SARTELL-For the second year in a row, Litchfield is heading to the Class A State tennis tournament.
The Dragons topped Melrose 7-0 early Tuesday morning and dispatched No. 2-seed New London-Spicer 6-1 in the Section 5A final to clinch a second consecutive state tournament berth. Litchfield will take on Osakis, the winner of Section 6A, at 10 a.m. Oct. 23 at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis.
Litchfield's only stumble in the section tournament came in the No. 1 doubles match against NLS, when Erin Loterbauer and Izzy Schmiesing won a three-set battle with Laney Huhner and Vaida Behnke for a Wildcat win.
Avery Stilwell was impeccable for the Dragons at No. 3 singles, winning both of her Tuesday matches by a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline. Elise Bierbaum nearly completed a similar feat at No. 2 singles, winning 6-0, 6-0 against McKayla Schleper of Melrose and 6-0, 6-1 against April Groff of New London-Spicer.
Litchfield 6, NLS 1
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Singles
(1) Shanna Kinny, L, def Ava Hanson 6-3 6-0 (2) Elise Bierbaum, L, def April Groff 6-0 6-1 (3) Avery Stilwell, L, def Megan Warner 6-0 6-0 (4) Alyssa Ross, L, def Alex Suchy 6-2 6-1
Doubles
(1) Erin Loterbauer/Izzy Schmiesing, N, def Laney Huhner/Vaida Behnke 6-2 3-6 10-6 (2) Neriah Lara/Taylar Smith, L, def Ashley Templer/Anika Spors 6-1 6-2 (3) Britney Prahl/Ryanna Steinhaus, L, def Ruby Parson/Morgan Rolighed 6-0 6-0
Litchfield 7, Melrose 0
Singles
(1) Shanna Kinny, L, def Allie Toenies 6-0 6-0 (2) Elise Bierbaum, L, def McKayla Schleper 6-0 6-1 (3) Avery Stilwell, L, def Paige Danzl 6-0 6-0 (4) Alyssa Ross, L, def Jessica Danzl 6-2 6-1
Doubles
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(1) Vaida Behnke/Laney Huhner, L, def Hanna Wiechmann/Camryn Brinkman 6-3 6-2 (2) Neriah Lara/Taylar Smith, L, def Chelsey Wielling/Natalie Wilwerding 6-0 6-0 (3) Ryanna Steinhaus/Britney Prahl, L, def Kirsten Dragseth/Erika Hoppe 6-3 6-0
NLS 6, Annandale 1
Singles
(1) Erin Loterbauer, N, def Jennah Groth 6-2 6-2 (2) Ava Hanson, N, def Josie Burd 6-1 6-3 (3) Izzy Schmiesing, N, def Ann Roberts 7-5 6-0 (4) April Groff, N, def Faith Simon 6-4 7-6
Doubles
(1) Faith MIllner/Olivia Honsey, A, def Ashley Templer/Annika Spors 6-2 6-1 (2) Ruby Parson/Morgan Rolighed, N, def Halle Denardo/Keanna Helget 6-3 4-6 6-2 (3) NA
