Blake girls tennis is a dynasty that isn’t ending anytime soon
MINNEAPOLIS (BVM) — Arlina Shen beat Sonia Baig last year in the MSHSL Class A girls tennis singles state championship match.
What made this matchup interesting was that both girls were members of the Blake School tennis team. Having two Bears play each other in the singles championship has become somewhat common.
Blake also won the team state championship and the doubles state championship last year.
“We expect to win,” Blake head coach Mike Ach said. “That’s what the girls know. They know winning and they don’t like it when they lose.”
It is a tradition that is long standing and the Blake girls tennis program is recognized as one of the best in the state of Minnesota.
“Blake’s girls tennis has been strong for a number of years,” Ach said. “It’s just a fortunate time now that we’ve had success winning titles.”
The Bears have won seven of the last nine team state championships and have won five in a row. They have also had a player win the last five singles state championships and two of the last five doubles state championships.
Blake has created a program that propels itself forward year after year as seniors show the underclassman the way to be successful as a program.
“That leadership propels our team to perform at a high level,” Ach said.
This season the Bears need that leadership after losing key members of their championship team from the year before. Shen, the reigning two–time singles state champion, graduated as did Blake’s top two doubles teams.
The Bears’ singles lineup was already solid heading into this season with the return of Baig and some other key players, but their doubles teams were still in question.
“Our doubles girls have really risen to the occasion,” Ach said.
They have switched teams up and have gotten creative at times, but the end result is that Blake once again looks poised to make a run if there is in fact a state tournament.
Another big part of the Bears’ success is the dedication the players have shown outside of the season. Ach said the actual season itself is a sprint and if you aren’t preparing for that in the offseason, you’ll fall behind.
“It’s what they do outside of our season that is vitally important,” Ach said. “The girls work really hard in the offseason.”
Due to COVID-19, the Bears are only guaranteed a shot at a sectional win. Anything after that has yet to be announced. However, the girls are not upset by that uncertainty.
“The girls are just really happy that the season is happening and I think that’s their incentive,” Ach said.
For now, the Bears will play for their three seniors to make sure they can leave their legacy for the program and for a sectional championship. Anything after that will be a bonus.
