LINDSBORG – Larned’s No. 1 singles Abigail Holt (22-4), No. 2 singles Cassie Manry (24-3) and No. 2 doubles Isabella Bailey/Reese Watkins (26-3) each placed runner-up as the Indians (67) tied Hesston (67) for the Central Kansas League girls tennis title. Larned has won eight consecutive team titles in 2023.
“The girls were excited to win the league title,” said Larned coach Mark Lessard. “That’s the first time we’ve won the girls title. It was really tight with Hesston. We’re thrilled with the finish. Most years, we finish behind Hesston and Smoky Valley.”
Pratt’s Bailey Jackson defeated Holt, 6-2, 5-7 (10-6) in a tiebreaker for the championship. Pratt’s Kate Jackson downed Manry, 6-3, 6-2 for first place.
“That was a tough one at No. 1 singles. We thought Abigail would pull it out. It was close for first,” Lessard said. “With our experience, we knew we’d be strong.”
Hesston’s Jaiden Callahan/Caroline Yoder defeated Bailey/Watkins, 6-2, 6-4 for first place. Larned’s No. 2 doubles Arianna Hemken/Breanna Hemken defeated Hillsboro’s Violet Klein/Cassidy Bernhardt, 6-3, 6-3 for third place.
Hoisington’s No. 1 singles Reese Merlau placed fourth with a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Hesston’s Molly Martin. No. 2 singles Claire Crutcher placed fourth with a hard-fought 6-1, 6-7 (7-2) (10-8) tiebreaker to Hesston’s Aubrey Koehn.
No. 2 doubles Lauren Higgins/Hailey Petersilie placed fifth with 9-5 win over Pratt’s Wendy Candia/Hope Hughes. No. 1 doubles Carly Delzeit/Piper Jacobs placed fourth with a 6-3, 6-3 setback to Smoky Valley’s Kelsee Adam/Kaitlyn Leis.
CENTRAL KANSAS LEAGUE
TEAM TOTALS—1—Larned 67; 1—Hesston 67; 3—Pratt 55; 4—Smoky Valley 53; 5—Hoisington 47; 6—Hillsboro 31; 7—Haven 21; 8—Lyons 17; 8—Nickerson 0
NO. 1 SINGLES—1—Bailey Jackson, P def. Abigail Holt, Larned, 6-2, 5-7 (10-6); 3—Molly Martin, Hess, def. Reese Merlau, Hois, 6-0, 6-1; 5—Anna Jorgenson, Hill def. Jill Hett, SV, 9-0; 7—Abby Thalmann, Haven def. Nevaeh Becker, Lyons, 9-1; Holt def. Becker, 6-0, 6-0; Holt def. Martin, 6-0, 6-3; Merlau def. Jorgenson, 6-3, 6-3; Jackson def. Merlau, 6-1, 6-1
Abby Thalmann, Haven def. Ria Shah, Nick, 9-7; Neveah Becker, Lyons def. Shah, 9-2
NO. 2 SINGLES—1—Kate Jackson, P def. Cassie Manry, Larned, 6-3, 6-2; 3—Aubrey Koehn, Hess, def. Claire Crutcher, Hois, 6-1, 6-7 (7-2), (10-7); 5—Madelyn Mauk, SV def. Kendall Webb, Lyons, 9-6; Crutcher def. Mauk, 4-6, 6-3, (10-8); Manry def. Crutcher, 6-2, 7-5
NO. 1 DOUBLES—1—Kayla Norberg/Lily Heline, SV def. Kori Kramer/Elyse Griffin, Hess, 7-5, 1-6 (10-4); 3—Arianna Hemken/Breanna Hemken, Larned def. Violet Klein/Cassidy Bernhardt, Hill, 6-3, 6-3; 5—Lauren Higgins/Hailey Petersilie, Hois def. Wendy Candia/Hope Hughes, P, 9-5; 7— Wella Bryant/Mia Bryant, Lyons def. Kenzie Popp/Kayla Rose, Haven, default; Hemken/Hemken def. Higgins/Petersilie, 6-4, 3-6 (10-4); Norberg/Heline def. Hemken/Hemken, 6-3, 6-4; Higgins/Petersilie def. Bryant/Bryant, 9-2; Higgins/Petersilie def. Popp/Rose, 9-3
Wella Bryant/Mia Bryant, Lyons def. Mylee Smith/Macy Weideman, Nick, 9-0; Kenzie Popp/Kayla Rose, Haven def. Smith/Weideman, 9-0
NO. 2 DOUBLES—1—Jaiden Callahan/Caroline Yoder, Hess def. Isabella Bailey/Reese Watkins, Larned, 6-2, 6-4; 3—Kelsee Adam/Kaitlyn Leis, SV def. Carly Delzeit/Piper Jacobs, Hois, 6-3, 6-3; 5—Bayleigh Minnis/Karlee Cooprider/ Haven def. Keimarla Thompson/Sydney Riley, P, 9-1; 7— Maylee Hardey/Claire Morey, Hill def. Karson Peter/Leina Clayton, Lyons, default; Bailey/Watkins def. Hardey/Morey, 6-0, 6-1; Bailey/Watkins def. Delzeit/Jacobs, 6-3, 6-0; Delzeit/Jacobs def. Thompson/Riley, 6-1, 6-2
Maylee Hardey/Claire Morey, Hill def. Breckan Kelman/Brittney Chestnut, Nick, 9-0; Karson Peter/Leina Clayton, Lyons def. Kelman/Chestnut, 9-1
Source : Great Bend Tribune
