Capital defeats North Thurston behind doubles sweep

The Capital boys tennis team took care of business on the road Tuesday afternoon in a 4-1 win over North Thurston.

Capital won all three doubles matches and the second singles match to pull away from its opponent. In first doubles, Torin Biswas and Brooks Bezanson dominated Asher Barnes and Jonah Stemmene 6-0, 6-1, while Logan Oestreich and Andy Gorrell had an identical score over Rudy Meyer and Zander Zaballa-Turner.

Jesse Aubry and Jackson Busscher of Capital played a tighter match against William Branham and Gunnar Vanderhoff of North Thurston, winning 6-2, 6-3.

In second singles, Eli Horton of Capital beat North Thurston’s Samual Dedekam 6-0, 6-1.

But the match of the day was a first-singles thriller between Matthias Tenkley of North Thurston and Camden Marshall of Capital. After Marshall took the first set 6-4, Tenkley fought through several long battles and rallies to win 6-3 and send the match to a third set. 

Long after the other varsity matches and most of the ensuing junior varsity matches concluded, and with the final team score decided, Tenkley and Marshall played with an intensity that would’ve had a bystander convinced a state bid was on the line.

The third set was evenly matched; both athletes must have grown tired of uttering the word “deuce” before a serve. But Tenkley outlasted Marshall 6-2 in the final frame to pull off the come-from-behind victory.

Both teams will hit the road on Thursday as Capital will travel to Gig Harbor and North Thurston will visit Lincoln.