WORTHINGTON -- Blaine Doeden had almost a whole year to stew over a three-set loss to Lac qui Parle Valley’s Ryan Borstad in the section individual boys tennis tournament last season. On Friday, the rematch finally materialized, and Doeden got his revenge, 6-3, 6-2.
“That match last year was kind of in my head. It’s kind of how the season ended for me, and not a high note. It gave me something to train for this year,” said Doeden. “It makes me feel like the work that I put in pays off. But you don’t want to stop here, you just want to keep going.”
The No. 1 singles result was one of four singles victories for the Trojans on the local middle school courts. Lac qui Parle Valley won all three doubles matches on a beautifully warm day, but the improved Trojans earned the team victory, 4-3.
“Gotta be a top-four team in the section,” WHS head coach Mike Marquardt described Lac qui Parle Valley after the match. “And we had to keep it together mentally. Excellent matches.”
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At No. 1 doubles, Doeden used his 6-4 height effectively on his serves and maintained his patience with his ground strokes. Last year, he admitted, he often tried to finish shots too early. But this year, he’s not going for the winner until it’s time.
That mentality somewhat sums up the entire WHS team this year, said Marquardt.
“I think we’re more patient. I think what’s really nice, we’re not trying to finish points too early. It’s OK to take risks, but you have to take your risks on the right points,” he explained.
Speaking of patience, Marquardt highlighted the No. 1 doubles match between Worthington’s Pokwar Taw and Kyle Janssen, and the Eagles’ Blake Buer and Jeraco Parsa. Taw and Janssen trailed 5-0 in the first set, then reeled off seven straight games to prevail 7-5. Buer and Parsa won the next two sets 6-2 and 6-1, but the Trojans’ early comeback duly impressed Marquardt.
“That took every amount of energy you have. To turn it around there is absolutely fantastic,” said the coach. “A lot of times in high school when you’re down that far, you take your loss and go on to the next set.”
In No. 2 singles, the Trojans’ Sully Merrigan defeated Vavin Olson 6-1, 5-7, 6-1. At No. 3, Worthington’s Kipton Jenson beat Colton Husby 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), and at fourth singles Cade Lindner was a 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 winner over the Eagles’ Micah Olson.
LQPV’s Jake Lee and Josh Anyasike beat Worthington’s Max Langerud and Ryan Newman 6-3, 6-0 at No. 2 doubles. The Eagles’ No. 3 doubles duo of Heath Buer and Isaac Jang beat Anwar Farra and Michael Schneider 6-2, 6-3.
No doubt, Worthington’s 4-3 win over LQPV was one to remember.
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“This really boosted morale. We know we’ve got a good team, but knowing it and proving it on the court can be two different things,” Marquardt said.
