GRAND FORKS,N.D. (NewsDakota.com)- Blake Triebold was the lone Hi-Liner to qualify for the state individuals tournament. He did so by taking the 8th and final state qualifying bid from the Eastern Dakota Conference. He is the first Hi-Liner in seven years to qualify for the singles tournament.
As he was the 8th seed from the East, he lined up against the #1 seed from the West in the first round. That would be his first and only loss of the tournament, Triebold won out the rest of the tournament and with his 5th place finish became the first Hi-Liner to earn all state honors in 15 years.
Results:
Opening Round:
#8E Blake Triebold lost to #1W Miachael Janes (Bismarck Legacy) 6-0, 6-0
Consolation First Round:
#8E Blake Triebold defeated #5W Isaac Mimong (Jamestown) 6-0, 6-2
Consolation Quarterfinals:
#8E Blake Triebold defeated #3E Michael Hallquist (Fargo North) 6-4, 6-4
Consolation Semifinals:
#8E Blake Triebold defeated #4W Rory Taney (Minot) 7-6(6), 6-4
Consolation Finals (5th place match):
#8E Blake Triebold defeated #5E Koby Kuenzel (Grand Forks Red River) 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
Coach’s Comments
Ummmm…I’m still in shock. I’ve witnessed some upsets. I’ve coached some upsets. But this was surreal. Next is the narrative to Blake’s tournament.
Blake did beat Mimong earlier in the season, so we knew we had a chance to get to the consolation quarterfinals. In that match, we played Michael Hallquist that beat Blake in three sets outdoors at Fargo North in the regular season and then rolled Blake 6-1, 6-1 at the regional tournament. Blake played loose and patiently aggressive. Blake played each point to win and never got frustrated. As the 8 seed and playing someone that he was just dominated by the prior weekend, Blake had nothing to lose. Blake had a match point at 5-4 deuce. If he wins, he plays on Saturday. If he loses that point, it is 5-5 and a brand new match. Blake played it aggressive and got to the net. Hallquist sent up an OK lob which Blake got back to the service line for and ripped an overhead winner to finish the match! Wow!
After watching his semifinal opponent on Friday evening, we thought Blake had a chance again, but it would be tough against a player that just keeps the ball in play and occasionally hits monster forehands. Again, Blake played his role of the underdog to perfection, just playing tennis and not getting frustrated. Blake had plenty of opportunities to close out games in the first set handily, but his opponent would turn it on and win several points in a row to take those games that should have been out of reach. Then, several of the points lasted more than a minute, hitting around forty balls before the point would be won or lost. Taney came back to go up 5-4 40-30 with two set points. Blake played those points aggressive and won both to go to 5-5 and eventually force a tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, Blake got up 6-3 before tightening up and losing the next three set points. At 6-6, he got over his fear of losing and closed out the set 8-6.
In the second set, Taney went up 2-0 40-15 when Blake came back to win the next three points to go to 1-2. Blake was down 4-3 and won the final three games in a row to win the match. He played to win while his opponent played tentative and that was the difference in the match. By winning this match, Blake guaranteed himself a state plaque and either a 5th or 6th place finish.
In the consolation finals, Blake played a Red River player that beat him last year and this year at regionals. Koby is a good player that can take over the net if his opponent lets him. Blake played very high quality tennis, coming to the net when the opportunity presented itself and hitting to Koby’s backhand. Koby went up 5-4 and had a set point on deuce. Blake played aggressive again and Koby dumped Blake’s approach shot in the net. Blake went on to win the next two games to win the set. In the second set, Koby caught fire and we had a lull. Also, Blake tweaked his shoulder. As the trainer wasn’t on site, Blake finished the set out and lost 6-2.
We took the full 10 minute break between the 2nd and 3rd set to relax and refocus. Then, at the end of the 10 minutes, the trainer showed up to evaluate Blake’s shoulder. She said he most likely just stretched his nerve as he had tingling down the arm into the hand. The pain and tingling was almost gone by the time he started the third set. In the third, Koby went up 2-0 and was cruising to 3-0 when the wheels started coming off. Inexplicably, Koby started hitting shots out that he didn’t miss in the first 2 sets. Koby was up 2-1 and then 3-2. At that time, Blake just kept his foot on the gas while Koby’s game eroded. To Blake’s credit, he fought for every point for that entire last four games, winning it 6-3. With that win, he took 5th place at state and he automatically earned All-State honors.
Blake’s entire tournament is an underdog story that will live in Valley City tennis lore. Blake didn’t start truly playing tennis until 8th grade. He hasn’t had professional coaching. He is undersized for his age. He doesn’t have refined strokes. He is only a sophomore. Yet – by his own sheer will, he made himself into the tennis player that he is and then executed his game plan to perfection at the state tournament.
Just look at the rankings for his four upsets. He is the 8 seed from the east that ran the table beating the 5 seed from the west, the 3 seed from the east, the 4 seed from the west and finally the 5 seed from the east. He was a combined 1-5 against those opponents going into the state tournament. He is the 8 seed from the east that finishes the state tournament 5th behind the 1&2 seeds from the east and west. He earned All-State – a first for Hi-Liner boys in nearly 15 years! Wow.
Talking with Blake afterwards, he said being the 8 seed was actually to his benefit during the tournament. He didn’t have any pressure. He was supposed to lose every match he played. He could be loose and just play the game. He didn’t care about winning, he was just attempting to win each point he faced. He lived the cliché of ‘One point at a time.’
We invited all varsity players to watch Blake, so we had 6 of his teammates, his family, and three coaches cheering him on. Because we are Valley City – small, no indoor courts, and we play the game the right way with sportsmanship and integrity – Blake had many more fans from other teams rooting for him as well. It was a tournament that I won’t ever forget and I’m guessing the same can be said about all who watched him.
I hope that his teammates internalized how Blake played all of his matches and learned. Blake never gave up. He persevered through everything. He never lost focus. He kept finding ways to play each opponent and then executed that strategy. He anticipated. He was always moving. He attempted to win each point. He gave 100% physically and mentally. I hope his teammates took note – because if we have a team full of players with Blake’s mentality, we could be a scary team next season!
I’m proud of Blake. Not for the placing. Not for the all-state. Not for winning. I’m proud of Blake because he played the game the way it should be played…all out, 100%, and playing to WIN. I’m proud that he could detach himself from the outcome to just play tennis even in the most pressure filled situations. It was an honor and joy to coach him and his teammates this season.