WORTHINGTON -- The Worthington Trojans boys tennis team made an easy meal out of Redwood Valley Tuesday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Section 3A team tournament. And soon after their 7-0 win, the second-seeded Worthingtonians were tempted to look ahead to the second and final day of the tournament -- today -- and a possible date with top-seeded Luverne.
In late April, Worthington lost to Luverne 7-0, though there were several close matches. But the Trojans believe they’ve improved quite a lot since then.
“I think we have a chance to take Luverne. The singles has really helped for our team,” said fourth singles player Cade Lindner, who swept past Redwood Valley’s Jack Frank 6-0, 6-0 on Tuesday. “(We’ve got to) just play our own game. ‘Cuz we get caught in the name ‘Luverne,’ and we just stop. Can’t be intimidated.”
Teammate Kipton Jenson, who earned a 6-1, 6-0 win Tuesday against the Cardinals’ Jacob Zollner at No. 3 singles, said, “I think if we all give it 110 (percent), it’ll be a good match.”
In Redwood Falls today, Luverne will play fourth-seeded Yellow Medicine East at noon in the semifinals. Worthington will go against No. 3 Lac qui Parle Valley, a 6-1 winner over No. 6 Pipestone Area on Tuesday, at 1:30. The semifinal winners will meet for a state tournament berth later today at 3 p.m.
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WHS head coach Mike Marquardt agreed with his players that his team is ready to take on Luverne a second time.
“I definitely like our odds,” he said. “If we can play our tennis, I think it could be a 4-3. But again, we have to take our time. We have to face the next team ahead of us. Luverne’s very consistent. Luverne can play very well. They’re used to taking a lead and not looking back. But whoever we play next is still going to be a good match.”
On Tuesday, Worthington’s No. 1 singles player, Blaine Doeden, eased past Redwood Valley counterpart Ben Collins 6-1, 6-0. At No. 2 singles, teammate Sully Merrigan won 6-0, 6-4 over the Cards’ Andrew Muetzel.
The doubles matches were similarly one-sided. Worthington’s Pokway Taw and Kyle Janssen defeated Cameran Sommers and Xander Seaman 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1. At No. 2, Trojans Max Langerud and Ryan Newman prevailed 6-1, 6-0 over Redwood’s Payton Nelson and Josiah Hultquist. Third doubles duo Anwar Farra and Michael Schnieder won 6-0, 6-2 over Brian Bucholz and Connor Thordson.
