Mayo, Lourdes girls tennis teams in the hunt for state titles

Oct. 24—The Mayo and Lourdes girls tennis teams are in pretty much the same spot.

Both ranked in the top three in the state in their respective classes, both with a dynamite player at No. 1 singles, both with depth and both clinging to a season-long goal of winning a state championship, all while not being favored to do it.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, they'll each get a chance to reach their dream. Mayo will do it in the Class AA state tournament at the University of Minnesota's Baseline Center and Lourdes in the Class A state tournament at the Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center in Minneapolis.

Here is a look at how each is stacking up and appreciating the moment.

The Spartans likely played their best tennis in the Section 1AA championship, overwhelming No. 6 ranked Lakeville South 7-0.

So, momentum is on No. 3-ranked Mayo's side as it prepares to take on unseeded Visitation at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The Spartans are at state for a staggering 25th time in the last 26 years.

But they've yet to win it. Ranked ahead of them and both in the tournament are No. 1-ranked Minnetonka and No. 2 Edina. Mayo is 18-3, with a pair of losses to Minnetonka and one to Edina.

The Spartans, despite having an extremely young lineup, believe they have a chance to beat either of those teams. If Mayo wins its first-round dual with Visitation, it would likely face Edina in Wednesday morning's semifinals. A win there would almost certainly pit it against defending state champion Minnetonka for the title.

"I really like our team right now," Mayo coach Jeff Demaray said. "We're playing really well. We've come a long way since the first part of the year. I loved the way we played against Lakeville South — really focused and really focused on the next point."

Mayo has one of the top players in the state on its side, No. 6-ranked Claire Loftus. Minnetonka has three players ranked ahead of the sophomore, No. 1 Sarah Shahbaz, No. 2 Kelsey Phillips and No. 5 Karina Elvestrom. Neither Visitation nor Edina have anyone ranked in the top 10.

So, looking ahead, expect to see Loftus at No. 1 singles throughout the team tournament, except if Mayo was fortunate to meet Minnetonka in the final. Then, a switch to doubles could happen.

But Demaray doesn't want to focus on anything that could happen Wednesday. There is a dual with Visitation to get through first.

"When you get to state, you've got to respect every team that's there," Demaray said. "It is a challenge to get there, so you know that any team at state is good. We are going to be really focused on Visitation."

Besides the skill of Loftus, what makes Mayo so good is its overall depth. The Spartans are talented at all positions, including No. 3 doubles where senior captain Ella Dozois resides.

Dozois, who considers Mayo's chemistry as good as it's ever been, has a strong belief in her team. She thinks it's capable of bringing home the top prize.

But she also notes that, thanks to the way her team is constituted, they are feeling little pressure.

"When you have a family aspect to your team like we do, it makes everyone play more freely and feel no pressure," Dozois said. "Everyone is supporting each other."

The No. 2-ranked Eagles have been looking up at No. 1 Breck all season. In fact, they've been looking up at the Mustangs the last two seasons.

Breck, which beat Lourdes 5-2 earlier this season, is the state's defending champion. A year ago, it beat the Eagles by the same score in the first round at state.

That won't happen this time. That's because if Lourdes and Breck were to meet, it wouldn't happen until the state championship, with them on opposite sides of the tournament bracket.

The Eagles. who are led by senior and No. 2-ranked Ryann Witter, like the sound of that.

"We are really excited; we got a good draw this year," junior standout doubles player Elyse Palen said. "I'm just really glad that it turned out this way."

As good as the draw is — and that has everything to do with avoiding Breck in either of the first two rounds — it's still not an "easy" draw.

Lourdes figures to be somewhat challenged in the first round, as it faces No. 3-ranked Pine City in Tuesday's 8 a.m. quarterfinals.

But the 16-3 Eagles, who are state for the 28th straight year, will show up feeling as good about themselves as they have all year.

Lourdes first-year coach Ben Maes has seen significant growth from them, especially in doubles. The confidence there has grown exponentially.

"I think I can now count on that everyone in our lineup, from No. 1 singles to No. 3 doubles, can get a win," Maes said. "(Early in the year), that was not necessarily the case. No. 2 and 3 doubles can produce now."

As much as Lourdes wants to safely get out of the first round, then win in Wednesday's semifinals before hopefully meeting up with Breck in the championship and coming away an upset winner, Maes wants his players to keep all of it in perspective.

He considers this a winner of a season already. Winning it all would be nice, but he says it sure doesn't "have" to happen.

"The message that I will tell them is that I am proud of this entire team," Maes said. "I am proud of the way they grew over the course of the entire season. No matter what the outcome is at the state tournament, I am proud of them. If they win state, they'll have earned it. If they don't, there is going to be nothing to be disappointed about."

(at U of M's Baseline Tennis Center)

QUARTERFINALS

(Tournament seedings included)

Tuesday, Oct. 25

No. 1 Minnetonka vs. unseeded Mounds View, 8 a.m.

No. 4 Elk River vs. No. 5 Maple Grove, 10 a.m.

No. 2 Edina vs. unseeded Thief River Falls, noon

No. 3 Mayo vs. unseeded Visitation, 2 p.m.

LOSERS BRACKET

Tuesday, Oct. 25

Minnetonka/Mounds View loser vs. Elk River/Maple Grove loser, 4 p.m.

Edina/Thief River Falls loser vs. Mayo/Visitation loser, 6 p.m.

SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, Oct. 26

Minnetonka/Mounds View winner vs. Elk River/Maple Grove winner, 8 a.m.

Edina/Thief River Falls winner vs. Mayo/Visitation winner, 10 a.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP, THIRD PLACE, FIFTH PLACE

Wednesday, Oct. 26

Championship: Semifinal winners, 4 p.m.

Third place: Semifinal losers, 2 p.m.

Fifth place: Consolation semifinal winners, noon

(at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center)

QUARTERFINALS

Tuesday, Oct. 25

(State rankings included)

No. 2 Lourdes vs. No. 3 Pine City, 8 a.m.

Providence Academy vs. Luverne, 10 a.m.

No. 1 Breck vs. No. 5 St. James, noon

No. 8 Staples-Motley vs. No. 4 Litchfield, 2 p.m.

LOSERS BRACKET

Tuesday, Oct. 25

Lourdes/Pine City loser vs. Providence Academy/Luverne loser, 4 p.m.

Breck/St. James loser vs. Staples-Motley/Litchfield loser, 6 p.m.

SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, Oct. 26

Lourdes/Pine City winner vs. Providence Academy/Luverne winner, 8 a.m.

Breck/St. James winner vs. Staples-Motley/Litchfield winner, 10 a.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP, THIRD PLACE, FIFTH PLACE

Wednesday, Oct. 26

Championship: Semifinal winners, 4 p.m.

Third place: Semifinal losers, 2 p.m.

Fifth place: Consolation semifinal winners, noon