The Becker Girls Tennis team started the section 8AA South Sub-section playoffs with the number one seed and matched up against the Big Lake Hornets. After playing on the Hornets’ home court during the regular Mississippi 8 Conference season, the high seed Bulldogs were the host of this playoff match.
“We came out firing on all cylinders, winning 7-0,” Coach Nate Bucher said.
The Bulldogs then drew Annandale in the quarter finals, a team Becker had defeated earlier in the year.
“I was watching their scores and the quality opponents they were playing and could tell they had gotten a lot stronger throughout their season. They are a great program that is always competitive,” Bucher said. The matchup between Becker and Annandale proved to be full of drama and hard fought points at every position, sending multiple matches into third sets.
Bucher said it came down to one match: three singles, played for by Becker freshman Gracie Conzemius.
“Both Annandale and Becker had clinched three wins, and the winner of the three singles match would determine who advanced to the semi-finals,” Bucher said. “To add to the drama, the third set found its way into a tiebreaker, making it even closer. Each team and respective fans watched and cheered back and forth for every point, everyone in the Sta-Fit tennis bubble keeping a count.”
Conzemius proved victorious with a very close 7-5 win in the tiebreaker.
“Gracie has had a knack all year for clinching important matches,” Bucher said. “She works hard to find a way every time. She is someone that finds a way to win. It was such a great win for the team, with everyone giving their best!”
The Bulldogs then had an unprecedented four practices to prepare for the semi-final match against Brainerd for a spot in the section championship against either St. Cloud or Bemidji.
Again playing the second match of the day, the Bulldogs first watched the Bemidji Lumberjacks clinch four wins against Tech and forfeit the rest in order to rest up for the championship match.
The Bulldogs jumped out against the Warriors, being up a set on four of the five courts playing.
“We really started strong and seemed to be locked in to play the next match against Bemidji, but momentum can shift quickly.,” Bucher said.
And shift it did, with the two and three doubles positions losing the second set and entering third sets. But the Bulldogs kept fighting, with Lauren Croal and Gracie Conzemius coming away with confident wins, and the third doubles team of Tess Brown and Emily Huffman pulling away in their third set for the victory.
“It was a huge boost for us when Tess and Emily won, because they really commanded the third set and gave us three wins with only one more needed of the three matches left to compete in,” Bucher said.
The number two doubles team of Faith Bass and Chloe Spear fell short, though they were in every point. Then the number one doubles team of Alli Groskreutz and Payton Enerrson were up in the first set, but couldn’t close it out.
Also playing during this time was Ava Duncombe at #1 singles, battling again, dropping her first set and again making the entire match come down to one final push.
“Ava played some of her smartest tennis in that last match, but just couldn’t get enough of the points strung together to close out games,” Bucher said.
The Bulldogs fell to the Warriors 3-4, ending the season at 17-3.
“This is one of the best records we’ve had through a season, though our losses came in the M8 and in sections where titles are claimed,” Bucher said. “We’ve learned a lot and contended for our team everyday.”
Individuals
In the individual tournament, Lauren Croal and Avan Duncombe played singles, while Groskreutz/Enerson and Spear/Bass played doubles.
The pair of Groskreutz/Enerson ended the south sub-section in second place, advancing to the section tournament against the North half teams.
“In a twist of irony, they were matched up with the Brainerd team they would compete against in the team tournament and again, fought hard but did not have enough to overcome them,” Bucher said. “We had a lot of seniors this year, and their impact will long be felt on our program. They contributed to the competitive culture that bands together even when things don’t go the way we hoped.”
