It wasn't long ago that the Holmen High School boys tennis team struggled to win any matches at the Eau Claire Memorial Old Abe Sweet Sixteen Invitational. Holmen won just two matches at the event two years ago. But the Vikings won nine matches at Saturday's event and finished 11th, their best-ever showing in the event.

Among those winning matches were the HHS No. 3 doubles team of Trent Bodin and Ethan Pedretti, which rebounded from an opening-match loss to win the consolation championship, including wins over Amery and New Richmond. Holmen earned two opening-match wins, from Matt Jameson at No. 2 singles and the No. 4 doubles team of Sia Vang and Xia Xiong. The event features four doubles flights instead of the normal three.

Peter Vang at No. 4 singles won two consolation matches, but dropped the consolation championship. Allen Vang and Chee Lor at No. 2 doubles won a consolation match over Wausau East, before falling to New Richmond in a match tiebreak.

Isaiah Vang at No. 3 singles completed the group of Vikings winners. Na Xiong at No. 1 singles dropped both of matches, including to Stevens Point junior Elliot O'Neal, a Division 1 state-tournament qualifier a year ago. Jameson also played Stevens Point.

“He was close to the best player I've ever played,” Jameson said.

Despite being unable to win a match Saturday, Xiong has earned the team's No. 1 singles spot on the strength of a booming serve. Xiong played varsity reserve as a transfer last spring.

“He does have a big-time serve, but he still needs to be more consistent with it,” HHS head coach Greg Jameson said. “But last year he could only hit that in one out of 10, and this year he can hit that in seven out of 10. Not many high school kids are going to be able to drive his serve back.”

Xiong and the rest of his teammates will have their final chance to make another leap to third in the Missisippi Valley Conference at Thursday's league season-ending tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. at UW-La Crosse. With just three conference duals in after Tuesday's match at Aquinas was rained out, just three Holmen players have earned the normally necessary three MVC wins to earn seeds their flights, Pheng Lee and Vue Lor at No. 2 doubles, Jameson and Pedretti/Bodin. The Vikings entered Tuesday's match 15-6 in league matches with key duals remaining with Central Thursday (after the Courier deadline) and Onalaska Tuesday.

Four of those wins came May 1 against Tomah in a 4-3 HHS victory. Tomah looked to have the advantge in the first three singles flights with returning players, but Jameson was able to beat Dan Laylan 6-2, 6-3.

“Matt was a little tired, but he played very well,” Greg Jameson said. “It prepared him well for Saturday, where he got to the net and was a wall there.”

Cole Wittwer and Tyler Kerska at No. 1 doubles played one of their better sets of the year in the second set of a 7-6, 6-3 win. Lee and Lor were expected as of Monday afternoon to switch with Wittwer and Kerska for the dual with Aquinas.

Mike Yang at No. 3 singles lost in three sets, including by one break of serve in each of the last two sets. Chee Lor played his first singles match of the season at No. 4 singles and won two games.