The Mitchell High School boys tennis team closed out the regular season with a statement win, dominating Watertown 8-1 at Hitchcock Park on Friday. The Kernels fired on all cylinders, sweeping every singles match and claiming two of three doubles contests to finish the regular season at an impressive 13-5 overall and 6-2 in Eastern South Dakota Conference play.

Matthew Mauszycki set the tone early in Flight 1 singles, cruising past Joey Meester with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory. At No. 2 singles, Asher Dannenbring showed grit in a tight battle, edging Xane Fligge 6-1, 7-6(6) in a set that needed a tiebreaker to decide. The Kernels' depth was on full display as Cooper Star delivered a comeback for the ages at No. 3 singles. After dropping the first set 6-0 to Matthew Bertsch, Star refused to back down, rallying for consecutive wins of 6-3 and 10-6 to steal the match.

The intensity continued down the lineup. Dawson Adams fought through a three-set marathon at Flight 4, overcoming Dawson Hartman 4-6, 7-5, 10-6. Simon Weise added a steady 6-4, 6-2 win over Tyson Lawrence at No. 5 singles, while Dayton Adams capped the singles sweep with a nail-biting 3-6, 6-1, 10-8 victory over Taren Veflin in Flight 6—the closest match of the day.

Doubles action brought more fireworks. Mauszycki and Star teamed up for a thrilling Flight 1 comeback, dropping the first set 4-6 before storming back to take the next two 6-3, 12-10 over Fligge and Hartman. Weise and Dayton Adams kept the momentum rolling in Flight 3, dispatching Lawrence and Veflin 7-5, 6-2. The only blemish came in Flight 2 doubles, where Dannenbring and Dawson Adams fell 6-2, 6-4.

Now, the Kernels shift their focus to the postseason. The ESD meet is set for May 11-12 in Yankton, with play beginning at 2 p.m. on May 11 and resuming at 8 a.m. on May 12 at Yankton High School. After a regular season that showcased both dominance and resilience, Mitchell looks poised to make some noise on the conference stage.