The Minnewaska Area boys tennis team is off and running after playing six matches over five days last week to open up the season.

The Lakers earned wins over YME last Tuesday (7-0) and against Benson-KMS, Thursday (6-1) before earning two more wins against Crookston (5-2) and Perham (7-0) during the Minnewaska triangular, Friday.

The Lakers also played at the Moorhead triangular, Saturday, winning two more matches, but results of that competition will be highlighted next week.

The Minnewaska Area boys tennis team had one of its best seasons ever in program history last spring.  The Lakers not only set a new boys tennis record with 22 victories, but the team also advanced to state for the second time in program history.

The Lakers, coached again by Tara Reichmann and Chad Quelle, went 22-5 overall last year, which included a 6-0 mark in the WCC to win a conference title.

Minnewaska Area has two more home matches scheduled for this week beginning with a match against Lac qui Parle, Tuesday (tomorrow) and continuing with a matchup against MACCRAY, Thursday, April 17.

Minnewaska 7, YME 0

The Lakers opened up the new season with a dominating 7-0 win at Yellow Medicine East last Tuesday.  Minnewaska Area lost just 14 total games in the seven matches combined.

Leading the way were the Lakers’ top four singles’ players, including Drew Bleick at first singles (6-2, 6-1), Tenzin Dahl at second singles (6-0, 6-3), Carter LeClair at third singles (6-1, 6-0) and Riley Thorfinnson at fourth singles (6-4, 6-1).

In doubles, Minnewaska Area was even stingier, giving up just two games.

Marshall Kopp and Landon Schiffler, who went 22-6 last year playing mostly at second doubles, won 6-1, 6-0 at first doubles, while Xavier Johnson and Carson Beyer teamed up for a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles and Tyler Kohn and Easton Palmer shut out their opponents at third doubles (6-0, 6-0).

Waska 6, Benson-KMS 1

The Lakers improved to 2-0 with a dominating 6-1 victory over Benson-KMS, Thursday night at home.

Minnewaska swept the three singles’ matches and also claimed wins at first through third singles.

Leading the way was Tenzin Dahl with a 6-1, 6-4 victory at first singles.  Drew Bleick added a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles and Carter LeClair earned a 6-4, 6-3 victory at third singles in one of the closest contests of the match.

In doubles, Marshall Kopp and Xavier Johnson teamed up for a 6-1, 6-3 victory at first doubles, Riley Thorfinnson and Tyler Kohn won 6-3, 6-2 at second doubles, and Easton Palmer and Aidric Vold routed their opponents at third doubles, 6-1, 6-1.

Benson-KMS earned its only point at fourth singles.  Minnewaska was playing without normal first doubles’ player Landon Schiffler, who was out with an injury.

Minnewaska triangular

The Lakers improved to 4-0 with a pair of wins during the Minnewaska triangular, Friday.  Minnewaska Area swept Perham in one match and also beat Crookston, 5-2.

Against Perham, the Lakers allowed just 11 total games, including six during a 6-4, 6-2 win by Carter LeClair and Riley Thorfinnson at first doubles.

Winning by sweeps were Tenzin Dahl at first singles, Drew Bleick at second singles and Easton Palmer and Aidric Vold at third doubles.

In addition, Marshall Kopp won 6-1, 6-1 at third singles, Carson Beyer earned a 6-1, 6-1 victory at fourth singles, and Tyler Kohn and Xavier Johnson teamed up for a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second doubles.

•  The other match was a little closer as Crookston won at first and fourth singles for its two points, but the Lakers swept the doubles to still win easily.

Kopp and Thorfinnson teamed up for a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles, Johnson and Beyer teamed up for a 7-5, 7-5 win at second doubles, and Palmer and Kohn earned a 6-0, 6-2 win at third doubles.

In addition, Bleick swept his opponent at second singles and LeClair won easily at third singles, 6-1, 6-3.

Other tennis notes

The 2025 Minnewaska Area boys tennis varsity roster includes seniors Tenzin Dahl and Riley Thorfinnson; juniors Drew Bleick, Tate Hanson and James Nichtern; sophomores Cale Johnsrud, Ethan Klick, Tyler Kohn, Marshall Kopp, Carter LeClair, Deven Manderscheid, Landon Schiffler and Tydan Stewart; and ninth-graders Carson Beyer, Mason Goebel, Xavier Johnson, Carter Myrom, Edison Vanderhagen, Aidric Vold, Easton Palmer and Joseph Walsh.  The Lakers have already used four different lineups in the first four matches.

Minnewaska 7, at YME 0

SINGLES results:  

(1)  Drew Bleick, Min def Ryan Syring 6-2, 6-1  (2) Tenzin Dahl, Min def Karter Canatsey 6-0, 6-3  (3) Carter LeClair, Min def Liam Hadfield 6-1, 6-0  (4) Riley Thorfinnson, Min def Talmage Hadfield 6-4, 6-1

DOUBLES results:  

(1) Marshall Kopp-Landon Schiffler, Min def Evan Christianson-Adrian Leske 6-1, 6-0  (2) Xavier Johnson-Carson Beyer, Min def Cyril Chase-Pendleton-Hlaing Aung 6-1, 6-0  (3) Tyler Kohn-Easton Palmer, Min def Leonard Rosenau-Elliot Lingle 6-0, 6-0

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at Waska 6, BKMS 1

SINGLES results:  

(1)  Tenzin Dahl, Min def Isaac Carlson 6-1, 6-4  (2) Drew Bleick, Min def Alex Carlson 6-3, 6-0  (3) Carter LeClair, Min def Harold Habben 6-4, 6-3  (4) Andrea Bequaraj, BKMS def Carson Beyer 7-6 (7-4), 6-2

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Marshall Kopp-Xavier Johnson, Min def Brandon Sondag-Bence Banoczky 6-1, 6-3  (2) Riley Thorfinnson-Tyler Kohn, Min def Carson Petrak-Joey Wilcox 6-3, 6-2  (3) Easton Palmer-Aidric Vold, Min def Cian Klucas-Br. Groinus 6-1, 6-1

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Minnewaska triangular

at Waska 5, Crookston 2

SINGLES results:  

(1)  Reggie Winjum, Cr def Tenzin Dahl 4-6, 6-4, 10-8tb  (2) Drew Bleick, Min def Grant Funk 6-0, 6-0  (3) Carter LeClair, Min def Gunnar Groven, Cr 6-1, 6-3  (4) Sam Widseth, Cr def Aidric Vold 6-2, 6-2

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Marshall Kopp-Riley Thorfinnson, Min def Jack Everett-Hudson Rick 6-0, 6-2  (2) Xavier Johnson-Carson Beyer, Min def Colton Osborn-Alex Zammert 7-5, 7-5  (3) Easton Palmer-Tyler Kohn, Min def Jacob Halvorson-Sawyer Anderson 6-0, 6-2

at Waska 7, Perham 0

SINGLES results:  

(1)  Tenzin Dahl, Min def Jack Hennagir 6-0, 6-0  (2) Drew Bleick, Min def Paytan Myers 6-0, 6-0  (3) Marshall Kopp, Min def Sam Brown 6-1, 6-1  (4) Carson Beyer, Min def Mike Stoll 6-1, 6-1

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Carter LeClair-Riley Thorfinnson, Min def Maddax Happel-Noah Brasel 6-4, 6-2  (2) Tyler Kohn-Xavier Johnson, Min def Kaleb Frohling-Zach Morberg 6-1, 6-0  (3) Easton Palmer-Aidric Vold, Min def Henry Heimer-Breck Borowicz 6-0, 6-0 

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