The Reeths-Puffer boys tennis team switched up its lineup and had a very good outing on Wednesday against Grand Rapids Union.
The Rockets downed Union 7-1. They were particularly dominant in the four doubles matches, winning 48 out of 50 games.
Singles winners for Reeths-Puffer were Quinn Alderink (No. 1), who beat Nigal Doyle 6-0, 6-1; Cade Paugh (No. 2), who downed Carson Downer 7-6, 6-2; and Ethan Frang (No. 3), who defeated Harrison Nee 6-3. 6-1.
In doubles, the new No. 1 team of Zade Rogers and Jake VandenBosch beat Ricardo Valdez and Anish Kulkami 6-1, 6-0. At No. 2, Kaden Malotke and Holden Earnest downed Spencer Spitler and Sam Octros 6-1, 6-0.
Jaxson Whitaker and Travis Ambrose, the Rockets' No. 3 doubles combo, won both of their matches on Wednesday.
Travis Ambrose and Jaxson Whitaker (No. 3 doubles) swept Clayton Gearhart and Javen Johnson 6-0. 6-0, while the No. 4 team of Trent VanDam and Adam Miller did the same to Taegan Hale and Honor Pailet.
After winning the after-school match at home, the Rockets headed up to Whitehall to play a second match against the always strong Vikings. That didn’t go as well, with R-P falling 6-2.
The Rockets continued to do well in doubles, however, with VandenBosch and Rogers downing Whitehall’s Sam Cole and Isaac VanAmberg in a tight thriller 7-6, 7-6, and Ambrose and Whitaker beating Braydon Bishop and Jonathon Hall 6-1, 6-1.
R-P tennis coach Ryan Hankinson said the Rockets “responded masterfully to the tweaks in their lineup” against Union and “continued displaying their improved play with a noble showing up in Whitehall.”
“The team is excited for the practice time coming up over the break to continue improving into the second month of the season,” Hankinson said.