Decorah’s ‘super’ season lands five in girls’ tennis state tournament

WATERLOO – Their parents call it their 'superpower.'

Spend a few minutes with Annika Krieg and Anna Spencer, and it's hard to deny the influence of a bright smile and unflappable positivity in a pressure-packed girls' tennis tournament.

The Decorah doubles partners are banking on a powerful game to go with their stellar intangibles when the Class 1A individual state tournament begins Thursday at Waterloo's Byrnes Park.

District champions Krieg and Spencer are two of five members of the Decorah girls' tennis team to qualify for the individual state tournament. Seniors Katelyn Yee and Kelsey Kruse are also playing doubles, while junior Kally Peterson will compete in the singles bracket.

'We're all just so supportive and connected as a team,' Krieg said. 'We're all super-encouraging towards each other.'

'But we also get after it in practices,' Spencer added. 'We're not going easy on anybody.'

Krieg and Spencer are first-year playing partners with a friendship and communicative cohesion that quickly translated to success on the court. While Spencer has played since elementary school, Krieg only switched from track and field to tennis during her sophomore year.

Their respective games are also a complement to each other. While Spencer is most comfortable patrolling the baseline, Krieg aggressively attacks the net. Still, like any good doubles duo, banding together produces the greatest results.

'Coming up together to the net is where we're the strongest,' Krieg said.

With five individual state tournament qualifiers – plus a berth in Saturday's team state semifinals – it has been a landmark season in the incredible 40-year tenure of Decorah Coach Larry Berland.

'I love the job,' Berland said. 'How can you not love it when you work with people that I'm working with? It's just a great sport and it really puts one person on a court at a time against somebody else. It's a growth process. So many of the girls come out of this better people because they've had to lay it on the line and they've had to come through under pressure. And I just love being part of that.'

Mount Vernon's Josia Vandersall and Wynne Vandersall are also part of the doubles field in Class 1A.

The Class 2A individual state tournament also begins Thursday at Veterans Memorial Tennis Center in Cedar Rapids.

Iowa City West freshman Emma Koch is seeded fourth in the singles bracket, while sisters Magui Caro and Vale Caro of Cedar Rapids Prairie are the two seed in doubles. Cedar Rapids Washington juniors Kelly King and Hannah Sherman are seeded fourth in doubles.

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