By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman girls tennis coach Jamie Robinson wanted to use Monday's United Kansas Conference meet to build momentum for Class 5A regional competition later this week.
And the Vikings did just that, posting a perfect team score to win their third straight UKC title.
"That certainly helped our confidence going into regionals,'' Robinson said. "We take a lot of pride in winning the conference and we came up just short with the city so this helps and now we're looking forward to regionals and getting all of our top six to state.''
Seaman finished one-two in both singles and doubles to win the championship by a lopsided 74-52 margin over runnerup De Soto.
Sophomore Emma Sweeney took an 8-3 victory over junior Molly Gorman in the singles final while senior Sidney Chinn and sophomore Peyton Henry rallied from a 4-1 deficit to top Viking teammates Camryn Lux and Katlyn Hiebsch for the doubles championship.
Topeka West finished fifth as a team while Shawnee Heights finished seventh while getting a fourth-place doubles finish from Izzy Van Fleet and Mackenzie Mertel in their first tournament as doubles partners.
Seaman will compete in a Saturday 5A regional at Bonner Springs while Topeka West and Shawnee Heights will compete in a Friday 5A regional at Harmon Park in Overland Park.
UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE
At Kossover Tennis Center
Team scores
Seaman 74, De Soto 52, Piper 50, Basehor-Linwood 35, Topeka West 33, Lansing 30, Shawnee Heights 28, Leavenworth 20.
Individual results
Singles
Championship -- Sweeney, Seaman, def. Gorman, Seaman, 8-3.
Third -- Vallejo, Piper, def. McPherson, Piper, 8-5.
Fifth -- Gress, De Soto, def. McMahon, Leavenworth, 8-2.
Doubles
Championship -- Chinn/Henry, Seaman, def. Lux/Hiebsch, Seaman, 8-5.
Third -- Tuttle/Noble, De Soto, def. Van Fleet/Mertel, Shawnee Heights, 8-5.
Fifth -- Unruh/Vanderwelde, Basehor-Linwood, def. McNabb/Meyers, Laning, 8-5.