Wayzata and St. Paul Academy Win 2023 Tennis Team State Championships
Posted: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 - 9:14 PM
Wayzata High School finished a spring season of perfection against Minnesota opponents following a 5-2 victory over Rochester Mayo in the Class AA championship match of the Boys Tennis State Tournament on Wednesday, June 7 at the Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota campus.
The top-seeded Trojans (23-1) captured the program’s first Class AA crown since 2014 and fifth overall by sweeping the four singles matches and winning once in the doubles. Wayzata’s other tennis championships came in 1993, 1999, 2013 and 2014. Wayzata’s only loss of the season came to Winetka New Trier (Ill.) in late April. Since that loss, the Trojans finished the season on a 19-match winning streak.
Wayzata’s run through the singles came from Collin Beduhn (No. 1), Aaron Beduhn (No. 2), Rishi Ranjith (No. 3) and Raghav Amin (Nov. 4). The lone doubles victory came from the duo of Brad Hagen and Jacob Salisbury at No. 2.
The Trojans earned a spot in the championship match with a 7-0 victory over Lake Conference foe, Eden Prairie. Rochester Mayo, the No. 2 seed, seeking its first Class AA title since 2011, advanced with a 4-3 victory over Blake. Blake rebounded from its semifinal loss to edge Eden Prairie 4-3 for the third-place trophy.
In Class A at the Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center in South Minneapolis, St. Paul Academy successfully defended its championship from a year ago with a 7-0 victory over Rochester Lourdes. While the Spartans cruised through the doubles in earning team points, the competition in the singles matches was intense, especially at No. 1 singles when Zahir Hassan outlasted Marjan Veldic for a 7-5, 3-6, 11-9 victory. Veldic is the No. 2 seed in the individual tournament that begins Thursday.
The latest championship is the sixth overall for St. Paul Academy, joining crowns captured in 1993, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2022.
St. Paul Academy forged its way into the championship match with a 7-0 victory over Foley. Rochester Lourdes had to get past Rock Ridge with a 4-3 win in the semifinal to set the championship entrants. The Eagles were attempting to win their first Class A title since 2018.
In the third-place match, Foley topped Rock Ridge, 4-3.
