by Marianne Gasaway
Clear Lake won the singles and doubles titles, as well as the North Central Conference Tennis Tournament championship last week.
Clear Lake hosted the meet Wednesday, May 3, and made the most of playing on their home courts. The Lions finished on top of the five-team field with 29 points. Nevada was runner-up with 16, followed by Iowa Falls-Alden with 12, Webster City nine, and Hampton-Dumont-CAL six-points.
“This is the second time for the tournament and we have won it both times,” reported Coach Rich Peters.
Cabot Neuberger, the second seed in the tournament, won the individual championship. Neuberger won his first-round match over Rhett Harter, of Nevada, 8-0. In the semi-finals, he beat Carson White of Hampton-Dumont, 8-2. In the finals, he took on the top seed, Rowan Steele, of Nevada. Neuberger won the championship in straight sets by a score of 7-5, 6-4.
Clear Lake’s Branden Kuhlmeier also rose above his seeding. Kuhlmeier entered the competition as the fourth seed, but came away with third place. He won his first-round match over Jayden Wibhom, of Webster City, 8-0. In the semi-finals, he played the top seed, Rowan Steele of Nevada. Steele prevailed in a hard-fought match, 8-5. He won the third-place match over Carson White, of Hampton, 8-0.
In doubles play, the team of seniors Ben Loge and Justin Kerr took first place, while Nick Brcka and Leif Lundberg were runner-up.
Loge and Kerr were the top seeds and came into the tournament as the defending champions. In the first round the two won, 8-0, over Thomas/Herrod of Nevada. In the semis, they defeated the team of Halverson and Hutchinson, of Iowa Falls-Alden, by an 8-0 score. Loge and Kerr faced their teammates Brcka and Lundberg in the finals. The two won, 6-1, 6-1.
Brcka and Lundberg were unseeded. The two played a pigtail match to get to the quarterfinals. Brcka/Lundberg won the match over White/Nicholson of HDC by an 8-1 score. In the quarter-finals, they played the third-seeded pair from Iowa Falls-Alden. The Lions upset the team from IF-A, 8-3. In the semi-final match, Brcka/Lundberg faced Olson/Cruz, the second-seeded team from Webster City and won, 9-7. They lost in the finals to teammates Loge/Kerr, 6-1, 6-1.
Dual meets
The Lions wrapped up the regular season with dual matches against Esterville-Lincoln Central and South Hardin.
The Lions hosted Estherville-Lincoln Central May 1 and posted an 8-1 victory, winning five of the six singles matches and sweeping doubles play.
They recorded a shutout against South Hardin on May 4 to finish the regular season with an 8-3 record.
CL 8, E-LC 1
Singles
Ben Loge (CL) over Kaleb Young, 10-7
Cabot Neuberger (CL) over Matt Valen, 10-2
Justin Kerr (CL) over Brenden Lundgren, 10-6
Branden Kuhlmeier (CL) over Rhett Goebel, 10-8
Braylen Milstead (ELC) over Nick Brcka, 10-3
Leif Lundberg (CL) over Leo Fortin, 10-3
Doubles
Loge/Neuberger (CL) over Young/Lundgren, 10-6
Kerr/Kuhlmeier (CL) over Valen/Milstead, 10-5
Brcka/Levi Reynolds (CL) over Goebel/Fortin, 10-3
JV Results
Hayden Pals won, 6-5
Walker Williams lost, 6-3
Leif Lundberg/Walker Williams won, 6-1
CL 9, South Hardin 0
Singles
Ben Loge (CL) over Landon Rewoldt, 10-3
Cabot Neuberger (CL) over Danile Dolan, 10-3
Justin Kerr (CL) over Sawyer Kane, 10-0
Branden Kuhlmeier (CL) over Carter Zollar, 10-0
Nick Brcka (CL) received a forfeit
Leif Lundberg (CL) received a forfeit
Doubles
Loge/Kerr (CL) over Rewoldt/Dolan 10-0
Kuhlmeier/Brcka (CL) over Kane/Zollar 10-6
Lundberg/Levi Reynolds (CL) received a forfeit
