Three Grand Forks singles players, one doubles team still alive for state boys tennis titles
Oct. 13—GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks high schools have three singles players and one doubles team still alive for championships after the first day of the individual portion of the North Dakota state boys tennis tournament at Choice Health and Fitness.
Evan Panzer and Cole Wilber of Central remain in contention in singles, along with Red River's Espen Schneider. Panzer beat Tyler Wahl of Bismarck 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals, while Wilber beat Garrett Tostenson of Fargo North 6-3, 6-3 and Schneider beat Jared Pitcher of Bismarck Century 6-0, 6-0.
Fargo Davies' Jake McCormick is the fourth singles player still in the running.
On the doubles side, Red River duo Kellen Johnson and Julian Mallory beat Central's Jason Ling and Hanson Du 2-6, 6-0, 7-6(8) in the quarterfinals.
The Minot pairing of Grayson Schaeffer and Aidan Diehl, the Bismarck Legacy duo of Drew Beasley and Caleb Johnson and the West Fargo Sheyenne team of Mason Christensen and Momin Durrani are the other remaining doubles partners.
The singles semifinals will play out Saturday starting at 10 a.m. Panzer faces Schneider with McCormick and Wilber facing off on the other side of the singles bracket.
Wilber won the region singles title, while Panzer played No. 1 singles for the Knights in the state team tournament. Wilber and Panzer teamed up to win the 2022 state doubles championship.
The doubles semifinals will start at 11 a.m. The Beasley-Johnson team from Legacy will face Christensen-Durrani of Sheyenne, while Schaeffer / Diehl of Minot will take on Johnson-Mallory of Red River.
The team title wrapped up Thursday as Central beat Red River 3-2 in the championship match.
