HIBBING—After beating Coon Rapids last Saturday, the Hibbing High School girls tennis went on to lose six-straight matches.
That losing streak came to an end Thursday when the Bluejackets defeated Grand Rapids/Greenway 6-1 at the Robert J. Elkington Middle School Courts.
Hibbing was in the process of playing St. Francis at the Lincoln Elementary School Courts, with Blaine to follow, bit the matches were called off due to inclement weather.
All that mattered was that the Bluejackets finally got on the win column against the Li“We went through a little phase, a bad streak,” Hibbing coach Gary Conda said. “It was hard to work on anything because all we were doing was playing matches. The lack of practice made it difficult.
“We were playing better in each and every match. I think we’re back on track.”
What went so well against Grand Rapids/Greenway.
“Singles-wise, you could tell we’d been hitting balls for the last week-and-a-half,” Conda said. “We weren’t giving points away. We were a lot more consistent. That was helping us in our singles big time.
“In doubles, we struggled a little bit at first, then they started realizing they needed to get more off the net. They started putting balls away that way.”
In singles, Kenedi Koland beat Emma Muller, 6-1, 6-0 at first singles; Gianna Manning beat Abby Zimmer, 6-2, 7-6 (3) at third singles; and Bella Jaynes beat Molly Dick, 6-0., 6-2 at fourth singles.
Conda made one change in singles, and it paid off.
“I put Bella at fourth singles, so that solidified that a little bit,” Conda said. “I changed second doubles a hair. I thought we were a little too strong there in a lot of cases. That’s a move we might have to make once in a while.
“I want them in the best possible position to win a match. We have several kids that can play both singles and doubles. That makes you more versatile.”
Grand Rapids/Greenway’s lone win came at second singles where Mercury Bischoff beat Mya McKenny, 7-5, 6-2.
At first doubles, Opal Valeri and Heidi Rasch beat Ryleigh Sherlock and Emma Moran, 6-4, 5-3 (retired); at second doubles, Erin McCormick and Kori McCormick beat Rylee Thomsen and Natalie Wick, 7-5, 7-5; and at third doubles, and at third doubles, cBrylee Conda and Ava Bougalis beat Anna Gebhard an Avery Nissan, 7-5, 4-6, 6-0.
“One doubles was still Opal and Heidi, and they’re established as a doubles team,” Conda said. “I didn’t switch the third doubles all that much. It was just the second doubles where I had a slight change.
“The two McCormick’s played well together there.”
Hibbing will now travel to Bemidji today for a 12 p.m. match, then on Saturday, the Bluejackets will be taking part in the Crookston Invite, which begins at 9 a.m.
Hibbing 6, Grand Rapids 1
Singles: No. 1—Kenedi Koland, H, def. Emma Muller, 6-1, 6-0; No. 2—Mercury Bischoff, GRG, def. Mya McKenny, 7-5, 6-2; No. 3—Gianna Manning, H, def. Abby Zimmer, 6-2, 7-6 (3); No. 4—Bella Jaynes, H, def. Molly Dick, 6-0, 6-2.
Doubles: No. 1—Opal Valeri-Heidi Rasch, H, def. Ryleigh Sherlock-Emma Moran, 6-4, 5-3 (retired); No. 2—Erin McCormick-Kori McCormick, H, def. Rylee Thomsen-Natalie Wick, 7-5, 7-5; No. 3—Brylee Conda-Ava Bougalis, H, def. Anna Gebhart-Avery Missen, 7-5, 4-6, 6-0.
Cross Country
Twin Ports Meet
DULUTH —The Hibbing High School boys cross country team placed third at the Twin Ports Meet held Thursday at the Lester Park Golf Course.
Duluth East won the meet with 28 points, followed by Farmington with 49, The Bluejackets had 67, Pierce 107 and Centennial 126.
Indivudally, Hibbing’s Brady Janezich placed seventh in 17:45.80.
He was followed in by Jake Walli, who placed 11th in 18:05.20.
Sam Baumgardner placed 14th in 18:27.90, Lucas Arnhold was 16th in 18:43.90 and Connor Sullivan was 19th in 19:00.60.
Rounding out the Bluejackets’ lineup were Jack Bottoms in 24th (19:16.30); Finn Esekli 32nd (19:35.90); Silas Langner 34th (19:37,10); Gavin Bexell 35th (19:37.10); Jaiden Touchstone 36th (19:38,39); Easton Fisher 40th (19:56.40); Jack Lunning 45th (20:19.10); Aiden Reini 52nd (20:51.50); Grant Toewe 64th (21:46.00); Noah Bigelow 72nd (22:23.50); and Harri Larson 80th (24:16.60).
On the girls side, Tara Hertling went out with the lead pack and finished first with a time of 19:10.30 to lead Hibbing to a third-place finish.
Duluth East won the meet with 29 points, followed by Farmington at 62, then the Bluejackets at 67.
Centennial had 71 and Pierz 133.
Avery Kukowski was Hibbing’s next finisher, placing seventh in 20:32.80, Gianna Figueroa was 19th in 21:50.50, Hannah Farnsworth 21st in 22:03.10 and Emma Reini 24th in 22:17.50.
Rounding out the Bluejackets’ field was Grace Bigelow in 49th (24:39.10).
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