Strong Showing for Newton Tennis at Little Illini Conference Tournament
Newton, IL – The Newton Eagles tennis team delivered an impressive performance in both singles and doubles play at the Little Illini Conference Tournament, with senior Isaac Street leading the charge and doubles teams showing depth and resilience throughout a competitive day.
Singles Success
Senior Isaac Street was a standout for Newton, powering through three opponents to notch multiple wins. After blanking Levi Hefferman of Olney (6-0, 6-0) and dispatching Kellen Sullivan of Casey-Westfield (6-1, 6-0), Street demonstrated grit and determination in a comeback win over Aidan Weidner of Olney, overcoming a first-set loss to win 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3.
Street’s teammate, Wesley Britton, also had a strong outing, earning a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory over Hefferman. However, Britton fell in tough matches to Carson Throneburg of Paris (6-3, 6-1) and Eli Brinkerhoff of Paris (6-1, 6-1), ending his tournament run.
Doubles Depth
In doubles action, the sibling duo of Brennan Bigard (12) and Alex Bigard (11) posted several commanding wins. They defeated teams from Paris (Landsaw/Serbin) and Mt. Carmel (McBroom/Lane and Harness/Courter) with scores of 6-1, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-0, respectively. Despite a hard-fought match, the Bigards dropped a three-setter to Casey-Westfield’s Winnett and Hancock (3-6, 6-3, 6-3).
Meanwhile, the pairing of Michael Shamhart (10) and Kahlin Michl (11) showcased resilience. After dropping their first set against Casey-Westfield’s Spraker and Fann, they rallied for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory. They added a 6-3, 6-1 win over Robinson’s Herr and Fearday before being edged out in a nail-biter by Paris’ Landsaw and Serbin (5-7, 7-6 [7], 10-4).
Despite falling to Paris’ Milner and Theirl (6-4, 6-3), Shamhart and Michl demonstrated consistency and competitive spirit throughout the day.
