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Decorah was proudly represented at the Girls Individual Tennis Qualifier on Monday, May 12 by singles players Jaidyn Duvel and Klaara Short, along with the doubles teams of Olivia and Grace Huinker and Kaitlyn Bjork and Leah Holland. In singles play, Klaara Short opened the day with a strong win over Osage's top player, Marley Kerrick. After taking the first set 6-2, she gutted out a tight second set for a 7-5 victory. Her quarterfinal match was a hard-fought battle against Megan Bruns from Aplington-Parkersburg. After dropping the first set 4-6 and playing through a shoulder injury, Short roared back to take the second 6-1 and secured her semifinal spot with a 10-5 win in the match tiebreaker. In the semifinals, she faced Sofia Alina of Charles City, who would go on to be the regional champion. Despite falling 2-6, 3-6, Short played with grit and determination. In the third-place match, she ultimately defaulted due to injury. Jaidyn Duvel started strong, cruising past Carly Vogel of Western Dubuque 6-0, 6-3. Her next match, played in peak heat, was a grind against Addie Kruse of Waverly-Shell Rock. With smart play and endurance, Duvel claimed a 6-4, 7-5 win to reach the semifinals. There, she battled Bella Buseman of Aplington-Parkersburg in a grueling three-set match. After taking the first set 6-4, Duvel dropped the next two 3-6, 4-6 in a display of relentless effort. She finished third overall after Short's injury default. In doubles action, Kaitlyn Bjork and Leah Holland, seeded third, opened with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Waverly-Shell Rock's Megan Heyer and Madelyn Van Kley. The pair continued their dominant run with a 6-0, 6-2 win against Macey Brant and Makayla Martin of Clear Lake. Their semifinal match against #2 seeds Adria Neymeyer and Peyton Klooster from Aplington-Parkersburg was a rollercoaster. After dropping the first set 3-6, Bjork and Holland bounced back 6-3 in the second but narrowly lost the deciding set 4-6. In the third-place match, they rebounded with a strong 6-2, 6-4 win over Natalie Beck and Adyson Huisenga of Waverly-Shell Rock. Top-seeded Olivia and Grace Huinker began their tournament with back-to-back 6-0, 6-0 wins over teams from Osage (Mylie Havig and Ella Sparrow) and Western Dubuque (Kendall Kotz and Audrey Recker). In the semifinals, they faced Natalie Beck and Adyson Huisenga and played steady, aggressive tennis en route to a 6-2, 6-2 win, which ultimately secured their trip to the State Tournament. The final was a test of resilience against Adria Neymeyer and Peyton Klooster of Aplington-Parkersburg. After winning the first set 6-4 and dropping the second by the same score, the Huinker sisters stormed ahead in the third. Up 5-1, they withstood a late push and closed out the match 6-3 to claim the title of Regional Doubles Champions and State Qualifiers. Looking back on the day, Coach Amanda Huinker said, "I couldn't be prouder of how these girls competed today. From the first serve to the final point, they poured everything they had into each match. The heat was intense, and the length of the matches pushed them to their physical and mental limits—but they never backed down. Their effort, resilience, and determination were evident in every game," Huinker added. "I'm beyond proud of their growth and grit, and I can't wait to see them continue to refine and showcase their skills as we head into Team Regional play this Friday. Let's go, Vikings!" The Individual State Tournament will be held May 30–31 at Byrnes Park in Waterloo.

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DHS Girls Tennis Represent at 2025 Individual State Qualifier