The Newton boys tennis team hosted North Polk in a Class 1A Substate match Saturday afternoon and lost 5-1, ending their season. The Cardinals lone win was in the #6 match, with Garrett Crandall defeating his opponent 6-4, 6-3. Evan Marshall lost the #1 match in straight sets 6-1, 6-0. Ezra Bartell fell in match #2 6-1, 6-1. Kaden Marshall in match #3 won the first set 6-2, but lost set two 6-4 and then the tiebreaker 10-7. Ethan Freese in match #4 also forced three sets. He lost the opening set 3-6, won set two 6-4, and dropped the tiebreaker 10-3. Match #5 was a two set loss for Damien Smith 6-1, 6-3.

The Cardinals normal #1 singles player, Ethan Valtman, was unable to play Saturday. Head coach Jared Gerber says he’s still recovering from an injury he suffered Wednesday in the Class 1A singles and doubles district tournament. Gerber says they will make sure Valtman is ready for the Class 1A Individual State Tennis Tournament in Waterloo starting Tuesday. He’s one of sixteen individual qualifiers. 

This season the Newton boys tennis team won the Little Hawkeye Conference Tournament Championship and went 4-7 in dual meets.