Some of Mitchell Hofer’s best tennis memories have taken place in Aberdeen, and he added to that treasure chest this week during the C.C. Lee Tennis Tournament at the Northern State courts.

Hofer, who moved to Sioux Falls a year ago, was back in town to compete in the tourney that he grew up with.

“A lot of it was seeing my friends, because I haven’t been here in a while, playing with AJ (Prehn) my old doubles partner and I’m defending champ,” Hofer said. “I wanted to defend my title.”

Hofer had little trouble doing that, dropping just four games in three matches on the way to winning the boys’ 18 and Under singles championship. He also teamed with Prehn to win the doubles title on Tuesday.

“A lot of the memories came back, the nostalgic stuff, when we used to play 2 and 1 doubles my seventh and eighth grade year,” Hofer said of reuniting with Prehn. “Just a lot of memories came back.”

So did the memories from time spent on the courts in the Hub City.

“This is special coming back to Aberdeen,” Hofer said. “It seems a lot smaller than when I left, because of Sioux Falls. These courts and everything, they’re special.”

So was Hofer’s initial season for Sioux Falls Christian which ended with him capturing the State A championship at first flight singles.

“Wow, it was special. That was a moment, I’ve never felt anything like that before,” Hofer said. He recalled being up 5-4 in the opening set, and having a huge deuce point. “I ended up winning that and after that I kind of took control of the second set. I played some of my best tennis, and it’s just a great feeling.”

PITCHER PERFECT PERFORMANCE

One of the top up and coming players from North Dakota took center stage at the C.C. Lee. Playing up two age divisions, 12-year-old Jenny Pitcher of Bismarck won the girls’ 16 and Under singles championship.

“I play up because I want to have more challenge in my matches,” Pitcher said, “and it gives me a chance to play more people and become a better player.”

Pitcher displayed a variety of shots from slice serves to half volleys to up the line backhand return of serves.

“I’m pretty good at moving people around and I think that’s a good skill to have,” she said.

Pitcher has a coach she works with and grew up with two brothers who were accomplished players.

“I play with my older brothers a lot. They were both good tennis players,” Pitcher said. “They were both number one on the Century team as well.”

Pitcher, who will be in seventh grade this fall, is hoping to land a spot on the Century varsity squad. In the meantime she will try to seek out the best competition she can find this summer, even if means suffering a defeat or two.

“You’re not going to win every match,” Pitcher said, “but I’m always up for a challenge.”

GRINDING OUT A CHAMPIONSHIP

Nobody spent more time on the court Tuesday than Matthew Christen of Mandan, N.D. The 13-year-old won a semifinal singles match, before a marathon to win the singles championship, and then teamed with his brother, Jared to win a doubles title.

Christen dropped the opening set of his singles final before battling back to pull out a super-tiebreaker win in a match that lasted more than two hours.

“It totally sucked losing that first set in a tiebreaker,” Christen said. “It was hard to get in that mindset in that second and third set.”

However, Christen altered his game and took control of the rest of the match for the victory.

“I switched up my game by being more aggressive, coming to the net, hitting my serve harder,” Christen said.

When told he will likely remember that victory for a while, Christen responded, “Yeah, probably going to feel it for a while, too.”

Christen played number four on the varsity team as a seventh-grader last season. Quite a contrast from his appearance in the C.C. Lee two years ago when Christen said “I don’t think I won a match.”

The difference between then and now?

“I just think that I have got that winning mindset now,” Christen said. “It’s all about in the head.”

MAKING MAJOR STRIDES

Christen wasn’t the only player that has shown noticeable improvement.

Last year Sarah Knie lost in the opening round of the C.C. Lee. This year the 12-year-old made it all the way to the championship match where she lost 12-10 in a super-tiebreaker.

“I’ve kind of just been practicing a lot and playing against people in tournaments during the winter,” Knie said of the reason for her improvement, “so I’m like practicing a lot more and not just sitting around.”

While she came up just short in the singles final, Knie was part of the winning team in doubles, against the same foe she lost to in singles.

Knie will be a seventh-grader this fall and hopes to crack the Central varsity roster.

“I want to try to make varsity and try to be the best on the varsity team,” Knie said.

Her sister, Julia, was Central’s top player last season and has helped her younger sister along the way.

“Sometimes I go hit with her and she teaches me things that I need to be taught to help win in tennis tournaments,” Sarah said.

FACING FRIEND AND FOE

Avery Tennant fell in the girls’ 18 and Under singles final to her Central teammate and doubles partner Julia Knie.

“We always just try to have fun, because we don’t want to mess up what we have for doubles,” Tennant said. “Of course we take it seriously, but we just try to have fun when we’re playing singles.”

