Eatonville Boys Tennis Splits Week’s Matches, Dominates Washington Before Falling to Steilacoom

The Eatonville Cruiser boy’s tennis team delivered one of its most impressive performances of the season Tuesday before facing a tough setback the following night.

On Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Cruisers powered past Washington High School 4-1, securing a statement win that showcased how far the squad has come since the start of the season. Head coach Maryann Baker praised her players for their growth and resilience after previously losing to Washington earlier this fall.

“We are extremely proud of the team and the accomplishment of winning this match against Washington,” Baker said. “When we played and lost to them in the beginning of the season, it was evident that there were many areas in need of improvement. Better consistency, a variety of shots, and maintaining a balance of patience and aggressiveness were all areas of growth.”

The improvements showed across the lineup. No. 1 singles player Jacob Golding turned in a commanding performance, defeating one of the league’s top players 6-1, 6-3. Carl Lucas followed with an unrelenting sweep at No. 2 singles, blanking his opponent 6-0, 6-0.

In doubles play, Jackson Rockey and Ethan Stogsdill battled through a tense first-set tiebreaker to take down Washington’s top pair 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. At No. 3 doubles, Holden Hetland and Will Fulmer closed out their match in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, while Steven Haas and Blake Pool added another doubles win, 6-4, 6-3, giving Eatonville a decisive team victory.

With the win, Eatonville pushed itself toward the top of league standings, a feat that reflected months of steady improvement and teamwork.

Just one night later, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, the Cruisers hit the road to face Steilacoom, where they fell just short in a 3-2 loss. Despite the setback, several individual performances stood out.

Once again, Golding led the way, taking down Steilacoom’s Elias Yi in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. His sharp play and poise at the baseline set the tone early.

“Jacob made very few unforced errors and played with confidence,” Baker said.

In doubles action, Rockey and Stogsdill continued their strong week with another standout performance. After dropping the opening set, the pair stormed back to dominate the next two, outplaying and outsmarting Steilacoom’s top doubles team for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory.

Other results included Lucas falling 1-6, 5-7 at No. 2 singles, Haas and Pool dropping their No. 2 doubles match 1-6, 3-6, and Hetland with Nate Diamond losing 2-6, 1-6 at No. 3 doubles.

Despite the narrow loss, Baker said the match highlighted Eatonville’s growing consistency and mental toughness.

The Cruisers will close out their regular season next week with two road matches: a Wednesday trip to face the Clover Park Timberwolves on Oct. 15, followed by a Friday matchup at Fife against the Trojans on Oct. 17.