Prowlers win home opener over Spuds to cap 3-0 week

The Thief River Falls Boys Tennis Team outscored its opponents 19-2 while picking up three dual meet wins last week.

The Prowlers won their first dual of the season Thursday night at Crookston, blanking the host Pirates 7-0 in the opening match, before ending the afternoon with a 6-1 win over the Detroit Lakes Lakers.

“It’s been a cold spring since the start of the season but that hasn’t stopped our players from making the most of the practices and matches,” said Thief River Falls Head Coach Fabian Tunberg.

Dylan Hahn, Camden Broadwell, Jack Onkka and Reece Janisch went a combined 8-0 in their individual matches. For Hahn, the win was his first as a singles player in the number one spot.

“Dylan had a great win on Thursday against Crookston,” Tunberg said. “More than anything though, Dylan needed it to boost his confidence and to remind himself for upcoming matches that caliber of play he can play at.”

On the doubles side, the Prowlers ran the table in the number two and three spots held by the team of Rhett Janisch and Isaiah Villarreal in the number two spot, and Jett Cornelius and Geran Gonsorowski in the number three spot.

The number one team of Ethan Lunsetter and JJ Cornelius came close to making it three-for-three, but dropped a third set super tiebreak to the Detroit Lakes tandem of Connor Zamzo and Nate Cihak.

“I think our doubles teams against both DL and Crookston both did a nice job overall,” Tunberg said. “It was actually nice to see them be critical of their own play and communicate on what they want to improve moving forward. With our doubles teams it’s about chemistry, it’s about movement, it’s about percentages and lastly it’s about learning to trust each other. We will get there.”

The Prowlers were back in action Friday afternoon against the Jorde Hutton-coached Moorhead Spuds. By a score of 6-14, the Prowlers claimed the dual meet that was a battle of former Prowlers.

Moorhead entered the dual with a much less experienced roster than Thief River Falls and it gave the Prowlers a chance to play some of its players in different spots.

“We came out with lots of energy, playing at home and a change of a lineup,” Tunberg said. “Camden was pumped to play at the number one singles spot and Jack/Dylan were pleasantly surprised they got to play with each other. It was fun to watch these three in their element.”

Broadwell took care of business against Ives Hilgers in the number one singles spot, winning 6-3, 6-0; and the top doubles team of Onkka and Hahn didn’t give up a single game, defeating Adam Pettys and Henry Stratvold 6-0, 6-0.

This put our number two and four singles at positions they just aren’t used to,” Tunberg said. “It pushed them to grow and get better. Whether they won or lost, I think I saw everything I wanted to see from all three of them and that was owning their position.”

Reece Janisch responded to his chance at the number two spot with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win over Brody Hagen.

“It was great watching Reece Janisch when I told him and the rest of the team he was playing singles … tad shocked,” Tunberg said. “I think he pleasantly learned quickly that he can play up at the higher spots when needed.”

The Prowlers swept doubles play, with wins in the number two spot by Lunsetter and Cornelius, and Rhett Janisch and Villarreal in the number three spot.

Rounding out the scoring on the singles side for the Prowlers was a 6-2-61 win by Gonsorowski.

The lone win for the Spuds was a 6-2, 6-3 victory by Oscar Bergeson over Jett Cornelius in the number three singles spot.

“Great to get the team in the win column and get above 500, no looking back now,” Tunberg said.

Singles – Dylan Hahn (TRF) def. Jack Garman 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, 11-9; Camden Broadwell (TRF) def. Erik Coauette 6-0, 6-1; Jack Onkka (TRF) def. Mason Owens 6-0, 6-0; Reece Janisch (TRF) def. Reggie Winjum 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles – Ethan Lunsetter/JJ Cornelius (TRF) def. Evan Christianson/Joey Brule 6-2, 7-5; Rhett Janisch/Isaiah Villarreal (TRF) def. Tim Brule/Isaac Thomforde 6-2, 6-1; Jett Cornelius/Geran Gonsorowski (TRF) def. George French/Kaleb Armstrong 6-2, 7-6 (7-1).

Singles – Dylan Hahn (TRF) def. Reed Hendeerson 6-1, 6-1; Camden Broadwell (TRF) def. Austin Miller 6-0, 6-0; Jack Onkka (TRF) def. Gavin Smith 6-0, 6-0; Reece Janisch (TRF) def. Brodie Smith 6-0, 6-2.

Doubles – Connor Zamzo/Nate Cihak (DL) def. Ethan Lunsetter/JJ Cornelius 4-6, 6-4, 10-8; Isaiah Vallarreal/Rhett Janisch (TRF) def. Jordan Fields/Gabe Reller 6-1, 6-2; Spencer Hempel/Jett Cornelius (TRF) Elijah Blow/Breck Winter 6-1, 3-6, 11-9.

Singles – Camden Broadwell (TRF) def. Ives Hilgers 6-3, 6-0; Reece Janisch (TRF) def. Brody Hagen 6-2, 6-1; Oscar Bergeson (Moorhead)def. Jett Cornelius 6-2, 6-3; Geran Gonsorowski (TRF) def. Lane Cirk 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles – Jack Onkka/Dylan Hahan (TRF) def. Adam Pettys/Henry Stratvold 6-0, 6-0; Ethan Lunsetter/JJ Cornelius (TRF) def. Ben Voxland/Kaden Filipi 6-0, 6-4; Rhett Janisch/Isaiah Villarreal (TRF) def. Kaden Filipi/Elliot Kidle 6-0, 6-2.