by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
Junior Jett Cornelius and seniors Spencer Hempel and Lucas Rantanen represented the Thief River Falls boys tennis team at the 2025 MSHSL Class Individual State Tennis Tournament Thursday, June 5 at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis.
Cornelius went 1-1, beating Gary Speier from Providence Academy in straight sets, before losing to eventual state runner-up Evan Ritter of Rochester Lourdes to end his tournament.
“Down at State, Jett started up at 8:00 against Gary Speier from Providence Academy – both of who were unseeded,” said Thief River Falls Head Coach Shawna Spears. “After an incredibly long first game – pretty sure they went back and forth in deuce 8 times – Jett ended up taking care of business and took a pretty convincing win. It was fun to watch him tally another win to his incredible season record.
“He then got up against Evan Ritter from Rochester Lourdes who was seeded three and ended up taking second at State. Although the score doesn’t correctly reflect the battle of a match, Jett wrapped up his season with only two losses – both of which were against great competitors.”
Hempel and Rantanen had an even tougher draw, facing number two-seeded team of Isaak Senaratna/Allan Wang of St. Paul Academy – Summit. Senaratna/Wang defeated Hempel and Rantanen 6-2, 6-1 on their way to winning the Class A doubles championship.
“It was a super fun match to watch as Lucas and Spencer played the best tennis we’ve seen them play together,” Spears said. “Through every point, they brought high intensity and lots of driven energy. It was a great way to start up state! They ended up with a loss but nothing to hang their heads about.”
Up next was a match against Hibbing’s Isaiah Hildenbrand/Keaton Petrick. Hildenbrand defeated Hempel 6-4, 6-4 in the number one singles match when the Prowlers faced the Blue Jackets during the regular season.
“With good attitudes going in, we were excited knowing it would be a competitive match – which it ended up being,” Spears said. “Lots of great points were played in high intensity. Unfortunately, Hibbing was able to win a few more of the game points that gave them a good jump in the set. Spencer and Lucas fought hard till the end but ended with a loss.
“Although it is always tough to be done, these two seniors of ours have so much to be proud of, and got to finish their tennis careers at state – what an accomplishment. These two boys will be incredibly missed by the team for not only their tennis abilities but also their hard work ethic and also their positive and encouraging attitude that they brought to their teammates. These two boys did a great job leading our team this year and left some high expectations for our team to follow! We thank them for all their years of commitment to the team and they will be missed so much.”
Class A Singles
First Round, Thursday, June 5 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 1. Winston Arvidson, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. Landon Wheeler, Duluth Marshall, 6-0, 6-1; Lincoln Dille, Litchfield, def. Jowell Gamez, New London-Spicer, 6-3, 6-3; No. 5 Zack Lundeen, Redwood Valley, def. Hudson Zimmerman, Schaeffer Academy, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5); No. 4 Wyatt Helberg, North Branch, def. Ace Frank, Breck, 6-4, 6-0; No. 2 Joshua Cook, Minnehaha Academy, def. Joe Sampson, Mora, 6-4, 6-0; Ethan Lavan, Cloquet, def. Andrei Rivera, St. James, 6-1, 6-1; Jett Cornelius, Thief River Falls, def. Gary Speier, Providence Academy, 6-1, 6-0; No. 3 Evan Ritter, Rochester Lourdes, def. Gabriel Lindeman, Montevideo, 6-1, 6-1.
Quarterfinals, Thursday, June 5 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 1 Winston Arvidson, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. Lincoln Dille, Litchfield, 6-0, 6-0; No. 4 Wyatt Helberg, North Branch, def. No. 5 Zack Lundeen, RedwoodValley, 6-3, 6-1; No. 2 Joshua Cook, Minnehaha Academy, def. Ethan Lavan, Cloquet, 6-3, 7-6 (3); No. 3 Evan Ritter, Rochester Lourdes, def. Jett Cornelius, Thief River Falls, 6-3, 6-2.
Consolation Quarterfinals, Thursday, June 5 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Landon Wheeler, Duluth Marshall, def. Jowell Gamez, New London-Spicer, 6-4, 6-3; Ace Frank, Breck, def. Hudson Zimmerman, Schaeffer Academy, 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (4); Joe Sampson, Mora, def. Andrei Rivera, St. James, 6-2, 6-2; Gary Speier, Providence Academy, def. Gabriel Lindeman, Montevideo, 6-4, 6-2.
Semifinals, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 1 Winston Arvidson, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. No. 4 Wyatt Helberg, North Branch, 6-2, 6-0; No. 3 Evan Ritter, Rochester Lourdes, def. No. 2 Joshua Cook, Minnehaha Academy, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Consolation Semifinals, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Ace Frank, Breck, def. Landon Wheeler, Duluth Marshall, 6-1, 6-1; Gary Speier, Providence Academy, def. Joe Sampson, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (4).
Consolation Championship, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Ace Frank, Breck, def. Gary Speier, Providence Academy 6-4, 6-2.
Third Place, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 2 Joshua Cook, Minnehaha Academy, def. No. 4 Wyatt Helberg, North Branch, 6-1, 6-2.
Championship, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 1 Winston Arvidson, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. No. 3 Evan Ritter, Rochester Lourdes, 6-1, 6-1.
