Rain delays, humid conditions and thunder did not dampen the competition or hinder good times during the Hub City Open.
The tournament featured several former high school tennis players from Aberdeen back at the Northern State University courts.
Mirra Frohling played in both women’s doubles and mixed doubles divisions. The Aberdeen Central alum teamed with former teammate Alice Vogel in the women’s doubles event.
Mirra Frohling, right, high-fives doubles partner Alice Vogel during their opening-round doubles match Saturday, July 26 in the Hub City Open on the Northern State tennis courts. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Mirra Frohling leans into a backhand during her Hub City Open mixed doubles match Saturday, July 26 on the Northern State tennis courts. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
“I play once a month, maybe, and it’s usually right before this tournament to try and knock some rust off,” Frohling said. “I like playing here because it’s my home, and I grew up playing tennis here. It’s just fun to come back and see a lot of people you grew up playing with.”
During her senior season at Central, Frohling teamed with Olivia Goetz to win the No. 1 doubles title at the Eastern South Dakota Conference tournament.
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Her teammate last weekend was Alice Vogel, who was a freshman when Frohling was a senior for the Golden Eagles. When Vogel was a senior, she and her partner Emily Ringgenberg also captured the ESD No. 1 doubles title.
“Our era of tennis doubles were always stronger than singles, and I think it kind of was the same for Alice’s time, too,” Frohling said. “It was pretty cool being out there with her. Doubles are fun because you’re out there with someone else.”
Currently enrolled in the nursing program at Minnesota State Mankato, Frohling said she plans on returning as often as she can to play in the Hub City Open.
She and Vogel fell in the women’s doubles semifinals.
Frohling and her mixed doubles partner Colton Hellwig also lost in the semifinals.
The Hub City Open was Friday, July 25 and Saturday July 26.
Colton Hellwig hits a forehand while Isaiah Vilhauer plays the net as the former high school teammates took part in the men’s doubles division at the Hub City Open tennis tournament on Saturday, July 26 on the Northern State courts. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Former Roncalli teammates return to high school venue
A pair of former Aberdeen Roncalli partners battled in the men’s doubles division.
Isaiah Vilhauer and Colton Hellwig advanced to the semifinals where they were defeated by Jordan Koushkouski and Isaac Mimong of Jamestown, N.D.
Vilhauer, who graduated from Aberdeen Christian, admitted he doesn’t spend as much time on the court as he used to.
“I don’t. I don’t play tennis often, so it’s fun to get back out and play, and I really need to do it more,” he said.
Isaiah Vilhauer hits a backhand during his doubles match Saturday, July 26 in the Hub City Open on the Northern State courts. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo
He and Hellwig won their first match in straight sets Saturday.
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“It was good. Felt like I knocked off a little rust, and every groundstroke I hit got a little more familiar and felt more how I’m used to playing,” Vilhauer said. “The competitiveness will always be there, we’ll just see if the strokes will. I need to catch up to where I was, but it was a good start, for sure.”
Hellwig said the Hub City Open is always on his calendar.
“I always love coming up here seeing my family and friends and playing against people you’re familiar with. Sometimes it’s the only chance you get to see them, and so it’s totally worth coming back. It’s just a lot of fun,” he said.
Hellwig said he plays in a recreational league in Watertown.
After the opening match, Vilhauer said the court he and Hellwig played was the site of a special moment in his high school career.
“Oh, gosh, this court we were just on was probably where I had the best win of my life, so this court means a lot to me,” he said. “When I was a sophomore I beat Kevin Shan from Madison. Kevin was very good, and I had no business beating him, so I caught him on an off day.”
Hellwig was also nostalgic.
“Oh, it definitely brings back memories from when you played in high school. Isaiah and I were talking about it on the drive up, just some of the players we played back then and some of the matches we won and lost. It’s just cool to be back where tennis started for us,” Hellwig said.
Playing in the Hub City Open is always a good time, Vilhauer said, because he gets to see some familiar faces, and the tournament is a big part of tennis in Aberdeen.
Alice Vogel and her dad John rush the net during their mixed doubles match Saturday, July 26 in the Hub City Open on the Northern State courts. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Fathers team up with their kids in mixed doubles
The tournament always draws teams composed of family members.
Vogel played alongside her father John in mixed doubles and made it to the semifinals before losing to the eventual champs, Cason Hellwig and Comstock.
John was Alice’s coach when she played for Central.
Aberdeen’s John Vogel hits a backhand slice approach during his singles match Saturday, July 26 in the Hub City Open. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
“I do play periodically, but obviously not following such a strict schedule like in high school where it’s tennis in the morning, then a break, then tennis in the afternoon,” she said. “It’s been more for fun now where I’ll go hit with my dad or my sisters. When I come home from school on a weekend or Christmas, we’ll hit at the indoor court downtown. I like playing, but it’s not as intense as it used to be for me.”
John said he has no plans to stop playing.
“Tennis is so fun, and if the young people are playing it, well, then I have to play the young people,” he said. “Hey, I’ve been playing this tournament since I moved back to town over 20 years ago and was on the younger end then, now I’m on the older end. When you keep playing the game, at one point you become the older guy.”
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John said it’s fun to battle some of the players he taught at Central. With that experience, he said he knows which shots to try against them.
Alice said playing doubles with her dad still has a little coach-player vibe.
“It’s fun, but, you know, yeah, I’m playing with my dad, but I’m also playing with my coach, and he takes it a little more seriously than me. On occasion if you make a bad shot it becomes a quick lesson instead of a laugh-it-off kind of thing, but it’s fun because I get to play with my dad and still get to learn a couple things from him.”
John hoped to play men’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
“I turned 50 this year and my goal was to play everything, but I’m just doing men’s singles and mixed doubles with Alice, and if I get a break in between the matches, I’ll be fine. Well, ask me tomorrow because that may change,” he said Saturday.
Gannon Pederson, left, and his father Todd low-five each other after winning a game during their doubles match at the Hub City Open Saturday, July 26 on the Northern State courts. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Gannon Pederson and his father Todd played in the men’s doubles event.
For nearly a decade, Gannon has played in the Hub City Open, but this was the first time for his father, Todd.
“I finally brought it up to him and asked if he would play,” Gannon said. “I’d brought it up to him before, but he always declined, but this year he said yes, so it was a surprise.”
But why now?
“We’ve hit a few times and it’s always fun, but it’s different playing a real match and that was always a part of it. But this year I just said, ‘What the heck?’ It’s been my first tennis competition since high school, and the ground strokes were pretty awful, but I still feel pretty comfortable at the net,” Todd said
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He had a simple philosophy.
“I kept the ball in play and Gannon hit all the winners, that’s pretty much how it worked,” Todd said.
For Gannon, it was a fun experience.
“It’s pretty cool seeing him next to me out there,” he said, “And to see the level he’s playing at considering his age and that he doesn’t play a lot out here is pretty remarkable.”