While it’s tough facing Knie in singles, having her on the same side is beneficial in doubles.

“I really like having Julia as a partner,” Tennant said. “We always just try to have fun and I think that’s why we do so good all the time is because we just try to have fun all the time.”

The two complement each other, partly because one is right-handed and the other is left-handed.

“I think it helps, because we even each other out then,” Tennant said. “One shot’s a backhand and it’s the other’s forehand, so it’s always someone’s forehand.”

CARRYING ON THE FAMILY TRADITION

There was a familiar name in this year’s C.C. Lee field.

Rhys Nielsen of Sioux Falls was playing in his first C.C. Lee tourney, but his parents are no strangers to the local tennis scene. His dad Drew and uncle Christopher used to play in the tournament, and his mom, the former Melissa Kost, is an accomplished player who used to live in Aberdeen.

“My parents always say, just try your best,” Nielsen said. “It’s my first year at this tournament, so you’ve got to have fun.”

The 12-year-old said his parents have played a key role in his tennis development.

“They’ve come to the park, practiced with me, got up early, helped give me advice,” Nielsen said.

He said the best advice they have given him is to play your game.

Asked what his game was, Nielsen responded, “I’m really good from the baseline, and approach shots is where I’m strongest.”

BOYS’ DIVISION

18 and Under Singles

Mitchell Hofer def. Gannon May, 6-0, 6-0; AJ Prehn def. Mika Dannen, 6-0 6-2.

Championship: Hofer def. Prehn, 6-1, 6-2.

Consolation: Ezra Feickert def. Grady Andrson, 10-3; Brock Anderson def. Landon Tipton, 10-3. Consolation championship: Feickert def. B. Anderson, 10-3.

18 and Under Doubles

Championship: Mitchell Hofer-AJ Prehn def. Matthew Comings-Alexander Comings, 6-3, 6-1.

16 and Under Singles

Jared Christen def. Aric Tennant, 6-2, 6-2; Logan Boyle def. Dawson Pederson, 6-1, 6-1.

Championship: Christen def. Boyle, 6-2, 6-3.

Consolation: Zachary Comings def. Gracin Kaste, 10-3; Cole Haugen def. Max Brosz, 10-2. Consolation championship: Haugen def. Comings, 11-9.

16 and Under Doubles

Championship: Jared Christen-Matthew Christen def. Logan Boyle-Rhys Nielsen, 6-3, 6-1.

14 and Under Singles

Matthew Christen def. Rhys Nielsen, 6-2, 6-2; Quintilian Kruger def. Liam Voehl, 6-1, 6-2.

Championship: Christen def. Kruger, 6-7 (1-7), 7-5, (10-7).

Consolation: Donaven Birdine def. Christian Schuler, 10-1. Consolation championship: Birdine def. Caleb Stoks, 10-4.

GIRLS’ DIVISION

18 and Under Singles

Julia Knie def. Mykaela Jorgenson, 6-0, 6-1; Avery Tennant def. Reese Comstock, 6-0, 6-3.

Championship: Knie def. Tennant 6-1, 6-0.

Consolation championship: Ashley Anguiano Ortega def. Sierra DeWitt, 10-1.

18 and Under Doubles

Championship: Julia Knie-Avery Tennant def. Mykaela Jorgenson-Jorgenson, 6-4, 6-3.

16 and Under Singles

Jenny Pitcher def. Elizabeth Schuh, by default; Daphne Olson def. Elise Roberts, 6-3, 3-6, (10-6).

Championship: Pitcher def. Olson, 6-0, 6-1.

Consolation: Chloe Ladner def. Ravyn Skundberg, 10-2; Anneliese Wells def. Hannah Moderow, 10-4. Consolation championship: Ladner def. Wells, 10-6.

14 and Under Singles

Sarah Knie def. Milena Mavrin, 6-2, 6-2; Mackenzie Boyle def. Penelope Vogel, 6-0, 6-0.

Championship: Boyle def. Knie, 6-4, 1-6, (12-10).

Consolation: Ava Schuler def. Halle Buckhouse, 10-2; Sydney Erdmann def. Rhapsody Lunsetter, 10-1; Schuler def. Baleigh Dannen, 10-3. Consolation championship: Erdmann def. Schuler, 10-4.

14 and Under Doubles

Championship: Sarah Knie-Estelle Riggs def. Mackenzie Boyle-Milena Mavrin, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

12 and Under Singles

(Round Robin) Sydney Bohle def. Khloe Kramp, by default. First Place: Sydney Boyle. Second Place: Raylee Zimmer.