RUSSELL — Ellsworth swept its first varsity tennis tournament of the season March 28, scoring 50 points to take first place at the Russell varsity tennis meet.

The tournament has traditionally served as a battleground for Ellsworth and Central Plains, determining which team will come out ahead. But this year, a new team emerged to claim second place. Colby finished just behind Ellsworth, with only two points separating first and second places at this year’s tournament.

Central Plains finished in third with 42 points.

Ellsworth placed first in No. 2 doubles. The winning No. 2 doubles team of Adam Vehring and David Wesseler defeated Russell (Colby) 8-4, Larned 6-3 and Colby 6-4.

The Bearcats also took second place in No. 1 Singles and No. 1 Doubles competition.

In singles competition, Joey Oberle won 8-0 over Russell’s Michael Smith and Central Plains’ JJ Heredia. In the final match, Oberle lost 6-4 to Colby’s Drew Starbuck.

In No. 1 Doubles, the Ellsworth team of Caden Whetzel and Dalton Zelenka defeated Cimarron 8-3 and Hoisington 6-0. In the championship match however, the Bearcats lost to the Central Plains team of Brett Liebl and Lawson Oeser, 6-2, who took first place.

In No. 2 singles, Ellsworth’s Zach Griffith defeated Hoisington’s Nick Long, 8-7 (22-20), but lost 8-2 to Central Plains’ Karter Beck. Griffith later advanced to the consolation round, facing Trego Community’s Andrew Mejia. Griffith defeated Meija, 7-6 (7-5), but was later defeated by Russell’s Sam Ochs, 6-1, to take fourth place.

Central Plains’ No. 2 singles player, Beck, later went on to play Colby’s Seth Hutfles, but lost 6-2 in the championship round. Still, Beck claimed second place.

The Oilers’ No. 1 Singles player, Heredia, later played Trego Community’s Dylan Pfeifer, defeating him 62, but was shut out by Larned’s Dalton Penka, 8-0. However, Heredia ended the tournament in fourth place.

The Oilers’ No. 2 Doubles team of Michael Menges and Hunter Green defeated Cimarron 8-7 (7-5) but lost to Colby 8-7. Central Plains was later defeated by Colby (Russell) 6-4 and Trego Community 6-3, but managed to finish in sixth place.