The Prior Lake boys tennis team has shown some improvement with the Section 2AA competition right around the corner.
After dropping eight of their first nine matches, the Lakers won three of their next four, including a 6-1 victory May 4 versus Burnsville in a South Suburban Conference match.
Prior Lake (4-9 overall, 3-5 in the SSC) earned a 7-0 win versus Farmington April 26 and won 5-2 over Rosemount April 27, before falling 7-0 at home to Eagan in three league matches.
The Section 2AA team tournament starts May 16 with the first round, while the title match is set for May 23 at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.
The Lakers lost in the Section 2AA semifinals last year, falling 5-2 to Minnetonka. It was the sixth straight season Prior Lake has lost in the semifinals, not including 2020 when there was no season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eden Prairie is the defending champion, but Minnetonka is the only team currently ranked in the field at No. 5. Shakopee, Chanhassen, Chaska, Hutchinson, Mankato West, Mankato East, Mound Westonka, New Prague, New Ulm, Waconia and Worthington are also in the field.
The section singles and doubles tournaments follow the team tourney. For complete brackets, go to mshsl.org/section-events.
In beating Burnsville, Prior Lake swept all four singles matches, winning two in three sets. Junior Luke Jacobson won at the No. 1 spot (6-3, 6-2), followed by senior Jake Artang at No. 2 (7-5, 6-1), senior Soren Featherstone at No. 3 (6-4, 4-6, 10-8) and seventh-grader Jack Williams at No. 4 (6-4, 3-6, 10-8).
Seniors Colin Witt and Ian Hansen won at No. 1 doubles for Prior Lake (6-4, 6-1), while sophomores Adam Greengrass and Lucas Aidas won at No. 3 (7-5, 6-4).
Against Farmington, Prior Lake won all seven matches in straight sets. Singles wins went to Jacobson at No. 1 (6-0, 6-1), Witt at No. 2 (6-0, 6-1), Featherstone at No. 3 (6-0, 7-5) and Williams at No. 4 (6-1, 6-0).
In doubles, the Lakers’ wins came from Hansen and senior Nick Scheffert at No. 1 (6-3, 6-1), Greengrass and Aidas at No. 2 (6-3, 6-1) and sophomore Jackson Klein and ninth grader Tarun Gopi at No. 3 (6-2, 6-0).
In the win over Rosemount, Prior Lake won three of four singles matches — Jacobson at No. 1 (6-1, 6-0), Artang at No. 2 (6-4, 7-5) and Featherstone at No. 3 (6-2, 6-3).
Witt and Hansen won at No. 1 doubles (6-4, 6-2), while Scheffert and Gopi were winners at No. 2 (6-4, 6-2).
This year’s Class AA state tourney is June 6-9 at the Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis. The team tourney is the first two days, followed by the singled and doubles tourneys.
Orono is the defending champion, beating Edina 4-3 in last year’s title match.
