With the cancellation of Tuesday’s Iola Invitational tennis tournament, Mustang coach Dan Berg turned a potentially disappointing situation into a fun event for his players and fans.
Out of the original field for the event, only Columbus was available for the proposed rescheduled meet on Thursday.
Instead of having Columbus drive all the way to Iola for just one match for each of their players, Berg proposed that each player play three matches, but with the caveat that nobody can play the same matchup twice.
So that meant that Iola No. 1 singles player Colby Works and Columbus No. 1 Mac Jameson wouldn’t just play each other three times in a row. Instead, Berg’s game plan allowed players like Works and Jameson to have their match, but then get to play doubles matches for the only time all year.
“It was really fun. I haven’t really played competitive doubles in a long time,” Works said.
Columbus agreed to the format and a new version of the Iola Invitational was on.
Iola wound up winning the event 7-5, though that came in a distant second for the Iola players who delighted in the opportunity to play in the different format.
Columbus and Iola have played each other several times this season and by now the players are very familiar with each other. To mix up the match-ups allowed them to play against some friends that they don’t normally face.
“It was fun because of any team, we are closest with Columbus,” Works said.
The match-ups also provided some exciting teammate pairings. Seniors Mason Key and Works got to play together for the first time in their careers.
“Mason and I have never teamed up before, so we were glad we were able to do that today,” Works said.
In addition to being able to play and have fun with the Columbus team, the event also proved to the Iola players that they are playing well as the season winds down.
“I’ve felt really good,” Works said. “I feel like I have reached my peak fitness and I feel really confident on all of my serves.”
Iola will compete in regionals next Friday in Independence. Works said he is also confident that not only he but also Isaiah Fawson, Rhett Allen and Key will qualify for state.
“If everyone plays to their maximum level, we can definitely qualify four,” Works said.
Results follow:
Colby Works (I) over Mac Jameson 8-3; Gage Riker (C) over Thomas Elder, 8-0; Rhett Allen/Mason Key (I) over Tim Eppler/Pete Westervelt, 8-2; Toby Danner/Luke Laws (C) over Brett Plumlee/Jon Miller, 8-4; Key (I) over Eppler, 8-1; Allen (I) over Danner, 8-1; Works/Elder (I) over Laws/Riker, 8-4; Westervelt/Jameson (C) over Plumlee/Miller, 8-0; Westervelt (C) over Plumlee, 8-7 (7-1); Laws (C) over Miller, 8-1; Key/Works (I) over Riker/Jameson, 8-4; Allen/Elder (I) over Danner/Eppler, 8-1
