Doubles leads the way for Hibbing tennis

HIBBING—The Hibbing High School girls tennis team has plenty of depth, especially in doubles, but how the Bluejackets fare in singles will go a long way in determining their success during the 2024 season.

Hibbing coach Gary Conda has seven seniors, so the experience is there with Opal Valeri, Erin McCormick, Bella Jaynes, Ava Bougalis, Iris Hendrickson, Brylee Conda and Heidi Rasch.

“I’ve been playing most of them in doubles,” Conda said. “I told them the last couple of day that we’re using our seniors to win at least two of the three doubles every time we play.

“They have experience. They know how to play. We’ve been struggling at the beginning here, but I’ve seen improvement. They should be able, by the season’s end, to start controlling those doubles.”

Kenedi Koland is the lone junior on the team. She will be playing at first singles.

“She hasn’t had an easy match this year,” Conda said. “She has to mentally stay in it, but she has improved each and every time she has played a match. She’s handling it. I know she’s going to get some wins there.

“When I watch her play, I see her hitting the ball crisper and deeper into the court. She was hitting everything short and late on the forehand. It’s starting to come around,”

After that, sophomores Mya McKenny and Gianna Manning will be handling some singles matches.

“We have to go younger in singles to see what they can do,” Conda said. “They have been playing two and three singles. They’re both talented, athletic and fast, but they don’t quite have the experience they need.”

“I see nothing but good things from those two.”

The other sophomore is Kori McCormick, who has played both singles and doubles.

“She’s a strong player, but she needs work on her consistency,” Conda said. “She will be playing more singles toward the end of the season.”

Freshmen Lily Sparks and Lauren Ringhofer could also see some time.

With that lineup, the doubles will be Hibbing’s strength, at least early on.

“It should be the doubles,” Conda said. “With the seniors there, we should be able to get two of the three doubles against most teams we play against. It’s a matter of getting better in singles, so we can win some of those matches.”

Conda has already seen some improvement in that area.

“They’re 50-percent better already,” he said. “That will keep going up, but not as fast as that. If they gain another five-percent a week, we’re going to be better. A lot of teams won’t want to play us.

“We’re improving.”

If the Bluejackets want success, Conda knows what it’s going to take to achieve that.

“We have to learn how to hustle on every single point,” Conda said. “I believe these girls will make it happen. We’re giving a full effort. We have to get faster on the court. I believe we can do it.

“So far this year, they’re supporting each other and encouraging each other. That will pay off.”