ESCANABA — The Escanaba boys tennis teamed hosted a triangular between themselves, Menominee and Negaunee, but the match was rained out before the second set of matches was able to finish. However, in its sole match of the day, Escanaba fell to Negaunee 5-3 Thursday.

“(We were) cut short by the rain, but we did get a good match with Negaunnee in,” said Eskymos coach Tom Penegor. “There were some good things. I thought Nathan Howes at No. 3 singles — he went three sets — played a really good match. It was very competitive.”

Three of the matches went the full three sets, No. 3 and 4 singles and No. 4 doubles.

“All those three-setters were hard-fought long matches,” Penegor said. “(They) all went almost two hours.”

At No. 4 doubles, the Esky duo of Troy Delvaux and Brayden Roberts fell behind after a loss in the first set, 6-2. However, the Eskymos fought back to avoid the loss, taking the second set to a tie break and winning it, 7-6 (4). Delvaux and Roberts had an easier time in the third finishing of the Miners duo of James Thomson and James Dank 7-5.

“It was a nice comeback and a nice win for them,” Penegor said.

With the conclusion, Roberts earned his first varsity win.

Also picking up their first varsity wins were Esky’s Connor Smale at No.4 singles over Mick Kumpula (7-5, 3-6, 7-5) and part of Esky’s No. 2 doubles duo Isaac Maki. Maki and Dawson Williams topped Brayden Oglesby and Nathan Marcotte (6-0, 6-3).

Negaunee won the remainder of singles. Esky’s Gunner Dlugas fell to Will Luke at No. 1, Shaun Beauchamp fell to the Miners’ Luke Syrjala at No. 2 and Esky’s Nathan Howes lost a three-set battle with Corbin Marshall.

“We pulled out four singles and four doubles which was nice to do against Negaunee because they are one of the best teams in the U.P. every year,” said Penegor. “What we have to do now is, we lost 5-3, but when we play them in two or three weeks. I don’t want to have the gap widening. I want to make it closer, so that is one of our goals.”

The Miners cleaned up the rest of the doubles matches. The Miners’ duo of Nick Jacobetti and Gavin Saunders defeated Ryan Moreau and Viktor Pospisil at No. 1, and Esky’s Tanner McDonald and Jordan nance fell to Jace Turri and Zach Brundage at No. 3.

Negaunee coach Kyle Saari said the day was great for gaining experience, especially for a young team.

“I think a lot of the U.P. as a whole, the kids are raw and their green right now trying to get back in the swing of things right now,” Saari said. “That’s kind of where we are at as a team, but I’m pleased with how it went really in both matches.”

Escanaba hosts Westwood today. No. 1 and No. 2 singles and doubles will be held at the high school, No. 3 singles and doubles will be held at Royce Park and No. 4 singles and doubles will be held at Veteran’s Park.

Singles

No. 1 — Luke, N, def. Dlugas, E, 6-2, 6-2; No. 2 –Syrala, N, def. Beauchamp, E, 6-0, 6-4; No. 3 — Marshall, N, def. Howes, E, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2; No. 4 — Smale, E, def. Kumpula, N, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.

Doubles

No. 1 — Jacobetti-Saunders, N, def. Moreau-Pospisil, E, 7-5, 6-2; No. 2 — Maki-Williams, E, def. Oglesby-Marcotte, N, 6-0, 6-3; No. 3 — Turri-Brundage, N, def. McDonald-Nance, E, 6-2, 7-5; No. 4 — Delvaux-Roberts, E, def. Thomas-Dank, N, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5.