SALT LAKE CITY—Manti, Wasatch Academy and North Sanpete each were represented last week at the 3A state girls’ tennis tournament in Salt Lake City and performed well against the state’s best.
Manti places 8th
The Manti girls’ tennis team took eighth place in the final standings with three points as the weekend concluded. The Templars previously claimed the Region 14 championship leading up to the tournament.
“This was a great season for Manti girls’ tennis,” Manti Coach Todd Jorgensen said. ”There wasn’t a big expectation of success after losing the top four players from last year. So as the season started, other top teams from the region expected a down year from Manti. But the girls really stepped up as the season went on. The levels of improvement of the players amazed even us coaches. I’m really proud of the way they progressed throughout the season. The main thing a coach hopes for with any team or player is improvement. They delivered. It has been one of the most rewarding seasons in past memory.”
Three different Manti entrants scored points with quarterfinal appearances. Heidi Jorgensen defeated Jill Millard of Ogden in two sets, 6-2, 7-5, in the first round of the first singles. In the quarterfinals, Jorgensen went the distance with Judge Memorial’s Rachelle Prasthofer and fell in three sets, 2-6, 6-4, 4-6.
Emily Allen also claimed a point in the second singles as she defeated Canyon View’s Juleann Valerius in a shutout, 6-0, 6-0. In turn, Allen’s quarterfinal appearance was a shutout loss as she fell to Juan Diego’s Rachel Strelow, 0-6, 0-6.
In the doubles event, the duo of Talia Cluff and Emma Christensen made it to the quarterfinals with a victory over Ben Lomond’s team of Ellie Maddock and Presley Hester, 6-0, 6-2. Cluff and Christensen then took Rowland Hall’s Kate Altman and Agustina Salazar too three sets but fell, 6-4, 1-6, 0-6.
In other events, Natalie Vlam fell in the first round of the first singles to Waterford’s Bailey Norris in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6. In doubles, Shaylynn Hoblett and Azlyn Ristine fell to Rowland Hall’s Madeline Frazier and Elena Owens in the first round, 1-6, 3-6.
Mt. Pleasant
For North Sanpete, Hallie Henrie fell in third singles in the first round to Carbon’s Lieke Verwiej, 2-6, 2-6. In doubles, Alexis Bradley and Madolyn Mangum were shut out in the first round by Morgan’s Lucy Tripp and Brylee Adams, 0-6, 0-6. Abrianna and Natalya Benson fell in the first round to Waterford’s Megan Wade and Michelle Greenberg, 6-7, 1-6.
Wasatch Academy
For Wasatch Academy, Laura Brueggemann defeated Ben Lomond’s Reagan Wilcox in a first-round shutout, 6-0, 6-0. Brueggemann then lost to Waterford’s Noelle Kieffer, 6-7, 4-6, in the quarterfinals. Emily Nicholson fell in the first round to Rowland Hall’s Tennyson Seethaler, 1-6, 0-6.
Morgan takes title
The finals were decided between Morgan and Grantsville, with Morgan prevailing to take home their second title in three years.
Prior to state, Manti claimed the Region 14 championship with 52 total points, a wide margin ahead of Union, who took second with 42 points. North Sanpete took fourth place with 31 points, while Wasatch Academy placed fifth with 14 points.