Class A Doubles
First Round, Thursday, June 5 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 1 Jacob Colton/Ben Macedo, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. Isaac Carlson/Harold Habben, Benson/KMS Co-op, 6-1, 7-5; Aaron VanderWeyst/Jack Erkens, Foley, def. Tenzin Dahl/Marshall Kopp, Minnewaska, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1; No. 5 Andy Fink/Joseph Palen, Rochester Lourdes, def. Grady Dimberio/Aidan Sandnas, Rock Ridge (Virginia), 6-1, 7-6; No. 4 Enzo Petto/Rocco Zoya, Breck, def. Josh Blomberg/Mathias Bruning, Litchfield, 6-2, 6-4; No. 2 Isaak Senaratna/Allan Wang, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. Spencer Hempel/Lucas Rantanen, Thief River Falls, 6-1, 6-2; Ezekiel Ribar/Quinn Dixon, St. Peter, def. Isaiah Hildenbrand/Keaton Petrick, Hibbing High School, 6-4, 7-6 (5); Ayan Glaser/Thomas Grabrian, St. Anthony Village, def. Kanyon Hicks/Elway Berg, Redwood Valley, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5; No. 3 Hamilton Brewer/Logan Granseth, Cotter, def. Bryer Berube/Braden Berglund, Pine City.
Quarterfinals, Thursday, June 5 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 1 Jacob Colton/Ben Macedo, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. Aaron VanderWeyst/Jack Erkens, Foley, 6-4, 7-6 (3); No. 5 Andy Fink/Joseph Palen, Rochester Lourdes, def. No. 4 Enzo Petto/Rocco Zoya, Breck, 6-2, 6-3; No. 2 Isaak Senaratna/Allan Wang, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. Quinn Dixon/Ezekiel Ribar, St. Peter, 6-0, 6-0; No. 3 Hamilton Brewer/Logan Granseth, Cotter, def. Ayan Glaser/Thomas Grabrian, St. Anthony Village, 6-1, 6-2.
Consolation Quarterfinals, Thursday, June 5 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Tenzin Dahl/Marshall Kopp, Minnewaska, def. Isaac Carlson/Harold Habben, Benson/KMS Co-op, 6-4, 6-2; Grady Dimberio /Aidan Sandnas, Rock Ridge (Virginia), def. Josh Blomberg/Mathias Bruning, Litchfield, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 1-0 (7); Isaiah Hildenbrand/Keaton Petrick, Hibbing High School, def. Spencer Hempel/Lucas Rantanen, Thief River Falls, 6-4, 6-1; Bryer Berube/Braden Berglund, Pine City, def. Kanyon Hicks/Elway Berg, Redwood Valley, 6-2, 6-0.
Semifinals, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 1 Jacob Colton/Ben Macedo, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. No. 5 Andy Fink/Joseph Palen, Rochester Lourdes, 6-0, 6-3; No. 2 Isaak Senaratna/Allan Wang, St Paul Academy – Summit, def. No. 3 Hamilton Brewer/Logan Granseth, Cotter, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Consolation Semifinals, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Grady Dimberio/Aidan Aidan Sandnas, Rock Ridge (Virginia), def. Tenzin Dahl/Marshall Kopp, Minnewaska, 6-3, 6-3; Braden Berglund/Bryer Berube, Pine City, def. Isaiah Hildenbrand/Keaton Petrick, Hibbing High School, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (5).
Consolation Championship, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Bryer Berube/Braden Berglund, Pine City, def. Grady Dimberio /Aidan Sandnas, Rock Ridge (Virginia) 6-2, 6-1.
Third Place, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 5 Andy Fink/Joseph Palen, Rochester Lourdes, def. No. 3 Hamilton Brewer/Logan Granseth, Cotter, 7-5, 6-4.
Championship, Friday, June 6 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – No. 2 Isaak Senaratna/Allan Wang, St. Paul Academy-Summit, def. No. 1 Jacob Colton/Ben Macdedo, St. Paul Academy-Summit, 6-3, 6-4.
Class A Team
Quarterfinals, Tuesday, June 3 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – St. Paul Academy – Summit 7, Minnewaska 0; Breck 7, Southwest Christian 0; Rock Ridge (Virginia) 5, Redwood Valley 2; Rochester Lourdes 6, Foley 1.
Consolation Semifinals, Tuesday June 3 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Southwest Christian 4, Minnewaska 3; Foley 4, Redwood Valley 3.
Semifinals, Wednesday, June 4 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – St. Paul Academy – Summit 7, Breck 0; Rock Ridge (Virginia) 4, Rochester Lourdes 3.
Consolation Championship, Wednesday, June 4 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Southwest Christian 4, Foley 3.
Third Place, Wednesday, June 4 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – Breck 4, Rochester Lourdes 3.
Championship, Wednesday, June 4 at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center – St. Paul Academy – Summit 7, Rock Ridge 0.
Class AA Team
Quarerfinals – Wayzata 7, Sartell 0; Mounds View 5, Elk River 2; Edina 6, Eden Prairie 1; Rochester Mayo 5, Eagan 2.
Consolation Semifinals – Elk River 5, Sartell 2; Eden Prairie 4, Eagan 3.
Semifinals – Wayzata 7, Mounds View 0; Edina 4, Rochester Mayo 3.
Consolation Championship – Eden Prairie 5, Elk River 2.
Third place – Mounds View 4, Rochester Mayo 3.
Championship – Wayzata 6, Edina 1.