Panthers Battle Hard but Fall 3–2 to Bethel in Late-Season Thriller

Cameron Munsch. 6-2 5-7 (10-8)

With just two regular season matches remaining, the Bonney Lake Panthers boys tennis team hoped to make a statement Tuesday afternoon as they hosted the Bethel Bison in SPSL 4A play. Both teams entered sitting squarely in the middle of the league standings, and the matchup promised to be a battle. Under a sun-soaked sky, the Panthers fought with grit and heart but ultimately came up short, falling 2–3 in a day filled with long rallies and dramatic finishes.

Logan Schaff. 2-6 6-7 (4-7)

Singles Spotlight: Munsch Outlasts in Epic Finish

At #1 singles, junior Cameron Munsch delivered the afternoon’s most thrilling match. Munsch started strong, cruising through the first set 6–2 and building a 3–0 lead in the second. But Bethel stormed back, taking control to edge out the set 7–5 and force a decisive 10-point tiebreak. With the crowd drawn in and every point carrying weight, Munsch dug deep late to pull out a gutsy 10–8 win, securing a hard-fought victory 6–2, 5–7, (10–8).

Evan Lane and Sven Anderson. 3-6 2-6

At #2 singles, junior Logan Schaff nearly pulled off an incredible comeback of his own. After dropping the first set 2–6 and trailing 2–5 in the second, Schaff rallied to tie things at 6–6 and force a seven-point tiebreak. Despite the comeback effort, he fell just short 4–7 in the breaker, dropping the match 2–6, 6–7 (4–7).

Doubles Duels

In doubles play, the Panthers found mixed results. At #1, seniors Evan Lane and Sven Anderson couldn’t recover from an early deficit, falling 3–6, 2–6 to a sharp Bison duo.

Darin Nguyen and Cory Lozano. 4-6 4-6

At #2, juniors Darin Nguyen and Cory Lozano stayed competitive throughout but missed key chances to break through, dropping a close 4–6, 4–6 battle.

The #3 doubles team of Kade Comstock and William Vescio kept fans on their feet in one of the day’s most exciting turnarounds. After dropping the opening set 3–6, the pair rallied late to steal the second 7–5 and force a 10-point tiebreak. Feeding off the crowd’s energy, they closed out the breaker 10–7 to give Bonney Lake their second team point.

Kade Comstock and William Vescio. 3-6 7-5 (10-8)

One Match Remains Before Postseason

Despite the 2–3 loss, the Panthers showed fight and resilience with dramatic singles and doubles performances. They’ll look to carry that energy into their final regular season home match this Thursday, Senior Day, before turning their focus toward postseason play.

Final Score: Bethel 3, Bonney Lake 2