STAR JOURNAL REPORT

A close Great Northern Conference dual meet counted in the win column Friday when the Rhinelander High School boys tennis team remained undefeated in conference play by defeating Antigo, 4-3.

RHS won only one of the singles matches with its No. 2 singles player, Markus Johnson, needing three sets to defeat the Red Robins’ Tyler Husnick, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. The Hodags won all three doubles matches with Jared Fabich and Grant Gilbert in No. 1 doubles picking up a three-set victory over Cole Johnson and Collin Schedlbauer, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3.

“It was a typical (meet against) Antigo – down to the wire with swinging momentum at a number of flights,” said RHS head coach Bob Heideman. “They took their No. 1 doubles team and put them in singles, moving their No. 1 singles player to No. 2. That opened the opportunity for our doubles sweep.

“We needed a win in singles and Marcus provided it. He is making the transition to upper level singles but resorts to many of the tactics that made him a successful No. 4 player. He has a highly developed sense of what works and what doesn’t in a match and is not afraid to change.”

With the win, the Hodags improved their season record to 4-0 in the GNC and 8-5 overall going into Tuesday’s conference meet at home against Lakeland Union High School.

RHS 4, ANTIGO  3

Singles
No. 1 — Drew Schwarz, ANTIGO, def. Logan Wild, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6; No. 2 — Markus Johnson, RHS, def. Tyler Husnick, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; No. 3 — Ben Bartletti, ANTIGO, def. Russell Benoy, 3-6, 3-6; No. 4 — Tanner Stueck, ANTIGO, def. Ian Conkey, 6-7, 4-6.

Doubles
No. 1 — Jared Fabich-Grant Gilbert, RHS, def. Cole Johnson-Collin Schedlbauer, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3; No. 2 — Conner Young-Jared Haug, RHS, def. Tommy Blink-Tyler Hickman, 6-0, 6-1; No. 3 — Marshall Bessette-Logan Oestreich, RHS, def. Jake Waters-Brody Bunnell, 6-3, 6-1.