WEST ISHPEMING — The Escanaba boys weren’t in contention for the team championship in the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Tennis Finals, but sophomore Kyle Smith gave them something to cheer about here Wednesday.

Smith captured the No. 4 singles title on this sunny and mild afternoon by outlasting Marquette sophomore Dominic Camilli 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, much to the delight of his teammates and coach Alan Adams.

“This feels great,” he said. “I just started playing tennis last year. We’ve gone back and forth all year. I was pretty nervous before the match. Winning the second set was huge. I knew he was down at that time, and I wanted to pick up the pace.”

Marquette retained its title with 17 points, followed by Negaunee 15, Kingsford 12, Ishpeming Westwood 6, Esky 5 and Gladstone 1.

Sentinels’ coach Karl Thomsen believes victories in the No. 1 singles and doubles played major roles in Wednesday’s outcome.

“They came to play,” he said. “They got some points and winning No. 1 singles was unexpected. The guys saw that and they responded. No. 2 doubles was fun for everyone involved. They put on quite a show. Negaunee is so mentally tough and they’ve been champions for many years. We knew it’d be a three-way battle today.”

Smith, who sealed the verdict in No. 4 single with a lob into the backcourt, trailed 2-0 prior to mounting his comeback.

He fell behind early in the first set, trailing 1-0 on a return shot which sailed too long and 3-0 on a double-fault.

Smith came back to tie the score at 3-3, but was unable to gain the upper hand.

“Having my teammates sitting on the bench was really energizing and our coach giving me pointers between sets really helped,” he said. “I’m also thankful for having my family coming to support me in the away matches.”

Marquette junior Bode Helman and Conner Dunn secured the title and finished their season undefeated by taking a 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 decision from Negaunee’s Vince Tincknell and Marshall Knapp.

“Having to go three sets made it all the more satisfying,” Helman said. “I thought maybe we’d lose after they went ahead in the third set, but once we got ahead 2-1 it felt like we had the momentum. Our overhead shots worked pretty good. I think that may have gotten them out of position. It was nice and sunny here today. It was pretty comfortable for playing.”

Seniors Teagan Reynolds and Tyler Soderman got Gladstone on the board by winning their opening match in No. 1 doubles.

Singles

No. 1 — Belkowski, M, def. Adams, K, 6-2, 6-4; No. 2 — O’Dovero, N, def. Leboeuf, K, 7-6 (11-9), 6-3; No. 3 — Goymac, K, def. Larson, N, 6-0, 6-1; No. 4 — Smith, E, def. Camilli, M, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Doubles

No. 1 — Leonard-Henry, M, def. Yu-Robb, K, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); No. 2 — Helman-Dunn, M, def. Tincknett-Knapp, N, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2; No. 3 — Stede-Emard, N, def. Chu-Busch, M, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); No. 4 — Krebs-Tiziani, M, def. Derkos, McIntyre, N, 6-3, 6-4.