Dahl-Szyman are statebound

After the sub-sectional tennis tournament on Tuesday, May 20, and the sectional tourney two days later, two Raiders were left standing.

Two players – the No. 1 doubles team of John Dahl and Josh Szyman – qualified for the state tourney in Madison.

“For John, this will be his second trip to state. Last year, he qualified for the doubles draw with Nick Blum,” said Coach Jon Hilding. “This trip will be the first for Josh Szyman.”

The Dahl-Szyman duo earned the right to participate in state by finishing third at sectionals. At the earlier sub-sectional tournament, they defeated Lindsay-Supri from Menomonie 6-3, 7-5. In the first round of the sectionals, the Hudson pair had what Hilding called an exciting match with Goltz-Meinhardt from D.C Everest, prevailing 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

In the semifinal match, Dahl-Szyman were upended by Graham-Wagner of Stevens Point 6-7, 3-6. However, the Raider pair rebounded in the third-place match and won 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. The boys will play Thursday at the Neilsen Tennis Center on the campus of UW-Madison.

Hudson had three other players qualify for the sectional tournament. The doubles pair of Stephen Hilding and Nick Yannarelly advanced through the sub-sectional by defeating Davison-Wolf of River Falls 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. The pair then faced Weber-Lynett from the always-tough Eau Claire North squad and defeated them 7-5, 6-4.

At the sectional tournament, Hilding-Yannarelly faced an extremely talented team from Stevens Point and were defeated 1-6, 2-6, Coach Hilding said. This put the Hudson duo in the third-place match, where they came up just short against Chojnache-Trochel of Rhinelander 6-4, 6-4. This meant that Yannarelly and Hilding finished a successful season by placing fourth at sectionals.

The third qualifier for sectionals was Hudson’s top singles player, Zach Blum, who improved his play throughout the season and earned his sectionals trip by dominating Pete Anderson of Superior 6-0, 6-0. However, at sectionals the tables were turned and Blum lost to Eric Meiners of Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 1-6, 1-6. “Still, Zach should be congratulated for finishing in the top eight at sectionals,” Hilding said.

The rest of the Raiders squad saw their season end at the sub-sectional level, although they posted some blowout wins. Joe Hanson, playing No. 2 singles, defeated Corbin Walsh of Superior 6-0, 6-1, but then was upended by Michael Roden of Eau Claire Memorial 1-6, 1-6. Ryan Hanes at flight 3 singles dominated David Salm of Chippewa Falls 6-0, 6-0, but then lost to Marcus Bachmeier of North 1-6, 3-6. James Meincke at No. 3 singles defeated Will Gedde of Superior 6-0, 6-1, but bowed out with a close loss to Ethan Blodgett of North 4-6, 5-7. The No. 3 doubles team of Eric Kromer and Brad Youderian lost a tough opening round-match that went up and down to Brandt-Ambelang of North 3-6, 6-2, 6-7.

In the team competition, the Raiders finished second at the sub-sectional level and fourth at sectionals. “These are good results for a squad that played with great determination and heart this spring,” Hilding said.

Tags: sports, hudson, tennis, boys