ABERDEEN – The Kernels won the top two doubles championships and the No. 5 and 6 singles titles to cruise to the Eastern South Dakota Conference crown with 355 points on Thursday.
Brandon Valley was second with 216 points, followed by host Aberdeen Central (169), Yankton (164) and Brookings (112).
Senior Dalton Rittershaus led the Bobcats by winning the No. 2 singles championship, and then teamed with sophomore Jonah Dobbs to claim the consolation championship at No. 1 doubles.
Eighth-graders Micah Ardry and Dawson Peters also teamed up to win the consolation championship at No. 2 doubles, after both placed fourth in their respective singles flights.
In singles action, Dobbs went 0-2 at No. 1 as he dropped an 11-9 decision to Yankton’s Hunter Rockne in the first round and then fell 8-4 to Dylan Hillberg of Watertown in the consolation bracket.
Rittershaus rolled to a 10-2 win over Huron’s Reece Uecker in the first round of No. 2 singles, and then, shut out Colby Reynolds of Harrisburg, 10-0, in the semifinals. He edged Mitchell’s Carter Cavanaugh, 10-8, in the title match.
At No. 3, Ardry got past Drew Veflin of Watertown, 10-8, but dropped an 11-9 decision to Huron’s Alex Lupu in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Aberdeen Central’s Luke Reierson downed Ardry, 8-2.
Peters dropped the Eagles’ Andrew Hartze, 10-4, in the opening round of No. 4 singles before falling 10-2 to Evan Talcott of Brandon Valley in the semis. In the third-place match, Yankton’s Isaac Klimisch came out on top with an 8-5 decision.
At No. 5, Derek Brallier lost 10-4 to Huron’s Roger Puterbaugh in a play-in match while Gable Goldhorn lost 10-2 to Luke Leingang of Pierre in the No. 6 play-in match.
In doubles action, Dobbs and Rittershaus lost 10-5 in their No. 1 first-round match to Central’s Jesse Margolies and Hartze before winning two consolation matches to finish fifth. They downed Brenden Schlader and Uecker of Huron, 10-2; before beating Watertown’s Hillberg and Jordan Urban, 10-2, in the consolation championship.
At No. 2, Ardry and Peters lost 10-2 to the Lynx’ Jacob Frantzen and Talcott, but came back with a pair of victories to place fifth. They beat Tyrese Theus and Puterbaugh of Huron, 8-2; and then, Harrisburg’s Cole Van Holland and Karter Lein, 8-6, in the consolation title match.
At No. 3 doubles, Brallier and Goldhorn lost the play-in match, 10-2, to Central’s Gabe Goetz and Justin Tepley.
The Bobcats travel to Rapid City to compete in the SDHSAA State Meet. Competition starts on Thursday and runs through Saturday.
Eastern South Dakota Conference Meet
Thursday, May 10
Team Scores – 1. Mitchell 355; 2. Brandon Valley 216; 3. Aberdeen Central 169; 4. Yankton 164; 5. Brookings 112; 6. Harrisburg 104; 7. Watertown 56; 8. Pierre 38; 9. Huron 25.
