What? Second-place RC Stevens in driver's seat in state Class AA girls tennis
RAPID CITY — You know it was a strange opening day in the 2022 state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament when second-place Rapid City Stevens is very much in the driver's seat for the team championship.
Play started at 8 a.m. Mountain time outdoors, but was moved indoors early when drizzle caused the courts to get slippery. With only seven indoor courts at two sites available, rather than 24 outdoor courts, it ended up being a long day that didn't get over until 10 p.m. or later.
"The thing is the girls sit around for 2-3 hours and then their names are called to play," said Watertown head coach Ryan Zink. "Then you get five minutes to warm up. And the place is packed with no seating. It's a little tricky for the girls."
But it is early October in South Dakota and it's not the first time the schedule has been adjusted to get as many matches as possible completed due to weather complications. All of the doubles matches were played on Thursday, with only the championship and third-place matches remaining.
In singles, only first-round matches were completed. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeded players in each flight had byes and didn't even play on Thursday.
That's why Stevens, the pre-tourney favorite, is still the team to beat in what is essentially a three-team battle for the title. Sioux Falls Lincoln held a 226-220 lead over Stevens with O'Gorman third at 194.
Here's the catch. Stevens went 1-0 in singles matches and has No. 1 or No. 2 seeded players in the five other flights ready for quarterfinal play. The Raiders also advanced all three of their doubles teams to the finals.
Lincoln went 6-0 in singles and advanced its No. 3 doubles team to the finals with the two other teams playing for third. O'Gorman went 3-0 singles with three other players receiving byes and like Lincoln, has one doubles team (first flight) in the finals and two other doubles teams playing for third place.
"Based on the seeds and everything, Stevens is still the favorite," said Zink. "Lincoln and O'Gorman also had good days."
Doubles championship matchups include No. 1 seed Alastrina Scott and Peyton Ogle of Stevens vs. No. 5 seed Maya Jamous and Ashlyn Garry of O'Gorman (first flight); No. 1 Jaida Young-Leyla Meester of Watertown vs. No. 2 Arabella Scott-Kaiya Parkin of Stevens (second flight); and No. 1 Anna Mueller-Lindsey Pfingston of Stevens vs. Julia Hedrick-Rachel Blackman of Lincoln (third flight).
Play is expected to open outdoors Friday morning with the championship and third-place doubles matches, followed by the remaining singles (quarterfinals, semifinals, consolation quarterfinals, consolation semifinals, fifth-place semifinals and championship, third place, fifth place and ninth place) matches.
Eastern South Dakota Conference champion Watertown, which got a ninth-place finish from Ellie Zink and Josie Heyn at No. 1 doubles and has all six singles players still alive, is fourth in the team standings with 175 points followed by fellow ESD schools Brandon Valley (165) and Aberdeen Central (148).
Laney Gonsor and Reese Comstock finished fifth in the third flight of doubles and Carly Comstock and Livia Douglas sixth in the second flight for Aberdeen Central, which has five of its six singles players in the quarterfinals.
Thursday's Results
Team Scores: 1. Sioux Falls Lincoln 226; 2. Rapid City Stevens, 200; 3. Sioux Falls O'Gorman, 194; 4. Watertown, 175; 5. Brandon Valley,165; 6. Aberdeen Central, 148; 7. Sioux Falls Jefferson, 120.5; 8. Mitchell, 118; 9. Yankton, 87; 10. Harrisburg, 83; 11. Sioux Falls Washington, 18; 12. Rapid City Central, 16.5; 13. (Tie) Brookings and Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 4.5.
SINGLES
FIRST FLIGHT
First Round: Maya Jamous, OG, def. Mckenzie Vickery, HAR, 6-0, 6-4; Eloise Geraets, SFL, def. Camryn Vermeer, BRO, 6-0, 6-0; Jaida Young, WAT, def. Ester Pineiro, RCC, 6-0, 6-0; Emily Ringgenberg, AC, def. Allie Weber, SFR, 6-1, 6-2; Alastrina Scott, RCS, def. Kara Garry, SFW, 6-1, 56-0; Marie Pelletier, BV, def. Amber Moller, MIT, 6-4, 6-2.
SECOND FLIGHT
First Round: Samantha Smith, SFJ, def Alice Vogel, AC, 6-1, 6-1; Ashlyn Garry, OG def. Ella Cornett, SFR, 6-1, 6-2; Charlotte Crawford, SFL, def. Emma Raisanen, RCC, 6-0, 6-0; Michaela Jerke, BV, def. Madelyn Dahlmeier, SFW, 6-1, 6-0; Ellie Zink, W, won forfeit over Sophie Tanner, BRO; Megan Mastel, MIT, def. Erika Starr, HAR, 6-0, 4-6, 10-4.
