Mingus’ Finger/Peterson head to state

Mingus Union tennis seniors Brigham Peterson and Jordan Finger received a pleasant surprise on Tuesday.

The Marauders’ top doubles team will be competing in the state doubles tournament this weekend.

“This is the first year that they’ve had this selection system for individuals and we just didn’t think that their record would be good enough to be accepted into the state tournament, so we were all pleasantly surprised (Tuesday) when we found out that they were in,” Mingus head coach Larry Lineberry said.

Finger/Peterson will open the first round on Friday morning against Sowinski/Healey of Scottsdale Saguaro at Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale. The winner will face the No. 4 seed A. Tschirhart/G. Gage

From Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep on Friday.

The tournament is five rounds, with the first four occurring Friday and Saturday at Paseo Racquet Center. The final will be on Monday at a site to be determined.

Peterson and Finger started the season strong but went about .500 in the later half of the year.

“The first half of the year they were terrific, they lost only two matches of their first seven and then second half of the year they were right around .500,” Lineberry said. “We had a much tougher schedule in the second half of the year.”

Although they played doubles with other teammates occasionally, they have mostly played together the last three years and have a good rapport Lineberry said.

Peterson had the tough task of playing the No. 1 singles spot this year, playing against state champions, runners up and semifinalists.

“Brigham played No. 1 and there were some really good No. 1 players so as well as Brigham played, which is the best he’s played in four years, his record didn’t reflect it,” Lineberry said. “He actually played the best tennis that I’ve ever seen him play but he lost five of his last six matches because they were just really good players. Every team has a good No. 1 player usually and that’s who Brigham had to play.”

Finger finished the season at the No. 3 singles spot, playing better as the Marauders’ schedule got tougher late in the year.

“Jordan was mediocre the first part of the season but he hardly lost a match the last half of the season, I think he won his last five matches in singles, so he came on really strong at the end, playing No. 3 and No. 4 on the team,” Lineberry said.