Sousa Soares finishes fourth

MINNEAPOLIS — After advancing to the semifinals in the first day of the Class A boys’ tennis singles competition, Luverne’s Sebastian Sousa Soares finished fourth after two losses Friday.

“He was a little frustrated today,” Luverne head coach Greg Antoine said. “He knew it was going to be some tough competition. I think this is the best finish ever for Luverne.”

In his semifinal match, Sousa Soares was paired against Pierce Norton of St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

The two had seen each other in the team competition, and the outcome was the same Friday.

Norton defeated Sousa Soares 6-0, 6-0 to send Norton to the finals and Sousa Soares to the third-place match.

In the third-place match, Peter Freese of St. Cloud Cathedral defeated Sousa Soares 6-2, 6-1 to capture third place.

“He was a big kid that sits on the baseline and just bangs the ball,” Antoine said. “Sebastian just couldn’t get him off the baseline.”

Sophomore Ben Kopecky defeated Norton in the finals to win the state championship.

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