HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS: Arrow players fall in 2nd round at section meet – Pipestone County Star

REDWOOD VALLEY — Pipestone Area Schools boys tennis players Lucas Zupp in singles and the doubles tandem of Chase Wilson and Makhi Winter advanced to the second round.

However, that’s when these Arrows were eliminated during the Section 3A individual tournament on Wednesday at Redwood Valley High School’s tennis facility.

Advancing singles and doubles players returned courtside on Tuesday for the semifinals and championships.

Pipestone Area Schools’ Lucas Zupp attempts a first serve during the Section 3A tournament at Redwood Falls. (Photo by Eric Viccaro)

Zupp, a senior, gave spectators a dramatic match in the opening round of the singles bracket.

He needed more than two hours to dispatch Andy Osario from MACCRAY, Clara City, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. There is no shortened, third set tie-breaker in Minnesota scholastic tennis.

“For Lucas, well, last year’s individual tournament was disappointing,” PAS head coach James Skyberg said. “He wanted to get further in the section this year, and I was happy to see him do that. He’s been keeping the ball in play better in the past few matches, and letting his opponent make the mistakes.”

Montevideo’s salty Gabriel Lindeman then blanked Zupp, 6-0, 6-0, in the quarterfinals.

Lac qui Parle Valley’s Gunnar Olson downed Brady Dunn in the Arrows’ other singles match, with Olson winning 6-0, 6-4.

Wilson, like Zupp a senior who graduated this past Sunday, and Winter have formed a dynamic partnership this year as the Arrows top doubles tandem.

Pipestone Area Schools’ Chase Wilson returns a shot during a second-round doubles match at the Section 3A individual boys tennis tournament on Wednesday, May 22, at Redwood Valley High School in Redwood Falls. (Photo by Eric Viccaro)

Wilson and Winter pushed through to the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-1 conquest over Ryan Brouwer and Liam Hadfield from Yellow Medicine East (Granite Falls).

The pair opened their quarterfinal match topping Hunter Anspach and Kyle Canatsey in the first set, 6-2. However, then Anspach and Canatsey answered by winning the second and third sets by scores of 7-6 (7-3 in the tie-breaker) and 6-0.

Pipestone Area Schools’ Chase Wilson (left) and Makhi Winter congratulate each other after winning a tough point during the Section 3A Tournament. (Photo by Eric Viccaro)

Skyberg said losing that tie-breaker was a downer.

“After the tie-breaker, the wheels fell off,” the coach commented. “They just couldn’t get the momentum back.”

Max Young and Harold Habben from the Benson/Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg coop topped Cody Norberg and Matthew Swenson, 6-1, 6-0, in the Arrows’ other first-round doubles encounter.

Section singles and doubles champions and runner-ups will both advance to state.

Pipestone Area Schools’ head coach James Skyberg and Skyler Mendro survey the action during the tournament. (Photo by Eric Viccaro)

Team tournament

On Monday, May 20 in Benson, the Arrows found themselves on the business end of a 5-2 loss to Benson/KMS during the first round of the Section 3A team tournament.

Zupp defeated Blake Brehmer after Brehmer withdrew from this No. 1 singles match. Lucas had won the first eight games of the match, so his lead was significant.

Winter and Wilson came through with an impressive victory at No. 1 doubles, downing Logan Schauer and Isaac Carlson, 6-2, 6-4.

Redwood Valley clipped Benson/KMS in the semifinals, 4-3, on Tuesday thanks in part to some home cooking since the match was in Redwood Falls.

However, top-seeded Montevideo in turn trimmed Redwood Valley, 4-3, for the section championship. The Class A team tournament will be on June 4-5 at the Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center in Minneapolis, followed by the individual tournament June 6-7. 

Skyberg said he will offer tennis lessons for five weeks during the upcoming summer. Practices for girls players will begin on Monday, Aug. 12.

Pipestone Area Schools’ Cody Norberg returns a shot during a doubles match at the Section 3A Tournament. (Photo by Eric Viccaro)

INFORMATION

BOYS TENNIS

RESULTS

Monday, May 20

Section 3A Tournament

At Benson

Benson/KMS 5,  Pipestone Area 2

Singles

No. 1: Lucas Zupp, P, d. Blake Brehmer, 6-0, 2-0, withdrew

No. 2: Alex Carlson, B, d. Cody Norberg, 6-0, 6-0

No. 3: Alex Young, B, d. Matthew Swenson, 6-0, 6-0

No. 4: Harold Habben, B, d. Joel Cardenas, 6-0, 6-0

Doubles

No. 1: Chase Wilson and Makhi Winter, P, d. Logan Schauer and Isaac Carlson, 6-2, 6-4

No. 2: Joey Wilcox and Brandon Sondag, B, d. Brady Dunn and Avery Gutierrez, 6-2, 6-0

No. 3: Carson Petrak and Antoni Griniewicz, B, won by forfeit