Boys tennis: Willmar Cardinals go 1-1 at Section 8AA-South tourney

BECKER — The Willmar boys tennis team extended its season one match beyond its seed Wednesday before falling to top-seeded Becker in the Section 8AA-South team tournament.

Fifth-seeded Willmar beat fourth-seeded Sauk Rapids 4-3 in the first round. The Cardinals lost to the Storm during the regular season.

Willmar then was beaten 7-0 by Becker in the next round.

Becker advances to the overall Section 8AA semifinals Friday in St. Cloud.

In the Sauk Rapids match, Willmar’s team points came at Nos. 1 and 4 singles and Nos. 1 and 3 doubles.

Ryan Newberg won at No. 1, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 over Cole Sawada. At No. 4, Carter Newberg defeated Patrick Eichers 6-3, 2-1. Eichers then retired due to injury.

At No. 1 doubles, the Cardinals’ Nehemiah Van Horne and Miguel Garcia defeated JD Fuentes and Zach Euteneuer 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

At No. 3 doubles, Willmar’s Mateo Engan and Josh Jensen knocked off Kolby Wagner and Ian Biniek 6-2, 6-0.

Also in 8AA-South, the St. Cloud Crush beat Monticello 5-2 after Monticello defeated Big Lake 7-0.

In Section 8AA-North play Wednesday, top-seeded Alexandria beat Detroit Lakes 7-0 after DL defeated Moorhead 5-2. Alex plays St. Cloud in one semifinal Friday in St. Cloud.

Singles
(1) Zach Bengtson, B, def Carter Newberg 6-0, 6-0 … (2) Ryan Bengtson, B, def Miguel Garcia 6-0, 6-0 … (3) Troy Nuest, B, def Mateo Engan 6-0, 6-0 … (4) Adler Herdina, B, def Joshua Jensen 6-0, 6-0 

Doubles
(1) Eli Scheideman/Landon Peterson, B, def Gabe LaRue/Ryan Newberg 6-0, 6-0 … (2) Sawyer Brown/ Nick Gruber, B, def Sam Loerzel/Nehemiah Van Horne, 6-0, 6-1 … (3) Max Haugen/Garett Lane, B, def Aaron Marthaler/Brandon Escalon-Valladares 6-0, 6-0

Singles
(1) Ryan Newberg, W, def. Cole Sowada 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 … (2) Hunter Rood, SR, def. Gabe LaRue 6-3, 6-2 … (3) John Knoblauch, SR, def. Sam Loerzel 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 … (4) Carter Newberg, W, def. Patrick Eichers 6-3, 2-1 (Eichers forfeits due to injury)

Doubles
(1) Nehemiah Van Horne/Miguel Garcia, W, def. JD Fuentes/Zach Euteneuer 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 … (2) Braxton Schmidt/Kaden Koll, SR, def. Brandon Escalon-Valladares/Aaron Marthaler 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 … (3) Mateo Engan/Josh Jensen, W, def. Kolby Wagner/Ian Biniek 6-2, 6-0.