Tennis Tournament Highlights
On May 27 in Rochester, Evan Ritter, a standout junior at Lourdes, showcased his dominance at the Section 1, Class 1A individual tennis tournament, effortlessly securing his second consecutive singles title. Entering the tournament ranked third in the state and as the top seed, Ritter proved to be a formidable opponent, finishing with a commanding performance at the Rochester Athletic Club.
Semifinals and Finals
In the semifinals, he overpowered Braden Phetsarath from Schaeffer Academy, achieving a score of 6-2, 6-1. He then faced Hudson Zimmerman, also from Schaeffer, in the finals, winning decisively with a score of 6-1, 6-1.
Reflecting on his performance, Ritter noted, “I thought I played pretty solid today. I was a little bit shaky in the first set against Braden, but then I worked things out.”
With both Ritter and Zimmerman finishing in the top two spots, they are set to represent their schools at the state tournament.
Coach’s Confidence
Lourdes head coach, Steve Tacl, expressed confidence in Ritter’s abilities, stating, “I wasn’t too concerned about Evan today; he never gave me a reason to be worried. He started off a bit slow but quickly found his rhythm. His aggressive style and intelligent shot selection have made a significant impact on his game.”
Ritter, who achieved a third-place finish at the state tournament last year, now holds an impressive 18-4 record this season. He attributes his improvement to playing a lot during the off-season, saying:
“I’ve improved quite a bit, mainly in shot selection and patience.”
Upcoming Competitions
Ritter is poised to compete in the state individual tournament scheduled for June 5-6 at the Reed Sweatt Tennis Center in Minneapolis, and he will join his Lourdes teammates in the state team tournament on June 3-4.
This marks the 18th time in the last 19 years that Lourdes has qualified for the state team competition.
Doubles Action
In doubles action, Logan Granseth and Hamilton Brewer from Winona Cotter claimed the section championship after previously finishing as runners-up. They faced stiff competition in a tightly contested championship match against Andy Fink and Joseph Palen from Lourdes, ultimately winning 6-7 (8-6 tie-breaker), 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).
Despite their defeat in the final, Fink and Palen ensured their place at the state tournament by defeating Waseca’s top tandem in the semifinals with a score of 7-6 (9-7), 6-2.
Coach Tacl highlighted their achievement, noting, “They were right there in the final; if they had made just one additional point, it could have gone their way. But they’re headed to state now, and that’s what matters most.”
