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MINNEAPOLIS — A senior year is filled with memorable lasts.
That’s certainly the case for Pipestone Area Schools’ Vivian Brockberg, who wrapped up her second Minnesota State High School League Class A state appearance on Thursday, Oct. 23, at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center.
“She played a lot better with more experience at state,” PAS head coach James Skyberg said, “and it (reflected) in how well Jasmine played also.”
Skyberg was pleased with how well the Arrows played in the consolation bracket.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Vivian Brockberg (left) and Jasmine Boeke hug after competing in the Class A state individual tournament on Thursday, Oct. 23, at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center in Minneapolis. (Star photo by John Draper)
However, Solveig Rahm and Maahi Bhalla from Mounds Park Academy still earned a 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 victory — ending Boeke and Brockberg’s season.
Skyberg said Boeke and Brockberg pushed Rahm and Bhalla in the first set with effective groundstrokes and also by ensuring first serves were in.
“Groundstrokes were a key factor in being competitive,” the coach commented.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Vivian Brockberg attempts to hit a lob during the Class A state individual tournament on Thursday, Oct. 23, in Minneapolis. (Star photo by John Draper)
In the first round of the championship bracket, Boeke and Brockberg faced a seasoned pair from Maple River in Macy Sohre and Madison Ward.
Sohre and Ward, both stout volleyers, dispatched Boeke and Brockberg, 6-0, 6-0. The Maple River pair also positioned themselves well on the court.
“They covered the whole court,” Skyberg said of Sohre and Ward. “They were able to get to everything.”
Pipestone Area Schools’ Jasmine Boeke hits a backhand during a Class A doubles matches at the individual state tournament on Thursday, Oct. 23, in Minneapolis. (Star photo by John Draper)
However, Sohre and Ward lost to Lake City’s Therese Bauer and Rylee Thieren in the quarterfinals, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), which meant Maple River would not repeat having a state championship doubles tandem.
Addie Berman and Abbey Perry from The Breck School defeated Litchfield’s Isla Dille and Molly Patten for the championship, 7-5, 6-1. Bauer and Thieren placed third with a 6-1, 6-2 conquest over Minnewaska Area’s Alia Randt and Rachel Rankin.
Boeke and Brockberg finished with a 6-1 regular-season record, and 4-2 in the playoffs for an overall mark of 10-3.
A complete list of state champions and runner-ups accompanies this story in agate form.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Vivian Brockberg returns a shot during a match at the Class A state individual tournament on Thursday, Oct. 23.(Star photo by John Draper)
St. James claims state title
This year, girls tennis expanded to three classes, and that may have provided a small impact on who would win the Class A team title.
St. James Area, still a member school of the Big South Conference, defeated Litchfield 4-3 for the championship on Wednesday, Oct. 22, also at Reed-Sweatt.
The match lasted nearly three hours.
This marked the Saints’ first-ever state championship in the sport, a mild surprise noting how strong St. James’ program has been over the years.
“I’m on cloud nine, and I think for the next couple months I’m not coming down,” St. James senior co-captain Alivia Romsdahl said in a comment found in a story on MSHSL’s website.
St. James Area won the Class A team title on Wednesday, Oct. 22. (Contributed logo from the St. James school district)
“To see a team you’ve competed with,” Skyberg said, “it’s cool to see them become a state champion.”
St. James entered the team tournament seeded second while Litchfield was fourth.
The Saints topped Lake City, 6-1, in the opening round and followed that with a 6-1 victory over Foley in the semifinals. Breck downed Foley, 5-2, in the third-place match. Thief River Falls nipped Lake City, 4-3, for fifth place.
The Saints, under longtime coach Les Zellman, finished with a 24-0 record including a win over Pipestone Area from Aug. 28.
Season-ending awards
Skyberg said the PAS tennis team will celebrate its accomplishments at the season-ending banquet scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, at Pizza Ranch in downtown.
Big South awards are expected to be released this week.
Those honors plus team awards will be presented: most valuable player, most valuable teammate, most hustle, most improved and a new one — most wins in a season.
Skyberg said the new “most wins” award will be comprehensive from tournaments and regular-season matches, either singles or doubles.
Minnesota State High School League logo. (Contributed graphic from MSHSL)
GIRLS TENNIS
State Champions
Tuesday-Friday, Oct. 21-24
Class AAA: Baseline Tennis Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Class AA: Life Time, Bloomington
Class A: Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center, Minneapolis
Team Tournament
Class AAA: Rochester Mayo 5, Minnetonka 2
Class AA: Rock Ridge (Virginia) 6, Blake 1
Class A: St. James 4, Litchfield 3
Individual Tournament
Championship Matches
Singles
Class AAA: Cassandra Li, Eagan, d. Aoife Loftus, Rochester Mayo, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
Class AA: Sam Williams, Mankato East, d. Madeline Bergeron, Hill Murray School, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Class A: Chloe Alley, Minnehaha Academy, d. Tori Oehrlein, Crosby-Ironton, 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
Class AAA: Rory Wahlstrand and Reese Wahlstrand, Mounds View, d. Amelia Larsen and Lexi Halmer-Jahnke, Maple Grove, 6-4, 6-1
Class AA: Josie Brown and Katie Jung, Academy of Holy Angels, d. Ella Dirks/Kylie Southworth, St. Peter, 6-2, 6-4
Class A: Addie Berman and Abbey Perry, Breck School, d. Isle Dille and Molly Patten, Minnewaska Area, 7-5, 6-1