GRAND FORKS - Grand Forks Red River will play for yet another state girls tennis title, but for the first time in a decade, the opponent will be different.
Bismarck Century, which had played in the state final for nine straight years, was knocked off by Fargo South 3-2 in the first round Thursday at Register Courts, highlighting the opening day of the North Dakota state tournament.
On the other side, the Roughriders took care of business, cruising to the state finals without dropping a match in either the quarterfinals or semifinals. They will be searching for their ninth straight team title at 9 a.m. today when they take on Bismarck.
The Patriots, who beat Red River in 2001 before losing the next eight championship duals, were sent to consolation by a surprising foe. The Bruins, the No. 3 seed out of the East, used a three-set victory by No. 1 doubles team Anna and Brittany Diederich to advance to the semifinals for the first time in at least 13 years.
After splitting the first two sets, the cousins from Fargo started quickly in the third and held on, thanks in large part to a deuce-point volley by Brittany to go up 5-3 in the final set. The Bruins held serve to close out the first-round dual with a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4 win.
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South then lost to Red River 5-0. The Bruins will take on West Fargo for third.
First round
GF Red River 5, Williston 0
Singles: 1. Anderson over Slemin 6-2, 6-0; 2. Ronkowski over Ryckman 6-2, 6-0; 3. Yunker over Lutz 6-0, 6-1
Doubles: 1. Marasinghe-Luk over Monson-Thomas 6-0, 6-0; 2. Johnson-Orr over Walz-Kjos 6-0, 6-3
Fargo South 3, Bismarck Century 2
Singles: 1. Janes, BC, over Moe 3-6, 6-1, 6-1; 2. Whitman, BC, over McGuigan 6-2, 6-2; 3. Hanekom, FS, over Patel 6-2, 7-5
Doubles: 1. Diederich-Diederich, FS, over Hineman-Gerrets 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4; 2. Wanzek-McGuigan, FS, over Bauer-Bruckin 6-3, 6-3
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West Fargo 3, Bismarck St. Mary's 2
Singles: 1. Bakke, SM, over Olson 7-6, 6-2; 2. Beck, SM, over S. Smith 6-1, 6-2; 3. C. Smith, WF, over Kadrmas 6-1, 7-6 (2)
Doubles: 1. Anderson-Broton, WF, over Roller-Bohan 6-1, 6-2; 2. Bechtold-Stock, WF, over Krumm- Benz 6-2, 1-6, 6-1
Bismarck High 4, Fargo North 1
Singles: 1. Oberlander, BHS, over Jacobson 6-2, 6-1; 2. Haugen, BHS, over Thompson 6-1, 6-2; 3. Bjorlie, FN, over McEvers
Doubles: 1. Hansen-Dodd, BHS, over Jacobson-Swanson 6-1, 7-5; 2. Haugen-Oban, BHS, over Nystrom-Wessman 6-2, 6-2
Consolation semifinals
Bismarck St. Mary's 5, Fargo North 0
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Singles: 1. Beck over Jacobson 6-4, 6-2; 2. Roller over Thompson 6-1, 6-2; 3. Bohan over Bjorlie 6-1, 6-1
Doubles: 1. Bakke-Benz over Swanson-Jacobson 6-0, 6-1; 2. Kadrmas-Malaktaris over Nystrom-Wessman 6-3, 6-3
Williston 3, Bismarck Century 2
Singles: 1. Janes, BC, over Monson 6-3, 6-1; 2. Whitman, BC, over Lutz 6-3, 6-2; 3. Walz, W, over Reinbold 6-2, 6-4
Doubles: 1. Slemin-Kemp, W, over Hineman-Bauer 6-0, 6-2; 2. Ryckman-Thomas, W, over Gerrets-Brackin 6-2, 6-2
Semifinals
GF Red River 5, Fargo South 0
Singles: 1. Anderson over Moe 6-0, 6-2; 2. Ronkowski over McGuigan 6-2, 6-2; 3. Yunker over Wanzek 6-0, 6-2
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Doubles: 1. Marasinghe- Luk over Diederich-Diederich 6-1, 6-1; 2. Hovland-Johnson over Hanekom-McGuigan 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
Bismarck High 3, West Fargo 2
Singles: 1. Oberlander, BHS, over Anderson 7-5, 6-2; 2. Haugen, BHS, over S. Smith 7-5, 6-4; 3. C. Smith, WF, over McEvers 6-2, 7-5
Doubles: 1. Broton- Olson, WF, over Hanson-Dodd 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3; 2. Haugen-Olson, BHS, over Bechtold-Stock 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-0
Today's matches
Championship: GF Red River vs. Bismarck High, 9 a.m., Center Court
Third place: Fargo South vs. West Fargo, 9 a.m., Register
Fifth place: Williston vs. Bismarck St. Mary's, 9 a.m., Riverside
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Brad Schlossman is a writer for the Grand Forks Herald, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
