HARRISBURG – The Aberdeen Central tennis team made strides, but still came up short against two of the top programs in the state.

The Golden Eagles were blanked 9-0 by both Harrisburg and Sioux Falls Christian.

Central coach Trent Kurtz said that despite losing all 18 matches on the day, his team played better than when it split a pair of duals out in Rapid City to start the season.

“I really felt like we played a lot better today. I thought we played really well in a lot of spots,” Kurtz said. “Sometimes the competition is really good, too. Harrisburg, they might be the favorite, them and Lincoln to win the AA, and Sioux Falls Christian is going to run away with the A tournament. They’ve got everybody back from their state championship team last year.”

Harrisburg, which now has one of Rapid City Christian’s top players from last year, and also a seventh-grader who is ranked among the top players in country on this year’s roster, dropped just 11 games total against the Golden Eagles.

Central made some inroads against Sioux Falls Christian, losing one set in a tiebreaker, another 7-5, and four other sets by a 6-4 margin.

“We got to get better when we lose a set to be able to bounce back,” Kurtz said. “I think one of the most important times in a match is the first couple games of the second set. Whether you win or lose a first, at the time you can jump on your opponent or be jumped on, and we got jumped on a couple times.”

Kurtz pointed out the flight two doubles match featuring Dawson Pederson and Mason Ligon, who lost 6-4, 6-3.

“That was a good match. … It was back and forth both sets,” Kurtz said.

Central now hosts multi-time defending State AA champion Sioux Falls Lincoln at 10 a.m. Thursday along with Watertown that afternoon at the Holgate Courts.

The Golden Eagles will enter those duals with some momentum gained on Tuesday, especially in doubles.

“Doubles was really good today,” Kurtz said. “Big improvement in doubles compared to where we were out in Rapid, so that was good to see.”

Harrisburg 9, Aberdeen Central 0

SINGLES

Alex Rallis, H, def. AJ Prehn, 6-0, 6-0.

Jack Hancock, H, def. Mason Ligon, 6-0, 6-0.

Robby Rallis, H, def. Dawson Pederson, 6-0, 6-1.

Mav Ragon, H, def. Gustavo Carrara, 6-0, 6-0.

Cooper Rott, H, def. Aric Tennant, 6-2, 6-2.

Brayden Rausch, H, def. Gannon Pederson, 6-3, 6-2.

DOUBLES

A Rallis-Hancock, H, def. Prehn-Carrara, 6-0, 6-1.

R. Rallis-Rott, H, def. D. Pederson-Ligon, 6-1, 6-1.

Howard Rott-Rausch, H, def. Tennant-Dannen, 6-3, 6-0.

Sioux Falls Christian 9, Aberdeen Central 0

SINGLES

Mitchell Hofer, SFC, def. AJ Prehn, 6-1, 6-1.

Rex Lefever, SFC, def. Mason Ligon, 6-4, 6-3.

Jack Squier, SFC, def. Dawson Pederson, 6-4, 6-3.

Elijah Lindgren, SFC, def. Gustavo Carrara, 6-1, 6-1.

Logan Boyle SFC, def. Aric Tennant, 6-0, 7-5.

Aaron Soroka, SFC, def. Gannon Pederson, 6-2, 6-2.

DOUBLES

Hofer-Squier, SFC, def Prehn-Carrara, 6-4, 6-1.

Lefever-Boyle, SFC, D. Pederson-Ligon, 6-4, 6-3.

Lindgren-Soroka, SFC, def. Tennant-Mika Dannen, 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.