Adam Papin/MDN Minot junior Grayson Schaeffer returns a backhand during practice last week, as the Magicians prepare for the upcoming season.

Despite losing five of seven players to graduation and several more to Minot North, the Minot High boys’ tennis team isn’t rebuilding. At least not according to head coach Scott Delorme.

“We definitely don’t like to think of it as a rebuild,” said Delorme. “We have very good players here. We have players that we know are capable of competing at a high level. Not only in the region, but across the state, so we’re going to judge our success on the season outcome.”

Rival coaches in the Western Dakota Association don’t seem to think Minot is rebuilding either. They voted Minot to repeat as WDA and West Region champions for a third straight year, just edging out Legacy.

While the Magi lack a single senior on the roster, they do have two talented juniors returning.

Aidan Diehl and Grayson Schaeffer both contributed to Minot’s second-place finish at last year’s state tournament.

“We bring back our top two, two very good players in Diehl and Schaeffer, who we’re going to lean on very heavily, especially early in the year,” said Delorme. “We do have some juniors and some younger pieces to play behind it. It’s going to be different to start, but by the end of the year, our goal will be the same. And that’s to compete for the West Region title.”

Challenging Minot for the WDA title will be the always strong Legacy, and Mandan will also be a strong contender, according to Delorme.

“Mandan has two very good players at the top of their lineup,” said Delorme. “So, in a 3-2 format [where three singles matches and two doubles matches are played], they’re going to be a dangerous team.”

He also cited Bismarck as a team with some players at the top of the lineup who can compete well against Minot.

“It’s going to be fun to see how it shakes out as the year goes on,” he said.

The Magi have made a point of scheduling trips east to play schools like Valley City, Fargo Davies and Shanley during the regular season to help prepare them for the state tournament.

“We really think we need to see that level of competition early on, and we did that last year,” said Delorme. “I think it helped us as the year went on.”

Minot High has a good barometer for where they stand when it gets its season underway this weekend. Minot High hosts the Minot Round Robin Tournament at Hammond Park on Friday and Saturday, when it will welcome all the teams in the West Region.

“It will be a good test for us to kind of see where we stack up early. Win or lose Friday, that’s not the team we’re going to be at the end of September, and we’re excited about that,” said Delorme.

Minot will take on Century at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 25, before playing Bismarck at 2 p.m. that afternoon. They will close out a busy day when they take on Jamestown at 5 p.m.