By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Jette Glasenapp came a long way to make a major impact for Shawnee Heights' girls tennis team this fall.
German foreign exchange student Jette Glasenapp, a junior at Shawnee Heights, rolled to the No. 1 singles title in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Glasenapp, a junior foreign exchange student from Berlin, Germany, arrived in the United States on Aug. 5th and has been a very welcome addition for first-year Shawnee Heights coach Phil Hamilton's T-Birds.
Glasenapp has lost just one match in a 14-1 start to the season and went a perfect 4-0 in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center, capped by a 6-0, 6-0 win over Junction City's Hannah Micheel in the championship match. Glasenapp lost just four games on the day.
"My dad studied in the U.S. and he always told me it was going to be fun, so my dad gave me the idea and also some of my friends came here so I kind of always wanted to do it since I was 10,'' Glasenapp said.
Glasenapp said she has enjoyed her short time in America and at Shawnee Heights.
"It's really cool,'' Glasenapp said. "It's been a great experience -- the school, the host family. I really like it.''
Glasenapp has also enjoyed her introduction to high school tennis.
"We don't have sports in high school, we only play after school in clubs,'' she said. "It's different and it's really cool. I like it. I've played nine years, since I was seven, six. I really like playing here. It's a lot of fun with the team and the other players.
"It's actually how I expected it in my mind. Everyone is super nice, great players and it's a lot of fun. I really enjoy it, playing tennis here.''
Shawnee Heights junior foreign exchange student Jette Glasenapp has lost just one match this fall while playing No. 1 singles for the T-Birds. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Next Thursday's city meet begins the championship stretch of the 2023 season, followed by United Kansas Conference, Class 5A regional and state meets and Glasenapp said she is looking forward to the challenge.
"I'm a bit nervous, but I'm excited to play and I hope I can get far,'' she said. "I hope I can play at state.''
Topeka High senior McCall Beall won the No. 2 singles championship in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Joining Glasenapp as a tournament champ on Wednesday was Topeka High senior McCall Beall, who claimed the No. 2 singles crown.
Beall clinched her title with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Olathe East's Ashley Bryant in the No. 2 final and is 14-1 on the season, with her lone loss coming in a tiebreaker.
Olathe East claimed the team championship in the eight-school tournament by a 29-25 margin over Junction City, with the Hawks sweeping the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles titles.
Topeka High finished third as a team with 22 points while Shawnee Heights finished fifth, Topeka West seventh and Highland Park eighth.
TOPEKA HIGH INVITATIONAL
Team scores
Olathe East 29, Junction City 25, Topeka High 22, Lawrence 21, Shawnee Heights 16, Wichita Southeast 14, Topeka West 11, Highland Park 5.
Individual results
Singles
No. 1 -- Championship: Jette Glasenapp, Shawnee Heights, def. Hannah Micheel, Junction City, 6-0, 6-0. Third: Elaine Ching, Olathe East, def. Madeline Deters, Topeka High, 2-6, 6-2, 10-6.
No. 2 -- Championship: McCall Beall, Topeka High, def. Ashley Bryant, Olathe East, 6-3, 6-2. Consolation: Julia Cho, Junction City, def. Morgan Moeckly, Lawrence, 4-6, 6-4, 10-7.
Doubles
No. 1 -- Championship: Abbi Linn/Tori Prettejohn, Olathe East, def. Lauren Ounaphom/Mallory Martinez, Wichita Southeast, 6-1, 6-2. Consolation: Karen Middleton/Alexa Nauholz, Lawrence, def. Ohemaa Sarpong/Stephanie Stanislow, Junction City, 6-7 (10-8), 6-2, 10-3.
No. 2 -- Championship: Henley Hlasney/Mia Hutenmueller, Olathe East, def. Rebecca Monroe/Sarah Chang, Junction City, 6-1, 6-1. Consolation: Harper Jay/Channing Saint Onge, Lawrence, def. Cora Ambrose/Sophia Ambrose, Topeka High, 6-1, 6-0.
