When Excelsior Springs coach Richie Marsh and his Tigers got their first dual wins of the varsity boys tennis season, they made sure they weren’t nail-biters.

The Tigers got their first win April 7 with a 9-0 pasting of Carrollton on the road. They got their second on April 8 by trouncing Raytown, also on the road.

Austin Collins sparked Excelsior Springs in the victory over Carrollton by cruising 8-1 in No. 1 singles. Grayson Grove, Jack Dearing Owen Peterson Noah Dunker and Tyler Wartner

also won their matches. Excelsior Springs took the doubles matches 8-1, 8-5 and 8-1.

The Tigers won their Raytown singles matches 8-0, 8-0, 8-5, 8-3, 8-1 and 8-1. They took the doubles matches 8-0, 8-3 and 8-1.

After posting the backto- back shutouts, Excelsior Springs fell 7-2 April 9 to visiting Lafayette County of Higginsville.

“We have been playing really good tennis lately,” Marsh said. “We just ran into a Lafayette County team that is traditionally very good.”