The Minnewaska Area boys tennis team opened up the new season with a pair of non-conference wins, March 28.

The Lakers are coming off an 11-8 season from a year ago, a season in which included  a 5-1 mark in the WCC to place second behind NLS.

Minnewaska, which lost only one player from last year’s team (Noah Palmer), beat Moorhead (5-2) and Thief River Falls (4-3) to open up the new year.  Going 2-0 at the first event were Tenzin Dahl, Xavier Johnson, Marshall Kopp and Landon Schiffler.

The Lakers have only one senior and two juniors in their lineup, meaning the future looks very bright for the Laker boys tennis program.

Among the possible highlights of this season could be coach Reichmann earning her 500th career coaching win in tennis.  Reichmann is an unofficial 493-276 for her career and could pick up win No. 500 sometime in mid-April.

NLS beat the Lakers in a close match at MAHS last year, 5-2, to win the WCC title with a 6-0 record followed by Minnewaska Area (5-1), Benson-KMS (4-2), Montevideo (3-3), LQP-DB (2-4), MACCRAY-RCW (1-5) and YME (0-6).

“I would think we are the conference favorite, but there are always teams that can sneak up on you,” coach Tara Reichmann said.  “The section favorite I’d say is Crookston, although we should be right in the thick of things.”

•  The 2024 boys tennis roster at Minnewaska Area High School includes senior Connor Quelle; juniors Tenzin Dahl and Riley Thorfinnson; sophomores Tate Hanson, Tayte Wasilowski, James Nichtern and Drew Bleick; ninth-graders Carter LeClair, Landon Schiffler, Marshall Kopp, Tydan Stewart, Ethan Klick, Deven Manderscheid and Tyler Kohn; eighth-graders Xavier Johnson, Carter Myrom, Carson Beyer, Easton Palmer, Aidric Vold, Eddie VanderHagen, Mason Goebel and Joe Walsh; and seventh-graders Hudsen Beecher and Evan VanZee.

At opening triangular

The Lakers swept their two matches at the opening triangular at Fargo, March 28.  Minnewaska beat Moorhead in one match, 5-2, and also edged Thief River Falls in the other, 4-3.  TRF was the section champion last spring.

The Lakers won both matches despite missing some players to the Washington, D.C. trip.

Against Moorhead, Connor Quelle led the Lakers to the win with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at first singles.  Minnewaska Area also was victorious at third singles with Tenzin Dahl winning 6-0, 6-3 and at fourth singles where Carson Beyer prevailed 6-1, 7-5.

In doubles, the Lakers earned two more points with tiebreaker victories.  Marshall Kopp and Landon Schiffler won 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 tiebreaker at second doubles and Xavier Johnson and Tate Hanson won in three sets at third doubles, 7-6, 6-7, 10-8 tiebreaker.

•  The match against Thief River Falls was just as close as Minnewaska Area won two singles’ matches and two in doubles.

The Lakers were defeated at first and second singles, but Minnewaska earned two points as Tenzin Dahl won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles and Ethan Klick prevailed 6-3, 6-1 at fourth singles.

In doubles, Marshall Kopp and Landon Schiffler won their second-straight match at second doubles for Minnewaska Area (6-2, 6-2), while Easton Palmer and Xavier Johnson earned the fourth point for the Lakers with a 6-0, 6-4 victory at third doubles.

at Fargo triangular

Waska 4, Thief River Falls 3

SINGLES results:  

(1)  Jett Cornelius, TRF def Connor Quelle 6-2, 6-2  (2) Spencer Hempel, TRF def Drew Bleick 6-0, 7-6 (8-6)  (3) Tenzin Dahl, Min def Kaleb Funk 6-1, 6-0  (4) Ethan Klick, Min def N/A 6-3, 6-1

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Lucas Rantanen-Noah Burkel, TRF def Riley Thorfinnson-Tayte Wasilowski 6-1, 6-1  (2) Marshall Kopp-Landon Schiffler, Min def Ike Olson-Carter Svensgard 6-2, 6-2  (3) Easton Palmer-Xavier Johnson, Min def Wyatt Williams-Nathan Dearth 6-0, 6-4

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Minnewaska 5, Moorhead 2

SINGLES results:  

(1)  Connor Quelle, Min def Jinu Lee 6-0, 6-0  (2) Elliot Lien, Moor def Drew Bleick 6-1, 6-1  (3) Tenzin Dahl, Min def James Rothisberger 6-0, 6-3  (4) Carson Beyer, Min def Zachary Dohn 6-1, 7-5

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Fi Kjos-Brody Hansen, Moor def Riley Thorfinnson-Tayte Wasilowski 6-1, 6-2  (2) Marshall Kopp-Landon Schiffler, Min def Drew Hancock-Will Hazeldine 6-4, 3-6, 10-5tb  (3) Xavier Johnson-Tate Hanson, Min def Jasper Etter-Jason Donahue 7-6, 6-7, 10-8tb

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