Look around reveals a tennis injury, a baseball rebuild and a volleyball overachievement

Rochester Mayo's Claire Loftus is out for a bit, and her absence showed in a match against Edina.

September 26, 2022 at 9:57PM
Mayo's Claire Loftus took on Bemidji's Savannah Haugen in the singles match-up in the Class 2A quarterfinals of the girls' tennis state tournament at the Baseline Tennis Center, Tuesday, October 26, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN. ] ELIZABETH FLORES • liz.flores@startribune.com
Rochester Mayo’s Claire Loftus, ranked fourth in Class 2A singles, has an injured wrist. (Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Rochester Mayo sophomore Claire Loftus, the Spartans' top girls' tennis player and ranked No. 4 in Class 2A by the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association, will be sidelined for two weeks because of a wrist injury.

Her absence showed Friday in her team's 6-1 loss to Edina. The teams shared the No. 2 spot in the rankings.

Rochester Mayo is scheduled to take on defending state champion and top-ranked Minnetonka this week.

Cretin-Derham Hall baseball standouts commit

Cretin-Derham Hall's baseball team hasn't finished above .500 since 2018. Can three Division I recruits — senior Jack Taxdahl and juniors Jake Quinn and P.J. Jones — and a new coach turn that around?

Those three players have given verbal commitments to Big Ten schools. Taxdahl, a catcher/pitcher/infielder, and Quinn, a shortstop/outfielder, are headed to the Gophers. Jones, a pitcher/first baseman/outfielder, said last week he will play for Maryland.

The Raiders on Friday named 1994 graduate Buzz Hannahan their interim coach. A seven-year assistant at the school, he replaces Mike Kvasnicka, who left to take a position with the Gophers.

Marshall knocks off powers

Marshall, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association, wasn't intimidated when it matched up with the Class 4A powers in the 45th Apple Valley Eagle Invitational.

The Tigers handed Northfield, then No. 1 in Class 4A, its first setback of the season, 25-14, 25-19 in the quarterfinals, swept then-No. 5 Champlin Park 25-21, 25-22 in the semifinals and topped then-No. 3 Lakeville North 25-17, 25-19 for the championship.

Marshall has four starters back from its championship group last season. They are Brooke Andries, Caitlyn Christenson, Leah Jones and Randi Wendorff.

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Ron Haggstrom

Prep Sports Reporter

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Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.

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