Photo By Raymundo Frasquillo: Senior Braden Basteen looks the ball into his racket for a return. Basteen is 5-3 in singles and 4-4 in doubles with two different partners.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – Duncan’s tennis boys fell 9-0 in Safford on March 20, plus shutout Superior 9-0 March 22 and edged Saint David 5-4 March 23, both on the H.T. Clothier Tennis Courts.
The Wildkats welcome the top-ranked Thatcher Eagles on Tuesday, March 27, and have five remaining regular season duels in April, three at home and two on the road. Duncan hosts Pima on April 4, Morenci on April 10, and Safford on April 12 plus is at Willcox on April 9 and at Benson on April 17.
Through 10 duels, Duncan (6-4) is 30-30 in singles and 14-16 in doubles.
Individually in singles, No. 1 freshman Nathan Kempton is 4-6, No. 2 junior Nate Rapier 2-8, No. 3 senior Chase Carnes 5-5, No. 4 sophomore Lucas Basteen 6-4, No. 5 senior Braden Basteen 5-3, No. 6 junior Jay Garner 7-3, and junior Weston Skinner 1-1.
The No. 1 Rapier – Lucas Basteen duo is 2-6, No. 2 Kempton – Braden Basteen 3-3, No. 3 Carnes – Garner 3-2, Garner – Skinner 2-0, Rapier – Garner 1-0, Carnes – Lucas Basteen and Braden Basteen – Garner both 1-1, Kempton – Carnes 1-2, and Kempton – Rapier 0-1.
Duncan – 5, Saint David – 4
The Wildkats won two of six head-to-head pairings, two of four singles, but, the Tigers forfeited the No. 5 and No. 6 singles as well as the No. 3 doubles to give them five wins.
Carnes and Lucas Basteen defeated Haynie 10-6 and Watts 10-4, respectively, and Braden Basteen and Garner in singles and the same pair in doubles received forfeits.
For Saint David, Frederico Niccacci defeated Kempton 10-1 and Joel Samuelsson shutout Rapier 10-0.
The Samuelsson – Haynie duo defeated Kempton – Rapier 10-4 and the Niccachi – Watts duo topped Kempton – Carnes 10-2.
Duncan – 9, Superior – 0
The Panthers fielded a 2-man team, forfeiting four singles and two doubles to the Wildkats.
Kempton and Rapier defeated Matthew Hernandez 10-0 and Brandon Martinez 10-8, respectively, in singles and Carnes – Lucas Basteen downed Hernandez – Martinez 10-7 in doubles.
Carnes, Lucas Basteen, Braden Basteen, and Garner along with Kempton – Braden Basteen and Rapier – Garner were awarded forfeits.
Safford – 9, Wildkats – 0
Safford shutout Duncan, winning each of the singles and doubles pairings.
A.J. Camarena (6-4, 6-2 over Kempton), Montierth (7-5, 6-2 over Rapier), Henrie (7-5, 6-1 over Carnes), Crohn (6-0 twice over Lucas Basteen), Sipes (6-4, 6-2 over Braden Basteen), and Llamas (6-2, 6-0 over Garner) each posted singles wins.
In doubles, Camarena – Montierth (10-8 over Kempton – Braden Basteen), Henrie – Crohn (10-1 over Rapier – Lucas Basteen), and Sipes – Llamas (10-7 over Carnes – Garner) recorded wins.