THIRD FLIGHT
First Round: Nicole Linn, HAR, def. Afton Keller, SFJ, 7-5, 6-2; Bergen Quello, SFL, def. Paige Foster, BRO, 6-0, 6-0; Addison Meyers, BV, def. Abby McNaboe, RCC, 6-1, 6-0; Carsyn Weich, MIT, def. Megan Scott, YAN, 6-0, 6-2; Leyla Meester, WAT, def. Elaina Fortney, SFR, 6-1, 6-0; Carly Comstock, AC, def. Zoriah VanDeVendel, SFW, 6-12, 7-5.
FOURTH FLIGHT
First Round: Graycee Sargent, SFJ, def. Claire Silverhus, BV, 6-1, 6-2; Frannie Kouri, YAN, def. Grace Fromknecht, SFW, 6-0, 6-0; Grace Miner, SFL, def. Vada Jacoby, SFR, 6-1, 6-0; Josie Heyn, WAT, def. Ella Miller, RCC, 6-0, 6-1; Livia Douglas, AC, def. Brea Tonsager, BRO, 6-1, 6-2; Madelyn Eisenbeisz, HAR, def. Elly Clement, MIT, 6-1, 6-3.
FIFTH FLIGHT
First Round: Ireland Bindauer, MIT, def. Addison Hohy, HAR, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 10-3; Addison Gordon, YAN, def. Emma Engel, SFR, 6-3, 6-0; Teya Badger, BV, def. Camilla Griffin, SFW, 6-0, 6-0; Lucy Koziara, OG, def. Mattison Poynter, RCC, 6-0, 6-1; Julia Hendrick, SFL, def. Ava Heintz, SFJ, 6-1, 6-4; Laney Gonsor, AC, def. Elle Coplan, BRO, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
SIXTH FLIGHT
First Round: Gabriella Wabwire, HAR, def. Anika Hooda, BRO, 10-5; Evelyne Lima-Zapon, YAN, def. Madison Gillette, SFW, 10-5; Emma Derynick, SFL, def. Macie Moser, RCC, 10-2; Avery Tennant, AC, def. Abigail Paulsen, SFR, 10-1; Sophia Nichols, WAT, def. Avery Rehfeldt, SFJ, 10-3; Keera Kriech, BV, def. Maddie Childs, MIT, 10-7.
DOUBLES
FIRST FLIGHT
First Round: Marie Pelletier-Michaela Jerke, BV, def. Ellie Zink-Josie Heyn, WAT, 10-4; Maya Jamous-Ashlyn Garry, OG, def. Allie Weber-Vada Jacoby, SFR, 10-1; Emily Rinngenberg-Alice Vogel, AC, def. Esther Pinero-Emma Raisanen, RCC, 10-2; Eloise Geraets-Charlotte Crawford, SFL, def. Camryn Vermeer-Mary Rudd, BRO, 10-3; Avery Summers-Samantha Smith, SFJ, def. Kara Gary-Madelyn Dahlmeier, SFW, 10-1; Amber Moller-Delaney Degen, MIT, def. Mckenzie Vickery-Erika Starr, HAR, 10-8.
Quarterfinals: Nora-Sabrina Krawjewski, YAN, def. Pelletier-Jerke, BV, 10-3; Jamous-Garry, OG, def. Ringgenberg-Vogel, AC, 10-1; Geraets-Crawford, SFL, def. Summers-Smith, SFJ, 10-6; Alastrina Scott-Peyton Ogle, RCS, def. Moeller-Degen, MIT, 10-0.
Semifinals: Jamous-Garry, OG, def. Pelletier-Jerke, BV, 10-4; Scott-Ogle, RCS, def. Geraets-Crawford, 10-5.
Fifth Place Semifinals: N. Krawjewski-S. Krawjewski, YAN, def. Ringgenberg-Vogel, AC, 8-6; Summers-Smith, SFJ, def. Moller-Degen, MIT, 8-6.
Fifth Place: Summers-Smith, SFJ, def. Krawjewski-Krawjewski, YAN, 8-3.
Consolation: Pineiro-Raisanen, RCC, def. Weber-Jacoby, SFR, 8-3; Gary-Dahlmeier, SFW, def. Vermeer-Rudd, BRO, 8-2; Zink-Heyn, WAT, def. Pineiro-Raisanen, RCC, 8-1; Vickery-Starr, HAR, def. Gary-Dahlmeier, SFW, 8-1.
