By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High tennis came up short in its three Topeka High Invitational championship matches Wednesday at Kossover Tennis Center en route to a third-place team finish.
Topeka High senior Madeline Deters finished second in No. 1 singles in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hailey Caryl (left) celebrates Topeka High's No. 1 doubles semifinal victory with teammate Ava Ritter in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And although Trojan coach Duane Pomeroy would have loved for his team to claim a title or two or three, he had zero complaints about High's performance.
"I was really happy with how we worked today,'' Pomeroy said. "All of them did a great job.''
Topeka High's Madeline Deters dropped an 8-5 decision to Emporia's Kali Keough in the No. 1 singles final, while High's Hailey Caryl and Ava Ritter also dropped a close match in the No. 1 doubles final, with Emporia's Peyton Chanlee and Kinsley Hines prevailing, 8-6.
Topeka High's No. 2 doubles team of Astra Fizell (left) and Sasha Gotru finished second in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans' No. 2 doubles team of Sasha Gotru and Astra Fizell also advanced to the championship match, falling 8-2 to Emporia's Alexa Tovar and Chelsea Mendez.
"It's amazing that we've got Sasha, that had never played tennis before the first day of practice,'' Pomeroy said.
Caryl and Ritter rallied from a 7-2 deficit to win their semifinal match over Junction City in a tiebreaker.
"My one doubles, the way they came back was the best they've ever played, that five-game stretch plus the tiebreaker, each game they just got more and more confident,'' Pomeroy said.
Deters showed her mettle in the singles final, rallying from 4-1 and 7-3 deficits to challenge Keough late.
The Spartans claimed the team title by a 38-33 margin over Olathe East, with High third with 30 points.
Topeka West tied for sixth with 19 points while Shawnee Heights and Highland Park finished ninth and 10th.
TOPEKA INVITATIONAL TENNIS
Team scores
Emporia 38, Olathe East 33, Topeka High 30, Junction City 28, Mixed (NEK/Topeka) 21, Lawrence 19, Topeka West 19, Wichita Southeast 19, Shawnee Heights 7, Highland Park 5.
Individual results
No. 1 singles
Championship -- Kali Keough, Emporia, def. Madeline Deters, Topeka High, 8-5.
Third -- Mia Huttenmueller, Olathe East, def. Wichita Southeast, 8-1.
Fifth -- Zoey Micheel, Junction City, def. Avery Grindal, Mixed, 8-2.
No. 2 singles
Championship -- Grace Himmelberg, Olathe East, def. Skylar O'Sullivan, Junction City, 8-0.
Third -- Izzy Hinst, Emporia, def. Bella Qunaphom, Wichita Southeast, 8-0.
Fifth -- Kate Raymond, Mixed, def. Bri Moore, Topeka West, 8-2.
No. 1 doubles
Championship -- Peyton Chanlee/Kinsley Hines, Emporia, def. Hailey Caryl/Ava Ritter, Topeka High, 8-6.
Third -- Hannah Micheel/Maddi Sederlin, Junction City, def. Julie Schulenburg/Lillian Curry, Olathe East, 8-6.
Fifth -- Hannah Waltman/Monica Merce, Mixed, def. Kate Neilson/Ellaire Severin, Lawrence, 8-2.
No. 2 doubles
Championship -- Alexa Tovar/Chelsea Mendez, Emporia, def. Sasha Gotru/Astra Fizell, Topeka High, 8-2.
Third -- Ava Anderson/Brenly Rosenbaum, Olathe East, def. Makayla Denton/Lily Baldridge, Lawrence, 8-1.
Fifth -- Jordan Felsburg/Taryn Gilbert, Topeka West, def. Hannah Huddleston/Kara Houck, Junction City, 8-4.
