The Crookston Pirates Girl’s Tennis team ran into some top-notch competition with the #3 ranked Litchfield edging Owatonna by three points to win the Annual Litchfield Dragon Invitational Tournament.
Crookston finished eighth out of eight teams, two points away from fourth place. Crookston was the youngest team at the tournament with the younger player(s) at first singles with Hayden Winjum (Freshman), second singles with Emma Osborn (Freshman), fourth singles with Halle Winjum (7th grader), and first doubles with Catherine Tiedemann and Emma Borowicz (two sophomores). “We were the youngest team there and nobody else had a seventh grader,” said Hall of Fame Coach Mike Geffre. “It was good for the girls to see this type of competition and we saw some things we need to work on in practice to get ready for the section tournament in a few weeks.”
Crookston’s top placer was the second doubles team of Hannah Street, Elysa Christensen, and Hannah Lindemoen with a third-place finish going 2-1 on the day. “The third doubles team played some good tennis today,” said Coach Geffre. “We rotated the three girls and they all played well.” Emma Osborn finished fourth place after winning her first match at second singles. “Emma played well today and was hitting the ball well,” said Coach Geffre. “She played some very good players and played solid, that was nice to see.”
The Pirates start the Section 8A Team tournament in three weeks and the tough competition showed the girls a different level. “The girls played well and they played hard and were pushed today against very good competition,” said Coach Geffre. “We have some work to do before the Section tournament and I have some things that we took from today and will work on them in practice and hope to see more improvement the next couple of weeks.”
Crookston will
Eden Haller with a forehand return and Emma Osborn watches a return (Pictures by Francine Olson)
Team Scores-
1. Litchfield – 33
2. Owatonna – 30
3. Delano – 27
4. Annandale – 12
Benson – 12
St. Peter – 12
7. Staples-Motley – 11
8. Crookston – 10
Emma Osborn, Hayden Winjum, Catherine Tiedemann and Emma Borowicz (Picture by Francine Olson)
| Crookston | Opponents/Scores | Place | |
| 1st Singles | Hayden Winjum | Lost to Jennah Groth (Annandale) 7-6, 6-4 Lost to Shanna Kinny (Litchfield) 6-2, 6-0 Beat Sophie Curriel (Benson) 6-4, 6-1 |
7th |
| 2nd | Emma Osborn | Beat Caitlin Saifer (St. Peter) 6-2, 6-2 Lost to Elise Bierbaum (Litchfield) 6-2, 6-0 Lost to Nicole Pupp (Delano) 6-0, 6-1 |
4th |
| 3rd | Eden Haller | Lost to Megan Johnson (Owatonna) 6-0, 6-1 Lost to Stacy Johnson (Benson) 6-4, 6-2 Lost to Amelia Hildebrandt (St. Peter) 6-0, 6-0 |
8th |
| 4th | Halle Winjum | Lost to Bella Molitor (Delano) 6-2, 6-3 Lost to Grace Werner (St. Peter) 6-3, 6-4 Beat Faith Simon (Annandale) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 |
7th |
| 1st doubles | Catherine Tiedemann Emma Borowicz |
Beat Olivia Hoffman/Hannah Andrews (Benson) 6-2, 6-2
|
4th |
| 2nd | Hannah Street Elysa Christensen Hannah Lindemoen |
Beat Tiffany Achermann/Georgia Kruchten (Staples) 6-1, 6-1
|
3rd |
| 3rd | Audrey Harbott Linnea French Emma Gunderson |
Lost to Kelsey Ballard/Britney Prahl (Litchfield) 6-3, 7-5 Lost to Milena Lund/Anja Dulin (St. Peter) 6-2, 6-4 Lost to Keara Kern/Elizabeth Digiovanni (Staples) 6-4, 6-4 |
8th |
