HHS netters end season with a win vs. Superior

HIBBING—As the Section 7AA playoffs loom, the Hibbing High School girls tennis team will be going into the post season on a positive note.

Having already won two matches this week against Hermantown and Duluth Marshall, the Bluejackets made it three in a row with a 6-1 victory over Superior Wednesday at the Lincoln Elementary School Courts.

Now, Hibbing will await its playoff fate Sunday when the seeds and draw come out for the postseason.

That first playoff match will be held Tuesday.

“All we can do is try to get better,” Hibbing coach Gary Conda said. “I think we’re peaking, but we’ll see if we can make some progress in the playoffs this year. I’m sure a lot of teams don’t want to play.

“We’re playing pretty good tennis.”

Against the Spartans, Conda wasn’t sure what to expect.

“Looking at Superior’s scores, it looked like a 4-3 match,” Conda said. “I thought our singles were dominant today. We showed our depth in doubles, too, winning in two sets at two and three.”

Those two doubles matches were won by Erin McCormick and Gianna Manning, who beat Kenlyn Thinn and Ava Dahl, 6-3, 6-3, and Brylee Conda and Kori McCormick, who beat Jenna Briggs and Sierrah Throlow, 6-2, 6-4.

“They all seem to play well together,” Conda said. “Erin and Gianna seem like a good team. Brylee and Kori are clicking together. They’re doing the right things now, but we have to get our doubles team back on track.”

The Superior twosome of Greta Clark and Lily Clark beat Heidi Rasch and Opal Valeri, 6-2, 6-4.

In singles, Kenedi Koland beat Olivia Mihalik, 6-4, 6-4; Mya McKenny beat Mattie Schilling, 6-1, 6-0; Bella Jaynes beat Annika Kikoi, 6-1, 6-0; and Iris Hendrickson beat Savannah Mosak, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6..

“We’re just a lot more consistent there now,” Conda said. “They understand the game a little better as to where to hit an approach shot, when to go to the net and moving the ball around better.”

Now, Conda must figure out what lineups he wants to use for section play.

“We’re pretty close to figuring that out,” he said. “You’re only allowed three different lineups. This one might be one of them, even though Ava (Bougalis) was out with an ankle injury.

“We have to get her back to full strength. They played well today.”

Hibbing 6, Superior 1

Singles: No. 1 — Kenedi Koland, H, def., Olivia Mihalik, 6-4, 6-4; No. 2—Mya McKenny, H, def. Mattie Schilling, 6-1, 6-0; No. 3—Bella Jaynes, H, def. Annika Nikoi, 6-1, 6-0; No. 4—Iris Hendrickson, H, def. Savannah Mosack, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6.

Doubles: No. 1—Greta Clark-Lily Clark, S, def. Opal Valeri-Heidi Rasch, 6-2, 6-4; No. 2—Erin McCormick-Gianna Manning, H, def. Kenlyn Thinn-Ava Dahl, 6-3, 6-3; No. 3—Kori McCormick-Brylee Conda, H, def. Jenna Briggs-Sierrah Throlow, 6-2, 6-4.