The No. 1 singles player on the Albert Lea boys’ tennis team was recognized as one of the top 20 players in the Big Nine conference, and the Tigers finished their season Thursday at the Section 1AA individual tournament at Red Wing.

Two singles players and two doubles teams were selected to enter the section tournament from each school, said Albert Lea coach Tom Dyrdal.

Taylor Herfindahl and Cole Keyeski competed in singles. Carter Dahl and Collin Jahnke competed in doubles along with Foster Otten and Matt Carlson, who stepped in to play for the ill Garrett Matz.

Herfindahl won his first-round match 6-0, 6-2 against Ben Renk of Winona. He lost in the second round 3-6, 6-3 and 3-6 against Colton Detwiler of Austin.

Dyrdal said Herfindahl fell midway through the third set of his second match and gashed his knee.

“The trainer patched him up, and he continued to play through the injury,” Dyrdal said. “I have to give him a lot of credit for his toughness today.”

Herfindahl was a Big Nine All-Conference selection this season, an honor voted on by coaches in the conference.

“It’s a great honor to be selected to the All-Conference team,” Dyrdal said. “Taylor is certainly deserving. He is a very good tennis player and an even better person. He plays the game the way it is supposed to be played: with great effort and sportsmanship.”

Cole Keyeski fell 1-6, 3-6 in the first round against Nick Powers of Red Wing.

The team of Dahl and Jahnke lost 4-6, 4-6.

“Like they have all season, Dahl and Jahnke had a hard-fought set,” Dyrdal said about his No. 1 doubles team. “They finished with a winning record at one of the toughest lineup spots.”

It was the final match for a group of five seniors: Dahl, Keyeski, Jahnke, Tanner Shaft and Derek Wagner.

“They’ve been a pleasure to work with,” Dyrdal said. “I’m proud of the way they played and represented our school.”