Bulldog Netters Gaining Valuable Experience

The Milbank Bulldog boys’ tennis team has been gaining valuable experience at area matches leading up to the state competition. South Dakota’s high school boys’ tennis tournament is just around the corner on May 17-18 in Sioux Falls. 

“The kids have been competing well,” stated head coach Jade Miller. “We have kids playing tie-breaker games and just on the verge of getting wins. They are right there in each game they play. If they can fine-tune areas of their game, they should be playing their best tennis come state tournament time.”

Milbank hosted Aberdeen Central Tuesday, May 4, and suffered a 9-0 loss. During a triangular at Brookings on Friday, April 30, Milbank fell 2-7 to Brookings and 0-9 to Harrisburg. Mason Riley and Leyton Raffety secured singles victories in the match against Brookings.

Milbank traveled to Aberdeen on Tuesday, April 27, and lost  0-9 to Aberdeen Roncalli. One day earlier, they traveled to Lac Qui Parle Valley, MInnesota, and fell short at 2-5. Schulte earned a singles victory and Riley/Raffety teamed up for a doubles win.

Results from the matches:
Milbank 0 vs. Aberdeen Central 9

Singles 1. Mason Riley fell to Gabe Goetz, 6-1, 6-0; 2. Benett Street was defeated by Zach Gonsor, 6-0, 6-0; 3. Joe Schulte lost to Henry Fouberg, 6-0, 6-1; 6. Gregory Grabow lost to Brett Jacobs, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles 1. Riley/Raffety fell to Goetz/Gonsor, 6-0, 6-4; 2. Street/Schulte were defeated by Ahlbery/Wilkinson, 6-1, 6-0; 3.Perez/Grabow lost to Fouberg/Jacobs, 6-1, 6-1.

Junior varsity matches – Will Snaza lost to Sekai Gogue, 8-0; Alonso De Salazar fell to Zach Johnson, 8-5; Snaza/De Salazar lost to Gogue/Johnson, 8-5.

Milbank 2 vs. Brookings 7
Singles 1. Mason Riley defeated Micah Ardry, 10-8; 2. Benett Street fell to Dawson Peters, 10-0; 3. Joe Schulte lost to Derek Brallier, 10-2; 4. Leyton Raffety defeated Prasoon Kharel, 11-9; 5. Isaac Perez lost to Aditya Tummala, 10-0; 6. Gregory Grabow fell to Braylon Peters, 10-1.
Doubles 1. Riley/Raffety fell 10-3 to Ardry/Peters; 2. Street/Schulte were defeated 10-0 by Brallier/Kharel; 3. Perez/Grabow lost 10-1 to Tummala/Peters.

Junior varsity matches – Daniel Shelstad fell 10-7; Alonso De Salazar was defeated 10-5; Zander Boswell lost 10-1; Zander Boswell lost 10-4; Shelstad/De Salazar lost 10-7.

Milbank 0 vs. Harrisburg 9
Singles 1. Mason Riley fell to Desmond Looft, 10-3; 2. Benett Street was defeated by Nick Anderson, 10-1; 3. Joe Schulte lost to Alex Rallis, 10-1; 4. Leyton Raffety fell to Nick Tschudy, 10-1; 5. Isaac Perez was defeated by Maverik Ragon, 10-0; 6. Gregory Grabow lost to Jaxon Hunter, 10-0.

Doubles 1. Riley/Raffety fell to Looft/Hauling, 10-4; 2. Street/Schulte lost to Tschudy/Anderson, 10-1; 3. Perez/Grabow lost to Rallis/Hunter, 10-0.
Junior varsity matches – Daniel Shelstad fell 10-0; Alonso DeSalazar was defeated 10-2; Zander Boswell lost 10-0; Shelstad/De Salazar fell 8-1.

Milbank 0 vs. Aberdeen Roncalli 9

Singles 1. Mason Riley fell to Gray Imbery, 6-0, 6-0; 2. Benett Street lost to Cason Hellwig, 6-3, 2-6, 10-3; 3. Joe Schulte lost to Jackson Henrich, 6-4, 6-3; 4. Leyton Raffety fell to Mason Carrels, 6-1, 6-4; 5. Isaac Perez was defeated by AJ Prehn, 6-2, 6-1; 6. Gregory Grabow fell to Palmer Johnson, 6-0, 6 0.

Doubles 1. Riley/Raffety fell to Imbery/Carrels, 6-1, 7-5; 2. Schulte/Street lost to Henrich/Hellwig, 7-6, 7-3, 7-6, 7-5; 3.Perez/Grabow lost to Prehn/May, 6-1, 6-1.
Junior Varsity matches – Daniel Shelstad fell 8-0; Alonzo De Salazar dropped 8-2; Zander Boswell fell 8- 6; Shelstad/De Salazar lost 8-1.

Milbank 2 vs. LQPV 5
Singles 1. Benett Street fell to Tyler Buer, 6-4, 3-6, 10-8; 2. Joe Schulte defeated Gavin Stulz, 6-2, 6-0; 3. Isaac Perez was defeated by Levi Olson, 6-4, 6-4; 4. Gregory Grabow lost to Liam Risch, 6-0, 6-3.

Doubles 1. Mason Riley/Leyton Raffety defeated Wiebe/Buer, 6-1, 6-1; 2. Alonzo De Salazar/Max Schuelke fell to Wiebe/Martinson, 6-2, 6-3; 3. Daniel/Shelstad/Zander Boswell lost to Gruwell/Perkins, 6-2, 6-1.
Junior varsity matches – Gregory Grabow won 6-2, 3-6, 11-9.

Photo – Joe Schulte