There are three constants in life – death, taxes and the Luverne Cardinals boys’ tennis team qualifying for the Class A State Tournament.
For the 11th straight season the Cardinals will be participating at the state tournament after winning the Class 3A Section Championship on Tuesday, May 25, in Redwood Falls.
“Making it to the state tournament for the 11th straight season means a ton to the squad,” Luverne first-year head coach Lucas Larson said.
“Especially when you take into account that there was no season last year. There was a ton of pressure for our players to perform like teams of the past.”
The Cardinals opened the day by defeating Pipestone Area 4-3 in the section semifinals.
In the section championship, the Cardinals defeated Yellow Medicine East 6-1.
“The Cards met this challenge head on and gave two of their best performances of the season on Tuesday,” Larson said. “I’m really proud of each and every one of them.”
LHS 4, Pipestone 3
Luverne’s Pierce Cunningham defeated Pipestone’s Tony Wacker in straight sets. Cunningham won the first set of the match 6-0. Cunningham then won the second set 6-2 to pick up the match point for the Cardinals.
Griffen Jarchow won his individual match against Pipestone’s Will Rops. Jarchow won the first set 6-0 and the second set 6-1.
Chance Tunnissen won a three-set match over Pipestone’s Lucas Zupp.
Tunnissen lost the first set of the match 6-2. He then bounced back to win the second set 6-4 and the third set 6-2 to pick up the victory for the Cardinals.
The Luverne duo of Jayson Rops and John Miller defeated Pipestone’s team of Cody Norberg and Chase Wilson in straight sets. Rops and Miller won both sets of the match by the score of 6-0.
LHS 6, YME 1
Rops and Miller kept chugging along against YME, defeating YME’s Mason Rhode and Gage Corner by the score of 6-0 in both sets.
The team of Logan Ommen and Ethan Nath won a three-set match over YME’s Austin Canatsey and Ryan Syring.
Canatsey and Syring won the first set of the match 6-3. Nath and Ommen bounced back to win the second set 6-1. The Luverne duo won the third set 6-2 to pick up the match point victory for the Cardinals.
Luverne’s Blake Frahm and Ben Jarchow defeated YME’s Derrick Lien and Isaac Olveson in straight sets. Frahm and Jarchow won both sets by the score of 6-1.
Tunnissen defeated YME’s Brandon Beyer in a thrilling three-set match.
Beyer won the first set 6-4. Tunnissen answered back by winning the second set 7-5. In the third set it was Tunnissen coming out on top with a 10-1 victory.
YME’s Jackson Torgerson defeated Kyle Ferguson in a back and forth three-set match.
Torgerson defeated Ferguson in the first set 6-3. Ferguson forced a third set by winning the second set 7-5. In the third set Torgerson came out on top with a 11-9 victory.
Griffen Jarchow defeated YME’s Tyler Syring in straight sets. Jarchow won the first set 6-3 and the second set 6-1.
Cunningham won his match against YME’s Ean Clark in straight sets. Cunningham won the first set 6-3 and the second set 6-1.
The Cardinals will compete in the state tournament at St. Cloud Tech High School. The first day of the tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, June 8.
Individuals
Cunningham earned the No. 1 seed in the individual section tournament and Griffen Jarchow earned the No. 5 overall seed.
In his first match, Cunningham defeated MACCRAY’s Brent Rassat in straight sets. Cunningham won both sets by the score of 6-0 to advance.
In his next match, Cunningham defeated Worthington’s Ian Barber in straight sets.
Cunningham won the first set 6-0. In the second set it was Cunningham coming out on top 6-1.
Cunningham will face Redwood Valley’s Andrew Muetzel in the section semifinals.
Jarchow won his first match against Pipestone’s Ryan Woodbury in straight sets. Jarchow won both sets by the score of 6-0.
In the next match Jarchow defeated Montevideo’s Lucas Hoium in straight sets. Jarchow won the first set 6-4 and then won the second set 6-1.
Jarchow will face YME’s Ean Clark in the section semifinals.