The Luverne boys tennis team reached a milestone at the 2016 Minnesota State Boys Tennis Tournament.
Playing in the team tournament for the seventh consecutive year, Luverne earned a victory at the state tournament as a team for the first time ever.
“The kids were really excited and proud to be the ones to win that first match at state,” Luverne coach Greg Antoine said.
The Cardinals benefited from a favorable draw, according to Antoine.
“Our draw was about as nice as we could expect. Mostly outstate schools and no private schools,” the coach pointed out.
After falling to Foley 6-1 in the opening round on Tuesday, June 7, the Cardinals defeated Columbia Heights 5-2 later that same day at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis.
Luverne capped the team portion of the season by falling to Crookston 4-3 in the consolation championship match on Wednesday, June 8.
Crookston 4, Luverne 3
The Cardinals came close to winning their second match in the state tournament when they dropped a 4-3 match to Crookston.
“We couldn’t quite get enough points,” Anotine said. “But it was sure close.”
In singles play, Cardinal Erik Wohnoutka was defeated by Bobby Tiedemann 7-5, 6-1 at No. 1 singles.
At No. 2 singles, Jacob Jarchow lost to Crookston’s Andy Gregg 6-1, 6-4. Luverne’s Chris Jelken defeated Matt Garmen 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3 singles.
Mark Robinson of Luverne was victorious over Nick Garmen at No. 4 singles 6-3, 2-6, 10-8.
In No. 1 doubles play, Dalton Schoeneman and Layne Curtis of Luverne defeated Crookston’s Jordan Bengtson and Elijah Phaiah 6-1, 7-5.
At No. 2 doubles, Jacob Roesch and Ian Johnson of Crookston defeated the Cardinals’ Cade Ver Steeg and Tanner Baustian 6-7 (3), 6-0, 10-5.
Luverne’s Trey Baustian and Isaac Gillette were defeated by Jake Widseth and Michael Olson 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3 doubles.
Luverne 5, Columbia Heights 2
The Cardinals made history when the team won a match at the state tournament for the first time on Tuesday, June 7.
Luverne defeated Columbia Heights 5-2 in the consolation semifinals played in Minneapolis.
Antoine said his team played very well in the match.
“They had a couple of tough kids on top, but all the rest of our guys won,” he said.
At No. 1 singles, Wohnoutka of Luverne was defeated by Blake Kuether of Columbia Heights 6-1, 6-2.
Manij Ghishing defeated Luverne’s Jarchow 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles.
Jelken earned a victory for the Cardinals at No. 3 singles defeating Charlie Vivar 6-0, 6-0.
Luverne’s Robinson defeated Peter Heryla 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4 singles.
In doubles play, all three Luverne pairs came out on top during the match.
Schoeneman and Curtis defeated Columbia Heights’ Elyazid Chiboub and Rachid Chiboub 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 at No. 1 doubles.
Ver Steeg and Tanner Baustian continued the winning in doubles play for the Cardinals when they defeated Michael O’Leary and Nicholas Hosch 4-6, 6-2, 10-4 at No. 2 doubles.
Trey Baustian and Gillette completed the doubles sweep when they earned the victory over Mahir Ibrahim and Sam Stockwell 6-4, 6-1.
“We knew when went into the match that if we played to our potential, we had a good chance to get our first win and we did,” Antoine stated.
Foley 6, Luverne 1
Luverne opened the 2016 state tournament with a 6-1 loss to Foley in the quarterfinal round.
“Foley was just a little better and a little deeper than us,” Antoine pointed out.
Wohnoutka lost to Foley’s Zach Kantor 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1 singles.
At No. 2 singles, Logan Scott defeated Luverne’s Jarchow 6-3, 6-2. Jelken lost to Jordan Ziwicki 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 singles.
Robinson scored the only points in the match for the Cardinals when he defeated Marvin Seegraber 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 singles.
In doubles play, Schoeneman and Curtis lost to Adam Ritsche and Mitchell Wruck 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1 doubles.
Connor Scott and Jamison Gothman then defeated Luverne’s Ver Steeg and Tanner Baustian 6-4, 6-3.
Foley’s Matthew Bollin and Jacob Hageman completed the doubles sweep for Foley when they beat Trey Baustian and Gillette 6-4, 5-7, 1-7.
LHS boys' tennis team reaches program milestones
Subhead
Group earns first victory at a state tournament
By
Jason Berghorst