The Crookston Pirate Girls Tennis team won the six-team Crookston Pirate Booster/Carla Johnson Memorial tournament at tennis courts throughout Crookston. Crookston won the team title with 14 points, one point better than East Grand Forks. Crookston had two first place individual finishes from Ava Martin at third singles and the second doubles team of Georgia Sanders and Logan Brekken. “It was a great day of tennis,” said Coach Gina Gunderson. “It was hot today, but most of the girls were able to get through the day and competed well.”
TEAM SCORES –
1. Crookston – 14
2. East Grand Forks – 13
3. Hibbing – 11
4. Detroit Lakes – 9
4. Wadena-Deer Creek – 9
6. Moorhead – 7
CHAMPIONS
Ava Martin had a great day at third singles as she won all three matches by a combined 36-11. Her closest match was in the championship as she beat Gianna Manny of Hibbing 6-4, 6-4. “Ave is playing some great tennis for us right now and had three great matches,” said Coach Gunderson. “She was able to battle the heat too and played well.”
The other Pirate champions was the second doubles team of Logan Brekken and Georgia Sanders won all three of their matches. They won the first set 7-6, 6-3. The second match was another tight match with a 6-1, 7-5 victory. In the championship they outlasted the heat and their competition as they beat a duo from East Grand Forks 7-5, 7-5. “They had so many close matches,” said Coach Gunderson. “They clicked even if it was their first matches they played together.”
SECOND PLACE
Crookston had one second-place finish with the third doubles combo of Taylor Schultz, Madi Anderson, Emma LaPlante, Taylor Weiland, Chloe Boll, and Lucy Smith. They won their first two matches, with the first one going to a third-set tie-breaker, winning 11-9. The second match was another close one as they won a third-set tie-breaker 10-5 to advance to the championship. They came up short in the championship to finish second place. “We are working hard on figuring out our third doubles team and have a lot of girls that are fighting for the spot so today was a great chance to get them all some matches,” said Coach Gunderson. “They played well.”
THIRD PLACE
Ashlyn Bailey had a great day going 2-1. She lost her first match 6-4, 6-4, won the second match over a girl from Hibbing 7-5, then her opponent had to forfeit after getting sick. Bailey finished the day strong in the third-place match by dominating 6-1, 6-0. “Ashlyn hadn’t played singles since early last year and played well,” said Coach Gunderson. “She really played well and got better as the day went along.”
Emelia Hoerner and Mariah Overgaard teamed up at fourth singles and won the first match 6-2, 6-1. They lost the second match 6-4, 6-2. In the third place match, they beat Jaycie Sliper of Detroit Lakes 6-4, 6-1 to win the match. “Emelia played well, and Maria played singles for the first time this year and played well,” said Coach Gunderson.
The first doubles team of Kaylie Clauson and Addie Fee won their first match of the day by beating a team from Moorhead 6-0, 6-0. They lost the second match to a very good team from Wadena-Deer Creek 6-2, 6-2. In the third-place match, they beat a team from East Grand Forks 6-2, 6-4 to take third. “Kaylie and Addie play well together, but they ran into a very good Wadena-Deer Creek team today,” said Coach Gunderson. “They played a great third-place match and ended on a great note.”
FOURTH PLACE
Crookston’s Paige Abrahamson played first singles and had a great start to the day with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over a girl from Detroit Lakes. In the second match, she led a girl from Moorhead 6-0 before losing the second set 6-3. In the third set, she lost a heart-breaker 11-9. In the third-place match, she lost 6-0, 6-2, and finished fourth. “Paige had a great start to the day,” said Coach Gunderson. “I think the heat got to her a bit, but she really came out and played well right away.”
| CROOKSTON | Opponents | Place | |
| 1st Sin | Paige Abrahamson | W Isabelle Wolf (DL) 6-3, 6-3 L Madi Anderson (MHD) 0-6, 6-3, 11-9 L Kenedi Koland (Hib) 6-0, 6-2 | 4th |
| 2nd | Ashlyn Bailey | L Karliee Walsh (EGF) 6-4, 6-4 W Mia McKenny (Hib) 7-5, forfeit W Lily Graftstrom (MHD) 6-1, 6-0 | 3rd |
| 3rd | Ava Martin | W Aria Casavan (EGF) 6-1, 6-1 W Audrey Hochgraber (DL) 6-0, 6-1 W Gianna Manny (HIB) 6-4, 6-4 | 1st |
| 4th | Emelia Hoerner/ Mariah Overgaard | W Daisy Omang (EGF) 6-2, 6-1 L Lauren Palmer (MHD) 6-4, 6-2 W Jaycie Sliper (DL) 6-4, 6-1 | 3rd |
| 1st Dub | Addie Fee/Kaylie Clauson | W Dreesen/Kim (MHD) 6-0, 6-0 L Fiemeyer/Endgres (WDC) 6-2, 6-2 W Pulkrabek/McDonald (EGF) 6-2, 6-4 | 3rd |
| 2nd | Georgia Sanders/ Logan Brekken | W Leeseberg/Snyder (WDC) 7-6, 6-3 W Gummings/Fradenburgh (DL) 6-1, 7-5 W Wallace/Svendsen (EGF) 7-5, 7-5 | 1st |
| 3rd | Taylor Schultz/Madi Anderson/ Emma LaPlante/Taylor Weiland/ Chloe Boll/Lucy Smith | W Lehmkuk/Phillipy (WDC) 6-7, 6-2, 11-9 W Sprading/Sprading (EGF) 1-6, 6-3, 10-5 L Bougalis/McCormick (Hib) 6-2, 6-3 | 2nd |
