MITCHELL – There is no shortage of experience or confidence for the Mitchell High School varsity girls tennis program from top to bottom as the new season begins.
All six Core Day 1 starters have at least one varsity letter, and five competed in the state championship match at the 2023 Class AA state tennis tournament. It is the already lofty foundation that MHS hopes to build upon in 2024.
“We’re very experienced and these girls have kind of been there and done that,” said MHS head coach Pat Moller. “We’re going to push that experience as far as we can and see where it takes us, but I really like the way we’re playing.”
After the challenge matches of the first week of practice, the five returning singles starters from last season each moved up one spot. Megan Mastel enters Flight 1 singles for the cores, followed by Carsyn Weich (Flight 2), Katie Morgan (Flight 3), Elly Clement (Flight 4) and Matteah Graves (Flight 5). Mia Larson, who plays flight 6 singles, missed last season due to injury, but will be at flight 3 doubles in 2022, giving Mitchell a lineup loaded with varsity veterans. The doubles pairs are Mastel and Weich (flight 1), Clement and Graves (flight 2) and Morgan and Larson (flight 3).
Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic
At the top, Mastel already has three state tournament singles appearances, winning Class AA Flight 2 last season and Class A Flight 6 in 2020 and 2021. Last season, Weich and Graves each earned state runner-up finishes in singles at Flights. 3 and 6, respectively. In doubles, Weich and Clement captured the Flight 2 singles state title, while Morgan and Graves were runners-up in Flight 3.
“It’s very nice that we’re all experienced because it allows us to challenge each other and learn new things and improve each other’s game,” Weich said. “It’s exciting and I think you can see the potential. It’s really fun to look back at last season and see where we are this season.
“We set ourselves high expectations,” Clement added. “We know we can beat people and we know we can compete in those state championship games. We’re very confident and expect to do well.
MHS was second in the Eastern South Dakota Conference tournament and third in the state a year ago and is aiming to be among the best in the state again. Day-to-day consistency is a key ingredient in the Kernels’ recipe for success, and Moller emphasizes competing with the right mindset in conversations with this year’s roster.
“We feel like we have a chance to win every game we’re on the field. It’s probably not realistic, but that’s the goal,” Moller said. “We talk about playing like champions. … If we have that attitude and play like that, everything else kind of takes care of itself.”
Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic
Perhaps the experience level is overshadowed by the youth of the list. Weich and Clement are seniors and Mastel is a junior, but Morgan, Graves and Larson are all sophomores. Elliot Smith and Ava Prunty, the pair that round out MHS’s eight-person varsity roster, are both freshmen.
“I’ve had young teams like this before, but I don’t think I’ve had a young team perform at the same level as these girls,” Moller said. “That’s why the expectation is there, and with it comes a little pressure. But I just love the chemistry of this team, the way they complement each other and bring out the best in each other. I’m really excited about what the future holds.”
As the season progresses, Weich and Clement emphasized the importance of maintaining a narrow focus and making sure the entire team continues to support each other along the way. If they can do that, both senior executives believe there’s no ceiling to what the Cores can achieve.
“I think the key is just focus and knowing what we want out of the season,” Weich said. “We just have to keep it in the back of our heads and then go for it.”
Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic
The Kernels hit the ground running in their first contest of the season, defeating Aberdeen Roncalli and Huron in a 9-0 double sweep. Mitchell hosts Harrisburg on Thursday, August 22, in its first home game of the season. In addition, home matches will be played on August 27 and September 6, 7, 12 and 24.
Other important dates for MHS include singles with defending state runner-up Rapid City Stevens on Aug. 29 and state champion Sioux Falls Lincoln on Sept. 17. The Eastern South Dakota Conference tournament will be held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in Watertown. the Class AA state tournament will be held on the 10th-11th. October in Rapid City.
Dierks covers prep and college athletics in Mitchell Republic coverage. His areas of focus include: Mitchell High School football and boys basketball; area high school football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and track and field; and South Dakota State football. He is also at the forefront of Mitchell Republic’s podcasting efforts. Dierks is a Mitchell native who graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in May 2020. He joined the Mitchell Republic sports staff in August 2021. He can be reached at ldierks@mitchellrepublic.com and on Twitter @LDierksy .
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