WORTHINGTON -- All eyes were on Worthington’ Kipton Jenson and Luverne’s Luke Jarchow as the Cardinals’ 6-1 boys tennis victory over the Trojans on Friday in Worthington wrapped up.
The final varsity match still in action, the tight three-set match at No. 4 singles drew quite a crowd for the third set. Jenson took the first set 7-5, and Jarchow answered by winning the second 7-5. “It was fun to have everybody watching and have all of the encouragement from the team,” Jenson said.
Jarchow opened the third set by taking four of the first five games. But Jenson fought back to take the next five games to win the final set 6-4.
“I just had to realize that it’s not that many games, Jenson said. “Three games isn’t too much to come back from. It feels good to get that win.”
The Cardinals won all six of the other matches in a meaningful match in terms of section play.
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“Us, Worthington, Lac qui Parle and Montevideo are probably the top of the section,” Luverne No. 1 singles player Chris Jelken said. “It’ll be a fight when it comes down to the end of it. We had a big win over Montevideo last Saturday, they’re another big section opponent and we have another big one in Lac qui Parle coming up.”
Jelken defeated Blaine Doeden 6-3, 6-0 at No. 1 singles. It took him a little bit to settle in and find his game, he said, but once he did, he cruised.
“After awhile, I figured out his serve a little bit and played some serve and volley,” Jelken said. “And I controlled the match from there.”
It was another solid showing for the Luverne senior who is still adjusting to the singles game in his first full season as a singles player.
“I just jumped into it midway through last season,” he said. “I used to always play doubles so it’s an adjustment. And I’m finding my singles game.”
Mark Robinson defeated Kyle Janssen 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Cade VerSteeg defeated Sully Merrigan 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles. Dalton Schoeneman and Layne Curtis defeated Leo Duarte and Brandon Harberts 6-1, 6-3 at No. 1 doubles. Jim Erickson and Isaac Gillette defeated Pokwar Taw and Cade Lindner 7-5, 6-2 at No. 2 doubles. And Trey Baustian and Matt Jelken defeated Ryan Newman and Carter Ponto 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 doubles.
