The Minnewaska Area girls tennis team opened up the season at the Park Rapids Invitational, Saturday, Aug. 24.  The Lakers were also set to compete at Park Rapids the day before, but that meet was canceled due to rain.

The Lakers, who finished 12-7 overall last year and 8-0 in the WCC to win a ninth-straight league title, also played at Litchfield last Wednesday, going 1-2 overall.

Minnewaska Area was set to host Montevideo in the home opener, Monday, Aug. 26 (today), before getting ready to play at MACCRAY, Thursday.  

The Lakers also played at the Alexandria quadrangular, Friday, going 2-1.  Results of that competition will be highlighted next week.

Back to coach the Lakers again this year is Tara Reichmann, who is coaching her 25th season of girls tennis.  She is 365-155 overall coaching girls tennis and 162-133 coaching boys for an overall record of 527-288.

•  Minnewaska Area was 8-0 in the WCC last fall, while Montevideo placed second with a 6-2 record, followed by Morris Area-CA/WCA (5-3), Benson-KMS (4-4), MACCRAY (4-4), Melrose Area (4-4), LQP-DB (2-6), Sauk Centre (2-6) and YME (0-8). 

This year’s 2024 varsity Minnewaska Area girls tennis team, coached by Tara Reichmann, Chad Quelle (JV coach) and Luke Barkeim (Junior High), includes seniors Katy Vold, Avarie Uhde, McKenna Uhde, Katie Sorenson and Megan Thorfinnson; juniors Alia Randt, Olivia Danielson, Addy Heid, Brooke Kjorness, Hannah Walsh and Tyla Ziesmer; sophomores Rachel Rankin, Kaylen Blair, Kiarra Bosek, Kileigh Wilmes, Norah VanZee, Adysen Hess, Kennedy Blair, Maggie Hjelm, Greta Randleman and Sophia Hanson; ninth-graders Madeline Reents, Peyton Sundheim, Hannah Hoeper, Molly Cassidy, Aaliyah Olson, Mileigh Lundebrek, Beaux Asche and Keeley Hanson; eighth-graders Clara Rankin, Allie Mrnak, Ariana Quelle, Isabelle Wallin, Aly Elenberger, Avery Wildman, Milah Hall, Emma Heidelberger and Emily Kohn; and seventh-graders Autumn Zins, Roran Vold, Henley Ogdahl and Kaitlyn Reents.  

“We also have a very solid JV team with many players that have the potential of challenging the varsity throughput the year,” coach Tara Reichmann said.

at Park Rapids Invite

After having their first competition rained out last Friday, the Lakers opened up the season by competing in the Park Rapids Individual Tournament last Saturday.  The tourney also included Park Rapids, East Grand Forks, Fergus Falls and Roseau.

Earning firsts for Minnewaska Area were Megan Thorfinnson at second singles, Olivia Danielson at third singles, Rachel Rankin and Addy Heid at second doubles and Norah VanZee, Adysen Hess and Kennedy Blair at fourth doubles.

All the first-place entries from the Lakers went 4-0 except for fourth doubles where Minnewaska was 3-1 but won out on a tiebreaker.

Going 3-1 to place second were Alia Randt at first singles, Katy Vold and Avarie Uhde at first doubles, and Katie Sorenson and McKenna Uhde at third doubles, while Kaylen Blair was 2-2 at fourth singles to earn third. 

“It was a good way to start out the season and I thought our girls played some very good tennis considering how early it is in the season,” coach Tara Reichmann said.

Litchfield quadrangular

The Lakers went 1-2 at the Litchfield quadrangular, a meet that saw three matches decided by 4-3 scores.  Minnewaska fell to Litchfield and Rock Ridge (Virginia) by 4-3 verdicts and also beat Willmar, 6-1.

Rock Ridge edged Litchfield for the overall title, 4-3, while Willmar went 0-3.  Going 3-0 for the Lakers was Megan Thorfinnson, who was 2-0 at second singles and 1-0 at first doubles with Alia Randt.

