The Dimond tennis team has held its own this season, winning matches against big competition schools and ranking first in the Cook Inlet Conference (CIC).

Taking second place next to South Anchorage High in the CIC, Dimond had high hopes for the Regional Championships.

While the team did not make it to state, pairs in boys, girls and mixed doubles as well as boys singles went on to the state championship.

At State, Senior Derek Stone got second for boys singles, and mixed doubles partners Senior Alden Butzke and Senior Piper Laudon won second as well.

The boys doubles team of Senior Isaiah Mills and Senior Sean Carey were seated in third place after the regional championships, going on to win fourth at State.

Seated third for girls doubles going into the championships, Sophomores Kate and Layna Debenham are twin sisters that took home the gold at State.

Dimond’s tennis team players are proud of how they have done this season and are supportive of their teammates.

Stone said, “Based on the number of actual tennis players we have, we did really well getting second. We overachieved.”

Junior Nikira Lane has been a member of the team since freshman year and is happy with how the team has performed against other schools this season.

South Anchorage High is one of Dimond’s biggest competitors and has challenged the team.

Lane said for her girls doubles matches that, “They’re pretty good. They’re very consistent, but we beat them once and many of our matches were very close tie breakers.”

Butzke said in the mixed doubles division that, “South is the only team we lost to this season. They were undefeated three years in a row until this season when we beat them in the regular season. They’re our only competition.”

Going into the season, Dimond’s team was feeling pretty confident in its players.

Lane said, “We knew coming into this year we were going to have a pretty strong boys team, but I think the girls side of the team really stepped up to be able to keep us in the top this year.”

Senior Kenzie Lindemann, who has been a part of the Dimond tennis team for two years, said, “We were undefeated until the Cook Inlet Conference, which is a whole team competition. We were undefeated until then, like we beat every single team, even South and West which are our biggest competition. It was crazy that we did so well in the season.”

Lindemann said, “We are very even with most of our teams. Most of our teams match up pretty well, and it almost always goes to a tie breaker.”

Laudon has been playing on Dimond’s team for all four years of high school, and this season played alongside Butzke in mixed doubles.

The matches were so close in State, that any of the top teams could have taken first.

Laudon said, “As a team we tried really really hard. My first match in State was so challenging, and Alden and I tried our hardest. The top four teams were so close. That day we got fourth, but a different day we could have gotten first.”

Butzke agreed saying, “It was disappointing to get fourth, but we were all so close that on any given day any of us could have won.”

Either way, Laudon and Stone ended their final season of tennis proud of their team.

Laudon said, “I genuinely enjoy tennis like I really like it. I spend so much time on it, and I like to represent my school. We did really well.”

Stone said, “It is a really great way to get out. It’s a sport to play for life. Dimond’s tennis team is a dynasty in the making.”

Dimond tennis held its own this season, giving the competition a run for its money.