CEDAR RAPIDS— The Central College men's tennis team sent 22 athletes to compete in the American Rivers Individual Championships Friday.
           
The tournament was divided up into five flights of singles matches and three flights of doubles matches.
           
Jack Briggs (freshman, Pella) reached the semifinals of the B-Flight. After a first-round bye he picked up a 4-0, 5-3 win against Reed Kruger from Coe College. In the second round he upset the No. 3 seed also from Coe Jumpei Kasai 4-2, 3-5, 13-11. The semifinals are Saturday, and he will play Robert Matura from Wartburg College.
           
"(Briggs) will never take a point off," said coach Ryun Ferrell. "From the first point until the last point he does not back off at all. It is fascinating to watch, and he gives you no room to breathe. He gave the conference a wake-up call today."
           
Benny Ramker (freshman, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS), and Gavin Jablonski (sophomore, Marshalltown) made the quarterfinals of the C-Flight. Jablonski advanced to the semifinals and will face Nathaniel Miller from Coe. In the second-round Ramker defeated the No.1 seed of the flight, winning in straight sets 5-3, 5-4 (7-5) against Landon Murch from Wartburg.
           
Hayden Sinclair (sophomore, Aimes), and Trey Hull (sophomore, Ottumwa) both made the quarterfinals of the D-Flight. In the E-Flight Carson Gardner (freshman, Parkville, Mo., Park Hill HS) and Mason McBratney (sophomore, Kansas City, Mo.) made it to the quarterfinals, but their matches will be tomorrow.
           
In the A-Flight Nick Scott (5th-year, Fort Benton, Mont., Great Falls Central Catholic HS) won his first-round match 5-3, 4-1 against Gennaro Dimuro from Luther College. Scott went on to lose in the second round when he faced the No. 2 seed from Luther Joao Benvenutti.
           
"It was a great day for us," Ferrell said. "We had some great wins, as well as some tough losses. This group loves to fight, and they will do anything they can to win."
           
In the B-Flight of doubles Briggs and Ernest Alvarez Chedzoy (sophomore, Kerrville, Texas, Tivy HS) made it to the semifinals and will face the No. 1 seed from Coe. In the same flight Ramker and Travis Subbert (sophomore, McKinney, Texas, North HS) will face the No. 3 seed from Coe. In the C-Flight Sinclair and Donovan Klish (freshman, Liberty, Kan., North HS) advanced to the semifinals and will play the No.1 seed from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
           
The tournament continues Saturday with the semifinals, and finals along with consolation matches.