Boys Tennis, Class A recap, June 9, 2021
Posted: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 - 3:46 PM
Although the Breck boys tennis team entered the 2021 postseason with five losses, there was optimism that good things were about to happen. The Mustangs grew from those losses and they sensed that a season that began with championship aspirations was going to end with a crescendo.
Their faith was rewarded.
Breck went on a postseason blitz that concluded with a 5-2 victory over Mound Westonka in the Class A championship match on Wednesday, June 9 at St. Cloud Tech High School. Senior Clayton Haberman recorded the clinching point with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Mound Westonka senior Jack Linder at No. 1 singles. The championship was the first for the Mustangs since 2016 and eighth overall.
“We thought we were a championship-caliber team at the start, but the energy and hype didn’t happen right away,” Haberman said afterward. “We came together later and those things happened.”
The Mustangs won the first five matches in the dual before Mound Westonka capped the scoring with victories in the final two matches.
‘The boys played their best tennis of the season at the end here, and that is definitely what you want to see,” Breck head coach Sion Wilkins said. “When the sections went well, I could see that good things were happening. Regardless of the score, these guys played their hardest on every point, all the way to the end of the state tournament.”
The Class A championship match was played in hot and humid conditions. As a precaution, following each set, participants were required to take a 10-minute break inside climate-controlled St. Cloud Tech High School to cool down.
Breck raced to a 3-0 lead behind victories at No. 3 singles, No. 2 doubles and No. 4 singles. The Mustangs had to wait a bit while Haberman was battling Linder in a match that featured long rallies.
“There were nerves at work during that match, Haberman said. “We had some long points and it was great to finish some of them off.
“Everyone is full of smiles right now. There is relief and excitement in winning.”
Earlier in the day, Breck advanced to the championship match with a 7-0 victory over Rochester Lourdes in the semifinals. In the lower-bracket semifinal, Mound Westonka recorded a 5-2 victory over Mounds Park Academy, the Class A champion in 2019.
