MASON CITY — The Marshalltown boys’ tennis team found out for the first time in more than a month what it feels like to come up short.

The Class 2A No. 6 Bobcats were edged out by No. 9 Mason City, falling 6-5 in Tuesday’s Iowa Alliance Conference showdown to decide the division title. It was Marshalltown’s first and only other loss since being defeated at West Des Moines Valley on April 1.

The host Riverhawks (10-0) remained unbeaten by taking a 4-2 advantage in singles competition and closing out the Bobcats with two wins in doubles play.

Five matches went to third-set super-tiebreakers, with Marshalltown (10-2) claiming three of the five, but Mason City got just enough to get past the Bobcats. MHS won at Nos. 2, 4 and 5 doubles but the Riverhawks’ three-set victory at No. 1 doubles was the last straw.

Marshalltown senior Jason Strand remained undefeated at No. 1 singles, beating Reed Kruger 6-1, 6-4. Drew Loney’s three-set victory at No. 6 was the Bobcats’ only other singles win. He topped Trent Kruger, 4-6, 7-5, (10-1).

The No. 2 doubles team of Strand and Jacob Thiessen took care of Sander Tompkins and Seth VandenBerg in straight sets, prevailing 7-6, 6-4. Dale Greene and Cael Sandvick rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, (10-8) triumph at No. 4 doubles, while Carson Snyder and Jaxson Eisenbarth held on for a 6-4, 5-7, (10-6) win at No. 5 doubles.

Mason City won at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles to clinch the dual. Nile Christensen and Gavin Jablonski suffered the deciding blow with 6-3, 4-6, (10-6) defeat at the hands of No. 1 doubles partners Reed Kruger and Justin Yarahmadi.

The Bobcats are scheduled to end the regular season at home on Thursday, hosting Des Moines North for a 4 p.m. contest.

Mason City 6, Marshalltown 5

SINGLES

Jason Strand (MHS) def. Reed Kruger, 6-1, 6-4

Justin Yarahmadi (MC) def. Gavin Jablonski, 6-3, 6-4

Sander Tompkins (MC) def. Nile Christensen, 4-6, 6-3, (12-10)

Seth VandenBerg (MC) def. Jacob Thiessen, 6-1, 6-2

Rylan Kuhn (MC) def. Isaac Benscoter, 6-3, 6-3

Drew Loney (MHS) def. Trenton Kruger, 4-6, 7-5, (10-1)

DOUBLES

R. Kruger and Yarahmadi (MC) def. Christensen and Jablonski, 6-3, 4-6, (10-5)

Strand and Thiessen (MHS) def. Tompkins and VandenBerg, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5

Kuhn and Zander Dickinson (MC) def. Loney and Benscoter, 6-3, 6-4

Dale Greene and Cael Sandvick (MHS) def. Benjamin Lorence and Brady Anderson, 3-6, 6-4, (10-7)

Carson Snyder and Jaxson Eisenbarth (MHS) def. Logan Eide and Paul Fabian, 6-4, 5-7, (10-8)