PRESCOTT — Thanks to a 7-0 start to the season, Prescott boys tennis has found itself at No. 3 in Division II after the initial power point rankings were released last week.

The Badgers narrowly escaped cross-town rival Bradshaw Mountain (Ranked No. 10 at 6-1 overall) with a 5-4 win thanks to some nifty singles play, and head coach Jefferson James believes this is only the beginning.

“We’re definitely heading in the right direction,” James said. “Our top six players are real strong. I think that’s what’s going to give us an advantage this year should we make state.”

Bradshaw Mountain’s No. 1 and No. 2 singles players A.J. Mraz, and Nathan Kleinman won their matches against Cole James (6-0, 6-3) and Miguel Canales (2-6, 6-4, 10-2), respectively, but the No. 3 through No. 6 slots for Prescott were on their game.

Landon Fetty defeated Shaun Strouder, 6-3, 6-2; Carter Thompson beat Mark Hill, 6-0, 6-0; and James Wood took care of business against Justin Berry, 6-3, 6-2. And with a solid effort in the No. 6 matchup, Nick Thompson beat Kevin Rosas 7-5, 6-2.

With a young group featuring Nick Thompson and Canales as freshman, Fetty as a sophomore and Carter Thompson and James Wood as juniors, the fourth-year coach said he’s focused on strength, physical conditioning and a good mental approach.

“We have a great bunch of boys,” James said.

DOUBLES

In doubles, Canales and Andrew Dzierzega teamed up to beat Hill and Berry, 8-6, but James and Fetty fell to Kleinman and Mraz 8-6, and Thompson and Wood lost to Strouder and Rosas, 8-4.

UP NEXT

Prescott has six matches left on the schedule, two of which James has his eyes on in No. 16-ranked Cactus Shadows on March 26 and No. 21-ranked Flagstaff on April 4.

No. 19 Paradise Honors (regular season finale April 16) is the only other club ranked in the Top 25 that Prescott will see at this moment in the season. The rest of the matchups feature teams outside the Top 35.

The Badgers travel to Cactus Shadows on Tuesday, March 26. Official start time is 3:30 p.m.

Brashaw Mountain, ranked No. 10 in the intial power point poll with a 6-1 start, hosts Deer Valley on March 26 at 3:30 p.m.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.