Oct. 26—ROCHESTER — There were no girls tennis state team titles for Rochester Mayo before players such as Aoife Loftus, Malea Diehn, Eli Elder and others showed up to play on the varsity as seventh graders.
There were lots and lots of trips to the state tournament — the Spartans went 23 out of 24 years — but they had never won it all.
Times changed. Mayo got better, and better, and better and better. By the time Loftus, Diehn and Elder were freshmen, the Spartans had done it. That was the first year they won it all, claiming the Class 2A state championship title, romping past a dynastic Edina team 6-1.
Mayo hasn't failed to win one since. This week at the University of Minnesota's Baseline Tennis Center, seniors Loftus, Diehn, Elder, Diane Meunier and Ella Brinkman will attempt to go out in style.
That five-some and the rest of the Spartans are seeking to further their mini dynasty, gunning for their fourth straight state championship.
The Spartans are ranked No.1 in the state, are 18-1 and haven't lost to a Minnesota team since the 2022 state championship match.
They had their 81-match win streak snapped on Aug. 29 when two-time Wisconsin state champion Brookfield East beat them 4-3. But that was without reigning Class 2A singles state champion Loftus in the Mayo lineup.
Yes, the Spartans are soaring and have a confidence that is at an all-time high.
"I know there are a lot of seniors who are graduating from our team this year," Loftus said. "To make it four years in a row that we'd win it would be amazing for our seniors and for Mayo tennis."
When Mayo takes on unranked Stillwater at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the first round of the state tournament, it will mark the 14th straight year that Mayo has played in the event and the 29th time in the last 30 years.
A constant in all of this has been head coach Jeff Demaray.
Just as these state tourneys never get old for his players, they also don't for the 59-year-old Demaray.
"All of us are really excited about this coming week," Demaray said. "The girls have put in the time and are ready to go. We are playing our best tennis right now. We played a nice (Section 1-2A) final against (No. 6-) ranked Century (winning 6-1), so we feel good. But there will be a lot of good teams up there. Stillwater is our first (opponent) and they're not ranked. But it has to be one match at a time."
The team figuring to challenge the Spartans most in the eight-team field is Edina. The Hornets are ranked No. 2 in the state and like Mayo are loaded at the top of their lineup. They could potentially meet in Wednesday's 4 p.m. state final.
Edina's Rashi Singh is ranked third overall and Bella Loucks is 10th.
But that still doesn't match up with Mayo. The Spartans have the top two ranked players in the state, Loftus at No. 1 and Diehn at No. 2. They also have the ninth-ranked player, Elder.
In all of his years of coaching Mayo tennis, Demaray has never had such a loaded singles lineup.
With Loftus and Diehn taking turns playing No. 1 singles, the other playing No. 2 singles and Elder at No. 3, the Spartans become almost untouchable. And Demaray points out that his doubles teams have improved immensely since the beginning of the season.
Mayo likes its chances.
Is Lake City in the infant steps of becoming the next Lourdes of Section 1, Class A girls tennis?
No, no. Way too soon to say that. Lourdes wasn't just a section juggernaut, it owned the state in Class 1A girls tennis. From 1997 until 2006 the Eagles won 10 straight state championships.
So, the Tigers aren't getting ahead of themselves, but simply enjoying where they are at right now. For the second straight year, they are state bound. One week ago they beat Cannon Falls 4-3 in the section title dual to advance to a state tournament that begins Tuesday at Inner City Tennis in Minneapolis.
The Tigers, brimming with talent at the top of their singles lineup, are seeded fourth in the two-day event. They take on No. 5-seed Foley at 8 a.m. in the first round.
Lake City, which finished sixth at state last year, brings with it a 17-1 record, its only loss during the regular season to a Cannon Falls team that it beat two out of three times this fall.
Defending state champion St. James is the top seed. First-round wins by both teams would pit them against each other in the 8 a.m. Wednesday semifinal dual.
"This is an exciting time in the program's history," third-year Tigers coach Nick Dudley said. "It's just a unique opportunity, getting to go to state. There is a lot of excitement and positivity right now."
Dudley was unsure what he had in terms of talent when this season started. That had everything to do with all of the players it graduated last spring — five of them.
But with players such as junior Therese Bauer (ranked seventh in the state), eighth-grader Gemma Bauer and junior Rylee Thieren occupying its first three singles spots, the Tigers are a handful. Therese Bauer is 19-1, Gemma Bauer 21-1 and Thieren 21-0.
"We'll take our chances on winning it all," Dudley said. "Anytime you're that strong at the top of your lineup, you're glad to get the opportunity to play."
Dudley said comparing last year's team to this one is tough. He's not sure which one is better. With five seniors graduating last year, they are very different.
"Last year was so senior-heavy," he said. "But as far as talent, I'd say they are neck and neck."