May 29—MINNEAPOLIS — Head coach Tara Reichmann and the
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team have been on quite the run.
Reichmann's team has made state four of the last five years.
Minnewaska's first state appearance in school history was 2022.
That year was special for Tara.
Her oldest son, Tate Reichmann, was the team's top singles player.
And it laid the foundation for her program.
Minnewaska, which was sixth in the Class A state tournament in 2022, had an 0-2 record in both the 2024 and 2025 appearances.
The Lakers are back at state for a third consecutive season and open the state tournament unseeded and facing third-seeded Rock Ridge at 2 p.m. Tuesday at InnerCity Tennis.
"A lot of these boys saw a really good tennis team back then that worked hard to get to that level," Reichmann said. "It pushed them to be motivated to keep getting better and better so that we could continue (the now) tradition and it has been a fun run."
Drew Bleick and Carter LeClair were on the 2022 team.
Bleick, a senior who was an eighth-grader back then, is Minnewaska's top singles player with a 27-0 record. He won the Section 8A singles title to qualify for the Class A state singles meet. Bleick is the fourth seed and plays Breck's Rocco Zoya at 8 a.m. Thursday at InnerCity Tennis.
LeClair, a junior who was a seventh-grader at that time, plays No. 2 singles and some No. 1 doubles with a 26-2 record. He and junior Marshall Kopp won the Section 8A doubles title to qualify for the Class A state doubles meet. They play Pine City's Braden Berglund and Milo Rydberg at 10 a.m. Thursday.
"Drew's had a great year," Reichmann said. "He really has strengthened his mental game, which has been great."
Everyone else who played in the Section 8A championship against Crookston on May 15 were all on the 2024 team.
Carson Beyer, a sophomore usually at No. 3 singles, and Ethan Klick, a junior typically at No. 4 singles, have had strong years.
Marshall Kopp and Landon Schiffler, two juniors who make up the No. 1 doubles team, both have at least 20 wins.
Then sophomores Easton Palmer and Carter Myrom mostly paired at No. 2 doubles and junior Tyler Kohn and sophomore Aidric Vold normally paired at No. 3 doubles have all been key contributors.
"Every year that you make it to state as a team — especially when you have a lot of returning players — it does become almost an expectation for them," said Reichmann, whose team graduated two seniors and lost two-time state entrant Xavier Johnson to baseball this spring. "I think in the past it's been more of a goal.
"It'll be fun. I love taking kids to the state tournament."