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Wyatt Helberg was a near lock to win the top singles spot each match this year for the North Branch boys tennis team, and now that play has moved into the postseason, the sophomore has continued to roll.

Helberg, who qualified for the state tournament, was seeded second in the Section 6A boys tennis tournament. He received a bye in his first round, and then took on Jackson Hoover of St. Cloud Cathedral in the semifinals. Helberg made quick work of Hoover, beating him 6-0, 6-0 to move on to the semfinals against Chase Axtell of Mora. Axtell is the third seed and beat Ashton Moore of Pine City 6-3, 6-3 in the quarters.

Helberg eventually won the section title just before the Press went to print, beating Mora’s Chase Axtell 6-1, 6-1 in the semis and Mora’s Joe Sampson 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the finals. For more on those matches, see next week’s Press.

Stangler was the only thing between an all Mora and North Branch final four, as Viking Drake Mellon was seeded fourth in the tournament. Mellon struggled against Stangler in the quarters, losing 6-0, 6-1.

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