After six years, Red River returns to the top of North Dakota boys tennis

MINOT — For almost 20 years, the Grand Forks Pink River boys tennis staff entered the season as large favorites, ran by means of competitors for a few months and accomplished undefeated seasons with the state title.

This 12 months, it felt like outdated instances.

Pink River is again on the high of North Dakota boys tennis after a six-year absence.

The Roughriders beat Minot 4-1 on Thursday within the state remaining to finish an undefeated season and convey residence the staff title for the primary time since 2016.

“It feels nice,” senior Carson Skarperud stated. “It was our objective. There was a bit little bit of a curse for a pair years and we broke that curse.

“It took a number of years to get the job achieved, however we lastly bought it achieved.”

Pink River completed the season an ideal 16-0. In duals, the Roughriders gained 115 matches. Their opponents gained 4.

The dominance was reminiscent to the run from 1998-2016, when the Roughriders gained 18 of 19 staff titles.

Pink River confirmed off its depth within the postseason. It used No. 1 singles participant Espen Schneider and No. 2 singles participant Kellen Johnson of their regular spots, however bumped its standard No. 6 participant, Skarperud, as much as No. 3.

Skarperud went 6-0 in that spot on the East Area and state tournaments. He gained 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 within the staff remaining.

“Carson is simply an athlete,” Pink River coach Josh Lunak stated. “He does not play plenty of tennis within the offseason. As we progress all through the season, he actually picks up his stage of play. He was actually lights out for us right this moment and the previous couple weeks.”

Skarperud stated: “It was positively an enormous step up, however I used to be prepared for it. I used to be excited. I knew I belonged there and simply needed to play my recreation.”

Skarperud’s transfer to No. 3 singles allowed Pink River to place Saylor Kuenzel into doubles, the place he teamed with Luc Bydal at No. 1. They misplaced simply as soon as within the postseason.

No. 2 doubles staff Tadhg Murphy and Asher Inexperienced went unbeaten Thursday at state and clinched the championship with their victory towards Minot.

“Our staff, for positive, has plenty of depth,” Skarperud stated. “We may have performed 12 guys and nonetheless had the identical efficiency. We had plenty of guys who did not play within the state match who would have been nice.”

Pink River’s hardest problem got here within the semifinals towards West Fargo Sheyenne. The Roughriders gained 4-1, however had a three-set match at No. 2 singles and a decent match at No. 2 doubles.

“Sheyenne pushed us fairly arduous within the semis and I knew they’d,” Lunak stated. “There have been some moments the place it was fairly tight. I favored how we responded towards them and I believe we carried that momentum into the ultimate towards Minot.”

Pink River managed the ultimate from the beginning and completed off the right season.

“They saved their greatest for final,” Lunak stated. “They have been motivated all 12 months. They have been ready for right this moment they usually got here to play.”

Singles
1. Espen Schneider, RR, over Hunter Rice 6-3, 6-2; 2. Kellen Johnson, RR, over Josh Hegstad 6-1, 6-0; 3. Carson Skarperud, RR, Nolan Callahan 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
1. Grayson Schaeffer-Aidan Diehl, M, over Saylor Kuenzel-Luc Bydal 6-2, 1-6, 10-6; 2. Asher Inexperienced-Tadhg Murphy, RR, over Brayden McLean-Sam Griffith 6-2, 6-1