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Strong communities start with trustworthy reporting—give to local news now! Over two thrilling weekends, Decorah girls tennis delivered on hours of practice and conditioning on the biggest stages of the season—first by toppling a familiar foe in the Class 1A state team quarterfinals, then by securing a podium finish at the individual state doubles tournament. Fueled by resilience and redemption, the Vikings clinched a top-four team finish and a third-place medal in doubles, cementing themselves among Iowa's best and setting the stage for an exciting future. Team State Quarterfinals – Decorah vs. Dike-New Hartford On Saturday, May 24, the Decorah girls tennis team faced off against Dike-New Hartford with a clear goal in mind: to defeat the team that had eliminated them from last year's state qualifier—and this time, do it in the quarterfinal match to secure a spot as one of the top four Class 1A girls tennis teams in the state. The Vikings had a slightly rough start, with nearly every match beginning with Decorah trailing by a game. However, momentum quickly shifted, and from that point on, the Vikings never looked back. The first point came from No. 5 singles player Jaidyn Duvel, who defeated Haley Badker in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. Leah Holland at No. 4 singles followed shortly after with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win over Lauren Muller. Point No. 3 for Decorah came from Kaitlyn Bjork at No. 2 singles. After winning the first set 6-4, she dropped the second 2-6 but came back strong in a decisive third-set match tiebreaker, defeating Aidalyn Tott 10-5. Grace Huinker, playing at No. 3 singles, outlasted Addy Joslin with long rallies and solid play, winning 6-1, 6-2. Klaara Short sealed the victory at No. 6 singles. She cruised through the first set 6-1 against Kiersten Christiansen, then held off a surge of momentum from her opponent to take the second set 7-5 and secure the final team point. Meanwhile, Olivia Huinker at No. 1 singles was just entering a third-set match tiebreaker when the team win was clinched, so her match was left unfinished. Next up for the Vikings: a trip to Pella on Monday, June 2. There, the top four Class 1A teams in the state will compete. Decorah, seeded No. 3, will face No. 2 seed Pella, while No. 1 seed Xavier takes on No. 4 seed Kuemper Catholic. The winners will advance to the afternoon match to play for the state championship, while the remaining teams will compete for third- and fourth-place honors. Individual State Doubles On Friday, May 30, the Class 1A individual state girls tennis tournament kicked off at Byrnes Park in Waterloo. The top 16 singles players and doubles teams from across the state came together with one goal: to see how they stacked up against the best. Representing Decorah were sisters Olivia and Grace Huinker, entering the tournament as the No. 2 seeded doubles team. In their opening match, the Huinker sisters faced Ellie Firestone O'Donovan and Mari Valdivia of St. Albert. Despite the typical nerves that come with a first state appearance, Olivia and Grace made a strong statement with a swift 6-1, 6-0 victory. In the quarterfinals, they faced a tough challenge from Xavier's Tia Halabi and Lulu Rozebloom. As temperatures climbed, so did the level of play. The Decorah duo's smart execution and sharp net play led them to a 6-3, 6-4 win, punching their ticket to the semifinals. Day two brought even more intensity as the Huinkers squared off against No. 3 seeds Izzy Norton and Aidalyn Tott of Dike-New Hartford. The match was a roller coaster. After a tight 4-6 loss in the first set, the Huinkers roared back with a dominant 6-0 second set. The third set was hard-fought, but they narrowly fell 3-6 in a match that could've gone either way. With little time to dwell, the sisters regrouped for the third-place match against Dike-New Hartford's second doubles team, Addy Joslin and Lauren Muller. After a shaky start, the Huinkers pulled out a tight 7-5 win in the first set and took full control in the second, cruising to a 6-1 victory and earning third-place medals. Their coaches reflected: "Olivia and Grace played outstanding tennis this weekend. They showed adaptability, grit, and composure under pressure. Losing a close semifinal match is never easy, especially one that came down to just a few key points, but they responded the way champions do—by resetting, digging in, and finishing strong. "Earning third place at the state tournament is a huge accomplishment, and the way they bounced back shows exactly what they're made of. They've put Decorah on the map, and with Iowa's first-ever fall girls tennis season coming up, they're perfectly positioned to chase even bigger goals. We couldn't be prouder." Never a dull moment! Subscribe to the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and stay one step ahead with local news and information you just can't get anywhere else.

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Breaking Through: Decorah Girls Tennis Reaches Final Four