PIERRE – Aberdeen Roncalli won all of its first-round matches on the way to a second-place finish in the team standings during the Governor Invitational tennis tournament Friday and Saturday at Pierre.

The Cavaliers had four runner-up finishes, two third-place showings, and three fourth-place positions at the event.

“This was a great tournament for us,” said Roncalli coach Jason Haskell. “One of the biggest takeaways was the recognition of the level of sustained tennis it takes to do well at an extended tournament; the focus, mental and physical preparation it takes to get ready and stay ready.”

Roncalli had three singles players who took second: Palmer Johnson at second flight, Gannon May at third flight and Ezra Feickert at third flight. Also finishing runner-up was the doubles tandem of Cason Hellwig and Landon Zikmund at flight two.

Haskell said his players took major strides at raising their level of play.

“A second place team finish is outstanding and there was improvement made towards breaking through to that next level,” Haskell said. “I was so proud of my boys, their effort and their desire to want to do well.”

He said team is trying to embody the philosophy of former great Andre Agassi who once said, “The great part about tennis is you can’t run out the clock.”

The Cavaliers are scheduled to have their first home matches of the season this upcoming week. Roncalli will host Milbank on Monday, and then play host to Brandon Valley and O’Gorman on Friday before the state tournament the following Monday and Tuesday.

“We will use this last week before state to fine tune a couple of skills and recover before heading to Rapid City,” Haskell said.

Team Points: Sioux Falls Christian 398, Aberdeen Roncalli 229, Lennox 206, Pierre 134, St. Thomas More 129, Milbank 92, Milbank 28, Spearfish 6.

SINGLES

First Flight

CASON HELLWIG: def. Devin Dodson, Pierre, 6-1, 6-3; lost to Cody Plank, Lennox, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2; lost to Joe Schulte, Milbank, 8-6. FOURTH PLACE.

Second Flight

PALMER JOHNSON: def. Charles Whitesitt, Milbank, 6-3, 6-1; def. Andrew Levine, St. Thomas More, 6-1, 6-4; lost to Rex Lefever, Sioux Falls Christian, 4-6, 6-2, (10-1). SECOND PLACE.

Third Flight

GANNON MAY: def. Gregory Grabow, Milbank, 6-1, 6-2; def. Eli Plank, Lennox, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5; lost to Jack Squier, Sioux Falls Christian, 6-2, 6-2. SECOND PLACE.

Fourth Flight

LANDON ZIKMUND: def. Dennis Crandall, Spearfish, 6-4, 6-1; lost to Weston Northrup, Pierre, 7-6, 3-6, (10-8); lost to Pierce Temme, Lennox, 8-1. FOURTH PLACE.

Fifth Flight

JAYDEN REECY: def. Noah Welch, Lennox, 2-6, 7-5, (10-8); lost to Logan Boyle, Sioux Falls Christian, 6-1, 6-2; def. Brady Lowery, Pierre, 8-1. THIRD PLACE.

Sixth Flight

EZRA FEICKERT: def. Noah Lueking, Pierre, 6-3, 6-4; def. Oliver Huxford, St. Thomas More, 6-4, 4-6 (14-12); lost to Elijah Lindgren, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 6-1, 6-1. SECOND PLACE.

DOUBLES

First Flight

PALMER JOHNSON-GANNON MAY: def. Lucas Hight-Jacob Leiferman, Pierre, 6-3, 3-6 (10-8); lost to Cody Plank-Eli Plank, Lennox, 1-6, 6-3, (10-6); def. Spencer Reverts-Elijah Sims, Madison, 8-3. THIRD PLACE.

CASON HELLWIG-LANDON ZIKMUND: def. Will Muellenbach-Charles Whitesitt, Milbank, 6-1, 6-2; def. Devin Dodson-Weston Northrup, Pierre, 7-5, 7-6, (10-4); lost to Rex Lefever-Logan Boyle, Sioux Falls Christian, 6-3, 6-4. SECOND PLACE.

JAYDEN REECY-WILL HASKELL: def. Levi Hight-Marty Blanchette, Pierre, 6-2, 6-1; lost to Jack DeYoung-Elijah Lindgren, Sioux Falls Christian, 6-3, 6-4; lost to Alex Baugh-Daniel Shelstad, Milbank, 8-3. FOURTH PLACE.