Sports

The Redwood Valley boys and girls track teams both finished second Thursday at the Sub-Section Meet held at the Inglis Track & Field Complex in Redwood Falls.The Cardinal girls racked up 139 team points to place behind champion Canby (169) in the eight-team event while the Cardinal boys finished with 149.5 team points to place behind Lakeview (181.5).The Cardinal girls got another big day from junior Kendall Huhnerkoch who picked up firsts in the triple jump (36’8 1/2”) and long jump (17’1 3/4”).

The Redwood Valley girls golf team was in second place heading into day two of the Section 3AA Tournament which wrapped up yesterday at Oakdale Country Club in Buffalo Lake.The Cardinal girls were in an insurmountable 59 stroke hole behind the leaders from Minnewaska Area but held a four-shot lead over NL/Spicer and a 12 shot lead over fourth place Fairmont for second place in the 16-team event.Cardinal standout Mila Jenniges headed into day two as the leader, firing a six-over par 78 that included rounds of 37 and 41.Fellow senior Taylor Klabunde was in eighth place with her round of 91 (47-44) and sophomore Rylin Robish was in 12th after a first round 95 (47-48).Anais Cournoyer would finish with a 128 (65-63), Anneliese Hammer added a 132 (62-70) and Tierra Marxen a 135 (66-69).The Cardinal boys meanwhile wrapped up their season as a team with an 11th place finish, shooting 55 over par.The Marshall Tigers were just eight over par to lead the way and held a 15 shot lead over NL/Spicer heading into yesterday’s final 18 holes.Sophomore Mason Frank and senior Oliver Smith both advanced to day two.Frank was in 24th overall with his round of 82 (39-43) that featured a pair of birdies and Smith shot an 83 (42-41) to sit in 32nd.Zach Wilson finished with an 88 (41-47), Lukas Means added a 90 (46-44), Owen Linsmeier carded a 90 (47-43) and Kohen Prescott added a 93 (48-45).

The Redwood Valley boys tennis team finished just shy of a State Tournament berth, placing second at the Section 3A Team Tournament held last week in Redwood Falls.The Cardinals entered the tournament as the three seed but after an easy win over MACCRAY in round one would upset second seed Benson 4-3 before falling to Montevideo 4-3 in the Section final.It was one of the strongest finishes for a Cardinal team in some time as individually Zack Lundeen and the doubles tandem of Cole Johnson and Kanyon Hicks remain alive for a chance to go to State.After topping MACCRAY 6-1 in the quarterfinals on May 20, the Cards squared off with Benson in the semifinals on May 22.Against the Braves it was the play of the Cardinal doubles teams that proved big as they swept all three matches.Johnson and Hicks rolled to a 6-3, 6-0 win; Cayden Johnson-Mariner and Mason Davis would earn a 6-0, 6-7, 6-1 win at second doubles and the third doubles duo of Laiten Goodthunder and Reese Regnier earned a 6-3, 6-1 win.In singles, Lundeen would win by default; Yzykiel Rendon fell 6-4, 6-3; Zach Malecek was upended 6-0, 6-0 and Alex Bourret lost a tough three-setter 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.In the Section final against top-seeded Montevideo, the Cards split the singles matches with Lundeen winning 6-2, 6-2 an Bourret earned a three-set win.The T-Hawks would take two of the three doubles matches to ultimately win although it wasn’t easy.Johnson and Hicks won 6-2, 6-1.Mariner-Johnson and Davis lost a hard fought battle at second doubles 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-3 and Goodthunder and Regnier fell 6-4, 7-6 (9-7).The Section 3A Individual Tournament got underway on May 23 and Lundeen - the number one seed in singles action - rolled into the semifinals (after a bye in the quarterfinals) with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Logan Schauer of Benson.

The Redwood Valley boys tennis team rolled to a 6-1 win over MACCRAY Monday afternoon in the opening round of Section 3A Team Tournament action held in Redwood Falls.The Cardinals - the third overall seed - advanced into the semfinals to face second seeded Benson (held Wednesday afternoon).Top-seeded Montevideo squared off with LQPV/DB in the other semifinal.In the win over MACCRAY, the Cards took three of the four singles matches with Zack Lundeen, Kanyon Hicks and Alex Bourret all winning in straight sets.In doubles, the Cards earned a 7-5, 6-1 win from Cole Johnson and Cayden Johnson-Mariner and then picked up forfeits at second and third doubles.Earlier to end the regular season the Cards dropped a pair of close battles with Fairmont and NL/Spicer, both by scores of 4-3.In the loss to Fairmont, the Cards got wins from Lundeen at first singles 6-2, 6-1 as he was the lone singles player to earn a victory.In doubles, the Cards had a pair of victories from Hicks and Cole Johnson 6-4, 6-0 and Reese Regnier and Zach Malecek 6-2, 6-3.Against the Wildcats, Bourret was the lone winner in singles by a 6-4, 6-4 tally.Hicks and Cole Johnson earned a 6-1, 6-1 win and Regnier and Collin Johnson gutted out a come from behind 1-6, 7-5, 10-8 win.The second doubles match was a close one with the Cards duo of Mason Davis and Johnson-Mariner falling 6-4, 7-5.

