The week began with a historic celebration as the Laker boys’ tennis team hosted Southwest Christian for Teacher Appreciation Night.
Each of the 12 varsity players honored a mentor by bringing them onto the courts for team introductions and the customary pre-match huddle chant to show appreciation for their favorite teachers, past or present.
The match also marked a milestone for the new Prior Lake tennis courts on which the first competitive play was held under the permanent LED lights installed last August.
The Lakers rose to the occasion, delivering a flawless 7-0 sweep to christen the new lighting system. Senior captains Tarun Gopi and August Adams set the tone at No. 1 doubles with a 6-1, 6-2 victory, while the freshman duo of Reid Breimhorst and Matthew Shplisher showed composure to win their match in a 10-4 super-tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles.
In a grueling weekend matchup against Holy Angels, the Lakers found themselves in a 3-3 deadlock with all eyes turning to the fourth singles court. After splitting sets and the team result hanging in the balance, freshman Sam Williams dug deep to finally prevail 10-8, showing maturity beyond his years to clinch the 4-3 team victory. It was a massive moment for the freshman and a testament to the mental toughness being built across this young roster.
On Tuesday, the Lakers returned to South Suburban Conference play with a mission to maintain perfection. They did exactly that with a 7-0 “no-nonsense” victory over Rosemount.
The singles core of Jack Williams, Andy Klema, Dallas Handevidt and Williams was untouchable, dropping a combined total of only five games across eight sets. In doubles, seventh-grader Henry Dettman and Jack Evanson continued their reliable run at No. 3 doubles, ensuring the Lakers move to an impressive 6-0 in the conference and 8-2 overall.
The Lakers have zero time to rest on their laurels. The coming days represent the most challenging stretch of the 2026 season.
In rivalry matches, the Lakers travel to Shakopee on April 30 and host Eagan on May 5 to defend their perfect conference record.
On Friday, May 1, the Lakers will host their biggest test of the season: a home showdown under the lights against the No. 1 ranked Wayzata Trojans. It will present a premier opportunity to see how the No. 8 Lakers stack up against the state’s gold standard.
On Saturday, May 2, the team heads south for the Rochester Mayo Tournament, which can be considered one of the toughest high school invitationals in the Midwest. While in Rochester, the Lakers will play three matches in one day against top-ranked programs, including a first-round clash with No. 4 Rochester Mayo and a potential showdown with two-time defending Iowa state champions Waukee Northwest. Other possible matchups include No. 1-ranked Class A defending state champions St. Paul Academy or No. 7-ranked Section 2 rival Minnetonka.
With the new No. 8 state ranking next to their name, the Lakers continue to test themselves against the best the state has to offer.
