Prep Athletes of the Week: Tenzin Tsephel led Edina to repeat of badminton state title

Edina • badminton

Tsephel is a trendsetter.

The two-year captain led Edina to its second consecutive badminton team state championship with a 7-0 victory over St. Paul Johnson in the finals. A year ago, Edina became the first school not from St. Paul to win the title since Eden Prairie in 2001.

“It was really shocking last year. I didn’t think we would make it that far. It was amazing,” Tsephel said. “This year was nerve-racking as the top seed. There was more pressure on us.”

Tsephel beat St. Paul Johnson’s Ruth Thaw Gyi 21-8, 23-21 at No. 1 singles in the championship match.

“When we played St. Paul Johnson I told the girls it was time to send a message, which they did loud and clear,” Hornets assistant coach Margo Henke said. “Tenzin helped coach us to a 4-3 victory over St. Paul Highland Park [in the semifinals]. We will miss her.”

Tsephel played doubles as a freshman before moving to singles in 2021. “I’m more of an independent player when I’m playing singles,” she said.

“I had mixed emotions,” said Tsephel, who finished third in the singles individual competition at the state tournament after losing in the round of 16 the previous season. “It was nice to end it on a really good note. It was the perfect way to end the season.”

Spring Lake Park • golf

Birdwell appears positioned to defend his Class 3A individual state championship. He shot a 7-under-par 65 to win a three-team meet at Bunker Hills Golf Club, the site of the state tournament. He won last year’s state tournament by two strokes, with a low round of 66. A senior headed to Illinois for college, he is ranked No. 1 in the state by the Minnesota Golf Association, and Spring Lake Park is No. 1 in the team rankings.

Chaska • softball

A senior who pitches and plays second base, Coppersmith has been a tough out in the Hawks’ past three victories, going 7-for-8 with six walks and one hit by pitch. She scored 10 runs and drove in nine. She’s 4-1 with two saves in the circle, and she has made only one error in 70 chances at second base for a fielding percentage of .985. “Corina is someone we can rely on to always keep us in the game,” Hawks coach Dennis Draughn said. “Hands down one of the best players I ever coached, and any coach would dream to have a player like Corina on their roster.”

A junior lefthanded pitcher, Johnson is 3-1, his only loss 1-0 to Farmington. He has given up only two earned runs this season. At the plate, Johnson recently hit a two-out, two-run double to break a tie in the 18th inning of Shakopee’s 10-2 victory over Prior Lake. “Nick has been locked in for quite some time now,” Sabers coach Eric Schmitz said. “He understands how to pitch and has the determination to go out and beat anyone.”

St. Paul Highland Park • badminton

Vang became the Scots’ third consecutive badminton singles state champion, winning Thursday at Edina High School. The senior outlasted St. Paul Harding’s Kimberly Tabor 21-19, 18-21, 21-13 in the final. “Her ability to stay calm, adapt to her opponent’s skills and to focus on one play at a time is what got her to this state title,” Scots coach Brianna Pischke said. Vang, 30-1 and ranked No. 1 in the state, became the school’s fourth singles state champion.

Maple Grove • golf

Stendahl, ranked fourth by the Minnesota Golf Association, shot a 5-under-par 67 to earn medalist honors and lead No. 5 Maple Grove to the team title in a 12-team Northwest Suburban Conference meet at Logger’s Trail Golf Course in Stillwater. “Ryan is gaining more confidence with each match we play,” Crimson coach John Schetinski said.

A junior captain, Anderson is a big reason Holy Angels finished the regular season 14-2 and ranked No. 8 in Class 3A by the coaches association. A catcher who also has played outfield and first base, she hit .679 with 29 RBI and 29 runs scored. “Anya is focused and dedicated to working on continually improving her softball skills and contributing to the team,” Stars coach Jackie Poidinger said. “She has a very high IQ of the game, is a reliable teammate, and a leader on the field.”

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