FARGO - The streak of consecutive North Dakota East Region boys tennis team dual championships won by Grand Forks Red River now stands at 18.
The Roughriders defeated West Fargo 5-0 during the championship match on Thursday at Courts Plus.
"I thought everyone stepped up and played a really good final match," Grand Forks Red River head coach Greg LaDouceur said.
Red River (11-0) advanced to the championship with 5-0 wins over Valley City and Grand Forks Central in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
Red River junior No. 1 singles player Greg Wischer defeated West Fargo's Brady Ballweber 6-2, 6-4.
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Defending state individual singles champion Joey Anderson defeated North Knewtson 6-1, 6-0.
The Roughriders' top doubles combo of senior Andre Caoili and freshman Jake Kuhlman defeated West Fargo's Brendan Walker and Michael Holland 6-3, 6-0. Caoili and Kuhlman won the state doubles championship last year.
"It went smoothly," Caoili said. "We had a few bumps along the way, but we got through them all."
West Fargo advanced to its first East Region team dual final with a 4-1 win over Fargo Davies in the quarterfinals and a 5-0 win over Fargo South in the semifinals.
"We have been close many times," West Fargo head coach Chad Anderson said. "This year we finally got over the hump with a big win over Fargo South. I was really proud of how the guys played."
Ballweber defeated Davies' No. 1 player Marcus Osman 6-3, 6-4 followed by a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 decision against South's Davis Lawley.
Red River and West Fargo automatically qualified for next week's state tournament in Fargo.
"They were not afraid," Anderson said of the Packers playing 15-time defending state champion Red River. "They didn't back down and they made Red River work for every point. Tennis scores are sometimes misleading. We did get beat 5-0, but we were in so many games of that match."
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Fargo South and Grand Forks Central also qualified for the state tournament on Thursday. The Bruins defeated Fargo Shanley 3-2 and the Knights defeated Fargo Davies 3-2 in state-qualifying matches.
The individual singles and doubles tournaments begin today and run through Saturday.
Quarterfinals
Grand Forks Red River 5, Valley City 0
Singles: 1, Wischer, GFRR, def. Haglund, 6-0, 6-0. 2, Anderson, GFRR, def. Wendel, 6-1, 6-1. 3, Godon, GFRR, def. Jenson, 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles: 1. Caoili/J. Kuhlman, GFRR, def. Reimers/D. Miller 6-0, 6-3. 2, M. Kuhlman/Kenyon, GFRR, def. Ondracek/B. Miller, 6-3, 6-3.
Grand Forks Central 5, Fargo Shanley 0
Singles: Folson, GFC, def., Sawchuk, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0. 2, Chambers, GFC, def. Strom, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. 3, Comeau, GFC, def. S. O'Donnell, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.
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Doubles: 1, Thompson/Wedi, GFC, def. Schott/Schwandt, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. 2, Manske/Cicklinski, GFC, def. D. O'Donnell/Fairfield 6-4, 6-2.
West Fargo 4, Fargo Davies 1
Singles: 1, Ballweber, WF, def. Osman, 6-3, 6-4. 2, Kottsick, FD, def. Knewtson, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. 3, Farahmand, WF, def. Wanzek, 6-1, 6-0.
Doubles: 1, Walker/Holland, WF, def. Gupta/Thoreson, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 6-4. 2, Sikorski/Kooyer, WF, def. Hermann/Jacklitch, 6-2, 6-2.
Fargo South 4, Fargo North 1
Singles: 1, Lawley, FS, def. Dilbeck, 6-0, 6-0. 2, Youngs, FS, def. Kearns, 6-2, 6-2. 3, Steffes, FS, def. Pladson, 6-0, 6-2.
Doubles: 1, Del Val/Schulz, FS, def. Mostad/Kenninger, 6-0, 6-1. 2, Landman/Sklebar, FN, def. Olander/Jellison, 6-2, 6-2.
Semifinals
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Grand Forks Red River 5, Grand Forks Central 0
Singles: 1, Wischer, GFRR, def. Chambers, 6-1, 6-0. 2, Anderson, GFRR, def. Wedin 6-0, 6-0. 3, Godon, GFRR, def. Comeau, 6-4 6-3.
Doubles: 1, Caoili/J. Kuhlman, GFRR, def. Thompson/Folson, 6-0, 6-3. 2, M. Kuhlman/Kenyon, GFRR, def. Cieklinski/Manske, 6-2, 6-2.
West Fargo 5, Fargo South 0
Singles: 1, Ballweber, WF, def. Lawley, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. 2, Knewtson, WF, def. Youngs, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. 3, Farahmand, WF, def. Steffes, 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles: 1, Walker/Holland, WF, def. Del Val/Schulz, 6-1, 6-2. 2, Sikorski/Kooyer, WF, def. Olander/Jellison, 6-2, 6-1.
Consolation semifinals
Fargo Shanley 4, Valley City 1
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Singles: 1, Sawchuk, S, def. Reimer, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). 2, S. O'Donnell, S, def. Haglund, 6-0, 6-0. 3, D. O'Donnell, S, def. Jenson, 6-0, 6-.
Doubles: 1, Strom/Schott, S, def. Ondracek/Miller, 6-3, 6-0. 2, Miller/Wendel, VC, def. Schwandy/Satrom, 6-4, 6-4.
Fargo Davies 4, Fargo North 1
Singles: 1, Osman, FD, def. Mostad, 6-4, 6-0. 2, Kottsick, FD, def. Dilbeck, 6-2, 6-2. 3, Gupta, FD, def. Kearns, 6-3, 7-5.
Doubles: 1, Pladson/Landman, FN, def. Thoreson/Laven, 6-3, 6-3. 2, Hermann/Jacklitch, FD, def. Voglewede/Sklebar, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
Championship
Grand Forks Red River 5, West Fargo 0
Singles: 1, Wischer, GFRR, def. Ballweber, 6-2, 6-4. 2, Anderson, GFRR, def. Knewtson, 6-1, 6-0. 3, M. Kuhlman, GFRR, def. Farahmand, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
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Doubles: 1, Caoili/J. Kuhlman, GFRR, def. Walker/Holland, 6-3, 6-0. 2, Kenyon/Pierce, GFRR, def. Sikorski/Kooyer, 6-3, 6-1.
State-qualifying matches
Fargo South 3, Fargo Shanley 2
Singles: 1, Lawley, FS, def. S. O'Donnell, 6-1, 6-1. 2, Youngs, FS, def. Fairfield, 6-0, 6-2. 3, Steffes, FS, def. D. O'Donnell, 6-3, 6-2.
Doubles: 1, Strom/Schott, S, def. Del Val/Schulz, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2. 2, Sawchuk/Schwandt, S, def. Olander/Jellison, 6-3, 6-4.
Grand Forks Central 3, Fargo Davies 2
Singles: 1, Osman, FD, def. Folson, 6-6, 6-0. 2, Chambers, GFC, def. Laven, 6-1, 6-0. 3, Comeau, GFC, def. Jacklitch, 6-1, 6-3.
Doubles: 1, Thompson/Wedin, GFC, def. Kottsick/Thompson, 6-7 (7-3), 6-4 6-4. 2, Gupta/Thoreson, FD, def. Manske/Cieklinski, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Tom Mix at (701) 241-5562
