GIRLS TENNIS: Holly regains regional championship, advances to state finals for 15th straight time
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
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FENTON — It was a year ago when Holly’s girls tennis team was left looking in a somewhat awkward position: Looking up.
The Bronchos lost their first league tournament title in three decades, finishing second behind Fenton in the flint Metro League standings, and ended up second to Fenton again at the Division 2 regional.
This position is something that Holly remedied this season.
Holly, which captured its 30th league title in 31 seasons last week, won its fourth regional crown in five years Thursday on the courts of Fenton and Holly high schools —in convincing fashion. The Bronchos sent representatives into the finals in seven of the eight flights and had five champions on the day.
All of Holly’s entrants reached at least the semifinals. The result was 29 points, well ahead of Fenton’s 19 points, as the top two teams advanced to the Lower Peninsula Division 2 state finals May 31-June 1 at Grand Blanc.
The win marks Holly’s 15th straight state finals berth.
“What’s more impressive is that how many players we lost (to graduation),” offered Holly coach Will Sopheia. “We lost seven players and Fenton graduated seven seniors. Fenton beat us at (both) the league tournament and regional last season, 25-23 at the regional. But we have lot of new players that have stepped in and helped us this season and we were able to have a huge point swing over last season.
“This season was a new opportunity for some youngers players that have filled in nicely. We only have three seniors on the whole team,” added Sopheia.
Flushing and Lapeer West tied for third with 14 points each, while Clio (10), Lapeer East (8), Alpena (6), Swartz Creek (6), Flint Kearsley (0) and Saginaw Arthur Hill (0) rounded out the 10-school field.
In the singles matches, Holly won the No. 2 and No 4 flights, while grabbing the runner-up slot at No. 1 singles. The only flight Holly did not produce a finalist was No. 3 singles.
Holly freshman Jenna Pepper continued to impress with the crown at No. 4 singles with a 6-2, 6-1 sweep of Lapeer West’s Megan Morris. The Bronchos’ Victoria Skubik downed Lapeer East’s Mary Morrison, 6-0, 6-3, in the finals at No. 2 singles.
At No. 1 singles, Fenton’s Madison Ballard defeated Holly’s Natalie Clink, 6-0, 6-1, while Lapeer West’s Blake Clements swept Lapeer East’s Annette Williams 6-1, 6-2, in the finals at No. 3 singles.
Holly won the No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4 doubles flights and had the finalist at No. 2 doubles, using their depth to pull away from the rest of the pack.
Carley Postma and Sydney Renehan provided the Bronchos’ with a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles over Fenton’s Lilly DuBois and Emily McIntosh. Holly’s No. 3 duo of Alanah Rau and Leah Moller won their flight at No. 3 doubles with a 6-2, 6-4 sweep of Flushing’s Madelyn Wendlingand Clancy Gleason.
In the No.4 doubles flight, it was Holly’s unit of Katherine Skubik and Claire Young that prevailed in three sets, 6-4, 5-7, 6-0, over Fenton’s Sylee Kiran and Katie Kurycz.
The only doubles flight that didn’t see a Holly victory was No. 2 doubles, where the Fenton duo of Ashley Bearden-Hanna Horton prevailed with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Holly’s Daryl Spurgeon and Haley Crimmins.
“I couldn’t be more prouder of this team. To be as young as we are and to have all of these new players, including several freshmen, in our lineup and to come back and win the league and regional is quite an accomplishment,” offered Sopheia. “This shows how much hard work the players on this team have put in during the past year. At the beginning of the season, we didn’t know what to expect with all of the new players. But as a group we have all stepped it up and now we’re going back to the state finals.
Girls Tennis
DIVISION 2 REGIONAL
(May 16 at Fenton and Holly high schools)
TEAM SCORES — 1. Holly, 29; 2. Fenton, 19; 3. (tie) Flushing, 14; Lapeer West, 14; 5. Clio, 10; 6. Lapeer East, 8; 7. (tie) Alpena, 6; Swartz Creek, 6; 9. (tie) Flint Kearsley, 0; Saginaw Arthur Hill, 0.
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHTS
SINGLES — 1. Madison Ballard (Fenton) d. Natalie Clink (Holly) 6-0, 6-1; 2. Victoria Skubik (Holly d. Mary Morrison (Lapeer East) 6-0, 6-3; 3. Blake Clements (Lapeer West) d. Annette Williams (Lapeer East) 6-2, 6-1; 4. Jenna Pepper (Holly) d. Megan Morris (Lapeer West) 6-2, 6-1.
DOUBLES — 1. Carley Postma-Sydney Renehan (Holly) d. Lilly DuBois-Emily McIntosh (Fenton) 6-1, 6-3; 2. Ashley Bearden-Hanna Horton (Fenton) d. Daryl Spurgeon-Haley Crimmins (Holly) 6-2, 6-1; 3. Alanah Rau-Leah Moller (Holly) d. Madelyn Wendling-Clancy Gleason (Flushing) 6-2, 6-4; 4. Katherine Skubik-Claire Young (Holly) d. Sylee Kiran-Katie Kurycz (Fenton) 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-0.
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