For the third straight year, and fifth in the past six, Rapid City Stevens is celebrating a girl’s state team tennis championship. The Raiders scored a field high 479 points throughout the event to win the title.

In all nine flights, six singles and three doubles, Stevens either placed first, second, or third.

Ella Potvin won the individual title in singles flight 1, and then she teamed up with Bella Nelson to win doubles flight 1. Presley Carlson (singles flight 4), Baylee Callahan (singles flight 5), and Nyla Rouse (singles flight 6) placed second. Callahan and Alexandra Braun also took runner-up for doubles flight 3. Bella Nelson (singles flight 2) and Kaia Carlson (singles flight 3) finished in third place, along with the Carlson duo in doubles flight 2.

“I think we just have such a great dynamic, and we're so close on the court and off the court, and then we're just there to hold each other mentally, especially during the tough and close matches,” said Kaia Carlson.

Bella Nelson also added to the special chemistry with the team.

“I think we all just have so much fun together, and our dynamic is so great, she explained. “And so, no matter what's going on in the court, we all get along well and we have fun.”

For Ella Potvin, she appreciates the support that the program has off the court – especially from someone close to her.

“My mom, for sure,” she stated. “She coaches me in the off season and is my loudest cheerleader all the time.”

Ella’s mom Fiorina (Oddo) Potvin also played tennis for Rapid City Stevens under head coach Jason Olson. She won the doubles flight one championship with partner Whitney Paluch in 2006. It was the last time that Stevens won the doubles flight one title until this year when her daughter Ella did it with teammate Bella.

“These girls keep me up with non-tennis things more than they keep me up with tennis,” said coach Olson. “I think that this title, of all, was the most difficult because we returned a whole new team, and nobody else that was on the podium today lost what we lost. For these kids, it just shows you a testament of how hard they worked. And we have a great coaching staff.”

Sioux Falls Lincoln finished runner-up as a team with 462.5 points. After that it was O’Gorman placing third with 403.5, Mitchell in fourth with 285, and Harrisburg rounding out the top-5 in fifth with 282.

Coach Olson has been the glue of the Stevens tennis program for more than three decades now. And despite his hall of fame recognitions in recent years, and the numerous state championships with both the boys’ and girls’ programs, he always gives credit back to the kids.

“I love it, you know. I've been doing this for 30 years. Our girls have been first or second a lot, he said. “That's just a testament of really good kids.”

Stevens will graduate a total of five seniors this spring off their roster. Two of them, Kaia Carlson and Nyla Rouse, competed at this year’s state tournament.

This year is the ninth state girls’ tennis team title for the program. Another year of success, excellence, and group of kids having fun playing a sport they love.