Ninth Place: Zink-Heyn, WAT, def. Vickery-Starr, HAR, 8-6.
SECOND FLIGHT
First Round: Addison Meyers-Melia Thelen, BV, def. Afton Keller-Aava Heintz, SFJ, 10-5; Bergen Quello-Grace Miner, SFL, def. Ella Cornett-Elaina Fortney, SFR, 10-1; Carly Comstock-Livia Douglas, AC, def. Mattison Poynter-Abby McNaboe, RCC, 10-3; Carsyn Weich-Megan Mastel, MIT, def. Kara Koerner-Frannie Kouri, YAN, 10-0; Ceceila Bender-Sydney. Breitt, OG, def. Paige Foster-Brea Tonsager, BRO, 10-1; Nicole Lin-Madelyn Eisenbeisz, HAR, def. Zoriah VanDeVendel-Grace Fromknecht, SFW, 10-2.
Quarterfinals: Jaida Young-Leyla Meester, WAT, def. Meyers-Thelen, BV, 10-4; Quello-Miner, SFL, def. Comstock-Douglas, 10-6; Bender-Breit, OG, def. Weich-Mastel, 10-9 (11); Arabella Scott-Kaiya Parkin, RCS, def. Lin-Eisenbeisz, HAR, 10-3.
Semifinals: Young-Meester, WAT, def. Quello-Miner, SFL, 10-7; Scott-Parkin, RCS, def. Bender-Breit, OG, 10-9 (1).
Fifth Place Semifinals: Comstock-Douglas, AC, def. Meyers-Thelen, BV, 8-7 (8); Weich-Mastel, MIT, def. Lin-Eisenbeisz, HAR, 8-5.
Fifth Place: Weich-Mastel, MIT, def. Comstock-Douglas, AC, 8-2.
Consolation: Poynter-McNaboe, RCC, def. Cornett-Fortney, SFR, 8-7 (2); Koerner-Kouri, YAN, def. Foster-Tonsager, BRO, 8-1;Keller-Heintz, SFJ, def. Poynter-McNaboe, RCC, 8-6; VanDeVendel-Fromknecht, SFW, def. Koerner-Kouri, YAN, 8-7 (2).
Ninth Place: Keller-Heintz, SFJ, def. VanDeVendel-Fromknecht, SFW, 8-3.
THIRD FLIGHT
First Round: Keera Kriech-Claire Siverhus, BV, def. Gabriella. Wabwire-Keira Ptak, HAR, 10-6; Lucy Koziara-Ellie Huber, OG, def. Ella Miller-Macie Moser, RCC, 10-2; Faith Berg-Sophia Nichols, WAT, def. Emma Engel-Abigail Paulsen, SFR, 10-4; Julia Hedrick-Rachel Blackman, SFL, def. Camilia Griffin-Madison Gillette, SFW, 10-1; Elly Clement-Mia Larson, MIT, def. Elle Coplan-Anika Hooda, BRO, 10-2; Graycee Sargent-Avery Rehfeldt, SFJ, def. Evelyne Lima-Zapon/Addison Gordon, YAN, 10-8.
Quarterfinals: Anna Mueller-Lindsey Pfingston, RCS, def. Kriech-Siverhus, 10-1; Koziara-Huber, OG, def. Berg-Nichols, 10-6; Hedrick-Blackman, SFL, def. Clement-Larson, MIT, 10-1; Sargent-Rehfeldt, SFJ, def. Laney Gonsor-Reese Comstock, AC, 10-8.
Semifinals: Mueller-Pfingston, RCS, def. Koziara-Huber, OG, 10-8; Hedrick-Blackman, SFL, def. Sargent-Rehfeldt, SFJ, 10-3.
Fifth Place Semifinals: Kriech-Siverhus, BV, def. Berg-Nichols, Wat, 8-7 (5); Gonsor-Comstock, AC, def. Clement-Larson, MIT, 8-6.
Fifth Place: Gonsor-Comstock, AC, def. Kriech-Siverhus, BV, 8-5.
Consolation: Engel-Paulsen, SFR, def. Miller-Moster, 8-1; Coplan-Hooda, BRO, def. Griffin-Gillette, SFW, 8-2; Wabwire-Ptak, HAR, def. Engel-Paulsen, SFR, 8-2; Lima-Zapon/Gordon, YAN, def, Coplan-Hooda, BRO, 8-2.
Ninth Place: Lima-Zapon/Gordon, YAN, def. Wabwire-Ptak, HAR, 8-7 (0).
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Weather forced first-round of state AA girls tennis tourney indoors.
