Maddie Jensen, Elena Peterson give Bemidji 1st state doubles duo since 2015

Oct. 14—SARTELL — Maddie Jensen and Elena Peterson advance to the state individual tournament.

The Bemidji High School girls tennis team’s top doubles pair secured second place at the Section 8AA Individual Tournament Finals in Sartell on Saturday. This accomplishment guarantees them a spot in the Class AA state competition.

Notably, Jensen and Peterson are the first BHS doubles team to reach the state tournament since Alexis Konecne and Abbie Kelm in 2015.

BHS head coach Kyle Fodness states, “The section tournament is the epitome of competitive tennis, as it challenges players to make adjustments under pressure and in front of a large audience. It provides a great atmosphere for growth. While it is an individual achievement, it serves as a source of inspiration for the rest of the team. Witnessing their success motivates the other girls to strive for greatness.”

Jensen and Peterson had victories against St. Cloud Tech opponents in the quarterfinal (3-6, 6-4, 6-2) and semifinal (6-4, 7-6 (7-5)) rounds. However, they lost to top-seeded Claire Erdal and Ericah Folden from Brainerd in the final match, with scores of 6-2, 7-5.

Reflecting on their performance, Fodness shares, “They built upon their earlier matches this year. Their strategic thinking and ability to adapt have contributed to a successful game plan. They are aware of their strengths and weaknesses on the court. In the closely contested matches, they relied on their strengths, showcasing the qualities of experienced players.”

The state doubles tournament will commence at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota campus.

In the singles bracket finals, freshman Liz Peterson participated but was defeated 6-0, 6-4 by Eleonora Piva from Big Lake in the quarterfinal round. Despite the loss, Liz received praise from opposing coaches for her performance.

Fodness exclaims, “She received numerous compliments. Despite losing the first set 0-6, she demonstrated resilience and fought back with a score of 4-6 in the second set. Coaches approached her to express their admiration for her game. It’s truly heartening that despite being eliminated early, she emerged as the star of the show.”