The Prior Lake boys tennis team has officially entered the conference phase of its 2026 schedule, navigating a week of high-stakes matchups and elite competition.
The week began with a clinical 6-1 victory over Apple Valley on April 16. The match highlighted not only the program’s depth but also its unique family connections.
The Lakers were untouchable in singles play, sweeping all four spots. Andy Klema got his first win at No. 1 singles by grinding out a 6-4, 7-5 win. Dallas Handevidt and Tarun Gopi cruised to victories at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, dropping just three games between them. Closing out the singles was August Adams, getting his first singles victory of the season at No. 4.
In doubles it was a family affair, with brothers Jack and Sam Williams teaming up at No. 1 doubles for a decisive 6-3, 6-2 win while the Breimhorst brother duo of Reid and Gabe were competitive in a 4-6, 3-6 loss at No. 2 doubles. Jack Evanson and Henry Dettman secured the final point at No. 3 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
On April 17, Prior Lake faced No. 5-ranked and defending section champion Eden Prairie. Though the Lakers fell 1-6, they showed competitive fire and proved they can compete with the powerhouse program.
The standout performance of the day belonged to Sam Williams at No. 4 singles securing a straight-sets win (6-3, 6-4), earning the Lakers’ point. At No. 3 singles, Handevidt once again proved he can hang with the state’s best, pushing his first set into a grueling 6-8 tiebreaker before eventually falling.
The team responded to the Eden Prairie loss by simply getting the job done against a rebuilding Farmington tennis program team on April 21 securing a 6-1 victory to improve their conference record to 5-0 on the season.
The doubles core provided a masterclass in efficiency. In a rare and staggering display of dominance, all three varsity doubles teams of Gopi/Handevidt, Matt Shplisher/Breimhorst and Evanson/Dettman were essentially perfect, not yielding a single game to the Tigers, completing a 6-0, 6-0 trifecta.
In singles, Klema matched that perfection with a 6-0, 6-0 win at the No. 2 spot, while Jack Williams at No. 1 and Sam Williams at No. 3 cruised in straight sets. 7th Grader Gabe Breimhorst made his Varsity Singles debut but lost 6-4, 2-6, 5-10 in a heartbreaker. The Lakers added two additional 6-0, 6-0 victories from Ethan Mellema and Gavin Olinger in the exhibition singles positions to round out the day.
The Lakers will travel to No. 8-ranked Eastview on April 23 before returning home to host Southwest Christian on Friday under the lights for Teacher Appreciation Night and hosting Providence Academy, Holy Angles and Bloomington Jefferson in a head-to-head team tournament on April 25 starting at 10 a.m.
