Luverne's Sousa Soares nets semis berth

MINNEAPOLIS — Sebastian Sousa Soares of Luverne High School advanced Thursday to the semifinals of the state Class A individual boys tennis tournament, a first for the Cardinal program.

Sousa Soares went 2-0 on the day at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center, earning a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Nelson Wolf of Shattuck-Saint Mary’s in his first match and then outlasting Sam Puff of Holy Family Catholic, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, in his second outing on the court.

“He changed his shots, he changed his spin,” said Luverne head coach Greg Antoine of Sousa Soares. “I think that’s when he’s most effective ... when they (opponents) don’t know what’s coming. He played really well.”

Sousa Soares, a senior, is scheduled to face Pierce Norton of St. Paul Academy and Summit School at 8 a.m. today in the semifinals. Norton won a match between the two earlier this week, when St. Paul Academy and Summit School — which captured the Class A team championship — defeated Luverne in opening-round play.

“I think he’s going to make that kid run as much as he can,” Antoine said of Sousa Soares’ strategy for playing Norton. “The kid’s got a bit of a bad wheel, a bad ankle, but man, that kid’s good. He’s got a big job ahead of him.”

Following that match, Sousa Soares will play in either a third-place or championship match, both of which are scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

In doubles play Thursday, the Luverne tandem of Matt Kreuch and Diego Federsffield dropped two matches and were eliminated from the tournament.

Kreuch and Federsffield were defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Mike Lindaman and Jordan Peterson of Staples-Motley in their first match, and then lost to Logan Becker and Matt Purvis of Blue Earth Area by scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

“They played hard and did what they could,” Antoine said. “There are some tough teams up here.”

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