For the third time in five years, Sioux Falls Christian has won the ‘A’ boys state tennis championship. The Chargers won all nine flights, six in singles and three in doubles, to capture a dominating win from the Huether Family Match Pointe facility in Sioux Falls on Tuesday.
Sioux Falls Christian scored an impressive 600 points in the two-day stretch. Rapid City Christian came in second with 390.5, St. Thomas More placed third with 363, Huron took fourth with 261, and Pierre rounded out the top 5 with 244.5.
Most coaches will tell you it’s impossible to be completely perfect in tennis, but as a team, you’ll never find an overall performance closer to perfection than what Sioux Falls Christian did this year at the Class A boy's' tourney.
“It was our goal [to win every flight]. These guys really came out and they played their best tennis both yesterday and today. I am super proud of just the way that they executed all their shots and stayed confident in all situations,” said Chargers head coach John Williams. “I'm just very thankful for all the hard work that they put in on and off the court this year.”
Mitchell Hofer (singles flight 1), Rex Lefever (singles flight 2), Jack Squier (singles flight 3), Elijah Lindgren (singles flight 4), Logan Boyle (singles flight 5), and Aaron Soroka (singles flight 6) were the individual flight state champions in the event. Again, all from Sioux Falls Christian. Hofer and Squier then won doubles flight 1, Lefever and Boyle won doubles flight 2, and Lindgren and Soroka won doubles flight 3.
A year ago, Sioux Falls Christian won the state championship and claimed five of the nine flights. For a team littered with youth, the direction was to continue going up and raising the bar.
“I would say it is a more focused team this year. I think there was some, even with winning the state title last year, there was some disappointment of maybe not winning certain flights,” explained coach Williams. “And the boys were coming into this season and the state tournament with that desire and that hunger to not leave that on the table this year and to get it all.”
Aaron Soroka, who worked his way onto the varsity roster this season for the Chargers, is the lone senior on the team.
“I've always wanted to be varsity at Sioux Falls Christian, and last year I was eight and I probably put in the most hours on my team over the winter,” Soroka told. “I did 15 total tournaments, and I managed to get [the sixth spot]. I'm very happy about that, and very happy to take the (SF6) state title home.”
As an upperclassman, Soroka said it’s important to be a role model to the younger players on the team.
“I play with Elijah (Lindgren). He's an eighth grader in doubles, and I've always tried to set a good example over him not to cheat, always play honestly,” he said. “Respect your other teammates. That's what I always encourage underclassmen to do.”
Coach Williams, along with being excited about the players coming back next year for his team, is pleased with the way tennis currently sits in South Dakota. The facilities in the state keep getting better, and it’s because there’s a demand for the sport.
“I do feel the sport is healthy in South Dakota and just talking with the other coaches across the state, they are all great men and women who are just fully invested into their teams,” stated Williams. “They're actively getting new players out there and falling in love with tennis and playing. I feel that tennis is alive and thriving, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here.”
The 2026 ‘A’ boys state tennis tournament will take place in Rapid City at the recently renovated Sioux Park complex.
For full results of the 2025 'A' boys state tennis tournament, click here.
