Prep sports: East doubles team qualifies for tennis state meet
May 30—The Free Press
ST. PETER — Mankato East's doubles team of Madden Vanderwerf and Quinn Kelly qualified for the state meet after taking second place at the Section 2AA boys tennis tournament Tuesday at the Swanson Tennis Center.
Vanderwerf and Kelly defeated Jaden Hoffman and Varin Tabgeti of Eden Prairie 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals. The duo then lost to Minnetonka's Nathan Keese and Brody Barbeau 6-2, 6-1 in the championship match.
Both teams advance to the state meet, which will be held June 6-9.
Lacrosse
Mankato 9, Northfield 6: Jana Johnson had two goals and two assists as Mankato won in the opening round of the Section 1 tournament at Dakota Meadows.
Brie Severson and Reagan Steindl each scored two goals, and Kira Prange, Lexi Erickson and Quinn Mackie each scored once.
Ashley Fischer made 10 saves.
Mankato plays at Lakeville South on Wednesday.
Golf
Section 2AA: Mankato West's Julian Bhardwaj shot 75 and is tied for fourth after the first round of the Secction 2AA tournament, which is being played at Ridges at Sand Creek.
Teammate Finnley Brewer also made the cut for the second round by shooting 80.
Mankato East's Carter Dean is tied for ninth at 77, and teammate Isaac Brennan shot 79.
Josh Esterly of Chaska and Andrew Ballou of Chanhassen are tied for first at 71.
West finished eighth as a team at 324, and East was 12th at 336,
The final round will be played Wednesday at Ridges at Sand Creek.
Baseball
Belle Plaine 1, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 0: Drew Dahl pitched a one-hitter with four strikeouts but the Knights lost at Belle Plaine in the Section 2AA playoffs.
Owen Mann amd Jackson Born had the only hits for LCWM.
The Knights will host Sibley East in an elimination game on Thursday.
Mankato Loyola 2, Sleepy Eye St. Mary's 1, 8 innings: Christian Theuninck's single scored Caleb Fogal in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Crusaders won the Section 2A game at Wolverton Field.
The Crusaders managed only two hits of Mark Anderson, who struck out 12.
Jake Sizer pitched seven innings for Loyola, and Jaxon Libby got the win by pitching the eighth.
Loyola (13-6) plays at No. 1 seed Sleepy Eye on Thursday.
