Clinton boys tennis sweeps Davenport North
Apr. 15—CLINTON — The Clinton boys tennis team has a new coach and it looks like he and the River Kings have already developed a good rapport.
Clinton swept Davenport North 9-0 Tuesday at the Max Lynn Tennis Courts.
"As a coach, you can't ask for a better first team to be working with," Clinton first-year coach Eliot Kuchera said. "We've got some young talent on the team making their varsity debuts this year. It was a really good first day for them. We have young talent, some kids coming from other sports that are really athletic, fun to work with. Up at the top, we've got some veteran players that have played for a number of years and have been playing wonderfully all year as good leaders and as good players.
"Our No. 1 goal this year is to try on every point, keep our heads, hearts in the game and they absolutely executed today and I couldn't be more proud."
This is Kuchera's first head coaching position. He's played most of his life and has given lessons for several years, and played collegiately at Wartburg College. He got his first teaching job teaching band at Prince of Peace and decided to take up coaching.
The team has quickly taken to his coaching style.
"He's really taught us a lot," Clinton junior Brody Manemann said.
Manemann, playing at No. 1 singles, defeated North's Kyler Earl 6-0, 6-0. In No. 1 doubles, Manemann and freshman Blake Haskell defeated North's Earl and Gage Tompkins in No. 1 doubles, 6-0, 6-1.
"Coming up to the net a lot, approach shots were good and good serves as well," Manemann said.
Haskell, in his first year on varsity, said Kuchera has been helpful.
"I didn't have the same coach they had last year because this is my first year playing, but I heard that he has a lot different teaching style, but he's a really good coach," he said.
Singles: No. 2 — Adam Deters def. Tompkins 6-1, 6-1. No. 3 — Haskell def. Cole Miller 6-3, 6-2. No. 4 — Keegan Birt-Steeg def. Evan Collins, 7-5, 6-0. No. 5 — Diyorbeh Yusupov def. Hugo Flores 4-6, 6-2, 10-4. No. 6 — Kaleb Luckritz def. Payton Cozzens 6-1, 6-2.
Doubles: No. 2 — Deters/Birt def. Miller/Collins 6-3, 6-1. No. 3 — Yusupov/Luckritz def. Flores/Cozzens 6-1, 6-3.
Clinton hosts Muscatine at 4 p.m. Thursday.