The Lakers had little trouble against Willmar, losing at first singles, but winning all the other six matches in straight sets while using a “strong doubles” lineup.

Against Rock Ridge, the Lakers earned wins by Alia Randt (6-1, 7-5), Megan Thorfinnson (6-4, 6-1) and Olivia Danielson (4-6, 6-2, 10-3 tiebreaker) at first through third singles, respectively, but Rock Ridge won the other four matches including a 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 tiebreaker win at third doubles.

In the final match against Litchfield, things went the pretty much the same as Thorfinnson and Danielson won at second and third singles and Minnewaska Area also picked up a win by Rachel Rankin and Addy Heid at second doubles (6-4, 6-3), but the Lakers couldn’t quite come up with the fourth point.

“We had our chances to go 3-0, but we ended up losing a few matches we probably should have won,” coach Reichmann said.  “Some girls did great, some need work and it is still early in the season.  Overall, we need to get in better shape to withstand the closer matches.”

at Park Rapids Invite

SINGLES results: 

(1)  Alia Randt 3-1 (second place)

(2)  Megan Thorfinnson 4-0 (first)

(3)  Olivia Danielson 4-0 (first)

(4)  Kaylen Blair 2-2 (third)

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Katy Vold-Avarie Uhde 3-1 (2nd)

(2)  Rachel Rankin-Addy Heid 4-0 (first)

(3)  Katie Sorenson-McKenna Uhde 3-1 (second)

(4)  Norah VanZee-Adysen Hess-Kennedy Blair 3-1 (first)

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at Litchfield quadrangular

Rock Ridge 4, Minnewaska 3

SINGLES results: 

(1) Alia Randt, Min def Ayla Troutwine 6-1, 7-5  (2) Megan Thorfinnson, Min def Mattelyn Seppi 6-4, 6-1  (3) Olivia Danielson, Min def Emmi Peterson 4-6, 6-2, 10-3tb  (4) Johnson, RR def Avarie Uhde 6-1, 6-2

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Scott-Fink, RR def Katy Vold-Rachel Rankin 6-0, 6-1  (2) Paulsen-Dimberio, RR def Addy Heid-Katie Sorenson 6-4, 6-3  (3) Troutwine-Johnson, RR def McKenna Uhde-Kaylen Blair 6-3, 4-6, 10-8tb

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Minnewaska 6, Willmar 1

SINGLES results: 

(1) Kennedy Mara, Will def Olivia Danielson 6-1, 2-6, 10-6tb  (2) Rachel Rankin, Min def Aubrey Peterson 6-4, 6-2  (3) Avarie Uhde, Min def Emily Floren 6-1, 6-3  (4) Addy Heid, Min def Juliette Haugen 6-1, 6-0

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Megan Thorfinnson-Alia Randt, Min def Melanie Rhoda-Grace Kalkbrenner 6-1, 6-0  (2) Katy Vold-Katie Sorenson, Min def Abigail VanDerBill-Ahnaley Marales 6-1, 6-1  (3) McKenna Uhde-Kaylen Blair, Min def Leiah Arends-A. Dahl 6-1, 6-1

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at Litchfield 4, Waska 3

SINGLES results: 

(1) Isla Dille, Litch def Alia Randt, 6-1, 6-1  (2) Megan Thorfinnson, Min def Maya Wuotila 6-1, 6-1  (3) Olivia Danielson, Min def Emma Wuotila 6-0, 6-2  (4) Marcella Bruning, Litch def Kaylen Blair 6-3, 6-0

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Emma Knudsen-Molly Patten, Litch def Katy Vold-Avarie Uhde 0-6, 7-5, 10-7tb  (2) Rachel Rankin-Addy Heid, Min def Tayah Damerow-Brynn Nagel 6-4, 6-3  (3) Elly Woeffel-Emily Michels, Litch def McKenna Uhde-Katie Sorenson 6-3, 6-3