Bemidji High School boys tennis team defeats Crookston in close match

Blake Friese overcomes early setback to lead Lumberjacks to 5-2 victory

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:03pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a high school tennis match, with the players' forms abstracted into angular, intersecting shapes in a vibrant color palette of navy, forest green, and ochre.The Bemidji Lumberjacks' resilience and ability to make in-match adjustments were on full display in their victory over Crookston.Bemidji Today

The Bemidji High School boys tennis team defeated Crookston 5-2 in a close match that featured several tight contests. Sophomore Blake Friese bounced back from a tough first-set loss in his No. 3 singles match to rally and win the next two sets, including a dominant 10-0 tiebreaker. The Lumberjacks also swept the doubles matches, with the No. 2 duo of Ethan Frank and Logan Berg winning a close tiebreaker in the second set to clinch their victory.

Why it matters

This early-season win against a conference rival provides valuable experience for the Bemidji team as they prepare for a busy upcoming schedule. The ability of players like Friese to make in-match adjustments and the strong doubles performances show the team's depth and resilience, which will be key factors as they look to build on this success throughout the season.

The details

In the No. 3 singles match, Friese lost a close first set 7-6 in a tiebreaker against Crookston's Gunnar Groven. But Friese regrouped, made some strategic adjustments, and dominated the second set 6-2 before cruising to a 10-0 tiebreaker win. Elsewhere, Bemidji's Owen Lappinga won his No. 1 singles match 6-2, 6-2, while Elihu Broten narrowly lost his No. 4 singles match 6-4, 5-7, 11-9. In doubles, the Lumberjacks swept all three matches, with the No. 2 duo of Ethan Frank and Logan Berg winning a tight 6-3, 7-6 decision.

  • The match took place on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at Bemidji State's Gillett Wellness Center.
  • Bemidji's previous match was a 7-0 win over East Grand Forks last week.

The players

Blake Friese

A sophomore on the Bemidji High School boys tennis team who rallied from a tough first-set loss to win his No. 3 singles match against Crookston.

Gunnar Groven

A player for the Crookston High School boys tennis team who faced off against Friese in the No. 3 singles match.

Owen Lappinga

A player for the Bemidji High School boys tennis team who won his No. 1 singles match 6-2, 6-2.

Elihu Broten

A freshman on the Bemidji High School boys tennis team who narrowly lost his No. 4 singles match 6-4, 5-7, 11-9.

Kyle Fodness

The head coach of the Bemidji High School boys tennis team who helped guide Friese to his comeback victory.

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What they’re saying

“He sees a lot of the things that can help him take control of a match. I can maybe help clarify those a little bit, maybe ask some of the right questions, but he's the guy who really does a great job of just looking at the court, looking at his opponent and looking at himself and saying, 'OK, how do I put my strength against this player's weakness?'”

— Kyle Fodness, Head Coach, Bemidji High School Boys Tennis

“Early in the match, I just kept trying to hit winners. Later in the match, I just kept hitting it in play, and he kept making mistakes. I think that helped me a lot.”

— Blake Friese, Sophomore, Bemidji High School Boys Tennis

What’s next

The Bemidji High School boys tennis team will have a busy upcoming schedule, with five matches in three days starting next week. They will host back-to-back home triangulars on Wednesday against Mora and Fergus Falls, and Thursday against Sauk Rapids-Rice and Moorhead. On Friday, the team will travel to Detroit Lakes for their first road match of the season.

The takeaway

This early-season victory over a conference rival demonstrates the depth and resilience of the Bemidji High School boys tennis team. Players like Blake Friese showed the ability to make in-match adjustments, while the team's strong doubles performances highlighted its overall strength. As the Lumberjacks prepare for a busy upcoming schedule, this win provides valuable experience and momentum that could pay dividends later in the season.