Lakers Drop Home Opener to Brainerd

Detroit Lakes boys tennis team falls 5-2 in Central Lakes Conference match

Apr. 15, 2026 at 3:18am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A vibrant, fragmented painting in the cubist style, depicting the dynamic motion and energy of a high school tennis match through overlapping geometric shapes and silhouettes of tennis players in action.A cubist interpretation of the intensity and movement of a high school tennis match captures the competitive spirit of the Detroit Lakes-Brainerd rivalry.Detroit Lakes Today

The Detroit Lakes boys tennis team hosted Brainerd on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, and fought hard but ultimately lost 5-2. The Lakers dropped all three doubles matches and two of four singles matches against the strong Brainerd squad.

Why it matters

This early-season loss against a Central Lakes Conference rival highlights the work the Lakers need to do to improve and be competitive in their conference. The team is looking to rebound and get back on track as the season progresses.

The details

In singles play, Detroit Lakes' Max Mercil took his match to three sets before falling, while Jude Houglum was defeated in two sets. However, the Lakers did get wins from Rhett Walter at No. 3 singles and Tristan Bristlin at No. 4 singles. In doubles, the Lakers' pairings of Bauer Walter/Max Splonkowski, Damarion Moss/Owen Lipton, and Beau Carlson/James LaChapelle all came up short against their Brainerd counterparts.

  • The match took place on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
  • The Lakers will look to rebound on the road against Sartell on Thursday, April 16.

The players

Max Mercil

The No. 1 and No. 2 singles player for Detroit Lakes, who took his match to three sets before falling.

Jude Houglum

The No. 2 singles player for Detroit Lakes, who was defeated in two sets.

Rhett Walter

The No. 3 singles player for Detroit Lakes, who won his match in three sets.

Tristan Bristlin

The No. 4 singles player for Detroit Lakes, who won his match in two sets.

Zach Biggar

The head coach of the Detroit Lakes boys tennis team.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We played a very good opponent in Brainerd and just did not get off to fast starts. We put up good fights and showed great effort, but we have some work to do going forward.”

— Zach Biggar, Detroit Lakes Head Coach

“Getting to three sets was a confidence boost for Max, especially since this year he's in the singles spot. The big thing for him is adjusting, especially when your forehand and backhand aren't falling, being able to return shots well, and he did that for the most part today.”

— Zach Biggar, Detroit Lakes Head Coach

“I didn't have a chance to watch them play, but Rhett and Tristan are incredible players. It's good to always take a couple of games if you lose a meet.”

— Zach Biggar, Detroit Lakes Head Coach

“I thought it went well. Both Max and Bauer battled for three sets and just weren't able to pull it out. With it being the first few matches of the season, we can iron things out, but I'm very encouraged with what I saw from them today.”

— Zach Biggar, Detroit Lakes Head Coach

“When you face off against 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-5 players, you have to be decisive, hence why we pinned Owen and Damarion against them. We try to use our tall guys to their advantage and get them in similar matchups. Unfortunately, they ran into a scheme that was new and a little tough for them, in which they had a guy sitting in the middle, and that gave them fits.”

— Zach Biggar, Detroit Lakes Head Coach

What’s next

The Lakers will look to rebound on the road against Sartell on Thursday, April 16.

The takeaway

This early-season loss against a conference rival highlights the areas the Detroit Lakes boys tennis team needs to improve on, such as getting off to faster starts and adjusting to different playing styles and strategies. However, the team's effort and fight were encouraging, and they will look to learn from this experience as they aim to be more competitive in the Central Lakes Conference going forward.