Oct. 23—MINNEAPOLIS — It's go time for the
.
Nearly everyone is back for the Dragons, who are returning to the state Class A tournament for a third straight year.
The group seeks Litchfield's first state title in school history after finishing as the state Class A runner-up twice in a row.
"It's a hard accomplishment to fulfill and they have earned it," Dragons head coach Matt Draeger said of returning to state.
Third time's a charm?
Litchfield is the second seed in the state Class A tournament and opens up against unseeded Pequot Lakes at noon Tuesday at InnerCity Tennis.
Other quarterfinal matches feature fourth-seeded Lake City against fifth-seeded Foley at 8 a.m., top-seeded St. James against Morris/Chokio-Alberta/West Central Area at 10 a.m. and third-seeded Breck against Thief River Falls at 2 p.m.
"It's exciting to go back," said Isla Dille, a senior who is one of Class A's premier players. "We were so close last year."
The Dragons were the fourth seed last season and upset top-seeded Breck in the state semifinals, but then ended up
.
They were also close in 2024.
Litchfield was the third seed and defeated second-seeded Crookston before
.
"The last two years we've had to win a big match in the semis — everyone's watching and they had to come through — that can go against you just as easily as it can go with you and we were able to pull those out," Draeger said. "This year might come down to the same thing."
Litchfield (20-5), which has only lost to Class AA and AAA teams, went undefeated in its Class A schedule this season. So did St. James (21-1) and Breck (13-1).
"I purposely loaded our schedule up with really hard teams," Draeger said. "Now, to get back a third time, it's not common."
Dille, who has a 29-1 record, is among five seniors who lead the way for the Dragons.
Emma Wuotila has been key at No. 2 singles. Other seniors in doubles play are Molly Patten, Brynn Nagel and Tayah Damerow.
Between singles players Marcella Bruning and Sloan Quinn and doubles players Elise Carlson and Kalie Ball, Litchfield's junior class is strong.
Mya Iverson is the only player in the Dragons' starting lineup who was not in it last year. She is a sophomore who replaced Elly Woelfel.
"It's just fun getting to go together," Patten said. "We're all close friends outside of tennis."
Patten and Dille teamed up in section play and qualified for the state Class A doubles tournament, which takes place Thursday and Friday at InnerCity Tennis. So did Carlson and Nagel.
Dille and Patten have unfinished business.
They enter the state Class A doubles tournament as the second seed and open up their run against Benson/Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg's Hazel Habben and Ava Oakes.
Dille and Patten were also the second seed last year when they finished second to Breck's Abbey Perry and Addie Berman.
Perry and Berman, who open up against Carlson and Nagel, are this year's top seed.
Dille and Patten pursue a pair of state titles to close out their prep careers.
"We're pretty lucky," Dille said.