Redwood Valley senior gymnast Avery Wilson capped off a memorable career competing for the Mankato Area Gymnastics School this past spring.Wilson - a standout for Redwood Valley during her six year career - had to submit videos to USA Gymnastics to be approved to compete and then spent two months driving to Mankato to participate in a high performance atmosphere against top notch competition.“It was something I had always wanted to do since I was younger,” she said about competing with the MAGS, “the program is very advanced and it’s different than high school.”In her first meet competing against International gymnasts she was able to qualify for the Minnesota State Meet and would go on to win the championship on bars and qualified for the Regional Meet.Competing in Cedar Rapids, IA she took on girls from across the Midwest and ended up second on bars and vault and also in the All-Around.“To be able to compete with MAGS was a great experience and it was really the perfect end to my gymnastics career and hanging up my leotard for the last time.”

The talented Redwood Valley boys and girls track teams continued their push towards the postseason by finishing second at the Big South Conference Meet held Saturday at the Inglis Track & Field Complex in Redwood Falls.Luverne would capture both the boys and girls titles with Redwood Valley finishing second out of seven teams.The Cardinal girls finished with 138 team points to Luverne’s 171 and the Cardinal boys racked up 119.5 to finish behind Luverne’s winning point total of 150.The local athletes finally got a nice day to compete and the times would show as the Cardinals set a pair of school records during the meet.Junior Will Ahrens reset his own record in the 1,600 meter run as he finished in a time of 4:18.99 to beat his previous best.The Cardinal 4x200 relay team of Lucas Fuhr, Tucker Amberg, Blake Stephens and Duran Kramer also set a 20-year old school record by finishing in 1:32.42.The Cardinal girls got first place finishes from the 4x800 relay team of Lola Luze, Madi Munsell, Addie Thomes and Ellie Nelson (10:11.97).The 4x100 and 4x200 relay team of Cali Johnson, Kendall Huhnerkoch, Caitlin Flinn and Kenzie Lundeen grabbed firsts in both races with times of 51.44 and 1:48.40.Huhnerkoch also added two more first place finishes in the triple jump (37’1 3/4”) and long jump (17’).Johnson added a first in the 200 meter dash (26.92) with Lundeen placing fifth (28.46).The 4x400 relay team of Olivia Stoterau, Chantkiya Wabasha, Nelson and Michelle Smith battled Luverne right till the end but would finish second with a time of 4:23.74.Caitlin Flinn added a second in the 100 meter dash (13.43), Munsell was second in the 800 (2:36.80), Luze added a second in the 3,200 (11:53.29) and Johnson was second in the long jump (16’1”).Thirds went to McKenna Flinn in the pole vault (10’), Karsyn Ramey in the high jump (4’6”) and Thomes in the 1,600 (5:25.84).Nelson added a fourth in the 1,600 (5:30.36), Smith was fourth in the 400 (1:04.71) and Reese Prescott was fourth in the 3,200 (13:01.32).Wabasha was fifth in the 800 (2:38.68), Aleena Vetsouvanh added a fifth in the 300 hurdles (53.63) and Stoterau was sixth in the 400 (1:06).For the boys, Kilen Cilek dominated the 3,200 on the way to a first place finish (9:54.89).

In a match that went right down to the wire the Montevideo Thunderhawks held off host Redwood Valley 4-3 Friday afternoon in dual meet boys tennis action.The T-Hawks would take three of the four singles matches with the Cards’ Zack Lundeen earning a 7-5, 6-1 win at first singles.Alex Bourret went three sets before falling 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 at fourth singles in what proved to be one of two three setters that would go against the Cards.In doubles, the Cards got a big win from the first unit of Cole Johnson and Cayden Johnson-Mariner, as they rallied from down 3-6 in the first set to take the final two sets by scores of 6-3, 6-3.The Cards also got a big win at second doubles from Reese Regnier and Laiten Goodthunder as they held on for a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory.Mason Davis and Zach Malecek lost a tough three-setter 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 and Kanyon Hicks fell 6-3, 6-2 at second singles.Earlier the Cards fell 6-1 to New Ulm as Lundeen picked up the lone win at first singles, a 6-4, 6-3 win over Maverick Johnson.Cole Johnson and Mariner-Johnson fell 6-4, 6-1 at first doubles.The Cards dominated YME in another recent dual meet as they took three of the four singles matches and swept all three doubles matches.Lundeen, Hicks and Cole Johnson all won in straight sets in the top three singles.Johnson-Mariner and Davis earned a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles; Goodthunder and Yzkiel Rendon won 6-3, 6-0 at second doubles and the third doubles unit of Malecek and Bourret won 6-2, 6-0.In a recent battle against Worthington the Cards would split the singles matches but won all three doubles matches to win 5-2 over the Trojans.Lundeen gutted out a big 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win at first singles and Hicks battled for a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at second singles.Rendon lost a tough 6-4, 6-4 match-up.Cole Johnson and Mariner-Johnson won easily 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles.Regnier and Goodthunder earned a 6-2, 6-2 win and Davis and Malecek won 6-0, 6-0 at third doubles.