Central ends Red River's unbeaten run to win third state title in four years
Oct. 12—GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Central could rely on two wins every boys tennis meet this season.
The Knights had Evan Panzer and Cole Wilber, the East Region's two best players, at the top of their lineup.
To beat defending state champion Grand Forks Red River, they needed to find a third.
Jason Ling and Hanson Du delivered at the right time.
Ling and Du, Central's No. 1 doubles team, knocked off Red River's Espen Schneider and Kyedahl Hultberg 6-4, 7-5 in the decisive match of the North Dakota state boys tennis team championship.
It lifted the Knights to a 3-2 win Thursday night at Choice Health and Fitness.
Central ended Red River's dual winning streak at 31, a stretch that started last season.
Ling clinched the title — Central's third in four years — by smashing an overhead into the corner.
"I was thinking, 'This is unreal, this is totally a dream, I must be sleeping,'" Ling said.
Knights players and teammates stormed the court to celebrate with Ling and Du after match point.
"That was really nice," Du said. "It's an experience I don't think I'll ever forget."
Central topped Bismarck Legacy 5-0 and West Region champ Minot 4-1 earlier in the day to reach the state championship dual. Red River beat both Bismarck Century and West Fargo Sheyenne 5-0 to reach the final.
It was the third meeting between Central and Red River this season. The Roughriders won 6-3 in the regular season and 3-2 last weekend in the East Region tournament.
This time, the Knights shuffled their lineup to strengthen their doubles teams and prevailed.
"It's just a great team win," Central coach Max Weisser said. "It's really been a whirlwind the last couple of weeks. We've really had everybody step up. For a lot of the year, we were relying on our two guys, our two big guns. And the rest of the guys, really, somehow, figured it out these last couple of weeks and really contributed."
Like usual, Central received wins from Panzer and Wilber in singles.
Panzer beat Asher Green 6-2, 6-0 at No. 1, while Wilber topped Jadon Tang 7-6 (3), 6-1 at No. 2.
Red River earned wins at No. 3 singles from Julian Mallory and No. 2 doubles from Kellen Johnson and Ryder Bydal. Mallory beat Brady Fee 6-2, 6-3. Johnson and Bydal beat Gunner Spicer and Rylan Spicer in three sets.
Fee and the Spicers won matches earlier in the day to help Central get to the final, giving the entire Knights state tournament team wins on the day.
Central has now won 12 titles in program history.
"We didn't qualify for state last year," Weisser said. "For these guys to have that sour taste in their mouths, put time in and just get better and come here and be grittier than the other teams, that's what I'm most proud of."
Singles
1. Evan Panzer, GFC, over Asher Green 6-2, 6-0; 2. Cole Wilber, GFC, over Jadon Tang 7-6 (3), 6-1; 3. Julian Mallory, RR, over Brady Fee 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
1. Jason Ling-Hanson Du, GFC, over Espen Schneider-Kyedahl Hultberg 6-4, 7-5; 2. Kellen Johnson-Ryder Bydal, RR, over Gunner Spicer-Rylan Spicer in three sets
