Before heading into the major tests over the weekend, the Lakers had business to attend to in a cross-town rivalry clash against Shakopee. The Lakers remained perfect in the South Suburban Conference (SSC) with a 5-2 victory, fueled by a dominant singles sweep.
Jack Williams, Andy Klema, Dallas Handevidt and Sam Williams were surgical, collectively dropping only seven games across eight sets of singles play. The win kept the Lakers in the driver’s seat for a conference title as they remain undefeated in SSC play.
The Lakers hosted the ultimate measuring stick when they played No. 1-ranked Wayzata Trojans on May 1. The Lakers battled the state’s gold standard at home. While the Trojans took the dual, the match provided high-intensity reps against elite talent. Handevidt provided a bright spot at No. 3 singles, fighting through several deep games in a 3-6, 1-6 battle that was much closer than the scoreline suggested.
Less than 12 hours after facing Wayzata, the Lakers traveled south for the Rochester Mayo Tournament on Saturday, May 2. Widely considered the toughest high school invite in the Midwest, this was the ultimate test for the Lakers, who are ranked the No. 8 team.
- Round 1 vs. No. 4 Rochester Mayo (L 0-7): The Lakers faced a disciplined Mayo squad on their home courts. Despite the sweep, one of the morning highlights came in at No. 1 doubles in a highly competitive 3-6, 6-7 (5-7) second set tiebreaker lasting over two hours.
- Round 2 vs. No. 1 (Class A) St. Paul Academy (W 4-3): In arguably their most impressive win of the season, the Lakers bounced back to defeat the top-ranked program in Class A. Klema, Handevidt and Williams dominated their singles matches, while the No. 3 doubles duo of Jack Evanson and Henry Dettman delivered a 6-1, 6-1 win to clinch the team victory.
- Round 3 vs. No. 1 (Iowa) Waukee Northwest (L 0-7): The Lakers finished the day against the two-time defending Iowa State Champions. The experience of seeing that level of play was invaluable for the Laker underclassmen.
Final tournament standings included:
- Rochester Mayo
- Mounds View
- Eden Prairie
- Minnetonka
- NW Waukee
- Prior Lake
- SPA
- Rochester Lourdes
The Lakers have emerged from a monumental 48-hour stretch, during which they faced three different #No. 1-ranked programs (SPA, Wayzata and Waukee NW). This experience proved the team has the skills to play with the best in the region, and they now carry that battle-tested momentum into the final week of the regular season.
Everything is on the line as the season enters its final turn. On Wednesday, May 6, the Lakers wrapped up their home regular-season schedule against Eagan. On Friday, May 8, the team travels to Eastview for a massive showdown that will determine the SSC Champion.
