Jaguars off to roaring start in district

The first round of the Class 2 District 7 Tournament could not have gone much better for Blue Springs South.
Both of South’s doubles teams and singles players won their only matches, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Zack Kaltenbach and Brooks Stotts won first-round matches in singles, while the duos of Caleb Jeff-Steve Bodenheimer and Jon Strope-Josh Payton both won.
The tournament went only one round on the championship side of the bracket, then played a consolation round.
“That was big for team points,” South coach Sheri Rehmer said. “Rockhurst is the only other team that won all its first-round matches. It was a very successful first day.”
For Blue Springs, singles players Chase Gilgour and Ryan Paxton each advanced to the quarterfinals with first-round wins.
The doubles teams of Christian Andrick-Chris Morrow and John Stigall-Corey O’Neill each lost in the first round, but bounced back with wins in the consolation bracket.
“It’s a very tough district,” Wildcats coach Jody McClain said. “I’m really happy with our singles. We’ve got some big matches tomorrow, but we’re looking good.”
The tournament continues today at Yeokum Middle School.
CLASS 2 DISTRICT 8: The momentum gained from a first-round victory quickly dissipated for Truman singles player Josh Smith.
Smith dropped both of his matches Thursday, as the Patriots finished eighth with 7.5 points in the Class 2 District 8 Tournament at Oak Park High School.
The doubles team of Connor Fredenberg and Mike Roberts went 2-2 for the tournament for Truman.
“(They) did really well,” Truman coach Tara Corwin said of Fredenberg and Roberts. “I’m pleased with the way they played. Josh, I think his youth and inexperience hurt him. He didn’t know how to handle that level of pressure.
“The bright spot is we’re are all freshmen and sophomores except for one junior. We have a bright future. This was good experience.”
Youth and inexperience also hurt Chrisman, which finished 10th with 3.5 points. Most of the points for the Bears came from Ben Bertram, who won a pair of matches on the back side of the bracket Thursday.
McKay Paialii also won a match for Chrisman.
“Ben’s really the only one of us who has any district experience,” Chrisman coach Nathan Mooney said. “McKay said it was a lot tougher than he thought it was going to be. This experience will help us over the next couple of years.”
Fort Osage finished ninth with five points.