MARSHFIELD'S PAULMAN, SPASH'S NO. 1 DOUBLES TEAM QUALIFY FOR WIAA STATE BOYS TENNIS TOURNAMENT
Zaleski Sports
EAU CLAIRE – Marshfield senior Ryan Paulman and Stevens Point’s No. 1 doubles team of Luke Hinchcliffe and Noah Hlavac earned spots in next week’s state tournament at the WIAA Division 1 boys tennis sectional Wednesday at the Menards Tennis Complex.
Paulman defeated Matt Dunn of Hudson 6-0, 6-1, in the No. 1 singles quarterfinals to secure a spot in the state tournament. He lost to Joey Leipnitz of Menomonie 6-3, 6-3, in the semifinals, before defeating Vincent Young of Holmen in the third-place match, 6-3, 6-1.
Hinchcliffe and Hlavac won three matches to take the title at No. 1 doubles for Stevens Point. They defeated Ryan Arthur and Sam Penfield of Hudson, 6-2, 6-3; Isaac Lashley and Blake Bembnister of Eau Claire North, 6-3, 6-1; and Jackson Sailing and Gavin Sorensen of Eau Claire Memorial, 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 to advance to state.
The top four finishers in No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, and the sectional champion at No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles advance to the 2022 WIAA State Individual Boys Tennis Tournament at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison on June 2-4.
Marshfield’s two doubles teams that qualified for sectionals were eliminated with losses in their first matches Wednesday.
The No. 1 team of Justin Rachu and Kai Rens fell to Cole Witucki and Joaquin Gamez of Menomonie, 6-4, 6-3.
The Tigers’ No. 2 doubles team of Kennan Chojnacki and Payton Smith lost to Jack Willems and Ben Zumwalt of Eau Claire Memorial, 6-3, 6-2. Chojnacki-Smith came back to finish third, beating Matt Hinitt and Calyn Hgeth of Onalaska, 6-0, 6-4.
Stevens Point’s other sectional qualifiers lost their matches on Wednesday. Carter Gaede at No. 4 singles lost to Hudson’s Nicky Alenov, 6-1, 6-3, in the semifinals, and to Greg Klouda of Tomah in the third-place match, 6-0, 6-2.
Stevens Point’s No. 3 doubles team of Brock Chandonais and Jacob Lutgen dropped its opening match to Charlie Behrend and Isaac Blomquist of Menomonie, 6-2, 7-6 (1), and fell in the third-place match to Ethan Libbey and Logan Boulton of Tomah, 6-4, 6-3.
Wisconsin Rapids’ lone sectional qualifiers, the No. 1 doubles team of Eric Huglen and Joey Bohman, dropped its first match to Lashley and Bembnister of Eau Claire North, 6-2, 6-3.
Eau Claire Memorial won the team title with 54 combined points between the subsectional, that was held Monday at La Crosse, and the sectional on Wednesday. Memorial will compete at the 2022 WIAA State Team Boys Tennis Tournament in Madison on June 10-11.