TENNIS Offseason work should help Patriots

BY PETE MOHS Echo Journal

PEQUOT LAKES

The Pequot Lakes Patriots tennis team graduated seven regulars from last season, but head coach Mindi Brill is still optimistic since her returning players worked hard over the offseason.

“Although we graduated seven of our 10 varsity players, I believe we will be competitive since many girls have put in a lot of work over the winter,” said Brill, who is starting her ninth season as head coach.

“We have five of last year’s letterwinners back and several motivated underclassmen. So I’m confident we will do well overall,” she said. Last season, the Patriots finished 5-1 in the Granite Ridge Conference and 18-5 overall after losing to Foley 4-3 in the Section 7A semifinals.

Pequot Lakes also won the Brainerd Moose tournament.

Letterwinners for the Patriots are seniors Carlie Eggert, Mandy Malecha and Jenna Stoerzinger; junior Nikki Crocker; and freshmen Emme Sullivan.

Eggert has 43 career wins while Crocker has 34 and Stoerzinger 25. The Patriots have 13 junior varsity players, as well as some promising incoming freshmen. They include seniors Kat Ellstrom, Olivia Flategraff, Cassidy Wick and Isabelle Ziesemer; juniors Sophie Biley, Francine Ganley, Brianna Howe and Sierra Larson; sophomores Mairin Kennedy, Sadie McGuire, Claire Oseland, Keira Strong and Bailey Westerman; and freshmen Lauren Bluhm, Frankie Brinkman, Sandra Brinkman, Cora Gladen, Mariah Grittner, Chloe Jobe, Maria Neva and Ruby Page. Brill believes Pequot Lakes will be in contention for the top three spots in the Granite Ridge Conference while Foley, Pine City and the Patriots will be favorites in the section. She said Pequot Lakes graduates are playing tennis in college: 2022 graduates Megan Muller and Carly Chaney at the University of MinnesotaDuluth, and 2024 graduate Allyson Yahn at the College of St. Benedict. mohs@brainerddispatch. com.

Brill, who has a 109-40 career coaching record, is assisted by Chad Rudbeck, Dan VanBlaricom, Sean Bengtson and Deanne Trottier.

After a couple of rainouts, the Patriots were scheduled to open their home season Aug. 26 by hosting Osakis and Thief River Falls.

Pete Mohs is the Northern Lakes Group publisher of eight Forum Communications newspapers, including the Echo Journal and Brainerd Dispatch. Contact him at 218-855-5855 or pete.