West Iron tennis splits season-opening matches, shows early promise

West Iron County’s boys tennis team got its season moving with a split that offered both proof of depth and a reminder of how much still needs to sharpen before conference play. The Wykons opened at home at Nelson Field on April 21 against Escanaba, then came back two days later to beat Munising 8-0.

Against Escanaba, West Iron did not win the match, but it did win in spots that matter. Donte White took second singles, while Aidyn Zimmerman and Cayden Holm delivered at third doubles and Jaxson Leonoff and Jaden Wallschlaeger held down fourth doubles. Those results gave coach Jim Anderson a clear early look at a lineup that already has a few dependable pieces, even after a spring start slowed by weather.

Anderson, who is in his fourth year leading the program, said before the opener that the courts had been “a bit of a mess” because of ice storms and snow. West Iron still had 18 boys coming to practice in the preseason, a number that suggested the Wykons had enough bodies to chase another strong run after winning the Upper Peninsula title the past two seasons. West Iron repeated as the 2025 MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 2 champion with 17 points, three ahead of Munising, and the 2026 goal is another title.

The Munising match gave the Wykons a cleaner result, even if the Mustangs were short-handed because of low participation. West Iron rolled to the 8-0 victory, and Anderson said he was pleased with the progress his players showed. The win added momentum for a team that is still finding its rhythm outdoors after a delayed spring, while also showing that the Wykons can take care of business when the matchup is there.

The early read on West Iron is straightforward: White, Zimmerman, Holm, Leonoff and Wallschlaeger already look like a workable core, and Anderson has the benefit of John Spelgatti, whose support for the boys and girls programs stretches back decades. But the Escanaba result also showed the gaps that remain, with the Wykons still needing more consistency across the full lineup if they want to turn a promising opening week into another Upper Peninsula run.