Jones defends State Tennis title

(Above) Representing Clear Lake at the State Tennis Tournament were (L-R): Ben Mason, Sam Jones, Jacob Peterson and Coach Rich Peters.  -Submitted photo

Clear Lake High School senior Sam Jones capped off a dominating senior year by successfully defending his Class 1A State Tennis title.  Jones claimed his second State Championship Saturday.

The doubles team of Ben Mason and Jacob Peterson earned a fourth place finish at the State Meet.

Coach Rich Peters said Jones was focused on a State title this season and believed he could do it.

The senior delivered and ended his high school career with impressive statistics.  His record the last two years in singles was 40-0; in his four year career, Jones was 83-8.  This season, Jones lost only 15 games in 18 matches.

His tennis prowess was evident at State.  In the first round he defeated  Adam VanEvsvelde, of Grinnell, 6-0, 6-1.  He shut out Travis Miller, from St. Albert Council Bluffs, 6-0, 6-0 in the second round to advance to the semi-finals against Chandre Morales, of Maharishi, Fairfield.  He topped Morales, 6-2, 6-0.

In the finals, Jones was the clear winner over Nathan Greiner, of North Polk, 6-0, 6-3.

Mason and Peterson were making their first appearance at State.  The doubles team had a hard-fought first round match against Jason Thorn and Ben Wetzeler, from Spirit Lake.  The Lions pulled out the win, 7-6, 7-5.

In the quarterfinals, the Lions defeated the number two seed, Carson Ellingson and Francis Hart from Columbus Catholic, Waterloo, 6-4, 6-4.  Coach Peters said the team played their best tennis to record the win.

Mason and Peterson fell in the semi-finals to  Jackson Takes and Jack Lucy, of Dubuque Wahlert, 6-2, 6-3.  In the third place match they lost to Kai Vessey and Daniel Zhu, of Maharishi, Fairfield, 6-0, 6-2

Mason and Peterson ended the year with a 9-2 record.