The Jordan Cresap era to the Wadena-Deer Creek tennis program kicked off with the annual Park Rapids Girls Tennis Invitational on Aug. 19 in Park Rapids, Minn.
The Wolverines, returning three seniors along with a bunch of youngsters, finished eighth in the individual singles and doubles tournament.
Eighth grader Corra Endres was the top finishing Wolverine at the event. She finished second at No. 4 singles, earning four points for her team. Madison Packer finished third overall at No. 3 singles, while Abby Westrum came in fourth place, playing at No. 2 singles.
The tournament featured seven schools and a mixed team with players from multiple schools competing in the event. Minnewaska Area finished first overall with 31 points, while Moorhead, Park Rapids Area and Fergus Falls tied for second place with 16 points each. Roseau, East Grand Forks and the Mixed Teams tied for fifth place with 14 points.
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Endres finished the day 2-1 overall, finishing second, falling in the championship match to Fergus Falls’ Ellie Colbeck in straight sets. Colbeck got the best of Endres, winning the match, 6-0, 6-0.
However, Endres won a pair of close matches on her way to the championship match at No. 4 singles. She opened with a 6-1, 7-6 victory over East Grand Forks’ Alea Hangsleben in the first round. She followed with a 6-4, 5-7, 11-9 victory over a member of the Minnewaska Area team.
Packer opened with a strong come-from-behind victory over Roseau’s Lindsay McFarlane at No. 4 singles. She dropped the first set, 2-6, before responding in the second, 6-3, and closed with a 10-7 win in the third. Packer was edged in a pair of close sets in the second round, losing to Minnewaska Area’s Karra Hanson, 4-6, 4-6. She rebounded in the third place match, defeating a member of the mixed team in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Westrum opened with a victory over Roseau’s Jayde McFarlane, 7-6 (5), 6-3, in the opening round. She was defeated by East Grand Forks’ Maggie Deitrich in the semifinals, 3-6, 2-6, before falling to Moorhead’s Isabelle Ruckstad in a grueling match. Ruckstad took the first set, 6-7 (5), before Westrum rallied in the second set, 6-2. However, Ruckstad closed it out in a thrilling third set, 12-10.
Lindy Jones finished eighth overall against a tough field at No. 1 singles. She was defeated by Moorhead’s Brenna Mjolsness in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, Lauren Johnson, 6-1, 6-0 and Fergus Falls’ Katie Mach, 6-1, 6-3.
The No. 1 doubles team of Kate Schmidt and Kaylee Ova came in eighth place overall, falling to the mixed team of Haley Ostegaard and Kate Wensloff in the first round. They were edged by East Grand Forks’ Delaney Aaker and Kayla Partlow, 6-1, 6-2. The were defeated by a team from Moorhead, 6-2, 6-1, in their final match.
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The doubles team of Jasmyn Wood and Kelly Muckala came in eighth as well at No. 2 doubles. They were defeated by Bailey McMahon and McKenna Atchison of East Grand Forks, 6-1, 6-0, before falling to Park Rapids Area’s Kendra Coborn and Gracie Eischens, 6-1, 6-0. They closed by falling to Fergus Falls’ Kalley Rastedt and Nicole Scott, 6-0, 6-1.
The Wolverines were scheduled to return to action on Aug. 21 with a triangular against Benson, however, it was postponed to a later date. The Wolverines return to action with the annual Highway 10 Tournament on Aug. 23.
