 singles player Colton Detwiler said the conditions weren’t close to ideal for the Packers (2-0 overall), but the team had no choice to go out there and get it done.

“I figured we’d have to practice outside anyways [if the match was cancelled] so it was good to get outside and have a meet and get a win,” Detwiler said. “It was difficult. You have to incorporate everything with the wind and you really have to keep focused. It happens for both players and both players have to deal with it. You just have to play your game.”

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Detwiler cruised in his match with a 6-0, 6-0 win and he likes how the season has started for Austin.

“We don’t always start our years strong, so this is nice,” he said. “Tennis isn’t always great for Austin, but we’re looking pretty good right now.”

Austin’s No. 2 doubles team Ethan Anderson and Owen Nelson had to work a little harder for their win as they held on 7-5, 6-2. Nelson didn’t even think he’d be playing on Monday.

“I thought it was going to get cancelled. I didn’t think we could play in this temperature,” he said.

Anderson said the cold was chilling, but the team had to focus on the task at hand.

“We just had to take a step back and look at what to change. We had to focus on placement and keeping our heads up,” he said.

Austin eighth grader Jens Ourada picked up his first career win at No. 4 singles when he won a super-tie breaker 10-6.

Singles

Austin's Carter Steichen delivers a serve against Fairmont in a No. 1 doubles match in Paulson Courts Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Carter Steichen delivers a serve against Fairmont in a No. 1 doubles match in Paulson Courts Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

No. 1 Colton Detwiler (A) def. Sterlin Johnson 6-0, 6-0

No. 2 Manuel Martinez (F) def. Jeremy Olmsted 7-6 (7-2), 6-2

No. 3 Tyler Head (Fairmont) def. Seth Hebrink 2-6, 6-2, 10-7

No. 4 Jens Ourada (A) def. Austin Becker 6-3, 3-6, 10-6

Doubles

No. 1 Carter Steichen and Levi Vierkandt (A) def. Carter Klanderup and Jake Kallerbach 6-2, 6-2

No. 2 Ethan Anderson and Owen Nelson (A) def. Mitch Anderson and Ryan Busche 7-5, 6-2

No. 3 Clyde Carver and Sawyer Meyers (A) def. Calvin King and Andy Haben 6-1, 6-1