Tigers produce three-peat

(Photo by Ryan Christoffel, DCN Sports): Spencer senior Taylor Harman swats a backhand volley during the Lakes Conference Tournament Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Spirit Lake. Harman went 4-1 on the day, earning All-Conference honors and helping Spencer win its third straight league tournament title. [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Already this season, the Spencer boys tennis team has had a number of close meets and plenty of tiebreakers.

Quite fitting the Lakes Conference Tournament would turn out the same way.

Spencer won eight singles matches and six doubles matches Saturday in Spirit Lake, serving up its third straight conference championship in tiebreaker fashion over runner-up Cherokee.

"It was a bit of a surprise given Cherokee's dominance in the conference so far. I think they were heavy favorites going in," said Spencer coach Joe Steele.

Spencer and Cherokee each produced 14 points; the Tigers earned the victory by winning 3-of-4 head-to-head matches.

"I thought maybe we had something good going when we won three from Cherokee," said Steele, pointing out that the three tournament wins was one more win than the Tigers had mustered in their last conference dual with the Braves. "Cherokee put both of their tops singles players in singles and they both lost twice. That was maybe more surprising to me than us being able to take home the team title."

Both Cherokee and Le Mars put more on the All-Conference team than Spencer -- and Storm Lake matched the Tigers -- but the Tigers' consistency throughout the four divisions paid off.

"It was really a good day for everybody, and everybody had to play well for us to even get into a tie with Cherokee," Steele said.

Cherokee duo Cole Renken and Nick Parker won the No. 1 doubles championship, but the Braves finished no higher than third in any of the remaining three divisions.

Spencer placed second in three divisions and fourth in No. 1 doubles -- Taylor Harman was named to the All-Lakes Conference team with a runner-up performance in No. 1 singles; Drew Jacobsen earned honorable mention with a second-place finish in No. 2 singles.

Storm Lake and Le Mars tied for third. Taylor Anderson and Carson Anderson won singles titles for the Tornadoes, while Bret Giese and Zach Lancaster were No. 2 doubles champions for Le Mars.

Harman and Jacobsen each went 4-1 in singles competition, as did Waylon Glienke and Drake Swanson, who placed second in No. 2 doubles. Mark Wakefield and Joel Kaldahl were 2-3 in No. 1 doubles.

Spencer won the Lakes Conference Tournament by one point, 16-15, over Storm Lake in 2008 after winning the title 18-11 over the runner-up Tornadoes in '07.

Lakes Conference Tournament

Team Standings -- 1. Spencer 14, 2. Cherokee 14, 3. Storm Lake 12, 4. Le Mars 12, 5. Spirit Lake/Okoboji 8, 6. Estherville-Lincoln Central 0.

All-Lakes Conference

Taylor Anderson, Storm Lake, No. 1 singles champion

Cole Renken, Cherokee, No. 1 doubles champion

Nick Parker, Cherokee, No. 1 doubles champion

Carson Anderson, Storm Lake, No. 2 singles champion

Taylor Harman, Spencer, No. 1 singles runner-up

Cole Egger, Cherokee, No. 1 singles third place

Anthony Schimek, Le Mars, No. 1 doubles runner-up

Josh Meridith, Le Mars, No. 1 doubles runner-up

Honorable Mention

Bret Giese, Le Mars, No. 2 doubles champion

Zach Lancaster, Le Mars, No. 2 doubles champion

Drew Jacobsen, Spencer, No. 2 singles runner-up

Lukas Durst, Le Mars, No. 2 singles third place