Lumberjacks heal up, pick up 15th win in penultimate match over Panthers

092723.S.BP.BHSGTEN Megan Berg and Ruby McKeon.jpg — Bemidji sophomores Megan Berg and Ruby McKeon celebrate after a point during a No. 3 doubles match against Park Rapids on Monday. Sept. 25, 2023, at the BHS tennis courts.

By Jared Rubado

September 25, 2023 at 8:27 PM

BEMIDJI 鈥� With only one regular-season match left, the Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 girls tennis team is getting healthy at the right time.

In Monday鈥檚 5-2 win over Park Rapids, senior Maddie Jensen and junior Morgan Nyhusmoen returned to the lineup.

鈥淭his was like a Triple-A rehab assignment for her,鈥� BHS head coach Kyle Fodness said of Nyhusmoen at No. 4 singles. 鈥淵ou have to get back out on the court and get in a match. Then you go back to practice, and you know what you have to work on after you see how you feel. We thought that was really important for her to play (today).鈥�

Nyhusmoen missed all of this season with a shoulder injury up until Monday before toughing out a 6-0, 6-3 loss against Addi Frieden. Jensen missed a handful of the Lumberjacks鈥� more recent matches before her return to the top of the doubles lineup. Fondness said both still weren鈥檛 at 100%.

092723.S.BP.BHSGTEN Morgan Nyhusmoen.jpg — Bemidji junior Morgan Nyhusmoen returns a volley duirng a No. 4 singles match against Park Rapids on Monday. Sept. 25, 2023, at the BHS tennis courts.

鈥淗alf speed for Maddie is pretty darn good for a lot of people,鈥� Fodness quipped. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a tough competitor, and she really wanted to be out here. As a senior, you want to play those matches at home a little more.鈥�

The Jacks鈥� freshman trio cruised in their respective singles matches. Liz Peterson beat Nora Bolton 6-1, 6-2. Bailey Rupp and Lilly Carron also won in straight sets.

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e feeling pretty confident,鈥� Peterson said. 鈥淲e were a little worried with Maddie and her (elbow). But she鈥檚 getting better, and I think we鈥檙e pretty confident going into sections. We鈥檙e keeping our heads up.鈥�

Liz鈥檚 sister, Elena, teamed up with Jensen at No. 1 doubles for a 6-0, 6-1 win. Megan Berg and Ruby McKeon made light work of their No. 3 doubles match, beating Rachel Ulvin and Emma Morris 6-0, 6-2.

Due to injuries, Bemidji鈥檚 reserves are more battle-tested than a typical team contending for a Section 8AA title. However, with Nyhusmoen and Jensen out of the lineup, the Lumberjacks鈥� depth was asked to step up.

092723.S.BP.BHSGTEN Maddie Jensen.jpg — Bemijdi senior Madi Jensen returns a volley in a No. 1 doubles match against Park Rapids on Monday. Sept. 25, 2023, at the BHS tennis courts.

At 15-5, BHS is poised to earn one of the better seeds the Section 8AA Tournament will offer, and that mark can partially be attributed to the Jacks鈥� depth. Fodness advocates finding more ways for kids to play at the varsity level.

鈥淚 think we鈥檙e always looking at ways to improve the game of tennis for our players,鈥� Fodness said. 鈥淚n a basketball game, you start five players. Can you imagine if those five players had to play the entire game? We can鈥檛 (substitute) in tennis. ... I would love to be able to sub in players somehow.

鈥淥ver the years, we鈥檝e had a lot of starting-caliber players that we don鈥檛 have room for. So it鈥檚 tough when you have players go down, but it鈥檚 been really good to see the girls like Abby (Myhrer), Jane (Mueller), Ridley (Karger), (Gwen Galloway) fill those shoes.鈥�

Liz will likely stay in a prominent singles position for the Section 8AA Tournament next Tuesday. Even though it鈥檚 not her first postseason rodeo, she鈥檚 feeling the weight of being one of her team鈥檚 top players.

鈥淚 played in the section tournaments last year, and it was pretty fun, but it鈥檚 (nerve-wracking),鈥� Liz said. 鈥淚鈥檓 nervous about being in (No. 1) singles heading into sections. I know those girls are a lot better. There is some pressure. I feel like everybody looks up to me when I play (No. 1 singles). I feel like I have to be good.

092723.S.BP.BHSGTEN Elizabeth Peterson.jpg — Bemidji freshman Elizabeth Peterson returns a volley in a No. 1 singles match against Park Rapids on Monday. Sept. 25, 2023, at the BHS tennis courts.

鈥淢y teammates are great at supporting me. I鈥檓 always hearing Bailey and Lilly yelling at me from their courts. They鈥檙e all pretty good at cheering me on and making sure I keep my head up when I do feel that pressure.鈥�

The Jacks hit the road for Brainerd for a 4:30 p.m. match on Thursday, Sept. 28, one that will have major Section 8AA Tournament seeding implications.

鈥淭hey know that we just want to be sharp,鈥� Fodness said of Bemidji鈥檚 match against the Warriors. 鈥淵ou want to play at a high level all season, and they know not to try to do too much. You know what your strengths are that allow you to play well, and you also know what things aren鈥檛 that effective for you. 鈥� When you play against the Staples-Motleys, the Brainerds and the Rock Ridges, you play better. You play your best tennis because you have to.鈥�

READ MORE BEMIDJI HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS CONTENT

Bemidji 5, Park Rapids 2

Singles

No. 1: L. Peterson (BHS) def. Bolton 6-1, 6-2

No. 2: Rupp (BHS) def. Goochey 6-2, 6-0

No. 3: Carron (BHS) Ruhyan 6-3, 7-6 (9-7)

No. 4: Frieden (PR) def. Nyhusmoen 6-0, 6-3

Doubles

No. 1: Jensen/E. Peterson (BHS) def. Ehler/Hayes 6-1, 6-0

No. 2: Davis/Ulvin (PR) def. Midboe/Wood 2-6, 7-5, 12-10

No. 3: Berg/McKeon (BHS) def. Morris/Braholt 6-0, 6-2

092723.S.BP.BHSGTEN Bailey Rupp.jpg — Bemidji freshman Bailey Rupp tosses the ball up for a serve duirng a No. 2 singles match against Park Rapids on Monday. Sept. 25, 2023, at the BHS tennis courts.

By Jared Rubado

Jared Rubado took over as sports editor at the Bemidji Pioneer in February 2023 after working as a sports reporter at the Alexandria Echo Press and sports editor of the Detroit Lakes Tribune, Perham Focus and Wadena Pioneer Journal newspaper group.

He graduated from Augustana University in 2018 with journalism and sports management degrees.

You can reach Jared at jrubado@bemidjipioneer.com or (218) 316-2613. Follow him on Twitter at