By Adam Niemi

Iron Mountain Daily News

KINGSFORD – Despite rain and lightning delaying and then suspending the Mid-Peninsula Conference tournament, Negaunee won enough points to mathematically secure the championship on Wednesday.

The approximately three-hour delay because of rain and lightning in the morning came after the tournament already started and teams had collected some points. Play resumed around noon.

The tournament came down to the Miners and the Westwood Patriots. The No. 1 and No. 2 singles finals were suspended just after 7 p.m. because of lightning and a downpour.

The two remaining flights will be resumed at 4 p.m. today in Negaunee.

Negaunee’s six finals wins guarantees at least 42 points.

“I thought we played really well today. One of the goals at the beginning of the year is to get the conference,” Negaunee head coach Kyle Saari said.

“The other one, hopefully, compete for the UP’s. For all the girls to respond and come and win six titles up to this point is definitely a good feeling for us.”

Westwood’s second-place finish came with runner-up finishes to Westwood in five flights. The Patriots have 24 points.

“I think the hardest part was all the people who had byes in the first round,” Westwood head coach Chris Jackson said of the weather delays.

“They’re the ones that had to sit a little extra. Some didn’t get on the court until maybe 1:30 for their first match. I think for the kids that had first-round matches it was easier to adjust to. All in all I think it might just take a couple of them longer to get started.”

Gladstone took third place with 20 points. Iron Mountain finished fourth with 15 points and Ishpeming settled for fifth with seven points.

With the UP championships next week, Jackson said the Patrtios’ performance in the MPC tournament should help them prepare, but they couldn’t overcome the Miners to win the title.

“We’ve had a really good day. Our lower flights were able to play up,” Jackson said.

“That’s going to help us for UP’s. It was kind of an uphill battle with Negaunee having all of the one seeds. We pushed it in the end in some flights and came up short.”

Iron Mountain’s No. 2 doubles made it to the finals as the team’s highest finishing flight. The duo had a bye to start the day before beating Westwood in the semifinals.

Team standings – 1. Negaunee; 2. Westwood; 3. Gladstone, 20; 4. Iron Mountain, 15; Ishpeming, 7.

SINGLES: No. 1 – Megan Syrjala (N) vs. Marissa Carello (WW), ppd. No. 2 – Jenna Sager (N) vs. Madelyn Koski, ppd. No. 3 – Lexi Peterson (N) def. Bailey DeAugustine (WW). No. 4 – Maci Aho (N) def. Tessa Leece (WW).

DOUBLES: No. 1 – Abby Nelson-MyKenna Kontio (N) def. Karlie Kargela-Karlie Patron (WW). No. 2 – Skylar Taavola-Lexi Taavola (N) def. Katelyn Charette-Sophia Schinderle (IM). No. 3 – Alexis Hill-Kalli Mattson (N) def. Hailey Mattila-Katelyn Anttila (WW). No. 4 – Jillian Skewis-Faith Toutant (N) def. Ellie Miller-Meghan Johnson.