By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
With a pair of dominating victories Friday at Kossover Tennis Center, Seaman junior Emma Sweeney, the No. 2 seed, assured herself of a top-four Class 5A state singles finish for the second straight season.
Seaman junior Emma Sweeney advanced to the Class 5A singles semifinals for the second straight season with a pair of dominant victories Friday at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But after finishing fourth as a sophomore, the Seaman star has her sights on bigger things Saturday.
"Last year I wasn't really expected to make it, so I didn't really know what was going on and not winning my semifinal match, it was OK and it was a learning moment,'' Sweeney said. "But this year I'm really looking forward to taking that step and competing and trying to make it to the championship.''
Now 29-1 on the season, Sweeney dropped just one game on Friday, posting a 6-0, 6-0 win over St. James Academy's Jenna Peltzer and a 6-1, 6-0 quarterfinal victory over Kapaun Mt. Carmel's Clara Hocker to advance to Saturday's 9 a.m. semifinal.
Sweeney said she felt relaxed for the most part during Friday's matches.
"I had a talk with my mental performance coach the other day and we talked about winning over my nerves and I think after I won them over it helps me play a lot more confident and loose,'' Sweeney said.
Sweeney will face No. 3 seed Allison Munhall of Valley Center in one semifinal while top seed Mia Jaramillo of Andover will face No. 5 seed Kali Keough of Emporia in the other semifinal.
Seaman senior singles player Molly Gorman and the Viking doubles team of senior Peyton Henry and junior Camryn Lux also assured themselves of state medals while advancing to Saturday's place matches.
Gorman, who lost 6-0, 6-2 to Jaramillo in the singles quarterfinals, can still finish as high as fifth, as can Henry and Lux, who also lost in the doubles quarterfinals.
Viking juniors Kaylyn Hiebsch and Cadence Speer were eliminated Friday, just one win away from advancing to the place rounds.
Seaman coach Jamie Robinson said he was pleased overall with the Vikings' first-day state performance as the team tries to earn a top-three state finish for the second straight season.
"We won the matches we were supposed to win,'' Robinson said. "So far, so good. It could have been a little better, it could have been a lot worse.''
Cair Paravel junior Madilyn Poole advanced to Saturday's Class 3A-1A singles semifinals with a pair of Friday wins. [File photo/TSN]
Lions' Poole advances to 3A-1A semis
Cair Paravel Latin junior Madilyn Poole, making her second straight Class 3A-1A state appearance, has assured herself of a top-four finish and her first state medal after advancing to Saturday's singles semifinals at the Salina Tennis Center.
Poole, the No. 3 seed, posted a 6-0, 6-1 win in her first match of the day before rallying for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over No. 6 seed Lauren Sleder of Larned in the quarterfinals.
Poole will face No. 2 seed Karli Haase of Ellsworth in a 9 a.m. semifinal Saturday.
Silver Lake junior Evelynn Thompson came within one win of advancing to Saturday's place matches.
High's Deters assured of 6A singles medal
Topeka High senior singles player Madeline Deters fell in Friday's Class 6A quarterfinals at the College Boulevard Activity Center in Olathe, but clinched a second straight state medal.
Deters, a Centennial League and regional champion, can still finish as high as fifth place.
Deters was the lone city 6A entry to advance to Saturday, but Washburn Rural freshman singles player Bridget Hoopes and the doubles team of senior Alizah Alvarez-Chedzoy and sophomore Annie Henderson came within one win of advancing to the place rounds.
Hayden advances four players in 4A
Hayden singles players Grace Funk and Lana Hull and the doubles team of Sophia Wichman and Avery O'Bray all advanced to Saturday's Class 4A place matches at Harmon Park in Prairie Village.
Funk, a senior, and freshman Hull in singles and sophomore Wichman and senior O'Bray in doubles can all finish as high as fifth place.
Funk and Hull will play each other in the first round of the day on Saturday.
Funk, Wichman and O'Bray are all returning state medalists.
SHAWNEE COUNTY STATE TENNIS QUALIFIERS
Class 6A
At College Boulevard Activity Center, Olathe
Topeka High -- Singles: Madeline Deters, sr., 29-4 (No. 4 seed). Doubles: Hailey Caryl, so., and Ava Ritter, sr., 24-8 (No. 17 seed).
Washburn Rural -- Singles: Bridget Hoopes, fr., 18-5 (No. 14 seed). Doubles: Julia Katzer, jr., and Halle Owen, jr., 25-4 (No. 9 seed); Alizah Alvarez-Chedzoy, sr., and Annie Henderson, so., 7-2 (No. 21 seed).
Class 5A
At Kossover Tennis Center
Seaman -- Singles: Emma Sweeney, jr., 27-1 (No. 2 seed); Molly Gorman, sr., 24-6 (No. 8 seed). Doubles: Peyton Henry, sr., and Camryn Lux, jr., 25-5 (No. 6 seed); Kaylyn Hiebsch, jr., and Cadence Speer, jr., 20-10 (No. 14 seed).
Topeka West -- Doubles: Taryn Gilbert, sr., and Jordan Felsburg, sr., 23-13 (No. 19 seed).
Class 4A
At Harmon Park Tennis Complex, Prairie Village
Hayden -- Singles: Lana Hull, fr., 20-8 (No. 11 seed); Grace Funk, sr., 5-5 (No. 12 seed). Doubles: Avery O'Bray, sr., and Sophia Wichman, so., 11-5 (No. 9 seed); Kinsey Bullock, sr., and Kaelyn Gerdel, jr., 4-8 (No. 21 seed).
Class 3A-1A
At Salina Tennis Center
Cair Paravel Latin -- Singles: Madilyn Poole, jr., 16-2 (No. 3 seed).
Silver Lake -- Singles: Evelynn Thompson, so., 12-5 (No. 9 seed).
