FARGO -- Jake LaDouceur's high school career ended in familiar fashion -- as a state doubles champion.
Grand Forks Red River seniors LaDouceur and Phil Yunker defeated Williston's Heath Glenn and Jordan Nelson 6-4, 6-1 in the doubles championship match here Saturday at the North Dakota boys high school tennis tournament.
For LaDouceur, it was a fourth state doubles championship. LaDouceur earned his first crown with Michael Kraft in 2005. He teamed with Tyler Davis for back-to-back championships in 2007 and 2008.
"They all feel good, winning a state championship," said LaDouceur, who is the state's first four-time doubles champion. "This one is one of the better ones, just because it's my senior year and the last match of my career. It's nice to go out on top."
LaDouceur and Yunker came together midway through this season. LaDouceur said he chose Yunker as a partner for his big serve and experience as a senior.
ADVERTISEMENT
"When it came down to it, I thought Phil would be the best fit," LaDouceur said. "And it turns out he was."
LaDouceur and Yunker scored a 6-1, 6-1 win against teammates Greg Wischer and Joey Anderson in the semifinals. Wischer and Anderson went on to beat Fargo Shanley's Peter Frei and Thomas Schwandt 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the third-place match.
LaDouceur was named the state senior player of the year in voting by coaches.
Bismarck's Bakke
takes singles title
Bismarck High School senior Grant Bakke's comeback is complete.
Bakke, a right-hander who was forced to play left-handed all last season due to a serious shoulder injury, earned his second North Dakota state boys individual singles tennis title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Fargo South's Parker Lawley.
"After I knew I was going to be 100 percent, I really focused on the fact that this is my year," said Bakke, who won state as a sophomore. "It's my senior year. I really just wanted to focus and make sure I could get to the finals and win."
ADVERTISEMENT
Bakke suffered a stress fracture in his right shoulder during a summer tournament prior to his junior year. He chose to continue to play left-handed so he could be around his teammates and remain close to the team.
Lawley, a junior, lost in the state finals for the second straight year.
Bakke advanced to the finals with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win against Grand Forks Red River's Erik Johnson, while Lawley beat Grand Forks Central's Matt Fuka 6-2, 6-3 in the semis.
Johnson defeated Fuka 6-4, 6-1 in the third-place match.
Roughrider teammates met in the singles consolation final, as Joseph Lee beat Ryan Hoverson 6-0, 6-2.
