It was a tough day at the office for the Mount Si boys tennis squad last week.

Some squads got wins, other just got experience at the hands of strong players from Hazen and Sammamish last Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 10 and 11.

The Wildcats narrowly fell to Sammamish at home Wednesday.

At number four singles, Ryan Cantalini beat Sammamish’s Joe Inowl, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2.

Number-two doubles team Jonah Kingery and George Corriveau beat Sammamish’s duo, 6-3, 6-3, and number three doubles team Vince DiDomenico and Dan Tomson won their set, 6-2, 7-5.

Against Hazen Thursday, Mount Si’s wins came in doubles. Royce Schwartzenberger and Brady Thomas beat Andre Woinala and Andrew Hwang, 6-4, 6-4, at number-one doubles. At number three, DiDomenico and Tomson beat Alex Kang and Bradley La, 4-6, 6-4, 14-12.

Schwartzenberger and Thomas  have been playing as a duo since junior varsity, and played together last year on varsity, as well.

“These guys are real coachable. It’s a really neat group,” said coach Jim Gibowski. Everyone takes the game seriously.

But against the big power tennis schools, “it’s tough,” Gibowski said. “We’ve been that way for a long time.”

The best advice he’s ever been given for players in the unenviable situation of facing strong opponents is that it’s all about practice—“practice more.”

Those who want to win, play in the offseason.

“I’ve got a couple guys playing all year,” Gibowski said. Number two singles player “John (Day) and Matthew have been playing the most tennis, and they’re my one and two guys. Is that a coincidence?”

“From day one to now, I’m very pleased,” said Cantalini, a Mount Si singles player. “The mental game is trying to stay with your game, instead of trying to do too much. If you try to beat him, you’re gonna beat yourself more than anything.”

• Mount Si tennis hosts Sammamish, 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18.

Mount Si number-one doubles player Royce Schwartzenberger returns a volley during play Thursday, Sept. 11, against Hazen. He and partner Brady Thomas won in two sets.

Matthew Griffin, no. 1 singles player, fires a serve against his Hazen opponent.

No. 2 singles player John Day, in service.