Oct. 9—GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Red River went undefeated in the regular season and finished atop the East Region boys tennis standings.
Minot went undefeated in the West Region regular season and finished atop the standings.
Yet the Roughriders and Magicians will play in the first round at the North Dakota boys state tennis tournament.
Fourth-seeded Bismarck Legacy upset Minot 3-2 in the West Region semifinals and Red River lost to West Fargo Sheyenne 3-2 in the East Region final, setting up a showdown between regular-season champs at 10 a.m. Thursday at Choice Health and Fitness.
“They’re an athletic team,” Red River coach Josh Lunak said. “They won the West. We will not be looking past them. It’s a tough first-round match.”
In the other quarterfinals, West Region postseason champion Mandan takes on Fargo Davies, East Region postseason champ West Fargo Sheyenne plays Bismarck Century and Grand Forks Central will take on Bismarck Legacy.
“We’re happy to be there,” Central coach Max Weisser said. “We’ve had some ups and downs this year, especially a lot of downs at the start of the year with a tough schedule. But we’ve found our stride. I hope we continue this. Guys have improved as much as I’ve seen. I’ve been coaching for 14 years. This is the most improvement I’ve seen from a team, collectively, that I’ve ever had. I hope once it gets to state, they keep going.”
There’s been more unpredictability this season — as evidenced by the region tournaments — than in recent years. It’s likely due, in large part, to a rules change.
There are no longer full third sets. When players split the first two sets, they now play a 10-point super tiebreaker to decide the third set and the match.
“It definitely changes everything, it really does,” Weisser said. “I think a lot of players have been used to having that third set as a cushion. That’s been taken away from them. Once that third set super hits, it’s a coin flip most times.”
Two teams had outstanding results in regional individual tournaments, and it could bode well at state.
In the East, Red River’s Aodh Murphy and Julian Mallory finished second and third in singles, while Asher Green and Rylan Bydal won the doubles title. That sets up the Roughriders for success in the postseason team format of three singles, two doubles matches.
“I really like the way we’re playing,” Lunak said. “We’re coming off a very successful individual tournament. We finished 2-3 in singles. Asher Green and Rylan Bydal won doubles. We’re headed in the right direction.”
Mallory had to withdraw from the East Region team championship dual in the second set due to cramps. Not only did come back for individuals the next day, he had one of the best runs of his career, taking third.
“He really put together two really good days,” Lunak said. “He still played his game — he has a big power forehand — but we wanted him to play a little more patient. We wanted him to hit the ball, but give himself some margins.”
In the West Region, Mandan players finished first (Karter Hatzenbuhler), second (Jared Christen) and third (Ryan Bitz) in singles.
The state team semifinals will be at 1 p.m. and the final at 6 p.m. Thursday at Choice.
“It’s exciting,” Lunak said. “There are probably five teams out there that have a good chance to win it.”
Central’s Cole Wilber is looking to win a second-straight state singles championship.
Since 1970, the only Central players to win multiple boys state singles titles are Logan Sandberg (2020, 2021), Charlie Paukert (2003, 2004) and Joe Rubin (1985, 1986, 1987).
“I think Cole is in a really good spot,” Weisser said. “He didn’t play his best last weekend. He played pretty well, but he didn’t play his best. What he took away from it is that he can be pushed and he shouldn’t look past any opponent. That was a really tough match for him in the semifinals. . . the championship, too, but especially that semifinal.”
Wilber beat Mallory 7-5, 6-2 in the semifinal and topped Murphy 6-4, 6-1 in the final.
The individual tournament begins at 10 a.m. Friday at Choice. The semifinals and championship matches are scheduled for Saturday. The state singles and doubles championship matches will be streamed live on WDAY Plus.
When: Thursday-Saturday.
Where: Choice Health and Fitness.
Thursday’s quarterfinals: GF Red River (No. 2 East) vs. Minot (No. 3 East); Mandan (No. 1 West) vs. Fargo Davies (No. 4 East); GF Central (No. 3 East) vs. Bismarck Legacy (No. 2 West); WF Sheyenne (No. 1 East) vs. Bismarck Century (No. 4 West).
GF Red River individual qualifiers: Aodh Murphy (No. 2 East singles), Julian Mallory (No. 3 East singles), Asher Green-Rylan Bydal (No. 1 East doubles), Kevin Martinez-Max Mecham (No. 8 East doubles).
GF Central individual qualifiers: Cole Wilber (No. 1 East singles), Jason Ling (No. 5 East singles), Rylan Spicer-Gunner Spicer (No. 3 East doubles).
